Poetry and Knowledge
From 20 to 22 November 2025, the Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies hosted an international conference entitled “Poetry and Knowledge: The Production and Transmission of Knowledge in Arabic Verse (1100–1800)”, organized by Natalie Kraneiß and Prof. Syrinx von Hees.
In eight panels, scholars from UK, Germany, Spain, Turkey, the United States, and Nigeria explored various aspects of the interplay between poetry and the transmission of knowledge.
The conference highlighted not only the remarkable range of fields in which knowledge is conveyed through poetry – from theology and law to rhetoric and historiography, as well as astronomy and culinary arts – but also the diversity of forms in which poetry serves as a medium for producing and disseminating knowledge.
The Institute would like to thank all participants and attendees for a highly successful event, as well as all staff members and student assistants who contributed to its realization.
A publication of the conference proceedings is planned.