On Friday, September 27, 2024, another year of the interesting event Night of Scientists with the subtitle Transformation will take place in many places in the Czech Republic. With us on Faculty of Theology of the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice (TF JU) and I have already organized several very pleasant meetings with a former colleague from public relations. I’ve been thinking about them a lot lately. This year, this social event will be expanded to include a number of others professional topics. But one of them will again be religious. If you have time and desire, stop by us for a while.
Photo: courtesy of TF JU
Welcome to the building of the Faculty of Theology of the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice.
You can easily find the Faculty of Theology in České Budějovice. It stands on Kněžská street in the city center and is connected to it by the concert hall of the South Bohemian Philharmonic. At first glance, this may seem like an ideal solution. Nevertheless, our location for hosting these occasions has its advantages and disadvantages. Many other events prepared by the University of South Bohemia will take place on its campus on Branišovská Street. Therefore, some of the visitors will focus directly on the peripheral district, where they can visit several different faculties. Anyway, I think that automatically leaving out the city center would be a mistake. For example, colleagues from the Faculty of Education at the University of Warsaw usually have a very interesting program.
Photo: Martin Klapetek
The modern mosque of the Bosnian Islamic Cultural Center in Graz.
As the title of this blog already revealed, I would like to invite you to our TF JU for my interactive seminar called “Islam under the Alps”. The topic will be the transformation of institutionalized Islam in Austria. Whether state regulations assist in the transition from immigrant to citizen status. That is, from Muslims of Turkish, Bosnian or Arab origin living in Austria to “Austrian Muslims”. We will focus on the research of prayer rooms that speak of the self-presentation of the community and the transmission of cultural identity to the coming generations. We will show that the establishment of departments in communal cemeteries and the setting up of the administration of Islamic cemeteries speaks of integration into a naturally differentiated society.
Photo: Martin Klapetek
The decoration of the Islamic cemetery in Altach, Austria is very interesting.
Just come to us at TF JU in the building in Kněžská street number 8. As I often tell my new students and students from the first year of the bachelor’s program Religious studiesyou don’t have to worry about getting lost with us. You will certainly find classroom No. 117 on the first floor. Not only will you be navigated by arrows specially prepared for this action. Since we are a former Capuchin monastery, our corridors are laid out nicely around the central courtyard. Whether you go right or left, you will definitely find us eventually.
Photo: Martin Klapetek
The traditionally conceived interior of a modern mosque in Bad Vöslau, Lower Austria.
The seminar with the same course will start every time on the hour, i.e. at 18:00, 19:00 and 20:00. So you will have the opportunity to compose yourself program on the Night of Scientists 2024 in České Budějovice according to their interests and time possibilities. And what can you look forward to? For short presentations regarding our research on Islam in Austria. You will be provided with materials and stationery, so you can take notes during the explanation and write down your inquisitive questions. Surely there will be time to find answers to them together.
Photo: Martin Klapetek
Prayer aids and the interesting hand of Fatima will be part of our exhibition.
We would also like to present to you items from our department’s religious collection. We received prayer aids and other trinkets as souvenirs from faculty colleagues from their trips abroad. You will be able to admire the colors of the Muslim prayer carpet from Pakistan. Its purchase, even with a certificate of origin, was easy thanks to online stores. In contrast, getting copies of the Koran with commentaries to the Czech Republic for study purposes was much more complicated. I probably don’t have to explain at length why that was. Nevertheless, we managed to do everything, so you will be able to leaf through the Arabic original and take a look at the Czech translations.
Photo: Martin Klapetek
The original Koranic text is part of our department’s religious collection.
Come and learn more about the dynamics of Islam in Austria and its transformations! Join us on an exciting journey of discovery. We look forward to seeing you.
