Shii News – Academic Items
1.Cats in the Cabinet: Tracing Feline Presence in the Berlin State Museums
The Museum for Islamic Art in Berlin has launched an online exhibition exploring the presence of cats in art across centuries and cultures. For thousands of years, cats have captivated human imagination – admired for their cleanliness, respected for their independence, loved as companions, and often surrounded by myth and magic.
The human fascination with cats remains unbroken – especially in the digital age. As of 2025, cats rank among the world’s most popular pets. Depending on the source, between 370 and 600 million cats live in households across the globe. In Germany alone, an estimated 15.2 million domestic cats purr their way through everyday life – roughly one for every five people. That makes Germany the cat capital of the European Union.
From sacred symbols to playful companions, cats have inspired artists from ancient settlements to the digital age. Featuring manuscripts, ceramics, stamps, and more from the Berlin State Museums, the exhibition explores how these adaptable animals have shaped—and been shaped by—human history, faith, and creativity in three themed galleries.
Contact Information
Museum für Islamische Kunst (im Pergamonmuseum)
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin – Preußischer Kulturbesitz
Contact: https://islamic-art.smb.museum/kontakt/?lang=en
Contact Email
URL
https://islamic-art.smb.museum/en/story/catshibition
2. Inperson: Book Launch: The Production and Consumption of Non-Muslim Islams
On 20 August 5-7 PM, BRAIS will launch the edited volume The Production and Consumption of Non-Muslim Islams (Edinburgh University Press). Aaron Hughes, Garbi Schmidt, and Jonas Otterbeck will each present their contribution to the book, followed by debate and a reception many of the other contributors will also be present.
The book launch will be held at the Aga Khan University in London (10 Handyside St). More information in the link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/book-launch-the-production-and-consumption-of-non-muslim-islams-tickets-1553241811069?aff=oddtdtcreator
3. New Version of the Daiber Collection Manuscript Database Released
The Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia at The University of Tokyo is pleased to announce the release of the beta version (public test version) of the new Daiber Collection database, which provides access to approximately 520 Arabic-script manuscripts held by the institute. Nearly two decades have passed since the launch of the original database, and a comprehensive update is now underway to enable more advanced use.
This upgrade is being carried out in collaboration with the Uehiro Project for the Asian Research Library (U-PARL) and the Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, both within The University of Tokyo.
On June 30, 2025, we released the first phase of the beta version of the new database, and we warmly invite all users to participate in its testing. This initial release features manuscripts No. 1 through No. 50 from Collection I of the Daiber Collection (which consists of two parts). Additional updates will be made on a regular basis.
Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, The University of Tokyo
[Related Links]
- Beta Version of the Database: https://daiber.u-parl.lib.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/
- Project Overview: https://daiber.u-parl.lib.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/about/
- How to Use the Database: https://daiber.u-parl.lib.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/guide/
Call for Cooperation in “Cultivating” the Beta Database
The beta version of the database is an open-ended archive that will grow through the active contributions of a diverse range of stakeholders. We warmly welcome feedback on metadata corrections and general impressions of the beta database. Please share your thoughts using the following form: https://u-parl.lib.u-tokyo.ac.jp/ja/contact . Kindly use “Regarding the Daiber Collection” as the subject line.
Team Daiber (Interdepartmental Team for Daiber Database, The University of Tokyo)
Contact Information
Kazuo Morimoto
Contact Email
Posted in: Academic items
- August 19, 2025
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