Aga Khan Program at MIT

Dear AKPIA Community,

Please join us at the MIT Media Lab on Saturday May 23 for Critical Historiography as Method: A Symposium in Honor of Nasser Rabbat.

For more than 35 years, Nasser Rabbat’s work has critically challenged methodologies inherited from the study of Western art and architecture. His vocal interrogations of the status quo have influenced generations of scholars and practitioners to search for new ways of critically reconstructing history. To recognize Rabbat’s lifetime of scholarly achievements—including his impact in and beyond the field—a Festschrift is being organized in his honor. This symposium will gather some of the volume’s contributors, who will present their methodologically framed papers, demonstrating how criticality and a concern for historiography has oriented the research of Nasser’s students, mentees, and close colleagues over the years.

This event will not be live streamed, but a recording will be available online in the days following the symposium.
PLEASE REGISTER IN ADVANCE: https://sites.mit.edu/festschrift/register/

Full schedule can be found on the symposium website: https://sites.mit.edu/festschrift/schedule/

2026-2027 POSTDOCTORAL/POST-PROFESSIONAL FELLOWSHIPS FOR RESEARCH IN ISLAMIC ART, ARCHITECTURE, URBANISM, DESIGN, AND PRESERVATION The Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at MIT (AKPIA@MIT) is pleased to announce its call for applications for its postdoctoral / post-professional fellowship program for the academic year 2026-2027. The program is open to scholars with a Ph.D. and practitioners in any field related to architecture with at least three years of experience. Relevant fields include the history of art, architecture, landscape, and urbanism; as well as contemporary art, design, landscape, heritage studies, urban planning, anthropology, and archaeology. We seek applications from fields aligned with AKPIA@MIT’s core research areas, though we will consider applications from complementary fields that analyze contemporary crises and responses.

AKPIA’s core research areas are:
1. History and Historiography of Art, Architecture, and Urbanism in Islamic Contexts
2. Reconstruction and Resettlement after Conflicts and Disasters
3. Heritage Conservation and the Politics of Memory
4. Environmental Approaches to Architecture
5. Contemporary Art and Museology in Islamic Contexts
6. Craft Futures and Cultural Technologies

Eligibility criteria for practitioners include the completion of a terminal degree at least three years prior to the start date, along with evidence of research-informed practice. For postdoctoral applicants, the Ph.D. degree must be in hand before the beginning of the fellowship.

Applicants should describe the scope of their proposed research project and how they plan to engage with both AKPIA’s research priorities and the broader MIT academic community. Fellows are expected to conduct research supervised by an AKPIA faculty, deliver at least one public lecture, and submit an article, publication, or exhibition based on their work at the end of the fellowship. This work will be posted online and may be included in an AKPIA@MIT publication. Fellows are also expected to participate in the program's scholarly and academic activities during their stay at MIT.

One to three fellowships will be granted. The fellowship duration may range from three months to a maximum of two semesters (nine months) of residency at MIT, falling within the academic year (September to June). Summer fellowships are not permitted. Travel during the fellowship is restricted to attending conferences, job interviews, or family emergencies. The award consists of a monthly stipend ranging from $73,308 - $90,000. For more specific program details see link below:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cflG0FgdIJRtjCE5IPGjRRFbxICz_MeE/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=115681069479263472880&rtpof=true&sd=true

Fellows are responsible for their own travel, housing, and health insurance, which are administered individually according to MIT’s institute-wide policies. Fellows may maintain insurance from their home institution or employer, or purchase it from a private vendor, provided it meets J-1 visa requirements. AKPIA will not reimburse fellows for health insurance purchased for the fellowship. Please review the Health Insurance Options for Certain Visiting Appointments and Other Affiliates on the Health Insurance Choices page:

https://ischo.mit.edu/pre-arrival-information/health-insurance-requirements-j-1-scholars-and-j-2-dependents

AKPIA will also provide library cards, email accounts at MIT, and, if available, a workspace in the AKPIA@MIT office shared with other fellows. Practitioners will be provided access to various fabrication facilities at MIT.

The deadline for application is March 31, 2026, and recipients will be announced by April 30, 2026. To apply, please complete the electronic form below, ensuring all fields marked with asterisks are filled. The form includes a field for uploading required documents, which must be formatted as a single compressed file or PDF less than 12 MB in size. This file must include a C.V., research proposal, substantial writing sample (required for scholars) and/or a portfolio (required for practitioners), and two letters of recommendation, in that order. Letters of recommendation may be sent separately to [email protected].

If health or other restrictions arise that prevent the fellow from coming to MIT, AKPIA reserves the right to suspend the fellowships at any time before the official start date. Remote fellowships are not permitted; should a suspension occur, fellows must resubmit their applications to a future cycle to compete with new applicants.

Applicants are encouraged to seek additional funding to supplement the fellowship award. Scholars on sabbatical or with their own financial resources are also welcome to apply. AKPIA reserves the right to prorate its fellowship stipend when combined with another grant or fellowship.

Apply here:
https://mit.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_74DitqUNZmYF6Jw

For further information, please email [email protected] or call 617-253-1400.

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