You are watching Dr Ibrar Bhatt and Heng Wang from Queen's Belfast University discuss the semiotic heritage of Muslim communities in China. This in-person talk took place on Tuesday, 20 February 2024 at Oddfellows Hall, and was organised by the Manchester China Institute (MCI).

NOTE: We respect the right to academic freedom. Speakers' opinions are entirely their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organisers.
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𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀

In this presentation, we delve into the intricate connections between the literacies of religious practice, food heritage, and artistic expression within Sino-Muslim communities in China. Drawing from a comprehensive data set obtained through a study of Sino-Muslim heritage literacy (funded by the Leverhulme Trust), we examine semiotic material prevalent in Sino-Muslim daily life and heritage practice, such as restaurant signage, religious practice, and art work. Additionally, we complement this with insights from interviews with Sino-Muslims about their heritage. Our aim is to understand how signs of ‘Muslimness’ are displayed and manipulated in both nuanced and diverse ways, with respect to their ties to heritage and religion. Through a commitment to everyday heritage literacy, we illustrate how Sino-Muslim heritage is expressed, constructed, and remembered through various intertwined spheres of social activity.
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𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Dr Ibrar Bhatt is Senior Lecturer in Education & Applied Linguistics at Queen’s University Belfast (Northern Ireland, UK). His research interests encompass literacy studies, education, and contemporary digital epistemologies. Between 2021-2023 he was the recipient of a research fellowship funded by the Leverhulme Trust for a study on Sino-Muslim heritage literacy in China. He is author of ‘A Semiotics of Muslimness’ published by Cambridge University Press.

Heng Wang was a researcher on the Sino-Muslim heritage literacy project, funded by the Leverhulme Trust. She is also a teacher of Chinese language and classical Chinese dance, and works at the Chinese Community School in Belfast (Northern Ireland). She holds a Master’s in TESOL & Applied Linguistics, and in her spare time she studies Chinese-Islamic calligraphy and Islamic Theology.

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𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗲 | 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀

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#china #muslim #islam #culture #heritage #religion #literature #food #eating #practices #material #spiritual #habits #language #semiotics #academic #research #discussion