DAS 02 - Critical Encounters – Nasser Rabbat

The second installment in the Dongola Architecture Series (DAS), titled “Critical Encounters: Nasser Rabbat,” delves into the life and work of the distinguished Syrian architect, historian Nasser Rabbat. It underscores the profound connection between Rabbat’s upbringing in Syria during a period of significant political transformation and his development as a critical thinker and storyteller. His journey from a reluctant choice to study architecture to becoming a prominent figure as the Director of the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at MIT illustrates his unceasing commitment to expanding the horizons of historiography, particularly within the realm of non-Western voices.

“Critical Encounters: Nasser Rabbat” seeks to deepen our understanding of the urgency of history to enable the possibilities of questioning and reimagining dominant powers. Professor Rabbat’s work presents a compelling account within the broader context of Arab thinkers actively reshaping their region’s narrative and pushing for a more inclusive and diverse historical perspective.

Nasser Rabbat is a Professor and Director of the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at MIT. An architect and a historian, his scholarly interests include the history and historiography of Islamic architecture, art, and cultures, urban history, and post-colonial criticism. He teaches lecture courses Islamic architecture and seminars on the history of Islamic urbanism and contemporary cities, orientalism, and more. In his research and teaching he presents architecture in ways that illuminate its interaction with culture and society and stress the role of human agency in shaping that interplay. Professor Rabbat has published more than 80 scholarly articles and book sections in English, Arabic, and French. Rabbat worked as an architect in Los Angeles and Damascus. Among his fellowships are, The Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study Fellowship (2011-12), The American Research Center in Egypt Fellowships (2007-08, 1999-00 and 1988-89), the Chaire de l’Institut du Monde Arabe (2003), and The J. Paul Getty Postdoctoral Fellowship (1993-94).