Professor Dr. Konrad Hirschler

Biography

Konrad Hirschler is a professor of Islamic studies at the University of Hamburg, specializing in the history of the written word in the medieval Middle East, particularly from 1100 to 1500. His research focuses on the study of written artifacts, exploring the social and cultural contexts of reading practices, libraries, and document provenance. Hirschler has published significant works, including the award-winning monographs 'Medieval Arabic Historiography: Authors Actors' and 'Written Word in Medieval Arabic Lands: Social and Cultural History of Reading Practices,' the latter garnering accolades from the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies. He has also made notable contributions to the understanding of manuscript cultures, including his research on the Ashrafiya Library and the history of medieval Damascus libraries. His interests extend to the interplay between marginal groups and mainstream society, as well as the transmission of knowledge through manuscripts and archival practices. Hirschler actively engages in academic leadership and editorial roles, guiding various scholarly initiatives and journals focused on manuscript studies and Islamic history.

Research Interests

Experience