Call for Papers: Islamic Shakespeares

Edited by Dr. Önder Çakırtaş and Prof. Paul Innes

We invite scholars to contribute to Islamic Shakespeares, an upcoming edited volume that explores the intersections between Shakespeare and Islamic cultures, traditions, and identities in various historical, theatrical, and literary contexts. This volume seeks to investigate how Shakespeare has been engaged with, adapted, and reimagined in relation to Islam, whether through performance, translation, critical discourse, or cultural reception.

Potential Topics Include, but are not limited to:

• Shakespeare in the Muslim world: translations, adaptations, and performances
• Islamic readings and reinterpretations of Shakespearean texts
• The representation of Islam and Muslim characters in Shakespeare’s works
• Shakespeare and Islamic philosophy, theology, or mysticism
• Postcolonial and decolonial engagements with Shakespeare in Muslim-majority contexts
• Staging Shakespeare in Islamic societies: political, social, and cultural dynamics
• Shakespeare, Orientalism, and the depiction of the ‘Other’
• Contemporary Muslim playwrights and their engagements with Shakespeare
• Islamic aesthetics and narrative structures in Shakespearean adaptations
• The reception of Shakespeare in Muslim diasporic communities
• Shakespearean Islamic adaptations in English-speaking countries

We encourage interdisciplinary approaches and welcome contributions from scholars working in literature, theatre studies, history, cultural studies, religious studies, and beyond.

Submission Guidelines:

• Abstracts of 300-500 words should be submitted by 30th April 2025.
• Please include a brief biography (150 words) with your submission.
• Full chapters (6,000-8,000 words) will be due by late 2025.
• Submissions and inquiries should be sent to ondercakirtas@bingol.edu.tr and paul.innes@uaeu.ac.ae

We are pleased to announce that Liverpool University Press has expressed strong interest in publishing this volume and other international publishers for publication. This volume aims to contribute significantly to the fields of Shakespeare studies, Islamic studies, and global theatre.

We look forward to your contributions!

Dr. Önder Çakırtaş (Bingöl University, Turkiye) & Prof. Paul Innes (Arab Emirates University, UAE)