Dr. M. Rafique Wassan

Dr. M. Rafique Wassan has Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Cultural Studies, Anthropology, and Ethnomusicology under the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship Program from the Graduate School of the Arts and Humanities (GSAH) Bern University, Switzerland, and M.Sc. in Anthropology from QAU, Islamabad, Pakistan. Currently, he is a faculty member at the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, SU Jamshoro. Dr. Wassan has more than 16-year experience in teaching, research and development sector. Before joining SU Jamshoro, he worked with community based participatory research study projects at The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan. The research projects at AKU Karachi focused on health equity and rights, and women’s empowerment in Muslim contexts. In his interdisciplinary Ph.D. research project informed by anthropology, ethnomusicology, and cultural studies and heritage studies, Dr. Wassan investigated the contemporary progressive cultural production of Sufi performance heritage in Sindh, Pakistan. He worked and engaged with artists, intellectuals, and archival practices that inform the articulations of the progressive Sufi Muslim public sphere in the Sindh province of Pakistan. Dr. Wassan has presented at international conferences, seminars, workshops, and winter/summer school programs in Europe and Asia. In 2017, he presented Ph.D.-related research work at the 44th ICTM World Music and dance conference held at the Irish World Academy of Music in Limerick University, Ireland. In 2019, he co-organized a performance event on South Asian Sufi-Bhakti heritage hosted by the World Arts and Music, Center for Global Studies and Taking the Humanities on the Road at Bern University, Switzerland. In 2017 and 2018, Dr. Wassan co-convened two international conferences on Sufi heritage held in Karachi hosted by the Sindh Culture Department. During his Ph.D. study, Dr. Wassan remained part of the Taking the Humanities on the Road (THoR) An Ideas -And – Actions -Lab at Bern University. In 2015, Dr Wassan participated in a Study Tour to Germany that focused on the idea of ‘anti-democratic movements and public policy in Europe’ organised by German Federal Foreign Office. On June 25, 2023, Dr. Wassan was invited to an online session on Artivism and Climate Justice: Local Resistances in Pakistan hosted by SGP Gender and Climate Justice Circle Members’ Meeting. In that regard, he is currently working on the idea of art and musical narratives and posthuman subjectivity. Currently, he teaches two-semester courses (1) Anthropology of Art, Music and Heritage (2) Anthropology of Religion in the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, SU Jamshoro, and his methodology is premised on classroom teaching as well as field study visits to communities. As part of field study visit of students, he organised study visit to Karachi Art Biennale 2022. In the anthropology of religion course, Dr, Wassan has integrated a topical theme on the anthropology of Islam and progressive Islam. And, in the Anthropology of Art course he has incorporated heritage studies, urban design and development. In addition, the courses which Dr Wassan has taught include Introduction to Anthropology, Urban Anthropology, Social Theory, Social Change and Development, Women and Development, Anthropology of South Asia, and Medical Anthropology. At present, Dr Wassan is working on the idea of posthumanist and environmental anthropology and is engaged in a research advocacy project with students on civic engagement, urban heritage and protection of Wadhu Wah/canal in Hyderabad. Dr Wassan has remained active in the development of collaborative research and training projects for students with social sector organisations. For instance, he developed research project with Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) Karachi among others. Recently, he co-hosted a workshop on arts and humanities from USA for the students of the Department of Anthropology. Dr. Wassan’s research work has appeared in international research journals and book projects that also includes Routledge.