Dr. Hala Ghoname

Philipps-Universität Marburg, Germany: Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies (CNMS)

Doctorate of Philosophy, July 2021

Focus: Visual Politics, Soft Power, and History of Modern Egypt.

Dissertation’s title: The Wāllī’s Soft Power in Europe: Orientalists’ Portraits of Muḥammad ‘Alī Pāshā Between Historical Documentation, Visual Politics, and Edward Said’s Paradigm of Orientalism.

Supervision:

Prof. Dr. Albrecht Fuess (Philipps-Universität Marburg, Germany)

Prof Dr. Khaled Fahmy (Cambridge University, U.K)

Grade: Magna cum laude

The University of Hawai’i at Manoa- Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

MA in History of Art: Sini Calligraphy and the Preservation of Muslim Ethnic Minorities’ Cultural Heritage, May 2012

Roger Williams University, Bristol, Rhode Island, USA

B.S. in Historic Preservation and Art History. May 2008

Maryville College, Maryville, TN.  USA

Pre-academic English program, April- August 2006

November 2023- Present:

Maria Reiche Fellow
Image Science, Visual and Cultural Politics
Institute for Art and Music Studies, Faculty of Philosophy at the Technical University Dresden.

April-June 2024:

A visiting Academic under the European Union's Research Project "Machinery Rooms of The Mediterranean (MEDMACH): Images and Visual Archives of Movement and Acceleration, 1800- present" at Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf.

October 2022- November, 2023:

TU Dresden Gast Professorinnenprogramm Sachsen zur Förderung von Frauen in der Wissenschaft und Forschung an sächsischen Hochschulen
Bildwissenschaft im globalen Kontext, Institute for Art and Music Studies, Faculty of Philosophy at the Technical University Dresden.

August 2021-July 2022:

Postdoctoral Fellow of the Marburg Research Academy (MARA) Bridging Program at the Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies (CNMS) of the Philipps-Universität Marburg.

December 2018-December 2022:

Project Coordinator /Wiss. Mitarbeiterin of the DAAD Program Fortschrittspartnerschaft mit Ägypten DAAD-Philipps-Universität Marburg Project "Cultural Heritage in Cyberspace" Philipps-Universität Marburg.

January 2021- March 2021:

Project Development lead at Institute of Education Science (FB21)- The Philipps-Universität Marburg.

April 2018-Decemeber 2022:

Lecturer of Middle Eastern Visual Culture at the Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies (CNMS) of the Philipps-Universität Marburg.  

February 2018- February 2019:

Research Assistant at the Department of Arabic Studies, Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies (CNMS) at the Philipps-Universität Marburg. 

July 2011- to June 2012:

Program Manager of the International Cultural Graduate Certificate Program at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA.

August 2009- August 2011:

Teaching assistant of Global Art History Survey at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA.

July 2008- October 2012:

Preservation Specialist at the Center for Preserving Islamic Architectural Heritage (CIAH), Cairo, Egypt.                                               

December 2006-May 2008:

Art restorer and tour guide at Belcourt Castle Museum, Royal Art Foundation, Newport, Rhode Island, USA. 

• The Maria Reiche Fellowships Program at the Technical University of Dresden 2023-2025.
• Egyptian Women Abroad Leadership Program at the National Training Academy 2022.
• The Marburg University Research Academy (MARA) Bridging Postdoctoral Fellowship 2021.
• Egypt’s 50 Most Inspirational Women 2021 by the Women of Egypt Initiative.
• The Marburg University Research Academy Scholarship for the Successful Completion of Dissertations of Exceptional Academic Quality 2020.
• Yousef Jameel Doctoral Studies Scholarship 2016-2020.
• Departmental Merit Scholarship, the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, 2011-12.
• Society of Asian Art of Hawai’i Award  2010-2011.
• The University of Hawai’i at Manoa Teaching Assistantship 2009-2011.
• Partnership for Learning Undergraduate Studies (PLUS Program) sponsored by the USA Department of State 2006-2008.

Monographs and books

© De Gruyter

Muḥammad ʿAlī’s Soft Power in Europe: Orientalist Portraits between Visual Diplomacy and Saʿidian Orientalism (English), Berlin: Walter de Gruyter GmbH, 2024.

• Chinese Muslims (Arabic), Cairo:  Dar Al-Nukhba, 2020.                                                        
• Sini Calligraphy: The Preservation of Chinese Muslims’ Cultural Heritage (English), London: Lambert, September 2015.

Peer-reviewed Book Contributions

• Appropriating the Salikīn’s Journey: The Sufi Aesthetics Between Politics, Art, and Popular Culture, in Post-Arab-Spring Egypt in Art Aesthetics and Islamic Mysticism: Contemporary Perspectives, an edited volume by Palgrave Macmillan (Philosophy & Religion), 2025.
• Beyond the SAF and the RSF: The Battle of Images and The Impact of The Visual Representations of the Sudanese Conflict on Egyptian Youth, in the CfA for Post-Conflict Resolutions and Representations Edited Volume, Critical, Cultural and Communications Press, 2025.

Journalistic articles

• In Progress: "What Hides Behind the Shadows of Yesterday? Recycling the Past as Means of Image Activism in Post-Arab-Spring Societies". For Brill Journal “Protest”.

Academic blog entries

• Between the Peace Advocate and the Patriot: How al-Majallah Celebrated Inji Efflatoun and Tahia Halim’s Exhibitions in the GDR and Beyond.
  For the project Art in Networks — The GDR and its Global Relations at the Professur für Bildwissenschaft im globalen Kontext, Technische Universität Dresden, Philosophische Fakultät, Institut für Kunst- und Musikwissenschaft
• Whose Maḥrūsah? The Visuality of Eternal Yesterday and the Blackbox of Modern Egypt
  For the ERC-sponsored project Machinery Rooms of the Mediterranean 1800-present: Images and Visual Archives of Movement and Acceleration. "MEDMACH" at the Professorship of Transcultural Studies/Art History at Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf

Previous:

• DAAD-Philipps-Universität Marburg Project "Cultural Heritage in Cyberspace" Philipps-Universität Marburg, under the DAAD Program Fortschrittspartnerschaft mit Ägypten (short and long-term lines) 2019-2023.

Current (ongoing) Projects:

Art History, Visual, and Cultural Politics:

• When Dresden's Face Smiled Again: al-Majallah and the GDR's Arab-Oriented Cultural Politics
• Reclaiming the past as means of image activism in Post-Arab-Spring Societies

Cultural Heritage:

Current

• Reviving the Neglected Paragon: The Conservation of Egypt’s Nineteenth Century Memory Institutes.

Applied Experience (material and object conservation)

• Restoration of late 19^th century, Edo Period, Japanese Silk Wedding Kimonos at Belcourt Castle Museum, Newport, RI, USA.
• Restoration of 19^th century, Qajar Period, Persian Prayer Carpet, at Belcourt Castle Museum, Newport, RI, USA.
• Restoration of late 18th-century Japanese suit of armor, at Belcourt Castle Museum, Newport, RI, USA. 
• Restoration of 19^th century German Meissen porcelain vase at Belcourt Castle Museum, Newport, RI, USA.
• Restoration of Late 19^th century Japanese Imari Jar, at Belcourt Castle Museum, Newport, RI, USA.
• Restoration of a couple of late 19th- early 20th-century bronze China 'Buddhist' temple bells at Belcourt Castle Museum, Newport, RI, USA.
• Oil paintings restoration labs A grade (Fayoum University, Egypt)..
• Manuscript restoration lab with A+ grade (Fayoum University, Egypt).

International and Local Projects

Own Project:

• Cultural Heritage in Cyberspace 2018-2023.

With the team of the Center for Conservation of Islamic Architectural Heritage (CIAH)

• The Restoration of the historical structure of al-Shaf’i Mosque in Old Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 2012.
• The Restoration and the Rehabilitation of the old American embassy house, Qasr al-Dubarrah, Cairo, Egypt 2009-2011.
• The restoration and rehabilitation of Historic District of al-Darr’iyah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 2008-2009.
• The rehabilitation of Erbil Citadel, UNESCO & CIAH, Iraq, 2009.
• Architectural Documentation and rehabilitation proposal for King Farouk’s Pyramids Rest house, Giza, Egypt, 2009.
• Architectural Documentation and rehabilitation proposal for Bab al-Azzab, Cairo Citadel, Cairo, Egypt, 2009.

(First reviewer)

• Ms. Semra Ural, Title of thesis: _Analyse des Zusammenhangs von Schönheitsideal und Status der Haremsfrauen anhand von Gemälden aus ersten Hälfte der Qadscharen-Dynastie (1796-1896), Summer Semester 2020

Introduction to Islamic Art History

Introduction to Islamic Art History
The Technical University of Dresden
Winter Semester 2024-2025.

The Power of Image”: Political Iconography in the Middle East from the 19th c. to the present

The Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies (CNMS) at the Philipps-Universität Marburg
Summer semesters 2019&2022

Iconography in Islamic Art

Graduate Seminar course at the CNMS, Philipps-Universität Marburg
Summer Semester 2017

Orientalism and Visual Culture

Graduate Seminar course at the CNMS, Philipps-Universität Marburg
Summer Semester 2018
Winter Semester 2021-2022

October 13, 2024, Egypt (Virtual):

Keynote speaker: The Fayoum University Civilization and Heritage Center’s online workshop “Protection of the Tangible and Intangible Heritage in Light of Modern Challenges”

Paper Presented: Contemporary Egypt and the Dilemma of Preserving Cultural Heritage.

September, 13, 2024, Ca’ Dolfin, Venice, Italy (Virtual):

The International workshop "The veil of time: Conservation of historical-artistic assets in the Mediterranean area. Organized by Ca’Foscari University of Venice, 

Paper Presented: Preservation or Investment? A pragmatic Approach to Egyptian Cultural Heritage in Cyberspace.

September, 9, 2024, Egypt:

An international workshop at the Faculty of Archeology and Tourism of Misr University of Science and Technology

Paper Presented: e-History and AI:  The Future of Egyptian Cultural Heritage and Memory Institutes.

July 21-23, 2024, Egypt (Virtual):

A hybrid international workshop “Arabic Manuscripts and the AI Era” organized with the Egyptian National Library and Archives, Egypt.

Paper Presented:  The Digitization of Cultural Heritage Between State Budget, Safeguarding Urgencies, and Investment Prospect.

February 18-21, 2024, Egypt (Virtual):

 Co-organising and presenting a talk at the 2nd International Conference for the Faculties of Archaeology at Fayoum and Luxor Universities, Egypt, " Climate Changes and Sustainable Development in Antiquities and Heritage in Light of Egypt's Vision 2030".

Paper Presented : “Egyptian Intangible Cultural Heritage and Egypt’s Vision 2030”

April 11, 2024 in Düsseldorf:

The colloquium of the Art History Department of the University of Düsseldorf Art History, the Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf.

Paper Presented: Al-Maḥrusah: The Tale of a Canal and the Visual Legacy of a Cruise

April 12, 2024 in Düsseldorf:

The ERC-MEDMACH project meeting at the Art History Department of the University of Düsseldorf Art History, the Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf.

Paper Presented: The Visual Legacy of the Suez Canal and  Social Media Socio-political Debates in Post-Arab-Spring Egypt.

April 26, 2024, Dresden:

The German National Network Meeting “Crossings Beyond GDR” at the Albertinum, Dresden.

Paper Presented: Al- Majallah and the GDR's Arab-Oriented Cultural Politics

May 12 -19, 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya:

The international workshop “The Red Corridor and the Wider Mediterranean: Histories of Global Commercial Desires and Image Making” organized by the Universities of Harvard and Columbia.

Paper Presented: From Canvas To Camera: The Suez Canal As A Corridor To Legitimacy And Political Recognition.

May 30-31, 2024 in Dresden:

The international symposium “Reise(un)freiheit - Mobilitäten von Künstler: innen während des Kalten Krieges”, of the research project „Affektive Archive –Auslandsreisen von Künstler:innen zur Zeit der DDR“.

Paper presented: Art to Declare: The Flow of Art and Artists between the GDR and the Arab World As Documented Via al-Majallah Between 1959 and 1990.

March 30-31, 2023, Stuttgart, (Virtual):

The International Conference “Art, Aesthetics and Islamic Mysticism: Contemporary Perspectives” by The Academy for Islam in Research and Society (AIWG) at the Goethe University in Frankfurt at the Academy of the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart.

Paper Presented: A Whirling Brush, and a Tajalī palette: Sufi Aesthetics in the Works of Modern and Contemporary Muslim Artists Between Earthiness and Transcendence

July, 18-22, 2022, Gotha (Organizer and coordinator):

International workshop: From Paper to Portals: The Conservation and Digitization of Oriental Manuscripts, Gotha Research Library. DAAD-Philipps-Universität Marburg Project "Cultural Heritage in Cyberspace".

November 27-29, 2020, Egypt (Virtual):

COSIMENA Cultural Heritage Conference on “Cultural Heritage between digital transformation & pandemic” from, in cooperation with the German Archaeological Institute in Cairo

Paper Presented: Cultural Heritage in Cyberspace: Education, Preservation, and Access.

March, 19-23, 2018, Tirana Albania:

Doctoral Spring School 2018: CFP International CNMS: “Muslim Tradition: Space, Place, and Dwelling”.

Paper Presented: Faith is the Architect: The Impact of Islam on Domestic Egyptian Architecture with a Focus on Architectural Elements, Design, and Terminology.

March 13-17, 2017, Bosnia:

Doctoral Spring School 2017: "Islam, the Body, and the self,” Faculty of Islamic Studies, Sarajevo University, Bosnia.

Paper Presented: The unified Paradigm of the Body and the Self: Iconographic Art of Islamic Sufism.

September 22–24, 2017, Lebanon:

AGYA International Bilingual Summer School, American University of Beirut, Practicing “Blickwechsel”: Entangled Perspectives on Theory, Arts, and History in the Field of Arabic Literary Studies

Paper Presented: The Wali’s Soft Power in Europe: Portraits of Muḥammad ‘Alī Bāshā Between Historical Documentation, Visual Politics, and Edward Said’s Paradigm of Orientalism.

October, 6-7, 2017, the United Kingdom:

University of Surrey, Guilford, U.K: Performance Philosophy & Sufism,

Paper Presented: The Dhikr of the Eye: Representing Spirit in the Sufi Artistic Practices”