Lecturer: Babak Rahimi, Associate Professor of Communication, Culture and Religion, University of California, San Diego (affiliation at the date recorded)

Duration: 49 minutes

Date Recorded: July 2023

Subject: This presentation discusses historical and theoretical ways of understanding ta’ziyeh as devotional performances in commemoration of the martyrdom of Imam Husayn in Karbala, 680 C.E. It shows how our understanding of ta’ziyeh mainly comes from folklorist and orientalist approaches, dating back to the nineteenth century. The presentation ends by arguing that ta’ziyeh performances are communal events of audio-sonic orientation while rejecting the traditions as a form of staged theatrical performances.