Interpreting ‘Religious Language’ Today: Lessons from Franz Kafka’s Parable ‘A Hunger Artist’
Following significant developments in the philosophy of language over the past few decades, there has emerged the concept of ‘religious language’, which is now used quite widely to examine distinctions between religious and non-religious uses of language. This session seeks to bring into sharper focus key characteristics associated with the concept of ‘religious language’, and examine the usefulness (or otherwise) of this concept for studying texts referred to as ‘parables in scriptural and mystical texts’. Starting with some general comments on current approaches to studying parables, the session will then be structured around a group reading of Franz Kafka’s short parable ‘A Hunger Artist’. Guiding questions for group discussion:
***PDF copy of Kafka’s 5-page parable is available at: http://ada.evergreen.edu/~arunc/texts/literature/kafka/hunger.pdf
Much appreciated if you can read the parable in advance.
Please RSVP here: https://forms.gle/Ni9essFmFUfTywB46
*We would like to encourage a fruitful discussion in person, but if you are not able to attend, we welcome you to participate online here: https://zoom.us/j/936793977
Dr. Farouk Mitha is a lecturer in the Faculty of Education at University of Victoria, Canada. He is currently also Academic Course Director for Postgraduate Research Fellowship Programme (PGRF) at Institute of Ismaili Studies. He was Academic Course Director of IIS Secondary Teacher Education Programme (STEP) from 2008-2012. He has published in the area of medieval Islamic thought and on the state of liberal education in contemporary Muslim societies, as well as on teaching Shakespeare, Canadian literature and Iranian cinema.
His book, Al-Ghazali and the Ismailis: A Debate on Reason and Authority in Medieval Islam was published by I.B Tauris in 2001.
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 of this concept for studying texts referred to as ‘parables in scriptural and mystical texts’. Starting with some general comments on current approaches to studying parables, the session will then be structured around a group reading of Franz Kafka’s short parable ‘A Hunger Artist’. Guiding questions for group discussion:
What are some key characteristics in Kafka’s text which it shares with parables in scriptural and mystical texts?
What is Kafka’s text saying about the ritual of fasting? Can it be read as offering a contemporary interpretation or critique?
What are some key moral lessons which Kafka is trying to communicate through this parable?
How does this exercise of interpreting Kafka’s parable contribute to discussions about the concept of ‘religious language’?
***PDF copy of Kafka’s 5-page parable is available at: http://ada.evergreen.edu/~arunc/texts/literature/kafka/hunger.pdf
Much appreciated if you can read the parable in advance.
Please RSVP here: https://forms.gle/Ni9essFmFUfTywB46
*We would like to encourage a fruitful discussion in person, but if you are not able to attend, we welcome you to participate online here: https://zoom.us/j/936793977
Dr. Farouk Mitha is a lecturer in the Faculty of Education at University of Victoria, Canada. He is currently also Academic Course Director for Postgraduate Research Fellowship Programme (PGRF) at Institute of Ismaili Studies. He was Academic Course Director of IIS Secondary Teacher Education Programme (STEP) from 2008-2012. He has published in the area of medieval Islamic thought and on the state of liberal education in contemporary Muslim societies, as well as on teaching Shakespeare, Canadian literature and Iranian cinema.
His book, Al-Ghazali and the Ismailis: A Debate on Reason and Authority in Medieval Islam was published by I.B Tauris in 2001.
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 of this concept for studying texts referred to as ‘parables in scriptural and mystical texts’. Starting with some general comments on current approaches to studying parables, the session will then be structured around a group reading of Franz Kafka’s short parable ‘A Hunger Artist’. Guiding questions for group discussion:
What are some key characteristics in Kafka’s text which it shares with parables in scriptural and mystical texts?
What is Kafka’s text saying about the ritual of fasting? Can it be read as offering a contemporary interpretation or critique?
What are some key moral lessons which Kafka is trying to communicate through this parable?
How does this exercise of interpreting Kafka’s parable contribute to discussions about the concept of ‘religious language’?
***PDF copy of Kafka’s 5-page parable is available at: http://ada.evergreen.edu/~arunc/texts/literature/kafka/hunger.pdf
Much appreciated if you can read the parable in advance.
Please RSVP here: https://forms.gle/Ni9essFmFUfTywB46
*We would like to encourage a fruitful discussion in person, but if you are not able to attend, we welcome you to participate online here: https://zoom.us/j/936793977
Dr. Farouk Mitha is a lecturer in the Faculty of Education at University of Victoria, Canada. He is currently also Academic Course Director for Postgraduate Research Fellowship Programme (PGRF) at Institute of Ismaili Studies. He was Academic Course Director of IIS Secondary Teacher Education Programme (STEP) from 2008-2012. He has published in the area of medieval Islamic thought and on the state of liberal education in contemporary Muslim societies, as well as on teaching Shakespeare, Canadian literature and Iranian cinema.
His book, Al-Ghazali and the Ismailis: A Debate on Reason and Authority in Medieval Islam was published by I.B Tauris in 2001.
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