Projects & Displays

Want to join our study group? Start here! 👇

1. Choose a woman to study, then enter your name & info next to her name to reserve that scholar for study.

2. Complete this questionnaire to be included in group communications, choose session dates, voice your preferences, and learn about project guidelines & intentions.

3. Start your independent study! Use this optional study guide to help you gather key information to present to the group.

4. Send this page to others who might want to get involved! The more people who participate, the more we all learn. 

5. Stay tuned! Info on meeting dates is forthcoming. In the meantime, check out the main project web-page.

Project Description: A collaborative survey study of philosophical viewpoints, scholarly pursuits & intuitive discoveries attributed to women before 1700 CE — through the eSCA, in A.S. LIX. 

Through the "jigsaw learning strategy," participants will study one scholar, but will have the opportunity to learn about many other woman as well. Participants will gather virtually throughout several sessions in early 2025 to give a 15-minute presentation about their scholar of choice. Future salons may follow this survey study so we might dig deeper into select women's ideas.

Project Background: This initiative arose after Tala realized how much of men's scholarship is well-known to Scadians, but how little we collectively know about women's ideas in period. Instead of proceeding with independent study, Tala decided to expand this learning initiative to help other Scadians establish a survey-level, baseline of knowledge about scholarly women before 1700 CE.

I spent approximately 40 hours designing the tughra, creating more than 150 versions in the process. While a tughrai would’ve used a seasoned reed with an angled nib on burnished paper, I used a modern calligraphy pen and drawing paper for ease. The final design maintains fidelity to the essential elements of the tughra, including beyze, tugh, hançer and sere elements. Rather than using the Sultan’s name only (or his name and his father’s name), I decided to integrate the Sultana’s name as well. This nod to western modernity is echoed in my decision to omit religious or honorific phrases at the tughra’s base. I would like to use more period-appropriate materials in the future, but my focus for this project was not material excellence and authenticity, but to design a beautifully-formed tughra evocative of the Ottoman Empire. Click here to learn more about this project.

As Deputy President of the Atlantian Madrasa Guild, I periodically host a "Madrasa Guild Library and Lounge" at events; the goal of which is to give event attendees a look at our regions of focus, to answer academic questions, and to give A&S-minded folks a place to relax and chat during events. These displays sometimes follow the theme of the event at which it is held.

If you'd like a Madrasa Guild Library & Lounge (solar) at your event in Atlantia or the East, please contact Tala in advance with your request.