This course is being developed by Kira Heetpass in collaboration with AiE fellows—Fatemeh Rezaei, Marzia Karimi, Azita Ibrahimy, Firooza Omar, Mohammad Dawood Sokhanwar, Mahnaz Malistani, Lida Nazarian, Hijratullah Safi—under the direction of Prof. Vanessa Agnew.
You’re denied an education. Now what? That is the question for Afghan women at present. There is, however, more to Afghanistan than this. Addressing many knowledge gaps, the Tandem Teaching course “Afghanistan and the Arts” will be offered in presence to students at TU Dortmund University and asynchronously online to Afghan students whose participation will be acknowledged through a certificate.
Eight current and former Afghan fellows of Academy in Exile are participating in course development, each providing material for a two-week unit. Video interviews, pedagogical tools, and digital resources will contribute to collaborative learning opportunities. Providing Afghans access to resources created by their peers promotes academic freedom and helps preserve knowledge that might otherwise be lost. Teaching about these topics in Germany promotes internationalization of education and helps paint a different picture of Afghanistan than the one often perpetuated in the media. Video interviews will be made available in 2025-26 through AiE’s Youtube channel.
Course modules:
1. Afghan photography in a global context
2. Theater in Afghanistan: history and international theater festivals
3. Embroidery and its role in preserving Afghan cultural identity
4. Art therapy as a tool for treating psychological trauma in Afghanistan
5. The role of art education in achieving a peace-oriented curriculum
6. The evolution of women’s right to education in Afghanistan through photography
7. Afghan war carpets
8. Art as a catalyst for human rights in Afghanistan
The Tandem Teaching Project’s “Afghanistan and the Arts” won first prize at TU Dortmund University’s “Global Gallery” in May 2024, a showcase of international projects at TU Dortmund University.
