Stories That Shape Us: Saima Hussain on Libraries, Identity, and Heritage

Stories That Shape Us: Saima Hussain on Libraries, Identity, and Heritage

From This Being Human by Aga Khan Museum & The Walrus Lab

November 5, 2024 · 34 min · Season 4 · Episode 18

About this episode

Saima Hussain discusses her journey and the role of libraries in shaping identity and heritage.

In this episode, we sit down with writer, editor, and librarian Saima Hussain. From her book The Arab World Thought of It: Inventions, Innovations and Amazing Facts, to the anthology The Muslimah Who Fell to Earth, Saima's work uncovers the forgotten contributions and personal stories of Muslim cultures. She shares her journey from Pakistan to Canada, her reflections on the power of storytelling, and how libraries serve as spaces for connection, learning, and equality. Saima also discusses the importance of oral histories, the complexities of identity, and her mission to make knowledge accessible to everyone, especially through her work with young people in library spaces. To fill out our listener survey, go to agakhanmuseum.org/tbhsurvey . If you enjoyed this episode and want to learn more, go to agakhanmuseum.org/thisbeinghuman . The Museum wishes to thank Nadir and Shabin Mohamed for their founding support of  This Being Human . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People in this episode

Guest: Saima Hussain

Topics covered

  • libraries
  • identity
  • heritage
  • storytelling
  • oral histories
  • Muslim cultures

Keywords

  • libraries
  • identity
  • heritage
  • storytelling
  • oral histories
  • Muslim cultures
  • Canada
  • Pakistan

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Aga Khan Museum, The Walrus Lab

Books & works: The Arab World Thought of It: Inventions, Innovations and Amazing Facts, The Muslimah Who Fell to Earth

Places: Pakistan, Canada

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