The Muslim Protagonist is an annual literary symposium of Muslim and minority writers, artists, and thinkers at Columbia University, hosted by the Columbia Muslim Students Association (MSA) and open to participants of all backgrounds, ages, faiths, and cultures. Since its inception in 2012, The Muslim Protagonist has been committed to facilitating dialogue and exploring inspirational, and practical tools for pursuing "literature as an agent of social, intellectual, and spiritual change." The event is not exclusively for Muslims, "minorities," or Columbia students/faculty - everyone is welcome. With "The Muslim Protagonist," we aimed to inspire our peers, Muslims (and non-Muslims) to Write Our Own Stories.
This year's symposium, "(Re)writing Home: Shifting Sites of Belonging," will focus on the theme of home, in all of its myriad connotations. We will be exploring home as a site of transformation, refuge, trauma, healing, and growth and want to center our event around the themes of belonging, alienation, and migration. We want to examine the notion of home in the context of nation and nationality, and also explore how it is inscribed and reinscribed by borders and frontiers, and boundaries. How does the Muslim Protagonist build their home?