Anders Ackfeldt
@ackfeldt.bsky.social
PhD in History of Religions, Deputy Director Swedish Research Institute in Istanbul (SRII). Malmö/Istanbul.
“If I could only have one food to eat for the rest of my life? That’s easy. Pez. Cherry flavor Pez. No question about it.”
“If I could only have one food to eat for the rest of my life? That’s easy. Pez. Cherry flavor Pez. No question about it.”
Can an AI cite the Qurʾan like a Muslim theologian?
This article by Prof. Jonas Svensson tests how LLMs perform istishhād while role-playing six Muslim personas representing distinct positions in contemporary Islamic discourse. Non-human islam?
brill-com.kb-ku.idm.oclc.org/view/journal...
This article by Prof. Jonas Svensson tests how LLMs perform istishhād while role-playing six Muslim personas representing distinct positions in contemporary Islamic discourse. Non-human islam?
brill-com.kb-ku.idm.oclc.org/view/journal...
brill-com.kb-ku.idm.oclc.org
August 20, 2026 at 11:05 PM
Can an AI cite the Qurʾan like a Muslim theologian?
This article by Prof. Jonas Svensson tests how LLMs perform istishhād while role-playing six Muslim personas representing distinct positions in contemporary Islamic discourse. Non-human islam?
brill-com.kb-ku.idm.oclc.org/view/journal...
This article by Prof. Jonas Svensson tests how LLMs perform istishhād while role-playing six Muslim personas representing distinct positions in contemporary Islamic discourse. Non-human islam?
brill-com.kb-ku.idm.oclc.org/view/journal...
Once again, I’m ashamed to be Swedish. After fleeing violence, death threats, and persecution in Turkey, DJ and LGBTQ+ activist Bella Aksoy now faces deportation—from a country that claims to defend human rights.
www.dn.se/kultur/djn-b...
www.dn.se/kultur/djn-b...
Dj:n Bella Aksoy får avslag – ska utvisas
Sveriges klubbscen har protesterat mot att dj:n Bella Aksoy ska utvisas till Turkiet. Nu har ärendet prövats på nytt. Beslutet om utvisning står fast.
www.dn.se
July 17, 2026 at 9:27 AM
Once again, I’m ashamed to be Swedish. After fleeing violence, death threats, and persecution in Turkey, DJ and LGBTQ+ activist Bella Aksoy now faces deportation—from a country that claims to defend human rights.
www.dn.se/kultur/djn-b...
www.dn.se/kultur/djn-b...
Reposted by Anders Ackfeldt
I'm thrilled to say that we are hiring a tenure track Assistant Professor of Religion in the Islam subfield at Denison University! Please share widely among your networks.
apply.interfolio.com/188984
apply.interfolio.com/188984
July 10, 2026 at 2:15 PM
I'm thrilled to say that we are hiring a tenure track Assistant Professor of Religion in the Islam subfield at Denison University! Please share widely among your networks.
apply.interfolio.com/188984
apply.interfolio.com/188984
Turkey successfully defended its coastline from an invasion of glitter and show tunes. Patti LuPone furious, Erdoğan unbothered, heterosexuality once again saved by border control.
www.huffpost.com/entry/patti-...
www.huffpost.com/entry/patti-...
This Country Refused To Let A Gay Cruise Dock — And An Icon From The Ship Did Not Let That Slide
“A ship — a magnificent ship — full of gay men. And me. Denied entry to Turkey simply because of who is on board," said the queen herself.
www.huffpost.com
July 12, 2026 at 1:13 AM
Turkey successfully defended its coastline from an invasion of glitter and show tunes. Patti LuPone furious, Erdoğan unbothered, heterosexuality once again saved by border control.
www.huffpost.com/entry/patti-...
www.huffpost.com/entry/patti-...
Reposted by Anders Ackfeldt
Turkey’s prisons hit 140 percent capacity as inmate population surpasses 427,000
Turkey's prisons hit 140 percent capacity as inmate population surpasses 427,000 - Stockholm Center for Freedom
Turkey’s prison population has climbed above 427,000, exceeding official capacity by more than 122,000 people and pushing occupancy to roughly 140 percent, according to Justice Ministry data. As of…
buff.ly
July 12, 2026 at 1:00 AM
Turkey’s prisons hit 140 percent capacity as inmate population surpasses 427,000
Finally read this: Claude’s “J-space” may show concepts forming before words — reasoning, masking intentions, even noticing tests. Not consciousness, but a striking glimpse into what models think before they speak.
www.anthropic.com/research/glo...
www.anthropic.com/research/glo...
A global workspace in language models
Interpretability research on Claude's internal thoughts.
www.anthropic.com
July 11, 2026 at 9:45 AM
Finally read this: Claude’s “J-space” may show concepts forming before words — reasoning, masking intentions, even noticing tests. Not consciousness, but a striking glimpse into what models think before they speak.
www.anthropic.com/research/glo...
www.anthropic.com/research/glo...
Shameless self-promotion: my entry, “The Qurʾān and Hip-Hop,” has just been published in the Brill Encyclopaedia of the Qurʾān Online. Another entry, on the Qurʾān, jazz, and blues, is coming soon.
referenceworks.brill.com/display/entr...
referenceworks.brill.com/display/entr...
referenceworks.brill.com
July 2, 2026 at 5:53 PM
Shameless self-promotion: my entry, “The Qurʾān and Hip-Hop,” has just been published in the Brill Encyclopaedia of the Qurʾān Online. Another entry, on the Qurʾān, jazz, and blues, is coming soon.
referenceworks.brill.com/display/entr...
referenceworks.brill.com/display/entr...
Massive sinkholes are increasingly tearing across the Konya Plain in central Turkey, fueled by severe drought, climate change, and aggressive groundwater extraction.
www.bbc.com/future/artic...
www.bbc.com/future/artic...
Droughts are transforming the Turkish landscape with massive sinkholes
The "breadbasket" of Turkey, Konya's valleys are filled with the farms needed to feed a growing nation. But the available groundwater is drying up and causing fields to collapse.
www.bbc.com
June 25, 2026 at 10:34 PM
Massive sinkholes are increasingly tearing across the Konya Plain in central Turkey, fueled by severe drought, climate change, and aggressive groundwater extraction.
www.bbc.com/future/artic...
www.bbc.com/future/artic...
Morocco vs Brazil. Forget the opening ceremony, this is where the World Cup actually starts. 🇲🇦🇧🇷
June 13, 2026 at 9:52 PM
Morocco vs Brazil. Forget the opening ceremony, this is where the World Cup actually starts. 🇲🇦🇧🇷
The French-Iranian author, artist and film director Marjane Satrapi, who became known worldwide through the graphic novel and film Persepolis, has died at the age of 56. Thank you, for your art and your courage. Rest in peace.
June 4, 2026 at 9:40 AM
The French-Iranian author, artist and film director Marjane Satrapi, who became known worldwide through the graphic novel and film Persepolis, has died at the age of 56. Thank you, for your art and your courage. Rest in peace.
Major blow to Turkish higher education: İstanbul Bilgi University, a leading foundation university and the 4th established in Turkey, has been shut down by presidential decree today.
bianet.org/haber/istanb...
bianet.org/haber/istanb...
İstanbul Bilgi University shut down by presidential decree
The institution was one of Turkey's first private universities.
bianet.org
May 22, 2026 at 6:22 AM
Major blow to Turkish higher education: İstanbul Bilgi University, a leading foundation university and the 4th established in Turkey, has been shut down by presidential decree today.
bianet.org/haber/istanb...
bianet.org/haber/istanb...
Reposted by Anders Ackfeldt
The Swedish 🇸🇪 Parliament just approved a law that would create a tiered citizenship scheme, with a 1st class (mostly for the native born) that cannot be revoked and a 2nd class (mostly for the naturalized) that can: www.svt.se/nyheter/inri... Only two parties (Left and Green) voted against.
Medborgarskap ska kunna återkallas
Personer med dubbla medborgarskap ska kunna fråntas sitt svenska medborgarskap om de döms för brott som allvarligt skadar Sveriges vitala intressen, enligt ett beslut som nu fattats i riksdagen. Då de...
www.svt.se
May 21, 2026 at 7:23 AM
The Swedish 🇸🇪 Parliament just approved a law that would create a tiered citizenship scheme, with a 1st class (mostly for the native born) that cannot be revoked and a 2nd class (mostly for the naturalized) that can: www.svt.se/nyheter/inri... Only two parties (Left and Green) voted against.
www.koranpodden.se/intervju/and...
For my Swedish speaking followers: I sat down with the always brilliant Salih Tüfekçioğlu on Koranpodden to talk about my book Islamic Themes in US Hip-Hop Culture (EUP, 2025). Thanks, Salih. A genuine pleasure from start to finish!
For my Swedish speaking followers: I sat down with the always brilliant Salih Tüfekçioğlu on Koranpodden to talk about my book Islamic Themes in US Hip-Hop Culture (EUP, 2025). Thanks, Salih. A genuine pleasure from start to finish!
319. Anders Ackfeldt | Islamiska teman i hiphopmusiken
Anders är islamolog och delar med sig av sina studier kring bland annat Erik B & Rakim och Malcolm X. Anders Ackfeldt är islamolog från Lunds universitet. I sin bok Islamic Semiotic Resources in US Hi...
www.koranpodden.se
May 11, 2026 at 4:47 AM
www.koranpodden.se/intervju/and...
For my Swedish speaking followers: I sat down with the always brilliant Salih Tüfekçioğlu on Koranpodden to talk about my book Islamic Themes in US Hip-Hop Culture (EUP, 2025). Thanks, Salih. A genuine pleasure from start to finish!
For my Swedish speaking followers: I sat down with the always brilliant Salih Tüfekçioğlu on Koranpodden to talk about my book Islamic Themes in US Hip-Hop Culture (EUP, 2025). Thanks, Salih. A genuine pleasure from start to finish!
Chișinău! Europe’s least visited capital is a hidden gem. Wide boulevards, quiet parks, Soviet-era architecture, warm people, great wine, and a slow rhythm that makes the city feel like an oasis.
May 3, 2026 at 12:04 PM
Chișinău! Europe’s least visited capital is a hidden gem. Wide boulevards, quiet parks, Soviet-era architecture, warm people, great wine, and a slow rhythm that makes the city feel like an oasis.
Hagia Sophia once again becomes a screen onto which Christian nationalist fantasies are projected. Nothing says “local governance” quite like promising to reorganize worship practices in Istanbul from South Carolina.
April 26, 2026 at 12:22 AM
Hagia Sophia once again becomes a screen onto which Christian nationalist fantasies are projected. Nothing says “local governance” quite like promising to reorganize worship practices in Istanbul from South Carolina.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdFl...
Will 2026 be the year Arabic hip-hop finally gets the recognition it deserves? And honestly — why isn’t this already viral? 💥
Will 2026 be the year Arabic hip-hop finally gets the recognition it deserves? And honestly — why isn’t this already viral? 💥
DOUNANA (without us) SIBA & MONKYMAN
YouTube video by MONKyMAN
www.youtube.com
April 24, 2026 at 1:18 PM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdFl...
Will 2026 be the year Arabic hip-hop finally gets the recognition it deserves? And honestly — why isn’t this already viral? 💥
Will 2026 be the year Arabic hip-hop finally gets the recognition it deserves? And honestly — why isn’t this already viral? 💥
Reposted by Anders Ackfeldt
2,400 year-old skeleton mosaic in Turkey that says: 'Be cheerful, enjoy your life'
April 15, 2026 at 1:04 AM
2,400 year-old skeleton mosaic in Turkey that says: 'Be cheerful, enjoy your life'
New report from the always wonderful Freemuse on artistic freedom globally. I Particularly enjoyed the insightful analysis in the Turkey chapter. Essential reading for anyone intresset in culture and politics in the region and beyond.
www.freemuse.org
April 17, 2026 at 7:49 PM
New report from the always wonderful Freemuse on artistic freedom globally. I Particularly enjoyed the insightful analysis in the Turkey chapter. Essential reading for anyone intresset in culture and politics in the region and beyond.
Just submitted an academic job application. 120 pages. Appendixes only, not counting publications. At what point do we admit this process is broken?
April 12, 2026 at 12:09 PM
Just submitted an academic job application. 120 pages. Appendixes only, not counting publications. At what point do we admit this process is broken?
Grateful for a thoughtful and generous review of "Islamic Themes in US Hip-Hop Culture" by Dr. Martin Abdel Matin Gansinger. Appreciates the semiotic approach while calling for deeper engagement with esotericism. That´s a fair observation!
www.ajis.org/index.php/aj...
www.ajis.org/index.php/aj...
View of Islamic Themes in US Hip-Hop Culture
bi-annual, double blind peer-reviewed and interdisciplinary journal, published by the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT), and distributed worldwide
www.ajis.org
March 29, 2026 at 10:40 PM
Grateful for a thoughtful and generous review of "Islamic Themes in US Hip-Hop Culture" by Dr. Martin Abdel Matin Gansinger. Appreciates the semiotic approach while calling for deeper engagement with esotericism. That´s a fair observation!
www.ajis.org/index.php/aj...
www.ajis.org/index.php/aj...
Europeans when asked to unblock the Strait of Hormuz
a man in a black shirt is singing la la la la la la la la la la .
ALT: a man in a black shirt is singing la la la la la la la la la la .
media.tenor.com
March 16, 2026 at 8:28 PM
Europeans when asked to unblock the Strait of Hormuz
I’m team Daniela Amodei: “studying the humanities is going to be more important than ever.” Please don’t hate me for saying it...
www.theguardian.com/technology/n...
www.theguardian.com/technology/n...
‘I wish I could push ChatGPT off a cliff’: professors scramble to save critical thinking in an age of AI
As AI has upended the way students learn, academics worry about the future of the humanities - and society at large
www.theguardian.com
March 10, 2026 at 9:59 PM
I’m team Daniela Amodei: “studying the humanities is going to be more important than ever.” Please don’t hate me for saying it...
www.theguardian.com/technology/n...
www.theguardian.com/technology/n...
Reposted by Anders Ackfeldt
Say you can be moral & have good values without belief in God
Australia 89%
France 83%
US 68%
Japan 62%
Israel 53%
Brazil 26%
India 13%
Indonesia 1%
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/03/05/in-the-us-and-other-countries-fewer-people-now-say-its-necessary-to-believe-in-god-to-be-moral/
Australia 89%
France 83%
US 68%
Japan 62%
Israel 53%
Brazil 26%
India 13%
Indonesia 1%
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/03/05/in-the-us-and-other-countries-fewer-people-now-say-its-necessary-to-believe-in-god-to-be-moral/
March 6, 2026 at 4:40 PM
Say you can be moral & have good values without belief in God
Australia 89%
France 83%
US 68%
Japan 62%
Israel 53%
Brazil 26%
India 13%
Indonesia 1%
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/03/05/in-the-us-and-other-countries-fewer-people-now-say-its-necessary-to-believe-in-god-to-be-moral/
Australia 89%
France 83%
US 68%
Japan 62%
Israel 53%
Brazil 26%
India 13%
Indonesia 1%
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/03/05/in-the-us-and-other-countries-fewer-people-now-say-its-necessary-to-believe-in-god-to-be-moral/
Plagiarism is dead. This piece will make you deeply uncomfortable — in the best possible way.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
Forget Plagiarism: It's Originality, Utility, and Contribution That Matter in Academia Now
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onlinelibrary.wiley.com
January 27, 2026 at 2:49 PM
Plagiarism is dead. This piece will make you deeply uncomfortable — in the best possible way.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
Turkey raises the minimum wage by 27% in Jan 2026 to 28,075 TL (~$800). But inflation is 31% and living costs rise faster. Nearly half of workers earn minimum wage (EU 4%). A NYE dinner up 1,280% in 5 years. Below is an illuminating overview of cost increases since 2017.
January 2, 2026 at 9:40 AM
Turkey raises the minimum wage by 27% in Jan 2026 to 28,075 TL (~$800). But inflation is 31% and living costs rise faster. Nearly half of workers earn minimum wage (EU 4%). A NYE dinner up 1,280% in 5 years. Below is an illuminating overview of cost increases since 2017.