Sultan Al Hussain Al Hammadi, a second-year Ph.D. student in Global Studies at Global Studies University, led Reading Sharjah: Tracing Urban Memory, a public course organized by Sharjah Art Foundation from June 27–29, 2026 that explored how the city’s history can be understood through its architecture, archives and collective memory.
The three-day course, delivered in Arabic, introduced participants to interdisciplinary methods for documenting and interpreting Sharjah’s past. Drawing on built heritage, archaeological evidence, archival records, historical maps and photographs, oral histories, and comparative analysis, participants examined how different sources can be brought together to reconstruct the city’s evolving urban landscape.
Designed for participants from all backgrounds, the course combined discussions with collaborative research activities, encouraging participants to investigate how historical evidence shapes understanding of Sharjah’s social and cultural development and how different forms of evidence can challenge or reinforce historical narratives.
Sultan specializes in Cultural, Visual, and Literary Studies at Global Studies University. His doctoral research explores the historical interconnectedness of port cities, trade networks and cultural exchange across the Gulf and the Indian Ocean, bringing together perspectives from urban history, heritage studies and global studies.
Alongside his doctoral studies, Sultan serves as Director of Projects, Restoration and Properties at the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, where he oversees initiatives focused on documenting, preserving and restoring the emirate’s built heritage.
