Aligarh, A discussion on the recently published book by Professor Sami Rafiq of the Department of English, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), was organised at Wolfson College, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
The book, Innocent Raptures: Stories on the Non-Human (Hawakal, 2026), explores the complex relationships between humans and the non-humans.
Held in a hybrid mode, the discussion was attended in person by students, researchers and faculty members from the University of Cambridge, while several participants joined online from different parts of the world.
Speaking about her book, Professor Sami Rafiq reflected on how her childhood experiences and interactions with animals and birds inspired her writing. She also encouraged young people to care for the environment.
Mr Abdul Sabur Kidwai, a PhD scholar at King’s College London, and Dr Ayush Gaur of the Department of English, AMU, also spoke at the event.
The discussion was moderated by Ms Madiha Noman, a PhD student at the University of Cambridge, who posed thought-provoking questions on themes such as the environment and the creative writing process.
The event concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session followed by a book signing.