About
“Tessellate” means to form into a mosaic pattern by using small squares of stone or glass. It is derived from Latin “tessera,” meaning a small piece of glass or stone used in mosaic, from the Ionic-Greek word for four, “tesseres.”
Tessellation as a technique of mosaic making played an important role in Islamic art and architecture. As Muslim artists avoided figurative art, they found in tessellation a technique that was superb for its ability to render contemplation of the Divine. Peter J. Lu and Paul J. Steinhardt have discovered that “by the 15th century, the tessellation approach was combined with self-similar transformations to construct nearly perfect quasi-crystalline Penrose patterns, five centuries before their discovery in the West.” (http://www.physics.harvard.edu/~plu/research/islamic_quasicrystal/)
Canadian society is often referred to as a “mosaic.” Although the metaphor can be criticised for the way it glosses over racism and discrimination, or for its promoting minority ghettoisation, nevertheless, it remains an attractive metaphor. A “mosaic” metaphor conceives of a society that aims to fit its people together into a beautiful seamless whole – each part is polished and sculpted to fit with the others, without sacrificing what makes it beautiful and individual as a piece, a “tessera.”
The Tessellate Institute (TTI) endeavours to contribute to the public discourses that shape Canadian society with this metaphor of the mosaic in mind. TTI is a private, not-for-profit, non-partisan research institute that aims to provide Canadian policymakers and the general public academically-rigorous research about policy relevant issues, particularly on topics pertaining to ethnic and religious minorities.
Board of Directors
The current Board of Directors (2011) are: Nabeel Ahmed; Dr Katherine Bullock; Ms Ayeshah Haque; and Ms Aziza Hirsi.
Board of Directors Bios:
Nabeel Ahmed is leading the planning and execution of the “Giving Ourselves A Voice” project, which aims to train young Muslim filmmakers by taking them through the production of short films. He is also the Managing Editor of Social Finance.ca and an Associate at Social Innovation Generation @ MaRS, providing policy research support. He also manages media and online marketing for the Association for the Development of Pakistan, a microphilanthropy organization that identifies and funds sustainable development initiatives in Pakistan.
Nabeel is currently studying public policy and administration at Ryerson University, and graduated with a degree in business administration (majoring in marketing) from the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi, Pakistan.
Katherine Bullock completed her PhD in Political Science at the University of Toronto, in 1999. She has taught and lectured on Islamic Civilisation and Middle East politics in California and Toronto. Her most recent appointment is with the University of Toronto, where she has been teaching a course entitled “The Politics of Islam” since 2002. Her publications include: “Muslim Women Activists in North America: Speaking for Ourselves” and “Rethinking Muslim Women and the Veil: Challenging Historical and Modern Stereotypes” which has been translated into French and Turkish.
Ayeshah Haque is in her final year at the mid-wifery programme at Ryerson University. She also has a B.Sc in Psychology from the University of Toronto. She has an especial interest in studying and facilitating civic participation in Canada of young Canadians.
Aziza Hirsi is in her final year of a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Toronto, majoring in political science. She has an interest in public policy and law, especially as they related to racialised minorities in Canada. She also volunteers at the Regent Park/ Duke of York Homework Club, tutoring elementary school students.