Dr. William Rory Dickson

Dr. William Rory Dickson studies the surreal, bizarre, and profound. Commonly known as Rory, the professor with the hat, he specializes in Sufism, Islam's diverse tradition of meditation, mysticism, magic, and moral development. 

“Much of my work focuses on how Sufism manifests in North America,” said Dickson. “This can range from 'new age' versions of Sufi poetry showing up as memes and celebrity tattoos, to mosque-based movements seeking to revive the spirit of the Islamic faith.” 

‘Nerding out’ on Islamic Studies

Every year he teaches Classical Islam in the fall and Contemporary Islam in the winter — helping students understand how Islam has been shaped by traditional and modern contexts — plus an upper-level seminar, rotating between subjects. 

“These subjects include topics like Sufism, Islamic philosophy, and Islamic law — for those students who want to really nerd out on Islamic studies,” shared Dickson. “I try to engage students in class by sharing a wide spectrum of ideas from the Islamic tradition, and encouraging diverse student views, that hopefully foster new pathways of thinking and critical thought.” 

Most recently he has been working on a translation of commentary on a medieval Sufi text by Ibn al-‘Arabi, one of the most famous Sufi mystics and philosophers who was born in Spain.

Dickson hopes to draw out some of this text’s philosophical relevance to contemporary, modern-world challenges. In particular, he sees its relevance in offering a vision of religious pluralism, global interconnectedness, and the sacredness of life. 

Engaging with and mentoring students

Dickson chose to teach at UWinnipeg because he was drawn to the dynamic energy on campus. “It has a real culture of community engagement and intellectual innovation. UWinnipeg offers a liberal arts education with small classes, providing an environment that allows me to genuinely engage with my colleagues, and more importantly, with my students. We’ve got a real energy here, as a downtown campus, with a diverse student population from all over the world, and from across the city.” 

Dickson enjoys offering some of his students directed reading courses, which can involve opportunities to work on a variety of interesting and varied subjects, ranging from classical Islamic political philosophy to issues of mental health among Muslim youth in Canada. 

“I really enjoy working with students on directed readings,” said Dickson. “I think this one-on-one academic mentorship is important, especially if my students are interested in pursuing graduate studies at some point.” 

He advises students to take advantage of the unique intellectual space UWinnipeg has to offer that helps them explore new ideas, horizons of meaning, and ways of seeing the world. “I fully understand why students may want to channel their university education into some form of career training, but I would also recommend taking a range of classes and expose yourself to subjects that may be a bit outside of your comfort zone.” 

Appreciating the arts

Outside the classroom, Dickson has diverse interests that include reading, a love for music, and film — with a soft spot for music documentaries where his interests converge. At home he enjoys his vinyl collection that includes an A to Z of records: from French electro to jazz, and classical to psychedelic rock. 

“One of my favorite records is Air’s Moon Safari, with its great late-90s collection of synth organ cosmic jams, and in terms of books, Ahmet Hilmi’s Awakened Dreams is a gem of a Sufi novel. It is sort of a Salvador Dali painting in book form.”