Categories : Academic items

1.Iran: International Law and the Protection of Cultural Heritage in Times of War

The humanitarian toll and widespread disruption of life caused by the relentless bombing campaigns in the war on Iran since February 28, 2026, are tragic. Equally significant is the destruction of monuments of profound cultural importance to Iran and Iranians.

Join us for ‘Iran: International Law and the Protection of Cultural Heritage in Times of War’ presented by Courtauld Trans-Asias in partnership with the Iran Heritage Foundation.

📆 Tuesday, 12 May 2026

⏱️ 17:30 – 19:00

📍The Courtauld Institute of Art, Vernon Square Campus, Lecture Theatre 2, 

London WC1X 9EW

🔗 Free, booking essential please click here to register

This event brings together a panel of experts on Iranian heritage, from antiquities to modern times, and an expert in international law, to offer insights and discuss the destruction of monuments and the significance and future of World Heritage as a shared global concern.

🔹 Sussan Babaie, Professor in the Arts of Iran and Islam, Courtauld Institute.

🔹 Dr John Curtis, FBA, Keeper Emeritus, Ancient Iran and Iraq, the British Museum, and former Chief Executive Officer of the Iran Heritage Foundation.

🔹 Dr Lindsay Allen, Lecturer in Greek & Near Eastern History, King’s College London.

🔹 Professor Roger O’Keefe, Professor of International Law, Department of Legal Studies, Bocconi University, Milan

🔹 Dr Peyvand Firouzeh, Islamic Art, University of Cambridge.

Organised by Sussan Babaie, Professor in the Arts of Iran and Islam, as part of the Research Cluster Courtauld Trans-Asias, in collaboration with the Iran Heritage Foundation.

 

 

 

 

2. The Forensic Archive of Iran

A citizen-led investigative archive documenting crimes against Iran’s cultural heritage.
https://www.forensicarchiveofiran.com/

And open call for our interdisciplinary publication, the Forensic Archive Dossier:
https://www.forensicarchiveofiran.com/dossier

 

 

 

 

 

3. ONLINE Webinar: ‘Peering Through the Cracks. Polish Musicians in Tehran 1942 to 1945: The Case of Irena Valdi-Gołębiowska’

with Laudan Nooshin

British Institute of Persian Studies (BIPS), 14 May, 2026,  5:00 pm UK Time
In the spring and summer of 1942, an estimated 300,000 Poles arrived in Iran, having travelled thousands of miles from recently opened-up Soviet labour camps in Siberia and elsewhere in Central Asia. Notwithstanding people’s sense of transience, a Polish cultural presence was established within a relatively short period, with schools, cultural institutions, radio stations, newspapers and cafés. And there were also musicians. This talk reports on a project exploring the cultural and musical lives of Polish exile-refugees in Iran during World War 2. I focus on the singer Irena Valdi-Gołębiowska (1891-1979) who lived in Tehran between 1942 and 1945 and whose collection of photographs, programme notes, concert invitations and letters becomes a lens through which to understand something of the geography of the Polish presence in Tehran at this time. More broadly, I examine how legacies of migrant stories are formed and narrated, and how we recover individual stories against narratives of collective migratory experiences (Image credit: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum).

Information and registration: 

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/2617763476100/WN_5Ea95C7fS6qPif1-8DjQjQ#/registration

 

 

 

 

 

4. Birds, Wings, and Diadems: Zoroastrian Symbols in Parthian and Sasanian Art
with Vesta Sarkhosh Curtis
30 April 2026, 6PM GMT
Khalili Lecture Theatre, SOAS

 

 

 

 

5. Zoom: Alwaleed Centre, University of Edinburgh

Seminar: Secularism, Hegemony and the Paradoxes of State Recognition

Wednesday 29 April, 1pm to 2pm BST

Venue: Seminar room, 2 Hope Park Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9NW

Join Dr A. Sophie Lauwers (IASH-Alwaleed Postdoctoral Fellow, 2025-26) on 29 April at 1pm BST for a seminar on ‘Secularism, Hegemony and the Paradoxes of State Recognition’. The first half of the seminar examines patterns of secular and Christian hegemony, and how these can feed into the marginalisation of (often racialized) religious minorities. The second half looks at a possible solution often proposed in policy circles: extending state recognition to religious minorities. Can state-religion dialogue forums like the Islam Conference (in Germany), or state funding for Catholic, Protestant and Jewish schools (as in Flandres) deliver the equality and inclusion they promise, or do they (also) reinforce hegemonic norms?

 

 

 

 

 

6. The Uninvited Guest 

Histories of Persian Theatre in the Qajar Period
by
Duman Riyazi

ISBN: 978-1-997503-35-4

Iran’s performance traditions were vibrant and deeply rooted long before the Qajar monarchs travelled to Europe. Yet during their journeys, Naser al-Din Shah and Mozaffar al-Din Shah attended opera houses, theatres, concerts, and musical spectacles that became part of a complex cultural encounter whose full scope has remained largely unexplored.

The published royal diaries offer only brief references to these experiences. The broader record, however, lay scattered across European cities and archives.

For the first time, Duman Riyazi meticulously reconstructs and documents the Shahs’ European itineraries step by step, travelling city by city, following their routes, and uncovering forgotten documents that reconstruct what they truly witnessed. Through extensive archival research across Europe, this book brings to light a hidden dimension of Iran’s theatrical modernization, revealing a layered dialogue between traditions rather than a simple process of importing or adopting European models.

To purchase via Amazon:
https://a.co/d/0117KAR7

To purchase via Lulu:
https://www.lulu.com/shop/duman-riyazi/the-uninvited-guest-histories-of-persian-theatre-in-the-qajar-period/paperback/product-2mdjkkn.html?page=1&pageSize=4

To learn more:
https://asemanabooks.ca/uninvited-guest/

 

 

 

 

 

7. ONLINE Webinar “Historical-cultural Portrait of the Mamluk-Ottoman Transition” by Rachida Chin (CNRS), Orient-Institute Beirut & University of Bamberg & University of Göttingen, 22 April 2026, 18:00 – 19:30 CET

This presentation will focus on the historical context that allowed for the emergence of scholarly circles within which a rich historiographical culture developed, alongside an intense engagement with hadīth studies, large-scale works of synthesis, and the deep embedding of Sufism within learned culture. Fi-nally, we will examine the international circulation of this knowledge in the early modern period, marked by the growth of major Arab cities and the expansion of pilgrimage routes.

Information and registration: https://tinyurl.com/2h59v388

 

 

 

 

 

8. ONLINE Webinar “Race, Power, and Politics: Antisemitism and Islamophobia, Past and Present” by Sahar Aziz and Santiago Slabodsky, Herbert D. Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies, University of Pennsylvania, 23 April 2026, 18:00 – 19:00 CET

This lecture takes a distinctive comparative approach, examining antisemitism and Islamophobia not as isolated phenomena but as entangled histories that reveal fundamental patterns in how societies construct and target minorities. By bringing these two forms of prejudice into conversation, we aim to uncover what their similarities and differences teach us about the architecture of discrimination itself – and how we might better dismantle it.

Information and registration: https://tinyurl.com/3aajja54

 

 

 

 

 

9. International Conference “In the Name of Sultan, Emperor, and King: Grand Viziers, Chief Ministers, and Structures of Delegated Power in Early Modern Eurasia”, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, 27-29 May 2026

How did sultans, emperors, and kings in early modern Eurasia delegate power to their grand viziers, chief ministers, chancellors, and other “second persons” in their courts? How did ideas about kinship and nobility, levels of social mobility, and religious, political, and intellectual debates shape – and re-shape – these systems?

Information, program and registration: https://tinyurl.com/3anu2nrx

 

 

 

 

 

10. ONLINE Interdisciplinary Webinar Series & Edited Volume “American Islam at 250: Commu-nity, Authority, and Futurity in the American Muslim Experience”, Florida International Univer-sity & East-West Foundation, July – December 2026

As the USA marks its 250th anniversary, the American Muslim community stands at a pivotal juncture. This webinar series convenes historians, political scientists, religious studies scholars, sociologists, anthropologists, legal scholars, theologians, and public intellectuals for a rigorous, eight-episode ex-amination of the American Muslim community as it is today and as it might become.

Deadline for abstracts: 1 May 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/4m54whdp

 

 

 

 

 

11. PhD Student Position (3 Years) in Arabic Philosophy and Its Hebrew and Latin Reception, University of Cologne

Candidates must hold a Master’s degree or an equivalent qualification in a relevant discipline. A high level of proficiency in Arabic or Hebrew or Latin is required, as is a strong command of English, which serves as the project’s primary language of publication. Knowledge of Greek is considered an ad-vantage but is not a prerequisite for application

Deadline for applications: 15 May 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/dp33cjzm

 

 

 

12. Summer School “Terms and Turns of Empire. Interconnecting Concepts and Methods (Fo-cus Ottoman Empire)” University of Freiburg, 7-12 September 2026

Organized by the research Graduate School “Empires. Dynamic Change, Temporality and Post-Impe-rial Orders”, this summer school offers an intensive interdisciplinary methodological forum for critical engagement with the relationship between methods and concepts of ‘empire’ across academic fields and historical periods.

Deadline for applications: 31 May 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/2zn54a6z

 

 

 

 

 

 

13. Contributions to New Book Series ” Islam, Science and Ethics of Emerging Technologies” Edited by Hureyre Kam, University of Innsbruck

This interdisciplinary series explores the dynamic engagement of Islamic intellectual traditions with contemporary science and emerging technologies. It brings classical and contemporary resources from kalām, ḥikma, fiqh, akhlāq, and taṣawwuf into critical dialogue with fields such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, neuroscience, digital religions, religious education in the digital age, environmental sci-ence, and transhumanist thought.

Information: https://tinyurl.com/839vxtdb

 

 

 

 

14. ONLINE Collection of Articles on “Anthropology of Iran” in the Special Issue of “Curated Collection”, 10 March 2026

This collection of 11 articles features authors who draw on their fieldwork and expertise to illuminate how individuals and communities navigate, resist, and reshape the forces impacting their lives. They engage with contemporary debates not only as scholars but as public intellectuals committed to ac-countability, justice, and praxis within and beyond the academy.

Download: https://tinyurl.com/mr437yu8

 

 

 

15. New Book: “The Forgotten Khayr al-Din al-Tunsi’s Islamic Social Contract: Governance, Pub-lic Welfare and Justice” by Deina Ali Abdelkader, Edinburgh University Press, April 2026, 200 Pages

This book challenges the entrenched marginalisation of Muslim contributions to political theory, expos-ing the epistemological biases that have privileged Western traditions while silencing rich intellectual legacies from the Islamic world. Centering on the 19th-century reformer Khayr al-Din al-Tunsi, it offers the first comprehensive analysis and translation of his political writings through the lens of Islamic ju-risprudence.

Information: https://tinyurl.com/yda7ckye

 

 

 

 

 

16. New Book: “Egyptian Male Film Stars in the Nasser Era: Envisioning a National Identity” by Samar Abdel-Rahman, AUC Press, 7 April 2026, 260 Pages

The author illuminates how the three key stars Omar Sharif, Ismail Yassin, and Farid Shawqi promoted a civic identity that aligned with the regime’s ambitions, and how each of them – through melodrama, comedy, and action – negotiated a different facet of masculine identity that spoke to the ambivalent constructions of hegemonic masculinity during this critical post-colonial period.

Information: https://tinyurl.com/5n7h5865

 

 

 

17. New Book: “Post-Ottoman Transitions – Rethinking Nation-State Trajectories in the Arab and Turkish Contexts” Edited by Soumaya Louhichi & Jamal Barout, Ergon, April 2026, 233 Pages

This volume examines post-imperial state formation in former Ottoman provinces, shifting the focus from a presumed rupture after 1918 to the enduring administrative, legal, and political continuities of the Ottoman Empire. Through case studies – drawing on examples such as Syria, Iraq, Egypt, and Turkey – it analyzes border disputes, foreign policy strategies, and competing visions of regional order in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Information: https://tinyurl.com/yc8dpdbr

 

1. HYBRID World Policy Forum: “What is Sharia Law, and is it a Threat to Our Democracy?”,

Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID), Washington DC, 22 April 2026, 16:00 – 17:30 CET

Bringing together leading scholars of Islamic law, theology, and constitutional law, the discussion will address widespread misconceptions about Sharia and provide a grounded understanding of its principles, sources, and diverse interpretations. Panelists will engage key questions related to free-dom of religion, freedom of expression, and the relationship between religious legal traditions and modern democratic systems.

Information and registration: https://tinyurl.com/mvrwuayh

 

 

 

 

 

2. HYBRID Lecture “New Excavations at Nessana, Negev: Late Antique Pilgrimage Hub on the Desert Fringe” by Yana Tchekhanovets (Ben-Gurion University of the Negev), W. F. Al-bright Institute of Archaeological Research, Jerusalem, 29 April 2026, 18:30 CET

The ancient settlement of Nessana, located in the southwestern Negev, on the modern Israeli-Egyp-tian border, is a key site for the study of early Christian pilgrimage. Serving as the main caravan hub on the Christian pilgrimage road from the Holy Land to Sinai, Nessana enjoys all the economic benefits of the sacred route and develops into a flourishing urbanized village with caravanserais and numerous churches.

Information and registration: https://tinyurl.com/3z2ayuh2

 

 

 

 

 

3. Postdoctoral Research Fellow Position (12 Months) in Arabic and Islamic Studies / History of Islamic Law, Institut de recherche et d’histoire des textes, Aubervilliers, France

Skills: PhD in Islamic Studies. – Ability to work with legal sources in Arabic. – Ability to read and interpret Arabic manuscript scripts. – Excellent command of historical and philological methodolo-gies. – Excellent knowledge of the intellectual history of the Muslim West, particularly the develop-ment of law and theology. – Excellent command of Classical Arabic and of the terminology of the Islamic religious sciences. – Strong command of English; knowledge of Spanish would be an asset.

Deadline for applications: 24 April 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/ydfy8hem

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Post-Doc Position (30 Months) for the Critical Edition with Annotated English Translation of Musky Aromas, MOSAIC Project, UCLouvain, Belgium

Qualification: PhD in Islamic Studies, in Middle Eastern Studies, or related fields. – Excellent com-mand of Classical Arabic (the knowledge of additional languages such as Persian and Turkish is considered an advantage). – Academic writing and presentation skills in English (the working lan-guage of the project). – Ability to work both individually and as part of a team.

Deadline for applications: 10 June 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/2axtd8ufv

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Two Open Rank Faculty Positions in Islamic Ethics, Research Center for Islamic Legislation and Ethics, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar

We are seeking dynamic scholars whose work bridges the Islamic scholarly tradition with contem-porary moral challenges. We are particularly interested in candidates who can bring fresh perspec-tives to both theoretical and applied Islamic ethics across diverse disciplines.

Deadline for applications: 25 April 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/ycx3ktsp

 

 

 

 

 

6. Scholarships for the “MA in Iranian Studies”, SOAS, University of London

A number of scholarships are available for UK/EU and Overseas fee-paying SOAS students, covering the cost of tuition fees for two years.

Deadline for applications: 24 April 2026. Information: “Kamran Djam Scholarships” (https://ti-nyurl.com/yjzb6wss) & “Shapoorji Pallonji Scholarships” (https://tinyurl.com/4zdtcxhe).

 

 

 

 

 

7. Interdisciplinary Webinar Series & Edited Volume on “American Islam at 250: Community, Authority, and Futurity in the American Muslim Experience”, Florida International University & East-West Foundation, July – December 2026

This series convenes historians, political scientists, religious studies scholars, sociologists, anthropologists, legal scholars, theologians, and public intellectuals for a rigorous, eight-episode examination of the American Muslim community as it is today and as it might become. The series is organized topically, with each episode addressing a defining dimension of contemporary American Muslim life.

Deadline for abstracts: 15 May 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/4m54whdp

 

 

 

 

 

8. New Book: “Al-Bukhārī. The Life, Theology and Legal Thought of Islam’s Foremost Traditionist” by Belal Abu-Alabbas, Edinburgh University Press, April 2026, 328 Pages

The first comprehensive critical biography of Muhammad ibn Ismāʿīl al-Bukhārī (d. 256/870) stands as one of the most distinguished figures in Islamic intellectual history. His magnum opus, the Ṣaḥīḥ, is revered as the most authoritative collection of Prophetic traditions in Sunni Islam and is the most cited book in Islamic history.

Information: https://tinyurl.com/bdhzzpf4

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. New Book: “Le hobyot: Description grammaticale d’une langue sudarabique modern” by Ali Manoubi, Brill, Studies in Semitic Languages and Linguistics, Volume: 115, April 2026, 368 Pages

Hobyot, a Semitic language of the Modern South Arabian group, is spoken by a few thousand speak-ers in eastern Yemen and southern Oman. With no written tradition and facing imminent extinction, it remains one of the least documented languages in the region. This study offers the first compre-hensive linguistic description of Hobyot, based on dedicated field research.

Information: https://tinyurl.com/yyhywrje

 

 

 

10. New Book: “Religion and the Invisible World: Sanctity and Spiritual Transformation in Egypt from Pharaonic Times to the Present” by Fadwa El Guindi, American University in Cairo Press, 2026, 252 Pages

Drawing on historical and ethnographic material, this book shows how concepts of sacredness, sanctity and invisibility (Ghaib in Islam) have been core elements in the spiritual transformations in Egypt as embodied in the early pharaonic religion, Egyptian-Hellenistic religion, Christianity, and Islam, and how these practices of spirituality and cosmology cut across many divides of ethnicity, gender, region, religion, language, and social class.

Information: https://aucpress.com/9781649033710/

 

 

 

11. Zahedi Family Fellowship at Stanford Iranian Studies

Application deadline: May 1, 2026 

Fellowship period: fall 2026

 

The Zahedi Family Fellowship is a twelve-week residential fellowship focusing on the Zahedi Archive (which includes both diplomatic correspondence and collected photos) at Stanford University’s Hamid and Christina Moghadam Program in Iranian Studies and the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

During the fellowship period, the Zahedi Fellow is expected to pursue their independent research in residency and to hold a lecture, seminar or workshop on their research, organized by the Iranian Studies Program. The Zahedi fellow will have access to Stanford University Libraries and the Hoover Institution Library and Archives as well as a community of scholars at Stanford.

The fellowship funds international travel, health insurance, visa support, and a $15,000 stipend for living expenses.

Fluency in Persian and a terminal degree, or equivalent experience, is required. “All but dissertation” status PhD students are eligible to apply. The fellowship is open to scholars and artists working on the modern history of Iran, particularly the period of 1941 to 1979. Preference will be given to scholars who have worked on aspects of modern Iranian foreign policy, history, and culture.

 

 

 

 

 

12. Zoom: The Elahé Omidyar Mir-Djalali Institute of Iranian Studies and Invisible East present ‘Rethinking History: Returning to Archives and Documents’, a series of monthly online seminars.

Convened by Arezou Azad and Mohamad Tavakoli, the seminars are held on Zoom.
Please join us on Wednesday 15 April at 12PM EDT / 5PM BST to hear Dr Márton Vér of
Universität Hamburgspeaking on ‘The Old Uyghur Documents and a Global Microhistory of the Silk Roads’. Pre-registration is essential.

 

 

 

 

 

13. Hybrid book talk, with Daniel Majchrowicz:

‘Travel Writing and the Global Imagination in Muslim South Asia’

Friday, April 17 2:30-4:00PM EST, Library of Congress

In this book talk, Daniel Majchrowicz, will discuss his recent study of the history of travel writing in South Asia, The World in Words Travel Writing and the Global Imagination in Muslim South Asia (Cambridge University Press, 2023). Focusing particularly on writing in Urdu, this talk will show how the travelogue gave voice to a global imagination that reflected the ambition and aspiration of Indians and Pakistanis as they negotiated their place in the changing world of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Registration for the Zoom event is through the following link:

https://bit.ly/world-in-words-speaker.

 

 

 

 

14. Study Persian in Armenia

ASPIRANTUM’s 2026 Persian Language Summer School in Yerevan and would appreciate it if you could circulate this opportunity among your students and networks.
The program offers 6–10 weeks (120–200 hours) of intensive Modern Persian. Instruction is available at upper elementary and intermediate levels, focusing strongly on all core language skills in small groups.
The program also includes cultural excursions and activities across Armenia.
Full details and application:
https://aspirantum.com/courses/persian-language-summer-school
Application deadline: May 1, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

15. Brown University – Visiting Assistant Professor of Islam in South Asia

https://networks.h-net.org/jobs/69958/brown-university-visiting-assistant-professor-islam-south-asia

 

 

16. Hybrid: Annonce colloque (15-16 avril 2026) : “Pouvoir, cultures et sociétés des steppes en contexte ouest-eurasiatique (Afghanistan, Asie centrale, Iran)
Les mercredi 15 et jeudi 16 avril se tiendra le colloque « Pouvoir, cultures et sociétés des steppes en contexte ouest-eurasiatique (Afghanistan, Asie centrale, Iran) », à la Maison de la recherche de l’INaLCO, 2 rue de Lille, 75006 Paris, dans l’auditorium Georges Dumézil.

Ce colloque est organisé dans le cadre des activités de la Chaire Porfesseur Junior “Afghanistan” de l’INaLCO, avec le concours du CeRMI, du CRCAO, de la DAFA, du GIS Asie et de l’INaLCO.

Veuillez trouver le programme sur le site web du CeRMI.

L’entrée est libre dans la limite des places disponibles.

Zoom:  https://zoom.us/j/97920962767

 

 

1. The www.asmeascholars.orgAssociation for the Study of the Middle East and Africa (ASMEA) is offering Research and Travel Grant opportunities in conjunction with its Nineteenth Annual Conferencetaking place in Washington, D.C. on November 7 – 9, 2026.

The ASMEA Research Grant Program seeks to support research on topics in Middle Eastern and African studies that deserve greater attention. Applicants may submit paper proposals on any topic as long as it constitutes new and original research. Grants of $2500 will be awarded. The deadline to apply is May 1, 2026.

ASMEA is offering Travel Grants of up to $750 which can be used towards the costs associated with attending the Annual ASMEA Conference. The deadline to apply is May 1, 2026.

Grant opportunities are open to members only. For information on how to become a member and full guidelines on each program as well as our general Call for Papers and Panels, visit our website at www.asmeascholars.org.

Contact Information

Emily Lucas

Membership and Operations Director

info@asmeascholars.org

Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa (ASMEA)

Contact Email

info@asmeascholars.org

URL

https://www.asmeascholars.org/upcoming-conference

 

 

2. Masnavi.net is upgraded

The masnavi.net website has been upgraded and re-launched, After running well for ten years, it became slow and gave frequent time-out messages. Now it runs quickly and smoothly.

The website consists of matching Persian, Turkish, and English texts (with Nicholson’s own lists of corrections incorporated), plus thousands of matching audio files in Persian. The site has an excellent search function.

On a related topic, an article of mine that has been making the rounds on academia.edu is largely based on research done by Frank Lewis:  https://www.dar-al-masnavi.org/rumi.misconceptions.pdf

 

Best wishes,

 

Ibrahim Gamard

Dar-al-masnavi.org

 

End of bips

 

 

 

3. Complete Tafsir Qur’an Commentary Series

https://fonsvitae.com/product-category/islam/quran/

 

 

 

 

4. 10th HIAA Biennial Symposium 

Technologies of Making and Knowing

Hosted jointly at Getty, LACMA, and UCLA

Los Angeles, California, March 4 – 6, 2027

Beyond its modern conceptualization, technology has always informed artistic production in the Islamic world. To name but a few examples, paper production, reduction firing to produce lusterware, and sustainable architectural forms like windtowers were all rooted in technological innovation. Today’s digital tools and methods, such as imaging systems, 3D modeling, and computational analysis, extend this history rather than inaugurate it. They are also re-shaping the way that the field is studied and presented.

With this broad perspective, the Historians of Islamic Art Association (HIAA) calls for a field-wide reflection on the technologies, both longstanding and new, which have governed the production, circulation, reception, and study of Islamic art.

For the full call for papers, visit the HIAA website: https://www.historiansofislamicart.org/events-and-symposia/symposia/Technologies-of-Making-and-Knowing-2027-03-04.html

Proposals for in-person and remote contributions are due by May 15, 2026 and should be submitted using this form: https://forms.gle/yM5R6ns9b1N6PPHv7

The conference will be held in-person at the three host venues in Los Angeles. Presentations delivered by Zoom will be considered. Certain parts of the symposium may be streamed online.

URL

https://www.historiansofislamicart.org/events-and-symposia/symposia/Technologie…

 

 

 

 

5. UCLA : Hybrid – Pourdavoud Lecture Series

‘Misunderstanding in Ancient Interstate Relations

The Arsacid Princes of the Roman Empire’

Jake Nabel (Pennsylvania State University)

Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at 4:00 pm Pacific Time

Royce Hall 306 and Via Zoom

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSetRf7ShQwiIdoS0Ydjk068K5qUBm5AzD4binpchwJ5JkAYuA/viewform

 

 

 

 

 

6. Recording: Anti-Muslim Hate in the Wake of the US-Israel War on Iran, 31.3.26

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZE2b5NnO8U&t=1095s

 

 

 

 

 

7. Hybrid Lecture – Sacred Power: The Motif of the Seven Magical Signs – 16 April 2026 – SOAS, University of London

Farouk Yahya, Independent Scholar of Islamic Art and Magic and Divination

Sacred Power: The Motif of the Seven Magical Signs

Register via Eventbrite

The motif of the Seven Magical Signs is a set of seven symbols believed to represent the Most Exalted Name of God. They are discussed in texts on magic such as the Shams al­ma‘arif al-kubra and appear on amulets and various talismanic objects.

This seminar will examine the tradition of the Seven Magical Signs in Southeast Asia from the perspective of both texts and objects. In doing so it aims to investigate possible relationships between the textual tradition and material culture, which may help shed further light into the connections between theory and practice in the occult sciences within Muslim societies.

Dr Farouk Yahya’s research interests include the Southeast Asian arts of the book, as well as texts and images relating to magic and divination. He holds an MA in Islamic art and a PhD on Malay manuscripts from SOAS University of London. He is the author of Magic and Divination in Malay Illustrated Manuscripts (Brill, 2016), editor of The Arts of Southeast Asia from the SOAS Collections (Areca Books, 2017), and co-editor of Islamicate Occult Sciences in Theory and Practice (Brill, 2021).

More recent publications include: “The Maxwell Collection and Local Private Libraries in the Malay Peninsula during the Nineteenth Century”, in “Manuscript Libraries and Colonialism in Island Southeast Asia”, edited by Alan Darmawan and Mulaika Hijjas, special issue of Archipel, vol. 110 (2025): pp. 239-280; with Anna Contadini,  “Planispheric astrolabe”, “Wing-handled vases”, “Honey jar”, “Glass pitcher and vase”, in Conoscenza e Libertà: Arte Islamica al Museo Civico Medievale di Bologna, edited by Anna Contadini, Genoa: Sagep, 2024, cats. 1, 20-21, 24, 26-27; and “Talismans with the Names of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus/Aṣḥāb al-Kahf in Muslim Southeast Asia”, in Malay-Indonesian Islamic Studies: A Festschrift in Honor of Peter G. Riddell, edited by Majid Daneshgar and Ervan Nurtawab, Leiden: Brill, 2023, pp. 209–265.

 

 

 

 

 

8. Call for Contributions – The Middle East Cultural Heritage at Risk in Armed Conflict Project

The Middle East Cultural Heritage at Risk in Armed Conflict Project invites scholars, art historians, archaeologists, and other researchers to contribute short pieces on monuments and sites at risk in Iran.

This project, initiated by Dr. Mehrnoush Soroush and Dr. Kiersten Neumann at the University of Chicago’s Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC), documents and monitors cultural heritage under threat through an interactive map, updates on damaged sites and monuments, and short written contributions that highlight their historical, artistic, and personal significance.

The project welcomes submissions of short stories that reflect on a particular monument or site, especially those that speak to its meaning, history, memory, and place within broader cultural and scholarly conversations. Contributions may be academic in tone, personal in reflection, or a combination of both.

By contributing, you can help preserve the memory of these places, draw attention to their significance, and participate in an urgent collective effort to document and preserve cultural heritage at risk.

To express interest or submit a contribution, please contact Camel@uchicago.edu .

Contact email: Camel@uchicago.edu

URL: https://heritagewatch.camelab.net/stories

Contact Email

Camel@uchicago.edu

URL

https://heritagewatch.camelab.net/stories

 

 

 

 

 

9. Open Acess – New Book – Letters in Silk Pouches: Diplomatic Correspondence from the Safavid Court in the Swedish National Archives

Letters in silk pouches were sent from Persia to Sweden in the 17th century as part of diplomatic and commercial contacts. In the book “Letters in Silk Pouches. Diplomatic Correspondence from the Safavid Court in the Swedish National Archives”, authors Stanisław Adam Jaśkowski and Anna Jolly analyse the letters and silk pouches in their historical context.

In the 17th century, the Swedish crown sent three embassies to the Safavid court in Isfahan to negotiate a trade agreement for the export of Iranian raw silk to Stockholm. The diplomat Ludvig Fabritius led the Swedish delegations on their journeys and extended sojourns at the Persian court. After each embassy, a letter from the Shah of Persia to the King of Sweden was brought back to Stockholm.

These documents are today kept in the Swedish National Archives. Their composition and content reflect the formalised writing style of the Safavid chancellery. For transport the royal letters were folded and slipped into precious textile pouches which have also been preserved and were first published by the Swedish scholars Agnes Geijer and Carl Johan Lamm in 1944. The fabrics from which the pouches were made count among the most luxurious silk textiles produced in Safavid Iran. This monograph offers a detailed study of these Persian letters and silk pouches in their historical context and presents them as tangible evidence of two highly developed arts practised at the Iranian court, both conveying the splendour of their sovereign: the art of writing and the art of silk weaving.

Authors
Stanisław Adam Jaśkowski is assistant professor at the Department of Iranian Studies, Faculty of Asian and African Cultures, University of Warsaw, Poland.
Anna Jolly is curator of textiles from 1500 to 1800 at the Abegg-Stiftung in Riggisberg, Switzerland.

Book info
ISBN: 978-91-88763-71-6
ISBN: (PDF) 978-91-88763-72-3
ISSN: 0083-6761
176 pages
Published: 2026
Dutch bind (flexibound)
Series: Antikvariska serien 61
Price: 380 SEK

The volume is also available open access.

Distribution via Stardist. Order or download here

 

 

 

 

10. Journal of Arabian Studies, Volume 15, Issue 2 (2025)

https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rjab20/15/2

1.  The Department of Middle Eastern Studies of the University of Chicago is honored to have Dr. Arezou Azad as the speaker in the Heshmat Moayyad Lecture Series for the Spring 2026 session. The lecture will be in person and on zoom on Wednesday, April 8 at 5:30 PM US Central Time in The Tea Room in the Social Science Research Building Room 201.

Please use this link to access the zoom: 

https://uchicago.zoom.us/j/96374020687?pwd=7M9uPEsmcrMrmrq7fiYhpBhAsgX9Hr.1

Title: “Restore Her Rights!” Sketches from Forgotten Persian Manuscripts

Abstract: From a medieval woman farmer taking a stand, to a shopkeeper navigating the familiar challenges of work–life balance, to one of the earliest surviving Persian narrative poems on the biblical Joseph…

In this lecture, Arezou Azad shares unexpected insights that emerge from under-explored Persian sources, studied through the Invisible East programme in Oxford. Drawing on three medieval corpora of documents from Afghanistan, alongside the Bodleian Libraries’ Akhbār-i Barmakīyān produced in the Delhi Sultanate, she will bring to life a series of overlooked stories.

These materials not only illuminate everyday life in a formative period of the region’s history but also speak to enduring human experiences—from negotiating authority and identity to pursuing economic wellbeing. The paper also acknowledges the challenges that researchers face when working with displaced heritage and in areas of conflict.

By engaging with these manuscripts, the lecture invites us to rethink familiar narratives and to explore how new sources can connect past and present in meaningful ways.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. The Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, University of Tokyo (Tobunken), is pleased to host a lecture in the Tobunken Seminar series by Professor Christian Lange (Utrecht University) entitled “Scouts of the Soul: Theories of the Senses in Arabic Literature.”

This hybrid event will be held both in person and online. Please note that advance registration is required for online participation.

Lecture Title:

Scouts of the Soul: Theories of the Senses in Arabic Literature.

Speaker:

Professor Christian Lange (Professor of Islamic and Arabic Studies, Utrecht University).

Chair:

Professor Kazuo Morimoto (Professor in Islamic and Iranian History, Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, University of Tokyo).

Date and Time:

8 May (Fri) 2026, at 18:00-19:30 (JST).

Venue:

Room 304, Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo (東京大学東洋文化研究所3階、第一会議室304), and online via Zoom.

Abstract:

Recent years have seen a proliferation of work on the senses in the Humanities disciplines. Historians, philosophers and anthropologists alike have come to devote increased attention to how cultural formations produce and control characteristic ways of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching. Also in Islamic studies, a ‘sensory turn’ is underway. Sensory questions intersect with key challenges that shape broader perceptions of Islam and of the Islamic world. For example, clashes over the presence of Islam in the public sphere often unfold along sensory lines, both real and imagined, as is demonstrated by contested phenomena such as touching in the form of handshaking, the call to prayer in modern urban soundscapes, or the rules and conventions regarding what may or may not be exposed to sight. This talk analyzes theories of the human sensorium in a number of encyclopedic works of Arabic literature, from Avicenna (11th c.) to Muḥammad Bāqir al-Majlisī (17th c.), with the aim of defining some basic modes of thinking about the senses in the cultural history of Islam.

Speaker’s Bio:

Christian Lange (PhD Harvard, 2006) is Professor of Islamic and Arabic Studies at Utrecht University, the Netherlands. His publications include Justice, Punishment and the Medieval Muslim Imagination (2008), Paradise and Hell in Islamic Traditions (2016), and most recently (as general editor), Islamic Sensory History, 3 vols. (2024–). Since 2017, he’s been the Principal Investigator of the Utrecht-based research group “SENSIS: The senses of Islam” (https://sensis.wp.hum.uu.nl/), funded by research grants of the European Research Council (ERC) and the Dutch Science Organisation (NWO). From 2024 to 2028, he is serving as President of the European Union of Arabists and Islamicists (UEAI).

How to Participate:

Pre-registration is required for online participation. Please fill in the format https://forms.gle/eh6UgzJJGs1bdcaY8 by 5 May, at 24:00 JST. You will receive the Zoom details before long.

In-person attendance does not require advance registration.

Contact Person: Kazuo Morimoto (morikazu@ioc.u-tokyo.ac.jp)

 

 

 

 

3. UCLA:

One Divan and Multiple Poets: The Strange Case of Makhfi

Sunil Sharma

Boston University

English Lecture

Monday, May 4, 2026 at 11:00 am Pacific Time

Online via Zoom

Registration Required: 

https://ucla.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6QTp311ZThKErILePfrBEQ

 

 

 

 

4. The Homeland’s Uprising Spirit

By

Mirza Fatolah Qudsi Kermani (Foad Kermani)

Critical edition and introduction by

Mahdi Ganjavi and Ali Mozafari Sirjani

With contributions by

Manochehr Bakhtiary and Ali Mozafari Sirjani

on the life and times of Foad Kermani and on the legacy of Azali discourse in the Constitutional Revolution,

and with a note by

Mehran Rad

ISBN: 9781997503309

To Purchase:

https://www.lulu.com/shop/mirza-fatolah-qudsi-kermani-and-mahdi-ganjavi-and-ali-mozafari-sirjani-and-manochehr-bakhtiary/the-homelands-uprising-spirit/paperback/product-dyejnz2.html?page=1&pageSize=4

Learn More:

https://asemanabooks.ca/the-homelands-uprising-spirit/

 

 

1.António de Gouvea, At the Court of the Shah, A Portuguese Account of  Safavid Persia, 16O3–16O8

W Floor, transl. and annot.

Mage, 2026

https://mage.com/antonio-de-gouvea-at-the-court-of-the-shah-a-portuguese-account-of-safavid-persia-16o3-16o8/

 

 

 

 

 

2. The Pilgrim’s Companion: The Khalili Anis al-Hujjaj
A ground-breaking new translation and comprehensive analysis of the Anis al-Hujjaj (The Pilgrim’s Companion).

Written during the year-long pilgrimage undertaken by the author, Safi ibn Vali Qazwini in 1676–77, the Anis al-Hujjaj (‘Pilgrims’ Companion’) gives advice to prospective pilgrims on every aspect of the journey to Mecca via the Indian Ocean: which ships to choose, how to stay healthy, foods to consume, the places to visit, the rituals to be observed and the people one is likely to encounter. Dedicated to Zeb un-Nisa, the daughter of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, the author writes a wonderfully vivid and colourful account of the journey. This manuscript belongs to a long-established tradition of guides to the Holy Places and provides a fascinating picture of the Indian Ocean and pilgrimage in the 17th century.
https://kulturalis.com/books/the-pilgrims-companion-qaisra-m-khan-michael-burns/

 

 

 

 

3. The Islamic College

Monthly Talk: The History of Muslims
and Islam in Europe

Speaker: Professor Maurits Berger
Date: 17 April 2026
Time: 6:00-7:30 pm (London time)
Location: Online

https://islamic-college.ac.uk/registration/

 

 

 

 

4. UCLA: Pourdavoud Lecture Series

‘Next to Turquoise Domes

Excavating the City of Bukhara’

Sören Stark (New York University)

Friday, May 8, 2026 at 4:00 pm Pacific Time

Royce Hall 306 and Via Zoom

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeae-G4tZTbwP58Uoqkg0uMyf4O7j_k9CihsdQn4Wj5AnL86Q/viewform

 

 

 

 

 

5. HYBRID Lecture “Why Anatolian Antiquities were Less Abandoned than We Thought: Finding (Semi-) Nomads in Travelogues” by Sean Paxton Silvia (Princeton), British Institute at Ankara (BIAA), 8 April 2026, 16:30 CET

This presentation proposes methods to identify overlooked (semi-)nomadic inhabitations despite source limitations, and offers a phenomenological analysis of the experience of inhabiting antiquities as a (semi-)nomad. To recognise this vaster world of reuse is crucial for longue durée histories of Anatolian antiquities and their afterlives.

Information and registration: https://tinyurl.com/3cvwnj73

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Workshop “Geographical Societies, Exploration, and African Collections between Egypt, Italy, and the Horn of Africa”, Egyptian Geographical Society, Cairo, 23-25 June 2026

workshop explores the interconnected histories of geographical knowledge, exploration, and colo-nial expansion, as well as the production and afterlives of African collections, with a focus on Egypt, Italy, and the Horn of Africa.

Deadline for abstracts: 15 April 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/3c89c9aj

 

 

 

 

 

7. Workshop: “Exemplary Lives in the Pre-Modern Islamic World: Biography and Hagiography in Arabic, Persian, and Turkish”, Co-organized by the Universities of Bonn and Münster, Bonn, 17-19 February 2027

The event will focus on texts often referred to as manāqib/menāḳıb, celebrating the merits and deeds of exemplary individuals or groups. Building on the case studies presented by the participants, the conference seeks to trace the evolution and significance of manāqib traditions across time, space, and languages, to identify communalities and differences, and ultimately to ask what constitutes an exemplary life in the Islamic tradition.

Deadline for abstracts: 30 April 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/mw44wx8u

 

 

 

 

 

8. 2026 Jafar and Shokoh Farzaneh Prize for Best Article on Persian Literature, University of Oklahoma

Submissions must meet the following criteria: Articles or book chapters published in English. – Published in scholarly peer-reviewed journals or edited volumes. – Publication date between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2025. – The work must focus specifically on Persian literature.

Submission Deadline: 15 May 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/4vzdnw37

 

 

 

 

 

9. Ottoman Studies Summer Program: “Methods in Reading and Editing Historical Texts” (Fully Funded), Termal, Yalova / Turkey, 27 June – 2 August 2026

The program offers advanced training in the critical reading, contextual interpretation, and scholarly editing of Ottoman Turkish texts. Moving beyond paleographic transcription, it situates texts within the social, institutional, and intellectual formations that produced them. Its methodological orienta-tion rests on the interplay between text, context, and interpretation, foregrounding source criticism and analytical precision.

Deadline for applications: 30 April 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/bd8sfcyv

 

 

 

 

 

10. Summer Program for Graduate Students: “Islam in the Contemporary World”, Center for Islam in the Contemporary World (CICW), Shenandoah University, Leesburg, VA, 29 June – 9 July 2026

Objectives are: (1) to provide graduate students with foundational instructions in Islamic studies with a focus on contemporary issues, (2) to have discussions about the lived experiences of Muslim graduate students, especially as they pertain to issues of wellness, equity, and belonging, and (3) to provide research mentorship.

Deadline for applications: 20 April 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/jbxtu6mm

 

 

 

 

 

11. Contribution to a “Sourcebook for the Cultural Heritage of the Ottoman Peoples”, Edited by Ceren Abi, Publisher:Gordium

The sourcebook will offer new materials and analytical frameworks for teaching and research, and contribute to the growing interest in cultural heritage as a field of historical inquiry. It will consist of unpublished primary sources (books, newspaper articles, journal articles, photographs, archival sources, diaries, museum guest books, and others), each paired with an accompanying commentary explaining the source and its meaning.

Deadline for abstracts: 31 May 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/4x83acuz

 

1. Reconsidering the Historical Legacy of Ibn Khaldun

https://research.ju.edu.jo/research/groups/RHL-IK/home.aspx

 

 

 

 

 

2. Journée d’études « Identités, altérités et interculturalité dans un monde en reconfiguration : Monde arabe et Occident », Université de Montpellier Paul-Valéry, 16 avril 2026, 9:00 – 16:00 CET

La journée d’étude se propose d’interroger les relations entre ces deux espaces politico-culturels à partir de notions centrales comme l’identité (huwiyya) et l’altérité (ġayriyya), dans le contexte des recompositions géopolitiques contemporaines. En mobilisant les débats intellectuels du XXᵉ siècle et les recherches récentes sur l’occidentalisme (istiġrāb), l’orientalisme et l’islamologie, elle entend analyser la manière dont se construisent et se transforment les représentations réciproques, entre fascination, imitation, critique et rejet.

Information et programme : https://tinyurl.com/5bz5j5f5

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. ONLINE Article: “Love Me, Love Us, Love Him: Entangled Emotions, Marriage and Membership in the Muslim Brotherhood” by Mustafa Menshawy, Journal “Religions”, Issue 17, 11 March 2026, 16 Pages

Drawing on frame analysis of Brotherhood literature and fieldwork conducted in Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the UK, the study shows that the group tightly structures marital formation, including matchmaking, wedding rituals, and the organization of the couple’s household. Conjugal love produced in this marriage is entangled with two additional forms of attachment: love for the group and love for God.

Download: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/17/3/347

 

 

 

 

 

4. Annonce colloque (15-16 avril 2026) : “Pouvoir, cultures et sociétés des steppes en contexte ouest-eurasiatique (Afghanistan, Asie centrale, Iran)
Les mercredi 15 et jeudi 16 avril se tiendra le colloque « Pouvoir, cultures et sociétés des steppes en contexte ouest-eurasiatique (Afghanistan, Asie centrale, Iran) », à la Maison de la recherche de l’INaLCO, 2 rue de Lille, 75006 Paris, dans l’auditorium Georges Dumézil.

Ce colloque est organisé dans le cadre des activités de la Chaire Porfesseur Junior “Afghanistan” de l’INaLCO, avec le concours du CeRMI, du CRCAO, de la DAFA, du GIS Asie et de l’INaLCO.

Veuillez trouver le programme sur le site web du CeRMI.

L’entrée est libre dans la limite des places disponibles.

 

 

 

5. Chapters for Edited Volume on “During the Ottomans, After the Outlaws: Histories of Banditry, Memory, and Heritage in Balkans and Turkey” in Routledgs`s Book Series “Outlaws in Literature, History and Culture”

We especially value contributions that follow the full circuit of representation – from administrative and judicial production (policing, court files, petitions, press) to oral tradition and performance, and onward into museums, monuments, politics, nationalism, curricula, festivals, tourism, and digital af-terlives – while developing concepts and methods that travel across post-Ottoman settings.

Extended Deadline for abstracts: 15 April 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/459nanb6

 

 

 

 

6. Finnish Institute in the Middle East – Resident Scholar position for Lebanon-based and Lebanese Scholars

https://networks.h-net.org/jobs/69918/finnish-institute-middle-east-resident-scholar-position-lebanon-based-and-lebanese

1. Plant Friendship’s Tree: Essays on Persian Literature and Poetry, by Dick Davis

Mage, 2026

https://mage.com/plant-friendships-tree-essays-on-persian-literature-and-poetry/

 

 

 

 

 

2. IHF Academic Committee Announcement: First Cycle of the 2026 Grant Programme

IHF ACADEMIC COMMITTEE ANNOUNCEMENT

The first cycle of the Iran Heritage Foundation’s 2026 grant programme, with the deadline of 30 April 2026, is now open for receipt of application. With the overall aim of fostering knowledge and appreciation of Iran’s rich cultural heritage research grants in various academic disciplines are awarded.

Preference will be given to applications on (in alphabetical order) archaeology, architecture, art, history, linguistics and literature, as well as subjects of contemporary interest, such as cinema, music, sociology and so on; applications from other disciplines will also be considered.

Projects to be supported may include the most varied academic initiatives, from fieldwork to workshops, conferences, building databases and digitising images. The Committee privileges ground-breaking research, which may include editions and translations of key texts. In order to support multiple initiatives grants of up to a maximum of £3,000 will be considered.  The application process and conditions for the grants can be viewed on our website.

To apply please click here

For Terms and Conditions please click here

 

 

 

 

 

3. Woodwind Harmony in the Nighttime

By Reza Ghassemi
Translated by Michelle Quay
Introduction by Porochista Khakpour

Winner of the inaugural Mo Habib Translation Prize in Persian Literature, Reza Ghassemi’s darkly comic and subtly provocative novel of life among the exiled and expatriated.

Publication Date: March 17th, 2026

Paperback: 9781646054190
eBook: 9781646054206

https://store.deepvellum.org/products/woodwind-harmony-in-the-nighttime

 

 

 

 

 

4. ONLINE Webinar:

An Archaeological Perspective on the Mongol Conquest of Central Asia

With Katie Campbell

British Institute of Persian Studies (BIPS), 15 April 2026;  5:00 pm UK Time
Persian historians describe the Mongol conquest of the Khwarzmian Empire in the early thirteenth century as catastrophic, with cities razed and populations slaughtered. But how much of these accounts might be taken literally? This presentation will examine archaeological evidence from Central Asian cities, to offer a new perspective on urban devastation during the conquests of 1219 to the 1250s. Considering urban construction, occupation patterns as well as how different cities functioned before and after the Mongol conquest, this lecture provides ‘on the ground’ evidence of what happened to cities across Central Asia.

Information and registration:

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6541lfR_Tdm_ILuDxfCb_w – /registration

 

 

 

 

5. New Book – The Comprehensive Epistle, Vol. I

A new publication, The Comprehensive Epistle, Vol. I: An Arabic Critical Edition and English Translation of al-Risāla al-Jāmiʿa (2025), edited by Dr Mourad Kacimi and translated with commentary by Carmela Baffioni, offers a new critical edition and the first English translation of this important work attributed to the Ikhwān al-Ṣafāʾ (Brethren of Purity).
Explore the publication

 

 

 

 

6. Le CeRMI a le plaisir de vous convier à la prochaine séance du séminaire “Sociétés, politiques et cultures du Monde iranien”, qui se tiendra le jeudi 9 avril 2026, 17h-19h, en salle 3.03 à l’INaLCO (65 rue des Grands Moulins, Paris XIII, 5^eétage).

Nous sommes heureux d’accueillir M. Clinton Parker, linguiste, Assistant Professor à l’Université Nazarbayev d’Astana au Kazakstan, pour une conférence intitulée : Le genre grammatical en shughni: méronymie et catégorisation thématique.

Résumé :

Le shughni, langue iranienne orientale moderne, possède un système binaire de genre, masculin et féminin. Contrairement à certaines langues comme le français, l’espagnol ou le russe, où le genre se laisse souvent déduire de la forme du mot, les critères formels fonctionnent mal en shughni. Ici, le genre grammatical dépend principalement de facteurs sémantiques, que l’on peut classer, d’une part en groupes thématiques (par exemple, les outils technologiques sont féminins, les maladies masculines) ; d’autre part, en oppositions conceptuelles de type abstrait / concret ou individu / collectif (par ex. feuille / feuillage). Notre présentation s’intéressera plus particulièrement à la relation conceptuelle de la méronymie, à savoir le lien entre le tout et la partie, dont il a été dit que les « touts » sont féminins et leurs parties, masculines. Un examen expérimental inspiré d’une leçon Duolingo nous a permis de tester 16 substantifs d’emprunt russes désignant des objets technologiques (par ex., un carburateur) mettant en jeu des relations de la partie (le carburateur comme partie d’une voiture) au tout (le carburateur comme objet indépendant). Les résultats mettent en évidence une incidence modérée mais toutefois significative, ce qui suggère que la méronymie joue un rôle dans la distribution du genre en shughni. Cependant, la plupart des noms d’emprunt testés restent masculins ; nous proposons que les objets perçus comme des « touts » soient assimilés à la classe thématique féminine des outils technologiques.

Orientations bibliographiques :

– Collart, Aymeric. “A decade of language processing research: Which place for linguistic diversity?” Glossa Psycholinguistics 3(1), 2024.

– Corbett, Greville G. Gender. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991.

– Edelman, Joy I. “К субстратному наследию центральноазиатского языкового союза [On the substratal heritage of the Central Asian Sprachbund].” Voprosy Yazykoznaniya 5, 1980, p. 21–32.

– Enger, Hans-Olav. “The role of core and non-core semantic rules in gender assignment.” Lingua 119, 2009, p. 1281–1299.

– Karamshoev, Dodkhudo. Категория рода в памирских языках (шугнанорушанская группа), выпуск 2 [The category of gender in Pamir languages (Shughni-Rushani group), 2nd part]. Dushanbe: Donish, 1986.

– Parker, Clinton. A Grammar of the Shughni Language. Montreal, QC, Canada: McGill University dissertation, 2023.

– Shanbezoda, Khursav. “Родовая дифференциация заимствованных слов в шугнанском языке [The gender assignment of borrowed words in Shughni].” Issues in Shughni Philology 4, 1992, p. 70–74.

Vous retrouverez l’intégralité du programme 2025-2026 du séminaire mensuel de recherche “Sociétés, politiques et cultures du Monde iranien” en ligne sur le site du CeRMI: https://cermi.cnrs.fr/seminaires-de-recherche/societes-politiques-et-cultures-du-monde-iranien-2025-2026/

Dans l’attente du plaisir de vous retrouver à l’occasion de ces séances, qui se déroulent en présentiel sur le site de l’INaLCO (65 rue des Grands Moulins, Paris XIII).

Bien cordialement,

Les organisateurs –

Simon Berger et Justine Landau

Contact: justine.landau@sorbonne-nouvelle.fr

 

 

 

 

7. Hybrid: Health and the Environment in the Preindustrial World: Multidisciplinary Approaches

Registration has opened for  “Health and the Environment in the Preindustrial World: Multidisciplinary Approaches” that will take place on 23-24 July 2026 in a Hybrid format, with in-person attendance at Monash University, Caulfield Campus in Victoria, Australia.

For further details of the conference check out the website click here.

Both remote and in-person attendance is free. To register, please click the following link (note: if you responded to the pre-registration form, you do need to fill out this registration form to confirm your attendance): https://forms.gle/osAuopLawo9a3e5U6 

 

 

 

 

 

8. Registration is now open for the Al-Mahdi Institute’s upcoming international conference, “Who Cares? Care and Support Practitioners in Muslim Contexts,”taking place on 27–28th April 2026at Al-Mahdi Institute. This interdisciplinary gathering brings together scholars and practitioners to critically examine the pressing challenges of care within Muslim communities—ranging from mental health and family breakdown to migration and social vulnerability—while exploring the ethical, theological, and socio-political frameworks that shape care practices. With a focus on both lived realities and innovative, solution-driven responses, the conference offers a vital platform for advancing research and dialogue in this increasingly urgent field.

View Conference Programme: https://ami.is/msc-pdf

Find out More or Register Now: https://ami.is/msc26

 

 

 

 

 

9. Associate Professorship of the International Relations of the Global South

University of Oxford
Applications are invited from both early career and established scholars with a strong background in the International Relations of the Global South, broadly understood, with openness in terms of region(s), subfield, scholarly approach, and method. The Department has particular needs identified in the coverage of Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Deadline | 14 April 2026
More information

 

 

 

 

 

10. Assistant Professor in Modern Middle Eastern History

University of Dublin
Applications are invited for a tenure-track Assistant Professorship in the history of the modern Middle East (19th and 20th centuries). This post will be based in the Department of History, and its primary purpose will be to engage in research and teaching relating to the history of the modern Middle East, broadly defined.

Deadline | 20 April 2026
More information

 

 

 

 

 

11. Call for Applications | APSA 2026 MENA Mentoring Initiative

American Political Science Association (APSA)

APSA is pleased to announce a call for applications from early-career scholars who would like to participate in the MENA Mentoring Initiative. The program offers an opportunity to receive feedback and comments from senior colleagues on a project-specific activity that is at an advanced stage of development. Mentoring duration will be between 3 and 6 months, depending on the activity and planned outcome.

Deadline | 12 April 2026
More information

 

 

 

12. Call for Applications | MESA Global Academy 2027-2027 Fellowships

Fellowship, Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA)

The MESA Global Academy offers scholars of the Middle East from the MENA region who are currently displaced and/or whose careers have been disrupted in their home countries due to war, institutional collapse, or repression the chance to join the strongest network of Middle East Studies scholars in North America, with professional development opportunities and a modest grant.

Deadline | 16 April 2026
More information

 

 

 

 

 

13. Call for Applications | BIAA Grants and Opportunities

Funding, British Institute at Ankara (BIAA)

The BIAA offers a number of different funding opportunities, grants and awards to support academics at all stages of their careers. More information about the open calls is available on the BIAA website. These include travel and research grants for students as well as a postdoctoral fellowship with BIAA and Bilkent University.

Deadline | Various
More information

 

 

 

 

14. Home, Elsewhere: Objects That Carry Us

Performance | SOAS Gallery | 22 April

A short theatre piece emerging from Cosmos, Memory, Scale (Karl Singporewala, Artist in Residence 2024/25), exploring how Zoroastrian devotional objects and domestic ritual spaces carry memory, belonging and identity across migration.
More information

 

 

 

 

 

15. Brothers Behind Bars: A History of the Muslim Brotherhood

Book Talk | King’s College London | 23 April

Drawing on a wide range of previously untapped sources Brothers Behind Bars goes behind prison walls to show how activists, jailers and intelligence officers, clerics and communists were drawn into a prolonged struggle over the meaning of Islam in twentieth-century Egypt.
More information

 

 

 

 

 

16. The (De)Colonial Legacy of the 1932 Cairo Congress

Panel Discussion | King’s College London | 9 April

This panel explores the historical and sonic legacy of the 1932 Cairo Congress of Arab Music and its influence on musical practice, pedagogy, and cultural memory. Speakers include Hazem Jamjoum, Gülçin Özkişi, Tarik Beshir, and Kamilya Jubran.
More information

 

 

 

 

 

17. Séminaire “L’Afghanistan à travers les âges” – 5e séance mercredi 1 avril 18h-19h30
nous avons le plaisir de vous convier à la cinquième séance du séminaire “L’Afghanistan à travers les âges”, qui se tiendra ce mercredi 1^eravril 2026, 18h-19h30, entièrement en distanciel. Voici le lien de connexion: https://zoom.us/j/96136711428?pwd=jqZ3lotYx6re8bpoU4uAYPl9GRM1CF.1

Nous sommes heureux d’accueillir M. Xavier Hermand, EHESS, pour une conférence intitulée : Trop peu respectables pour devenir musulmans : gens de métiers et changements religieux.

Résumé:

À l’est de l’Afghanistan, des gens de métiers échangent encore de façon régulière avec des fidèles de plusieurs courants, hindou, sikh et musulman, entretenant des rapports économiques ou familiaux parfois étroits. Il arrive aussi que leurs activités professionnelles participent directement à l’organisation des cultes. Dans cette région, la plupart des artisans et des petits marchands sont tous réunis en clans d’après leurs spécialités. Pour la plupart déconsidérés, les gens de métiers ont longtemps été perçus comme des marginaux. C’est seulement au cours du 20^e siècle qu’ils se sont vus reconnaître leur rattachement à l’islam. La nature de leurs activités et les matières qu’ils transforment ont eu une grande influence sur les conditions de ces changements. Ceux-ci ont été collectifs, c’est-à-dire qu’ils impliquaient tous les gens d’un même clan, et se sont déroulés à des périodes différentes selon leurs professions. En m’appuyant sur des sources historiques et des enquêtes de terrain réalisées entre 2007 et 2013, j’exposerai la diversité des rattachements religieux chez les gens de métiers et je montrerai pourquoi cette situation est susceptible de se répéter ailleurs en Afghanistan ou dans des régions voisines.

Orientations bibliographiques:

• Barth, Fredrik. 1954. Political Leadership among Swat Pathans. London, University of London, Athlone Press.
• Brunschvig, Robert. 1962. Métiers Vils en Islam, dans Studia Islamica, n°16. Paris, Maisonneuve et Larose.
• Centlivres, Pierre. 1972. Un Bazar d’Asie Centrale : forme et organisation du bazar de Tashqurghan (Afghanistan). Wiesbaden, Harrassowitz
• Green, Nile (ed.). 2017. Afghanistan’s Islam. University of California Press
• Hermand, Xavier. 2022. Le maître du jardin : rivalités religieuses au Nangarhār, Bulletin de l’école française d’Extrême-Orient, Volume 108, p.17-61.
• Hermand, Xavier. 2024a. Artisans des cultes dans la vallée de Kaboul, Actes des 43^èmeRencontres d’Archéologie et d’Histoire Nice Côte d’Azur.
• Hermand, Xavier. 2024b. Un héraut (Naqīb) dans l’émirat afghan au XXᵉ siècle, Journal Asiatique, 312-1.
• Olesen, Asta. 1994. The Afghan Craftsmen: the Cultures of Three Itinerant Communities. Copenhagen, Rhodos International Science and Art Publishers.
• Rao, Aparna. 1980. Les Ġorbat d’Afghanistan Aspects Economiques d’un Groupe Itinerant « ǰat ». Paris, Editions Recherche sur les Civilisations.

Vous trouverez l’intégralité du programme 2025-2026 du séminaire mensuel de recherche “L’Afghanistan à travers les âges” en ligne sur le site du CeRMI: L’Afghanistan à travers les âges – Centre de recherche sur le monde iranien

 

 

 

 

 

18. DECRIPT// Appel à candidatures/ Contrat doctoral

Durée : 3 ans/ 2 contrats doctoraux à pourvoir (1 contrat sur l’axe Afrique ; 1 contrat sur l’axe Proche/Moyen-Orient)
Type de contrat : contrat doctoral soit selon le Décret n° 2009-464 du 23 avril 2009 relatif aux doctorants contractuels des établissements publics.
Rémunération : 2 300€ brut/mois

Doctorate to be pursued with a supervisor in one of the partner institutions mentioned (statement of support should be provided with the application). English and a language of the region is required; French is an additional asset.

Deadline: 11 June 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/4mpt6aeu

 

 

 

 

 

19. Lecturer (1 Year) in Medieval History (Focus Early Islamic History), King`s College London

Criteria: PhD qualified in relevant subject area. – Expertise in medieval world history, specifically early Islamic history. – Excellent research track record, relative to career stage. – Ability to teach, convene and assess undergraduate modules on ‘The First Islamic State’ and ‘After Rome: Western Europe, Byzantium, Islam’. – Undergraduate Teaching experience relevant to the role.

Deadline for applications: 17 April 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/3m936bw9

 

 

 

 

 

20. Pre-doc Position (3 Years) for Social Scientist in the Project “Party Systems and Social Cleavages in the Post-Ottoman Space of the MENA Region” (CLOSER), Oriental Institute, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague

Requirements: MA in political science, international relations, area studies, political sociology, public law, or a related field before 1 September 2026. – Fluency in English (both written and spoken). – Ability to do fieldwork and read documents in at least one of the relevant languages (i.e. Arabic, Turkish, Hebrew – possibly Kurdish or Nubian). – Capacity to work in a team. – Role is fully on-site in Prague.

Deadline for applications: 31 March 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/4wx36xs7

 

 

1. Harvard University – 2026-2027 Postdoctoral Fellow / Visiting Scholar (unpaid), Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture, Harvard University
https://networks.h-net.org/jobs/69885/harvard-university-2026-2027-postdoctoral-fellow-visiting-scholar-unpaid-aga-khan

Closing date: 30 April, 2026

The successful candidate will examine the relationships between Houthi (Ansar Allah) doctrine, different strands of Zaydism and Shiism, and Islamist thought.
Qualification: A PhD in Social Anthropology, awarded not more than six years prior to the start of the position. – Excellent command of English and Arabic. – Experience with, or a strong interest in, digital/remote fieldwork methodologies. – Familiarity with the academic literature on Yemen and Zaydism is an asset.
Deadline for applications: 31 March 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/3crvewea

1. Le Centre de Recherche sur le Monde Iranien (CeRMI, UMR8041 CNRS) a le plaisir de vous annoncer la tenue de la XXVIIème Journée Monde Iranien, le vendredi 27 mars 2026 de 9h30 à 18h30 dans l’Auditorium du Pôle des Langues et Civilisations de l’Inalco, 65 rue des Grands-Moulins, 75013 Paris.
Vous pouvez consulter les détails de cette Journée sur le site du CeRMI : https://cermi.cnrs.fr/xxviie-journee-monde-iranien/

Nous espérons vous retrouver toutes et tous pour cette XXVIIème Journée qui cette année est organisée par nos collègues Matteo De Chiara (INALCO, CeRMI) et Davide Scarfagna (doctorant, INALCO, CeRMI).

Bien cordialement,

Denis Hermann,

Avec Justine Landau et Matteo De Chiara

 

 

 

 

 

2. Lisan-ı Türki

The Academy of Turkish Language and Turkic Culture

holds its online spring school:

Turkish & Ottoman Language Program

Join our comprehensive online language program this spring to explore the rich linguistic and historical heritage of the Turkish and Ottoman worlds. Whether you are an absolute beginner or an advanced researcher, our expert-led courses offer a tailored path to proficiency.

Turkish Language Stream

• Elementary Turkish:A friendly foundation for absolute beginners focusing on daily life, essential vocabulary, and basic interactions.
• Intermediate Turkish:Conducted primarily in Turkish (A2+), focusing on newspaper articles and novels through the Istanbul coursebook series.
• Advanced Turkish:An immersive course designed to elevate vocabulary and grammar to a level of full comprehension of complex Turkish texts.

Ottoman Turkish Stream

• Elementary Ottoman:Transition from modern Turkish to the Arabic script, learning to read printed texts and use specialized dictionaries.
• Intermediate Ottoman:Deepen textual analysis with a focus on social sciences, manuscripts (Rika script), and various calligraphic styles.
• Advanced Ottoman:An intensive survey of Ottoman historiography (15th–18th century), analyzing original primary sources and narrative strategies.

Our Faculty 

• Çağlar Deniz(PhD, Istanbul University, Turkey)
• Ufuk Erol (PhD, Indiana University Bloomington, USA)
• Gökçe Karaoğlu(PhD, University of Zurich, Switzerland)

🔗 Learn more about all courses:

https://www.lisaniturki.com/

📝 Register here:

https://forms.gle/sYUJxWHHrBx56fyJ7

 

 

 

3. Al-Mahdi Institute:

Applications are now open for the Islam & Self-Development Programme (ISDP) running from 7th to 18th September 2026 at Al-Mahdi Institute, are now open! This 10-day residential programme is designed to challenge your perspective, enrich your spiritual journey, and help you gain a deeper understanding of Islam, yourself, and the world. Open to individuals from all backgrounds, the programme combines rigorous scholarship with meaningful self-development in a supportive learning environment, with no prior Islamic studies or Arabic required. Apply now to save £120 with our early bird offer and pay £480 instead of £600 until 26th March 2026! Learn more or secure your place on this transformative programme: https://almahdi.edu/isdp/

 

 

 

 

 

4. From Molecules to Memories – Barbara Huber Lecture Now Online

The recording of Dr. Barbara Huber’s plenary lecture (Colloquia Ceranea 2025), “From Molecules to Memories: Reconstructing Aromatic and Medicinal Practices in Ancient Arabia Through Biomolecular Archaeology,” is now available on the Ceraneum Centre YouTube channel:

Colloquia Ceranea VII playlist

 

 

 

 

 

5. Postdoctoral opportunity at Cambridge

Postdoctoral Research Associate in Modern Arabic Studies (Fixed Term)

https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DQX512/postdoctoral-research-associate-in-modern-arabic-studies-fixed-term

deadline: 17 April, 2026

 

 

 

 

6. ONLINE Lecture “(Il)Literate Africa? The Ajami Tradition, the Manuscript Heritage and the New Knowledge Factory in Sudanic Africa” by Amidu Olalekan Sanni (Lagos State University, Nigeria), Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient, 31 March 2026, 17:00 CET

The enormous wealth of manuscripts in formal Arabic and local languages in the modified Arabic script (ajami) provides evidence of extensive written traditions in Africa stretching back to centu-ries. What new insights have the ajami and the Sudanic African manuscript tradition offered in local and global (glocalized) scholarship and how can these be deployed to generate, transmit, and distribute new forms of knowledge in contemporary epistemic factory?

Information and registration: https://tinyurl.com/48fvu8r9

 

 

 

 

7. 4th Colloquium des jeunes chercheurs en archéologie soudanaise: “Sensory Worlds of the Nile Valley – Past and Present”, INHA, Paris, 10 June 2026, 9:00 CET

This study day explores the multiple dimensions of the history of the senses and of perception in the Nile Valley, from ancient to contemporary periods. This theme invites us to move beyond traditional approaches through a refined reading of material, architectural, iconographic and textual sources. It opens up new avenues of reflection on daily, craft, social, cultural and ritual prac-tices.

Deadline for abstracts: 30 March 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/4vk4f5ew

 

 

 

 

 

8. Workshop “The Social Dynamics of Communal Affiliation in Early Islam”, Universiteit Leiden, 11-12 June 2026

Research on interactions between Muslims belonging to divergent groups has tended to focus on theological polemics or political violence, rather than day-to-day interactions. We therefore lack a deeper understanding of what it meant to belong to a Muslim group during this early period of the first/seventh to third/ninth centuries on a more practical level. This workshop aims to address these concerns.

Information and program: https://tinyurl.com/mp8d5je3

 

 

 

 

 

9. Conférence : “Réalité et fiction dans les littératures arabo-musulmanes”, Lyon, 24-26 novembre 2026

Axes: Théoriser la fiction. – Fiction / réalité et politique. – Esthétiques et poétiques du fictionne. – « Re » présentation de soi, de l’altérité. – Le fictionnel et le religieux. – Fiction du futur, imaginaires écologiques et reconfigurations du reel. Langues de participation : français, anglais et arabe.

Date limite : 20 juin 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/5cmey3fj

 

 

 

 

 

10. Workshop: “Populist Word Order Narratives” (Focus MENA Region), German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA), Hamburg, 24-25 September 2026

This workshop welcomes papers on how populist world order narratives are produced, circulated, institutionalised, and contested, especially work linking domestic populist claims to visions of in-ternational hierarchy, geopolitical change, regional order, strategic autonomy, or anti-hegemonic politics.

Deadline for abstracts: 31 May 2026: Information: https://tinyurl.com/3hc69x7j

 

 

 

 

 

11. Graduate Conference: “Archival Abundance and Silences in Islamic Studies“, Department of Religion, Princeton University, 2-3 October 2026

This conference will examine the enduring significance of archives and archival theory for the study of Islam and Muslim societies. How can scholars of Islamic Studies imagine the archive as more than a historical, visual, or textual repository? In what ways can we approach tradition as an archive of knowledge? How do archives reproduce existing power structures and racial epistemologies? How can scholars of religion interrogate and disrupt the limits of the archival record?

Deadline for abstracts: March 23, 2026.. Information: https://tinyurl.com/47r7be8x

 

 

 

 

 

12. “Food and Foodways across the Mediterranean World”, Mediterranean Seminar Spring 2026 Workshop, University of Oregon, Eugene, 22-23 May 2026

From the medieval Islamicate “Green Revolution” to the stream of spices coming in along the “Silk Roads,” to the culinary transformations of the Colombian Exchange, the Mediterranean has been a crucible of culinary innovation and food looms large in our image of the Mediterranean and in the mind of its inhabitants.

Deadline for registration: 13 May 2026. Information and program: https://tinyurl.com/57xt93p9

 

 

 

 

 

13. PhD Research Fellowship (4 Years) in Arabic, Department of Foreign Languages, Uni-versity of Bergen, Norway

The call prioritizes proposals focussing on the Arabian Peninsula and the western Indian Ocean,1500–1800 CE, with a focus on, for example, legal or historiographical sources in Arabic.

Deadline for applications: 15 April 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/32hw54dd

 

 

 

 

 

14. École d’été en islamologie IFI-Idéo « Sciences islamiques en dialogue : tradition azharienne et islamologie critique », Le Caire, 13-26 juillet 2026

Condition pour candidater : être francophone (une connaissance en français niveau B1 est souhaitable), être inscrit en thèse de doctorat en islamologie ou dans une discipline affiliée, justi-fier d’un niveau linguistique en arabe équivalent à B1.

Les candidatures doivent être adressées avant le 1er avril 2026.

Information : https://tinyurl.com/2p9kfvs5