Archive for November, 2015
- November 28, 2015
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – Shia in Saudi
Saudi Arabia to Execute More Than 50 Convicted of Terrorism, Local Media Say
[Paragraphs 4-6 refer to Shia from the Eastern Province – Ed.]
- November 28, 2015
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
- November 27, 2015
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – Academic Items
1.MSc in Advanced Arabic
Islamic & Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Edinburgh is proud to announce the re-launch of its MSc in Advanced Arabic, which is now open for applications for the 2016-17 academic year. I was hoping that colleagues might be interested in knowing about the programme, with a view to mentioning it to any of your students who might be considering taking their studies in Arabic further.
The programme is intended for students who have an undergraduate degree in Arabic or skills in the language at a similar level, but who wish to build on these to the point where they can function with confidence and fluency in all professional and academic settings. Taught using communicative methods and including a wide range of literary, media and real-world materials, it is particularly aimed at students wishing to work in translation, interpreting, academia, Arabic teaching, business and government or NGO roles.
Teaching staff on the MSc include world leaders in developing pedagogical methods for Arabic teaching, as well as specialised researchers in various aspects of Arabic literature, language and culture. Students also benefit from hands-on workshops with visiting academics and professionals.
Full information on the Advanced Arabic MSc is available on the Islamic & Middle Eastern Studies website:
and online applications, along with information on funding opportunities and scholarships, can be found at:
http://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/postgraduate/degrees/index.php?r=site/view&id=813
The Advanced Arabic MSc is a one-year programme which, alongside two semesters in Edinburgh, includes a period of study and research in Cairo or Amman. Edinburgh itself is famous for its history and culture, and at the University we pride ourselves on our ability to deliver access to a global top 30 institution at a very competitive cost compared to North American colleges.
Overall, we believe that the Advanced Arabic MSc is a rare – if not unique – opportunity for students to enhance their existing Arabic language skills for use in a range of professional and academic settings, and in an attractive and cost-effective environment.
If you would like to know more about the Advanced Arabic MSc, or about any of our other postgraduate programmes in Arabic, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Jonathan Featherstone, Senior Teaching Fellow, on jonathan.featherstone@ed.ac.uk, or Dr Anthony Gorman, Programme Director, on anthony.gorman@ed.ac.uk.
2. On behalf of the Editor and the editorial team, I am delighted to announce publication of the first issue of
ReOrient: The Journal of Critical Muslim Studies
and to invite you all to join us for the
Journal Launch and Panel Discussion
Date: 2nd December 2015
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 pm
Venue: Room B102, Brunei Gallery,
SOAS, University of London
Speakers
S.Sayyid, University of Leeds, Editor of ReOrient: The Journal of Critical Muslim Studies
Samia Bano, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
Rob Gleave, Director of the Islamic Reformulations Project, University of Exeter
Ruth Mas, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies,
Brian Klug, St Benet’s Hall, University of Oxford
ReOrient is a new peer reviewed, international and interdisciplinary journal. It is a platform for a sustained collective thought experiment that seeks to explore the consequences of producing knowledge that is no longer organized around the axis of West and non-West.
ReOrient is published by Pluto Journals and distributed internationally by JSTOR. For more information please go to http://www.jstor.org/journal/reorient
Kindly RSVP: By 30 November 2015
Email: reorient@leeds.ac.uk
ReOrient: The Journal of Critical Muslim Studies
First Issue Autumn 2015
Contents
ReOrient: A Forum for Critical Muslim Studies 5
read here: http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.13169/reorient.1.issue-1
The Editorial Board
Articles
The Other Siege of Vienna and the Ottoman Threat: An Essay in Counter-Factual History 11
Richard W. Bulliet
Exchanges: With Gil Anidjar 23
The Forgetting of Christianity 27
Gil Anidjar
The “Problem” of Religion, Christianity, and the Capacity of Community 37
Ananda Abeysekara
Christianity’s Forgetting 43
Sîan Melvill Hawthorne
The Red Thread of Christianity 51
Ruth Mas
Fawlty Logic: The Cracks in Cameron’s 2011 Munich Speech 61
Brian Klug
Muhammad Iqbal on Muslim Orthodoxy and Transgression: A Response to Nehru 78
Teena Purohit
Book Reviews
Colonial Wars, Postcolonial States: A Debate on the War on Terror 93
Warren Chin
Mayanthi L. Fernando’s The Republic Unsettled 108
Roshan A. Jahangeer
Kecia Ali’s The Lives of Muhammad 112
Kamran Bashir
Mohammad Siddique Seddon’s The Last of the Lascars 116
Shamim Miah
Abstracts: http://www.plutojournals.com/reorient-contents-and-abstracts/
3. Séminaire ‘Sociétés, politiques et cultures
du monde iranien’
Séance du 3 decembre 2015, 17h-18h30
Alessandra Fiorentini, doctorante, EHESS, Paris
Le « folklore en tant que vision du monde » : l’exemple d’un rituel féminin en Iran, Tadjikistan et Afghanistan
Le sujet de cette intervention concerne l’étude d’un rituel votif féminin appelé sofreh dans la région historique du « Grand Khorasan » qui s’étends sur différents pays limitrophes dont l’Iran, le Tadjikistan et l’Afghanistan, lieux privilégiés de ma recherche de terrain. Le rituel du sofreh est un rituel féminin collectif. Il consiste en des réunions réservées exclusivement et strictement aux femmes qui demandent secours à un être surnaturel, la « Bîbî-Seshanbeh » et « Bîbî Moshkilkosha » (en darî Dame du Mardi, La dame qui résout les problèmes). En effet, la phase la plus importante du rituel est la narration de l’histoire mythique de l’être surnaturel. C’est cette performance de récitation qui donne validité au rituel. Mon étude se fonde à la fois sur un travail ethnographique et sur le recueil de sources écrites des différentes versions du récit mythique.
Tout d’abord à travers une analyse de la littérature existante, je questionne le vocabulaire analytique, conceptuel et politique à travers lequel on a souvent analysé le rapport entre genre et religion comme les notions clés telles que la dichotomie « religion/magie », « orthodoxie/pratique populaire», et une tentative de redéfinir la notion de « agency ». À travers une analyse anthropologique et historique du rituel et de son récit, cette recherche veut démontrer l’importance d’utiliser le genre comme catégorie d’analyse pour élucider, au travers de l’étude des activités rituelles féminines, des processus socioculturels et politiques plus larges. Il examine comment les femmes construisent quotidiennement leur genre à travers les pratiques du rituel en conformité avec les réalités sociales et politiques dans lesquelles elles vivent. Cela pour expliquer que le genre est un produit de l’activité rituelle plutôt que sa cause.
Par ailleurs, l’analyse des sources écrites primaires et la réalisation de différentes enquêtes de terrain, montrent que le rituel du sofreh est présent dans plusieurs pays, notamment en Afghanistan, au Tadjikistan, en Iran, en Ouzbékistan, mais aussi auprès des communautés en diaspora à Londres et en Israël. Ce rituel est en outre pratiqué par des communautés religieuses différentes telles que la communauté juive, zoroastrienne et musulmane. Le caractère transnational et transculturel de la pratique rituelle m’a porté à réfléchir sur la question de l’autorité féminine et sur l’hypothèse de l’existence de réseaux de solidarité entre femmes (sororité), dont certains aboutissent aussi à des revendications politiques se réclamant du féminisme.
Lieu : Université Sorbonne nouvelle – Paris 3, centre Censier, 13 rue de Santeuil, salle D21, bâtiment D (le bâtiment D est situé sur le parvis du Campus Censier, 2e étage), 75005, Paris.
Organisateurs :
Matteo De Chiara (INaLCO), Denis Hermann (CNRS), Fabrizio Speziale (Paris 3), Julien Thorez (CNRS).
4. http://www.uni-goettingen.de/de/518770.html
The Faculty of Humanities at Georg-August-Universität Göttingen invites applications for a level W3 professorship for Iranian Studies, starting 01.04.2016.
The successful applicant for the professorship in Iranian Studies should represent this field in the broadest sense possible. He/She should cover teaching and research in the fields of Iranian religions, cultural history, literatures and media while taking aspects of the pre-Islamic era as well as issues of modern times into account. The applicant is expected to document proficiency in modern and classical Persian. The new professor will be involved in the initiative of interdisciplinary religious studies at the Göttingen Research Campus and cooperate in the field of transregional studies.
The ideal applicant will exhibit an interdisciplinary orientation and should reveal a profound knowledge of theories and methodology. The successful applicant should participate actively in the research clusters of the Philosophical Faculty and in inter-faculty research activities and clusters. The new professor is responsible for the study programs of Iranian Studies. It is expected that he/she will make efforts to increase the Iranian studies program’s attraction by teaching cooperation within the Göttingen Research Campus and/or by inter-university initiatives. The active participation in administration tasks is required.
Further information can be found under http://www.uni-goettingen.de/de/518770.html
The formal requirements for an appointment are in accordance with the legislation of the State of Lower Saxony (§§ 25 Niedersächsisches Hochschulgesetz). Please contact us for further details.
Applications of disabled persons will be given preferential treatment over other candidates with equal qualifications.
The University of Göttingen is an equal opportunity employer. Women are strongly encouraged to apply and will receive preferential treatment when having equal qualifications.
We explicitly welcome applications from abroad. Part-time employment is negotiable.
Applications should be submitted within six weeks after the publication of this advertisement and should be accompanied by a curriculum vitae, a list of publications and courses taught, and should be addressed to the
Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Göttingen University, Humboldtallee 17, 37073 Göttingen, Germany.
Please send your application as PDF via e-mail to marina.glemnitz@zvw.uni-goettingen.de
5. Seventh Annual Graduate Student Conference in Translation Studies
Call for Papers: Translation and the Arts
The graduate students of the School of Translation at Glendon College, York University, are pleased to announce the Seventh Annual Graduate Student Conference in Translation Studies to be held on Saturday, March 5, 2016 at Glendon College in Toronto, Canada.
Translation is a site for creative activity that operates within dynamic fields of linguistic and cultural contact. This site opens roads into inquiries on how translation operates within the arts and how the arts operate within translation. Translators and interpreters can be viewed as playing the role of artists, while artists themselves embody many of the singularities that characterize the translator’s task. Within the shifting multimedia landscape of the digital age and an era of highly globalized cultural production it is of value to question the interplay between the human imagination and our diverse forms of cultural expression.
We invite students, scholars, translators, artists and critics to join us in sharing ideas that explore the interdependence of translation and the arts; how this relationship has manifested itself throughout history; and how it is developing in an age of rapid globalization, technological innovation and values that celebrate cultural diversity. The questions we put forward to spark this discussion include the following: how are forms of artistic expression, ranging from the literary, musical, visual, and performance influenced and shaped by translation? How does translation figure in the creative process and within the mediums of artistic productions? In what capacities do translators engage with art and do artists engage with translation? Where do critical theories from both domains intersect and how can they serve one another?
Topics for papers and posters can include, but are not limited to the following:
- The translator’s subjectivity, subconscious and the role imagination plays in his or her work.
- Reflections on translation as an on-going creative thinking process e.g. autoethnography, retranslation, self-translation.
- Approaches to the translation of artistic works —poetry, songs, plays, films, comics and even video games.
- Artistic and fictional representations of translation, translators and interpreters.
- Innovative manifestations of translation in creative digital and social mediums.
- Trends in subtitling and surtitling, simultaneous interpreting, audio description and other translational mediums as applied to the arts.
- Linguistic and sensorial accessibility at artistic venues.
- The relationship between translation theory and criticism.
- Ongoing debates in the study of world/comparative literature, music, film, and performance.
These and other related issues will be addressed at this one-day multilingual event, which will include a series of individual presentations (20 minutes each) and other related activities. Interested persons are invited to submit proposals of 250-300 words in English, French or Spanish by Monday, January 4, 2016 to transconf@glendon.yorku.ca. Please ensure that you include the title of your submission, your name, affiliation if appropriate, email address and any tech requests. Selected papers will be considered for publication. We may be able to provide simultaneous interpretation to and from Arabic, English, French, Mandarin, Portuguese and Spanish at the conference.
6. Latest News from Islamic Reformulations:
Islam, Law and the State: Workshop and Public Lecture by Professor Mohammad Fadel, 7th January 2016, University of Exeter. How have Muslims conceived of “law” and how has law framed Islam and Muslims? This interdisciplinary workshop will examine this two sides of the relationship between Islam and the law from both historical and contemporary perspectives. The workshop will end with a lecture by Mohammad Fadel (Toronto) entitled “Islamic Constitutionalism as an Alternative Approach to Islamic Legal Reform”. A programme will be posted here in early December.
Reformulation and Hermeneutics: Researching the History of Islamic Legal Theory, Istanbul, 21st-24th February 2016. This conference, a collaboration of the Islamic Reformulations project (University of Exeter) and the Faculty of Theology (Istanbul University) will examine the intellectual history of Islamic legal interpretation, with a focus on legal theory.
Publications news: Robert Gleave and Istvan Kristo-Nagy (formerly the LIVIT Research Fellow) both have contributions to the recently published volume Accusations of Unbelief in Islam: A diachronic perspective on takfīr (Leiden, 2015), edited by C. Adang, H. Ansari, M. Fierro and S. Schmidtke. Rob’s contribution is titled “Abandoning Prayer and the Declaration of Unbelief in Imāmī Jurispdudence” (pp.244-272); and Istvan’s is “Denouncing the Damned Zindīq! Struggle and Interaction between Monotheism and Dualism” (pp.56-81
Conference news: Robert Gleave spoke on “Securitising Area Studies: Recent Developments in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies” at the Area Studies in the 21st Century conference, 9th November, at University College London. Mustafa Baig, formerly our Research Fellow (now Lecturer in Islamic Studies, Cardiff), spoke at the inaugural event of the GW4 URL” Religion and Law project, giving a paper entitled “The Anti-Sharia Movement in the Light of Islamic Jurisprudence”, 10th November at the University of Bath.
7. The University of Oslo, Norway, is pleased to announce its new
2-year interdisciplinary MA in Middle East Studies
The programme, which is taught in English, offers students the opportunity to expand their overall competence in contemporary Middle East studies while developing a more specific research focus within the fields of politics, social, religious and cultural affairs, anthropology, history, language and literature. The programme emphasises comparative and theory-oriented approaches as well as the active use of written and oral sources in the main languages of the region (Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Hebrew/Semitic).
For more information and how to apply, see
http://www.hf.uio.no/ikos/english/research/center/islamic-and-middle-east-studies/studies/
Ongoing research projects:
http://www.hf.uio.no/ikos/english/research/center/islamic-and-middle-east-studies/projects/
Teachers involved with the programme:
http://www.hf.uio.no/ikos/english/research/center/islamic-and-middle-east-studies/researchers/
NB: Please note the following deadlines:
1 Dec 2015: for applicants from outside the European Union / European Economic Area
1 Mar 2016: for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens
15 Apr 2016: for Nordic citizens or those with renewable residence permit in Norway
8. School of Politics, International Studies & Philosophy
Queens University Belfast
Funded PhD Studentships Commencing Sept. 2016
The School of Politics, International Studies & Philosophy at Queen’s University Belfast is pleased to announce a number of funding opportunities for PhD students beginning September 2016. We welcome student proposals in a wide range of scholarly areas, with particular emphasis on the following:
| · Security, Borders and Migration
· Terrorism & Conflict · EU Governance · Comparative Politics / Political Behaviour and Parties |
· Middle Eastern Politics & Islam
· Ethics & Public Policy · Political Economy of Risk · Contemporary Irish History and Politics
|
We have the following funding opportunities for prospective PhD students:
DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND LEARNING (DEL) AWARDS:
The Faculty Of Arts, Humanities & Social Science invites applications for PhD Studentship Awards, funded by Northern Ireland’s Department of Employment and Learning (DEL), available for full-time PhD research commencing in autumn 2016. A total of 36 PhD studentships are available and they will be awarded on a competitive basis to outstanding applicants who have: an excellent undergraduate degree; a Master’s degree in a relevant subject completed, or are due to complete by September 2016; an original and exciting research proposal that will contribute to the further enhancement of areas of research strength in the Faculty. The studentships are available to UK and other EU and EEA nationals, however specific eligibility criteria apply. For example, for UK Based students, each award will cover approved tuition fees and maintenance payments for three years, whereas EU and EEA students are eligible for fees only. Those wishing to be considered for a DEL PhD studentship should complete the online postgraduate application here, registering your application against the home School of your proposed primary supervisor. Please note that the deadline for these applications is 29th January, 2016.
AHRC NORTHERN BRIDGE DOCTORAL AWARDS:
As part of the Northern Bridge Consortium which includes Newcastle University and Durham University, Queen’s is part of a programme of funding that will offer up to 50 fully funded PhD positions across these three institutions. These are specific opportunities for ‘Humanities Facing’ subject areas within the School of Politics, International Studies and Philosophy which include, but are not limited to, Philosophy, Political Theory, Political History, Diplomatic History, Cultural Studies and Aesthetics and Politics. Further Information on this funding scheme can be found here Northern Bridge Scholarships: Please note that the deadline for this competition is 11th January 2016
OTHER FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES:
Queen’s has a number of other relevant schemes for PhD funding including awards from specific national governments (e.g. China Council Studentships), the British Council, and other specific regions (e.g. Commonwealth Scholarships). Eligibility and deadlines vary for each of these studentships. For further information on other possible funding opportunities, please click here.
Further information on all these funding opportunities can be found on our webpages here.
Likewise, you can contact Dr. Debbie Lisle for more information: D.Lisle@qub.ac.uk
9. University of Arizona – Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies
of the Middle East and North Africa
http://www.h-net.org/jobs/job_display.php?id=52130
10. Open Access E-book: Censorship in Lebanon: Law and Practice
11. CfP: Borders and beyond in the Middle Eastsince 1914: legacies, changes, continuities.
venue: York St John University, York, UK date : 17-18 June 2016
(associated social and cultural events on 16th and 19th June)
Keynote Speakers: include Priya Satia (Stanford University): more to be confirmed.
This international interdisciplinary conference will examine the effects of World War 1 and the post-war settlement in the Middle East, especially those which are still felt today e.g. state borders, migrations, secular and religious ideologies and movements, and struggles over power.
The centenary of the 1916 “Sykes-Picot agreement”, which fed into the post-1918 politics of the region, provides a prompt to reflect on these themes, but does not limit the range of topics for discussion.
With its associated exhibitions and cultural events, the conference will provide a timely opportunity to re-examine the history of this period from many different perspectives and consider the extent of its consequences for the present, and implications for the future. It will also be an opportunity for scholarly work on the Middle East over the last century to be heard and discussed by a wider audience, and for participants to share non-academic as well as academic perspectives on past, present and future in the Middle East.
The conference will encourage the exploration of:-
* issues such as gender politics, oil, imperialism, borders, mandates and state formation, local, national, and international elites, and local, national and communal histories of the region
* the impact of early twentieth century developments on subsequent histories and perceptions of ethnic, religious, social and communal diversity in the region
* cultural, political, and ideological aspects of these topics within and beyond the Middle East.
* histories and/or contemporary experiences of York/Yorkshire connections with the Middle East
Potential contributions to the conference may thus come from many disciplines: these might include geography, cartography, ethnography/anthropology, political science, war and peace studies, international relations, archaeology, science and/or engineering, religious and philosophical studies, the arts, cultural, media, and literary studies, statistics.
The conference will include both plenary sessions and panels: all sessions will be designed to give ample time to discuss presentations with a common theme. Proposals for papers or other forms of presentation are invited from all disciplines and areas. Selected papers will be considered for inclusion in an edited volume of conference proceedings.
Paper proposals should be for presentations of no more than 15 minutes; we are happy to consider proposals for contributions in other formats. Panel proposals should be for 2/3papers dealing with common themes.
Proposals, which should provide [1] a title, [2] an abstract of no more than 250 words, [3] the proposer’s name and contact details, should be sent to i.horwood@yorksj.ac.uk by Friday 23 January at latest: proposers will be informed of decisions about their proposal by early March .
Further details about the conference, including registration fees, concessions, etc. will be available shortly.
organising committee: John Bibby, Joanna de Groot, Ian Horwood
sponsors: York St John University; Institute for the Public Understanding of the Past, History Department, University of York: also associated with the York Festival of Ideas
12. Perso-Indica Workshop
Female Characters in Śukasaptatī and its Persian Versions
December 14th 2015, 16.00-18.30
Place: Salle des Placques, INALCO, 2 Rue de Lille, 75007, Paris.
Organisation and contact: Pegah Shahbaz, pegah.shahbaz@univ-paris3.fr
Program
16.00: Fabrizio Speziale, Introduction
16.15: Iran Farkhonde, « “As long as You Know the Answer”- Women Characters in the Śukasaptatī: Their Wits and Behaviours »
16.35: Discussion
16.45: Pegah Shahbaz, « Women Characters and Their Roles in Jawāhir al-asmār »
17.05: Discussion
17.15: Coffee-break
17.30: Syed Akhtar Hussain, « Thus Spake the Tuti »
17.50 Discussion
18.00: Conclusion
Iran Farkhonde (Université Sorbonne Nouvelle – Mondes iranien et indien), « “As long as you know the answer”- Women characters in the Śukasaptatī: their wits and behaviours »
To introduce the Śukasaptatī, we will first give a sketch of the frame story. We will present in the main lines the elements of Indian civilization that are necessary to understand the whys and therefores of women’s behaviors in the Sanskrit text. We will suggest a typology of women’s characters in the book. Finally we will try to delineate the aims of the author. Is he of the opinion that, as long as a woman has the wits to get herself out of trouble, she could behave according to her wishes?
Pegah Shahbaz (Université Sorbonne Nouvelle – Mondes iranien et indien), «Women Characters and Their Roles in Jawāhir al-asmār »
Jawāhir al-asmār (Jewels of Stories) is the earliest Persian translation, known thus far, of Śukasaptatī (Seventy tales of the parrot) realized in 713-715 H. /1313-1315 A.D. by a secretary named ‘Imād ibn Muḥammad Ṯaġarī at the court of ‘Alā al-Dīn Ḫaljī (r. 1290-1316). Jawāhir al-asmār could be the same Persian verbose rendering that Ẓiyā’ al-Dīn Naḫšabī (d. around 751/1350-51) mentions in the introduction to his popular Ṭūṭī-nāma, as the most prominent source he used for preparing his Persian version of the tales of the parrot. This presentation will focus on female characters in Ṯaġarī’s translation. Women’s inherent role in tales and their noteworthy strategies for overcoming the norms of male-dominated societies will be studied in detail. By means of concrete examples, we’ll discover how the use/misuse of imaginary by women could appear as a defensive tool for and against them in narratives.
Syed Akhtar Hussain (Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi), « Thus Spake the Tūtī »
Since the translation of Kalīla wa Dimna into Pahlavi, Arabic and Persian, Indian Classics began to impact literature in the Middle East. Sanskrit texts namely the Panchatantra and Śhukasaptatī enriched Persian literature both in form and contents. The Ṭūṭī-Nāma, among others, is not only a translation of Śhukasaptatī but also a gem of Perso-Indic literature. Its translator Zia Naḫšabī presents the wisdom of India in a more impressive and elegant manner than it appears in the Sanskrit text. The Ṭūṭī-Nāma develops“Katha” into pure Persian literature and swells more in size and gives a full size picture of the Perso-Indic world wherein Prabhavati and Madan Vinod transform into Ḫujaste and Maymūn. Śhukasaptatī’s narratives reproduced with a twist here and a turn there in the Ṭūṭī-Nāma but however it transpires that the Indian threads are deftly woven in the Persian tapestry of the Ṭūṭī-Nāma.
Pegah SHAHBAZ
Post-doctorante ANR
Université Sorbonne Nouvelle – Paris 3
Sorbonne Paris Cité
13 rue Santeuil
75231 Paris Cedex 05
Monde iranien et indien (UMR 7528)
CNRS – Sorbonne Nouvelle – INALCO – EPHE
27, rue Paul Bert
94204, Ivry – sur – Seine
13. The “Early Islamic Empire at Work” project team based at the University of Hamburg are delighted to announce the establishment of the Early Islamic Empire Working Paper Series. The first paper, “ʿAbbāsid Administrative Legacy in the Seljuq World” by Prof. Dr Jürgen Paul, is now available for download from our website: https://www.islamic-empire.uni-hamburg.de/en/publications-tools/publications/working-paper-series.html
Working papers will be published on an irregular schedule. For further information about our project as well as forthcoming events and publications, see our website at https://www.islamic-empire.uni-hamburg.de/en.html
With best wishes,
The Early Islamic Empire team
- November 27, 2015
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
- November 27, 2015
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
- November 27, 2015
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – Afghanistan Update
Afghans protest ‘beheadings of ethnic Hazara by ISIL’
[A story two weeks old – Ed.]
- November 25, 2015
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – Academic Items
1. CFP: Arab Cinema (edited collection)
Essay contributions are sought for an edited collection on cinema of the Arab world that is presently under favorable consideration by the editors of an appropriate series at a major academic publisher.
Whereas the Arab world continues to be a central focus of Western media attention, relatively little scholarly work has been produced on Arab cinema. This forthcoming scholarly collection aims to explore and analyze the current state of cinematic and media production in the Arab world, drawing upon the expertise of scholars and practitioners, including but not limited to those who hail from or are based in the region itself. The volume will adopt a contemporary perspective, covering specific aspects and attributes of the Arab world as a whole and integrating an array of topics and theoretical approaches representing current developments in Arab filmmaking and studies. Recognizing the field’s interdisciplinary breadth, the collection seeks intellectual inclusiveness and welcomes essays from diverse academic and national locations. Its aim is to (re)situate Arab cinema and its scholarly pursuit, both recent and historical, on the map of international cultural studies, by soliciting critical work in areas including but not limited to:
- Political conditions of filmmaking in the Arab world / reflections on the Arab Uprisings / co-optations of revolt / the refugee crisis
- Arab(ic) filmmaking outside the region (“beur” cinema, exilic and diasporic filmmaking)
- Comparative analyses of trends or films in (specific) Arab cinemas and those from non-Arab regions
- Revision preoccupation with Islam and “terrorism”
- Films concerning Palestine/Israel, Zionism, and the Arab-Israeli struggle
- Censorship and propaganda
- Classical industry films revisited / popular cinema / genres / star system
- New directors / auteurism
- The persistence and future of national cinemas
- Animation / digital media / experimental / avant-garde
- Documentary traditions and transformations
- Commercially successful political comedies
- The relationship of literary theory and theories of visual art to film analysis
- Politics of distribution / film festivals / “world” cinema / transnational networks / collectives
- Economics of Arab filmmaking / sources of funding within and beyond the region
- Class politics / anti-colonial and postcolonial tendencies / returns to Marx
- Feminism and women’s cinema / queer theory / masculinities
- Cinema studies as a discipline in the Arab world
Deadline for electronic submission of 350-word abstracts (to include brief biographical statement and sample 5-item bibliography): March 1, 2016.
E-mail abstracts to: Terri Ginsberg, Assistant Professor of Film (The American University in Cairo) – terri.ginsberg@aucegypt.edu
AND
Chris Lippard, Associate Professor of Film & Media (University of Utah) – c.lippard@utah.edu
Commissioned papers should not exceed 5000 words (20 pages) and must be completed by January 15, 2017. While the collection will be published in English, papers submitted in Arabic are also acceptable and will be translated.
2. Opportunities – Grabar Travel Grant and Post-Doctoral Fellowship (deadline Dec. 15, 2015)
The Historians of Islamic Art Association (HIAA) has established a permanent fund in memory of Professor Oleg Grabar and in support of the annual award of Grabar Grants and Fellowships. These competitive grants and fellowships are intended to encourage and further the professional development of Ph.D. students and post-doctoral scholars in the history of Islamic art, architecture and archaeology, and are open to all nationalities.
All applicants must be HIAA members at the time of application. Membership status will be verified by the HIAA Secretary, as necessary.
Applicants from outside the United States are responsible for meeting the requirements for and obtaining any visas necessary for visits to or residence and research in the United States. Upon request, HIAA will supply documentation of the grant and/or fellowship award, the dates of the award, and financial support.
The Grabar Grants and Fellowships are administered by HIAA’s Grants and Fellowships Committee, chaired by Prof. Avinoam Shalem, Columbia University, New York.
The next deadline for the Grabar Travel Grant and Post-Doctoral Fellowship is December 15, 2015.
GRABAR TRAVEL GRANT
This competition is open to doctoral students who have been invited or accepted as participants in a scholarly conference or other professional meeting for the purpose of presenting papers, chairing sessions or moderating discussions.
The maximum amount of the award is $700 US.
GRABAR POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP
The Grabar Post-doctoral Fellowship is intended to support post-doctoral scholars at early stage of their careers in advancing their research. Fellowship funds may be used in one of two ways:
- To spend up to two months in residence as a visiting professor or fellow/research scholar at a university, museum, research institute or similar institution outside their usual country of residence or employment.
- To support additional research to aid in preparing the dissertation for publication. The Grabar Post-Doctoral Fellowship will provide up to $2000 US per month, for a maximum of two months. An additional $1000 may be requested for travel or for supplies.
Applicants should have completed their PhD within the last five years or have submitted their dissertations by the start of the fellowship. The fellowship is open to scholars of all nationalities; however, applicants are responsible for obtaining required visas for residence and research in the country specified in their application.
3. Foundation for Iranian Studies
Announcement of the Recipient of Award
For The Best Ph.D. Dissertation on a Topic of Iranian Studies, 2015
November 20, 2015
The Foundation for Iranian Studies is pleased to announce that the Committee on Selection of the Best Ph.D. Dissertation of the Year on a Topic of Iranian Studies of the Foundation for Iranian Studies has chosen Daniel Beben’s dissertation “The Legendary Biographies of Nâsir-i Khusraw: Memory and Textualization in Early Modern Persian Ismâ`îlism,” submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Indiana University, as the recipient of the Foundation’s annual Ph.D. dissertation award for the academic year 2014-2015.
In making its decision, the Committee, following the criteria established by the Foundation’s Board of Directors, noted that Daniel Beben has made an “exceptional contribution to the field of Iranian and Central Asian Studies” by, among other achievements, “stating clearly the study’s problematic… constructing an adequate and efficient theoretical framework…developing and employing successfully a rigorous methodology to bring together a significant array of primary and secondary sources in Europe and Central Asia, including critical information secured through interviews judiciously conducted in the field in Tajikistan and elsewhere to support an innovative approach to the study of Nâsir-i Khusraw’s intellectual and religious influence on the form and force of the Isma`ili da`wa… methodically connecting data, text, and speech to construct a credible framework for evaluating the effect of chanced confluence of ideas, values, socio-political tensions, and time on the evolution of Ismâ`ili organization and faith in Central Asia, the Middle East, and elsewhere and, by extension, potential applicability of the lessons derived to studies of other historically relevant events … excellent organization of the work.”
The Committee also cited Seyyed Ahmad Hashemi’s dissertation “The Question of Freedom within the Horizon of the Iranian Constitutional Movement, 1906-1921” submitted to the Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford, and Keenan Baca-Winters’ dissertation “From Rome to Iran: Identity and Xusro II” submitted to the Graduate Division of the University of California, Irvine, with honorable mention for superior scholarship, originality, clarity, and significant contribution to Iranian Studies.
Notice of the awards will appear in the Foundation’s interactive web, in Iran Nameh, MESA and ISIS journals, and in various Persian and English language academic publications.
Gholam Reza Afkhami
Chair
Ph.D. Dissertation Awards Committee
Foundation for Iranian Studies
4. Cultures of Resistance Scholarship at SOAS is open to students from war-torn areas, including countries in the Middle East, for the 2016-17 academic year.
There will be two scholarships available for students studying a range of full-time Masters’ programmes. The students will benefit from a full award which covers their tuition fees, living costs and accommodation at International Students’ House. Please see full information and criteria for the scholarship here.
The deadline for submissions is 24 February 2016 and the student must have an offer to study at SOAS in order to apply.
The Cultures of Resistance Scholarship programme has already provided opportunities for some exceptional students to study at SOAS. Here is a link to a video of one of this year’s recipients, Anmoy Chakma Kiron, speaking at a SOAS Scholars’ event about how much the award means to him.
Any further questions should be directed to:
Alice Green
Development Officer
Directorate of Development, Alumni and External Engagement
SOAS, University of London
http://www.soas.ac.uk/registry/scholarships/the-cultures-of-resistance-scholarships.html
5. Middle Eastern and/or South Asian film at the rank of Assistant Professor
The Department of Middle Eastern and South Asian Languages and Cultures
at the University of Virginia seeks to hire a scholar of Middle Eastern
and/or South Asian film at the rank of Assistant Professor. We seek a
colleague with expertise in the fictional and/or documentary cinematic
traditions of at least one Middle Eastern or South Asian region and an
interest in engaging comparatively with other cinemas of the regions.
Applicants’ scholarship should centrally address
the movement of images, techniques, and narratives across our regions,
and into other geographical areas and/or disciplinary fields. Specific
areas of cinematic focus are open, but preference will be given to
candidates whose research and teaching suggest connections among Middle
Eastern and South Asian cinemas and can complement the strengths of our
department.
This colleague will join, and foster connections among vibrant
inter-disciplinary programs at the University of Virginia in regional
studies, media studies, and film studies. Required Qualifications:
Candidates must have an ongoing program of research and publication with
a focus on a relevant regional cinema that integrates in-depth analysis
of cinematic texts with broader inter-disciplinary engagements with
issues of nation, identity, or spatial location in the modern world.
They must also have a commitment to excellence in teaching and an
ability to teach courses across the Middle East and South Asia. This
position’s start date is August 25, 2016, and applicants must hold a PhD
by the time of appointment.
Preferred Qualifications: Preference will be given to candidates who
bring training in at least one of the regions’ languages or literatures.
To apply, please submit a Candidate Profile to posting # 0617740 through
Jobs@UVA (https://jobs.virginia.edu) and attach the following: CV, cover
letter describing qualifications and research trajectory, contact
information for three references, and two writing samples:
(1) an article-length sample of written work (attach to “Writing Sample
1” in Jobs@UVA), and
(2) the front matter [table of contents, acknowledgments, and
introduction] of your dissertation or, if appropriate, book (attach to
“Writing Sample 2” in Jobs@UVA).
Review of applications will begin January 15, 2016, and will continue
until the position is filled. The committee anticipates conducting
on-campus interviews in February, 2016. A letter of invitation will be
provided to candidates who are selected for an interview.
Questions regarding the application process for Jobs@UVa should be
directed to:
Cameron Clayton
Administrative Coordinator
MESALC
rcc8k@eservices.virginia.edu
For additional information contact:
Daniel Lefkowitz, Chair
MESALC Film Studies Search Committee
dl2h@virginia.edu
The University will perform background checks on all new faculty hires
prior to making a final offer of employment.
The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity/affirmative action
employer. Women, minorities, veterans and persons with disabilities are
encouraged to apply.
6. 26th Annual Conference of ASEN: “Nationalism, Migration and Population Change”, London School of Economics and Political Science, 19-21 April 2016
Applicants are asked to consider the interplay between nationalism and population changes such as migration, differences in population growth rates and urbanization. We welcome both historical and contemporary perspectives from a wide array of disciplines.
Deadline for abstracts: 5 January 2015. Information: http://asen.ac.uk/conference/call-for-papers/
7. W3-Professorship in Oriental Studies (Arabic and Islamic Studies), Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany
The successful candidate will be expected to have research and teaching expertise in the discipline of Oriental Studies, especially in the early modern and modern developments of the culture, history, and religion of the Arab and Islamic worlds, combined with experience in working with sociological and anthropological approaches to these fields. Candidates should be familiar with German to the extent that they are able to teach in that language within a year’s time. The appointment begins April 1, 2016.
Deadline for application: 2 January 2016. Information: http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm/jobs/jobDetails/34044376
8. University of Exeter
Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Social Sciences with reference to the Middle East, University of Exeter
You will hold a PhD or equivalent in Middle East Studies, Politics, Sociology, Anthropology, Gender Studies or related fields, and have an independent, internationally-recognised research programme in an active field of Social Science and Gender Studies research related or complementary to existing Exeter strengths.
Deadline for application: 6 January 2016. For information contact Prof Christine Allison at C.Allison@exeter.ac.uk.
Two Al-Qasimi Chairs in Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter
The area of specialism sought for the two chairs is broadly conceived: all areas in the study of Islam using different disciplinary approaches and interdisciplinary methods. For both chairs, excellent mastery of the uses of Arabic is expected, and proficiency in other relevant languages (Persian, Turkish, Urdu, Kurdish, Indonesian) highly desirable.
Deadline for applications: 6 January 2016. Information: https://jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecruitment/wrd/run/ETREC107GF.open?VACANCY_ID=843651DajS&WVID=3817591jNg&LANG=USA
Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Gender Studies with reference to the Middle East and Islam, University of Exeter
You will hold a PhD or equivalent in Middle East Studies, Politics, Sociology, Anthropology, Gender Studies or related fields, and have an independent, internationally-recognised research programme in an active field of Social Science and Gender Studies research related or complementary to existing Exeter strengths.
Deadline for applications: 6 January 2016. Information: https://jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecruitment/wrd/run/ETREC107GF.open?VACANCY_ID=670875DaQc&WVID=3817591jNg&LANG=USA
9. Visiting Faculty Teaching on the Arab World and the Gulf Region, Kuwait Program at the Paris School of International Affairs at Sciences Po, 2016-2017
KSP is offering one-semester teaching opportunities. Selected visiting faculty will teach one graduate course in English, during one semester. This opportunity is open to both professors and practitioners. Applications from all social sciences and the humanities are welcome. Individuals from all nationalities may apply.
Application deadline: 31 January 2016. Information
www.sciencespo.fr/psia/sites/sciencespo.fr.psia/files/KSP_Visiting_Faculty_2016-2017.pdf
10. Hartwell and Sheikh Zayed MPhil Studentship for Starting Graduate Islamic Studies in October 2016, University of Cambridge
The studentship is available for those studying Islamic Studies in the Faculty of Divinity on the MPhil in Theology and Religious Studies. The sum awarded will cover the costs of fees and maintenance at either Home or Overseas rate following University guidelines, and may be offered to students undertaking study at MPhil level.
Deadline for applications: 2 December 2015. Information: www.orinst.ox.ac.uk/administration/grants/index.html#sheikhzayed
11. Articles for Journal “Zeitschrift für Recht und Islam”, edited by GAIR; Association for Arabic and Islamic Law
The journal is covering theoretical legal debate as well as the practical application of both secular and Islamic laws. The journal gives space to a wide range of perspectives and takes regard of the historical development as well as the interaction of “secular” and Islamic laws in different contexts.
Contributions can be submitted in German and English until 29 February 2016. Information: www.gair.de/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/CfP-ZRI-2016-English.pdf.
- November 23, 2015
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – Bahrain Update
Bahrain: Detainees Tortured, Abused
“The Blood of People Who Don’t Cooperate: Continuing Torture and
Mistreatment of Detainees in Bahrain” is available at:
http://hrw.org/node/283352
- November 23, 2015
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
- November 23, 2015
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment