1. Co-IRIS Workshop: “Worlding beyond the Clash of Civilizations: An Agenda for an International Relations-Islam Discourse”, University of Tübingen, Germany, 6-8 April 2016
This workshop is held during the “3rd European Workshops in International Studies” of the European International Studies Association. Deadline for abstracts: 2 October 2015. Information: www.coiris.org/co-iris-workshop-at-the-3rd-european-workshops-in-international-studies-ewis/
2. Assistant Professor in International or Comparative Politics, American University of Beirut
Preferably for applicants with a focus on conflict resolution, critical analysis of intervention, and/or humanitarian issues (including refugees and law), and with a research agenda in, or relevant to, the contemporary Arab world to begin August 15, 2016.
Deadline for application 15 October 2015. Information: www.aub.edu.lb/fas/pages/academic-employment.aspx
3. Tenure-track Assistant Professor of History of Religions – Religions in Historical Time, University of Copenhagen
The Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Denmark, invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professorship in History of Religions to be filled by 1 August 2016 or as soon as possible thereafter.
Deadline for application: 1 October 2015. Information: http://jobportal.ku.dk/videnskabelige-stillinger/?show=751804
4. Call for Papers
The Heritage of Al-Andalus, Persia-Iberia
Allameh Tabatabai University
Tehran, Iran
17-18 November 2015
It is our pleasure to invite you to the international conference on The Heritage of Al-Andalus, Persia-Iberia to be hosted on November 17 -18, 2015, by the Department of Spanish Language, Faculty of Persian Literature and Foreign Languages, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran.
The conference addresses the issue of mutual Iranian-Iberian influences during the centuries. Relying on a rich heritage, both cultures are inheritors of two of the oldest legacies of humankind.
The international conference on The Heritage of Al-Andalus, Persia-Iberia encourages interdisciplinary intercultural research approaches aimed at finding out how, when and where the encounter between these two cultures has provided more fertile ground.
Prominent scholars in different fields of the humanities can contribute to this effort by presenting articles and participating in debates, dialogue among representatives of diversecultures being a necessary and un avoidable toll to achieving mutual understanding and cooperation.
We call on scholars and researchers in various academic fields around the world to participate in this collective effort. As the Planning Committee, we look forward to welcoming you to the conference.
Deadlines and Submission Procedure
Individuals willing to participate in the conference are invited to send their abstracts (maximum 300 words) along with CVs to the conference Secretariat via the conference email address: paper@alandalus2015.ir
Abstracts should clearly state the purpose and results of the work to be detailed in the final paper.
Abstracts and papers will be reviewed by members of an International Scientific Advisory Committee.
A selection of the best papers presented during the conference will be published in a collected volume. Only papers presented during the conference will be accepted for publication.
We encourage early submission of abstracts and papers to facilitate registration and travel arrangements.
Deadline for submission of abstracts: October 2, 2015.
Acceptance of the abstracts will be notified by: October 7, 2015.
Deadline for final paper submission: November 1, 2015.
5. I would like to post the following announcement which may be of interest to many: Sheikh Hamad Awards for Translation and International Understanding (Doha, Qatar, 2015) Nominations are now open for SHATIU in the following categories:
Please visit our website ( www.hta.qa/en ) for details and rules of submission. Best and thanks, Walid Walid Hamarneh
Associate Professor
Dept. of Modern Literatures and Cultures
University of Richmond
6. Tel Aviv University – Senior Academic Position in Middle Eastern
History of the 20th Century
http://www.h-net.org/jobs/job_display.php?id=51165
Princeton University – Assistant Professor [History of Medieval Iran]
http://www.h-net.org/jobs/job_display.php?id=51300
Rutgers University – New Brunswick – Assistant Professor, South Asian
History (post-1600)
http://www.h-net.org/jobs/job_display.php?id=51299
New York University Abu Dhabi – Research Fellowships in the Humanities
http://www.h-net.org/jobs/job_display.php?id=51294
Dartmouth College – Postdoctoral Fellowships at the Society of Fellows
http://www.h-net.org/jobs/job_display.php?id=51214
7. The Digital Archive of Brief Notes & Iran Review (DABIR) is an open access, peer-reviewed online journal published by the Dr. Samuel M. Jordan Center for Persian Studies and Culture at the University of California, Irvine.
DABIR aims to quickly and efficiently publish brief notes and reviews relating to the pre-modern world in contact with Iran and Persianate cultures. The journal accepts submissions on art history, archaeology, history, linguistics, literature, manuscript studies, numismatics, philology and religion, from Jaxartes to the Mediterranean and from the Sumerian period through to the Safavid era (3500 BCE-1500 CE). Work dealing with later periods can be considered on request.
volume 1
http://www.dabirjournal.org/issues/issue-01/
8. Librarian, American University in Cairo
About The American University in Cairo:
Founded in 1919, AUC moved to a new 270-acre state-of-the-art campus in New Cairo in 2008. The University also operates in its historic downtown facilities, offering cultural events, graduate classes, and continuing education. Student housing is available in both downtown Zamalek and New Cairo. Among the premier universities in the region, AUC is Middle States accredited; its Engineering programs are accredited by ABET, its Chemistry program is accredited by the Canadian Society for Chemistry, and the School of Business is accredited by AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS. The AUC Libraries contain the largest English-language research collection in the region and are an active and integral part of the University’s pursuit of excellence in all academic and scholarly programs. AUC is an English-medium institution; eighty-five percent of the students are Egyptian and the rest include students from nearly ninety countries, principally from the Middle East, Africa and North America. Faculty salary and rank are based on qualifications and professional experience. According to AUC policies and procedures, all faculty are entitled to generous benefits.
Job Description:
Under the direction of the Head of Research and Information Services, the successful candidate will be responsible for the development and delivery of library services and resources that facilitate research and learning at the university. Specifically, he/she will participate as a member of the research services team in the provision of electronic and print research services for AUC Library patrons through the Learning Commons and other service points. Other major areas of responsibility include collection development, instruction, outreach in a targeted discipline as a library liaison, and teaching in the Information Literacy program.
Requirements:
The successful candidate must have an ALA accredited MLS degree, excellent oral and written skills in English, skilled in current information retrieval technologies, demonstrated skills and experience in delivering high quality research service using both traditional print and digital resources, broad subject expertise appropriate to a liberal arts educational institution, experience in instruction (one-on-one and classroom) in an academic library environment, ability to work effectively independently and in a team, ability to sustain a strong service oriented attitude to provide a positive and constructive experience for all library users. HIGHLY DESIRABLE: Library subject area experience or academic background. A second masters degree, proficiency in a second language and experience in a multicultural environment desirable but not mandatory.
Additional Information:
This is a Faculty appointment at the rank of Instructor.
The position will remain open until filled. Preferred starting date is September 1, 2015.
Application Instructions:
All applicants must submit the following documents online:
a) a current CV;? b) a letter of interest;? c) a statement of teaching philosophy;? d) a completed Personnel Information Form;? e) at least three reference letters from referees familiar with your professional background sent directly to lltjob@aucegypt.edu.
Note: Please remember that your account login enables you to respond to AUC additional questions (if required).
URL: www.aucegypt.edu/OFFICES/HR/Pages/default.aspx
9. Quranic Studies Job Posting
The University of Chicago Divinity School seeks to make an appointment in Quranic Studies, effective July 1, 2016, at the assistant professor level. The successful candidate will be expected to develop a robust curriculum in the study of the Qur’an within the wider framework of religious studies and in conversation with other programs and disciplines across the university, based on a strong disciplinary grounding in major subareas of Qur’anic studies. Such subareas might include early Arabic language and literature and the literary neighborhood in which they developed, with proficiency in relevant languages such as Aramaic, Hebrew, Coptic, Greek, or Middle Persian; early Arabic poetry; exegesis (including tafsir, sira, as well as exegetical strands of other literary genres); Qur’anic rhetoric (balagha); and/or paleography and the development of diacritics in Arabic as well as Hebrew and Syriac; issues of oral and written textuality ; and the role of Qur’anic performance in society. The Divinity School is one of the eleven academic units of the University of Chicago, and includes (in order of size of enrollment) Ph.D., M.A., M.Div., and B.A. degree programs. Divinity School faculty teach students in all programs; opportunities for collaboration, in both research and teaching, are limited only by the interest and initiative of the faculty member.
Applicants should submit a letter of interest, CV, names of three references, a research statement, and a writing sample of 25-50 pages. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Review of candidates will commence on October 1, 2015. Application should be made online, at
For questions please contact Dean Richard A. Rosengarten at raroseng@uchicago.edu
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status or status as an individual with disability.
The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity / Disabled / Veterans Employer.
Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5671 or email ACOppAdministrator@uchicago.edu with their request.
10. Books and Print between Cultures, 1500-1900
Amherst College, Massachusetts, September 18-19, 2015
Keynote speaker: Sanjay Subrahmanyam (Distinguished Professor & Irving and Jean Stone Endowed Chair in Social Sciences, UCLA)
Organized by Yael Rice (Amherst College, History of Art & Asian Languages and Civilizations)
This interdisciplinary symposium will investigate the role that books (codices, rolls, scrolls, and other related media), prints, and their associated technologies played in mediating and instantiating cultural difference in the early modern period. By framing the history of books and prints as meandering and material, this symposium aims to contribute new dialogues to the study of the global early modern.
The symposium will begin at 4pm on Friday, September 18, with an open house at Amherst College’s Archives & Special Collections, with Sanjay Subrahmanyam’s keynote lecture following at 5:30pm. A full day of talks (8:45 am – 5:45 pm) is scheduled for Saturday, September 19. The topics are diverse and cover early modern book / material cultures and practices from the Safavid, Mughal, and Ottoman Empires and from East Asia to Latin America.
For more information, including the full program and paper abstracts, please see the symposium website: http://booksandprint.sites.amherst.edu/
The symposium is free and open to the public; however, we do ask that those wishing to attend register through the symposium website.
Please also note that a similarly themed symposium (“Agents of Contact: Books and Print between Cultures in the Early Modern Period”), organized by András Kiséry (City College of New York), is scheduled to take place in New York City on September 25: https://agentsofcontact.wordpress.com/
*This event has been generously supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; the Dean of Faculty, the Department of Asian Languages and Civilizations (the Tagliabue and Hall Funds), the Department of Art and the History of Art, and the Program in European Studies at Amherst College; and the Book Studies Concentration at Smith College.
11. Professur für Islamwissenschaft mit dem Schwerpunkt Mittelasien, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
An der Philosophischen Fakultät im Orientalischen Seminar ist eine
W3-Professur für Islamwissenschaft mit dem Schwerpunkt Mittelasien
Fulltime position, start date: immediately
zu besetzen.
Diese Professur eignet sich insbesondere als Einstiegsposition für hochqualifizierte Nachwuchswissenschaftlerinnen und -wissenschaftler.
Die Stelleninhaberin/ der Stelleninhaber soll sich in Forschung und Lehre aus islamwissenschaftlicher Perspektive mit den gegenwärtigen muslimisch geprägten Staaten und Gesellschaften des persischsprachigen Mittelasien beschäftigen und trägt maßgeblich zur Profilierung dieses Bereichs am Orientalischen Seminar bei. Erwartet wird der Nachweis von Forschungs- und Lehrerfahrung zum modernen Iran. Im Hinblick auf die angestrebte Einbindung der Professur in das Zentrum für transkulturelle Asienstudien (CETRAS) sind darüber hinaus Forschungsaktivitäten im Bereich des persischsprachigen Zentralasien erwünscht. Die hervorragende Beherrschung des Persischen sowie einer weiteren gegenwärtig gesprochenen iranischen Sprache wird vorausgesetzt. Bereitschaft zu interdisziplinärer Zusammenarbeit sowie zur Mitwirkung in der akademischen Selbstverwaltung ist unabdingbar.
Einstellungsvoraussetzungen für Professorinnen bzw. Professoren sind neben den allgemeinen dienstrechtlichen Voraussetzungen ein abgeschlossenes Hochschulstudium, pädagogische Eignung und eine herausragende Promotion. Über die Promotion hinausgehende wissenschaftliche Leistungen, die in der Regel durch eine Habilitation nachgewiesen werden, werden erwartet (§ 47 Landeshochschulgesetz (LHG)).
Die Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg fördert Frauen und fordert sie deshalb ausdrücklich zur Bewerbung auf. Die Universität bekennt sich nachdrücklich zu dem Ziel einer familiengerechten Hochschule.
Schwerbehinderte werden bei gleicher Eignung bevorzugt berücksichtigt.
Folgende Bewerbungsunterlagen werden erbeten:
• Lebenslauf
• Zeugnisse und Urkunden
• Vollständiges Schriften- und Vortragsverzeichnis unter Nennung der fünf wichtigsten Publikationen
• Lehrkompetenzportfolio (Die hierfür zu verwendende Vorlage finden Sie unter http://www.zuv.uni-freiburg.de/formulare/lehrkompetenzportfolio-formblatt.doc.)
Weitere Informationen zum Berufungsverfahren finden Sie im Berufungsleitfaden, abrufbar unter http://www.zuv.uni-freiburg.de/formulare/berufungsleitfaden.pdf.
This is as permanent position. The salary will be determined in accordance with W 3.
Please send applications including a printout of the application form and the usual documentation to the following address by 04.09.2015.
Applications should be marked with the reference number 9342
Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
Dekan Prof. Dr. Hans-Helmuth Gander
Dekanat der Philosophischen Fakultät
Werthmannstraße 8
79098 Freiburg
und die email-Adresse: philosfak@dekanate.uni-freiburg.de
For further information, please contact das Dekanat der Philosophischen Fakultät at Tel. +49 (0)761 203 3371 or E-mail philosfak@dekanate.uni-freiburg.de.
12. History of Medieval Iran
Princeton University’s Department of Near Eastern Studies invites applications for a tenure track position in the history of medieval Iran. Research expertise may be in any period of the history of Iran and the Persian-speaking world between 1000 and 1800. The successful candidate will be expected to teach undergraduate and graduate courses in this field and to provide training to graduate students reading primary sources in the original Persian.
To apply, please complete an online application at https://jobs.princeton.edu. Applications must include a cover letter, curriculum vitae (including language proficiencies and teaching experience), statement of research interests, and a paper or chapter of published writing or work-in-progress.
Applicants must supply the names of three referees and their contact information in their online application. For any questions, please contact Karen Chirik (kchirik@princeton.edu).
The expected start date of the appointment is September 1, 2016. We will begin reviewing applications on November 2, 2015. Princeton University is an equal opportunity employer and complies with applicable EEO and affirmative action regulations. This position is subject to the University’s background check policy.
13. Call for Submissions – Folklore
The journal Folklore invites submissions of original work not being considered elsewhere. We publish articles by scholars from a wide range of adjacent disciplines (e.g. anthropology, history, human geography, linguistics, literature, psychology, and religion), as long as the topic and approach are of interest and relevance to folklorists. Recent publications that may be of interest to members include the following:
Folklore publishes full-length articles (max. 12,000 words); shorter, accessibly written ‘Topics, Notes, & Comments’ pieces (max. 5,000 words); and annotated ‘Text Editions’ (max. 12,000 words). More information at: www.folklore-society.com/publications/folklore, or email the Assistant Editor, Niall Christie, at articles@folklore-society.com
The University of Chicago Shiʿi Studies Group Symposium
Call for Papers (CFP):
“The Acquisition and Transmission of Knowledge: The Role of Shiʿi Institutions of Learning in the Spread and Defense of a Tradition”
Abstract submission deadline: November 1st, 2015
Completed papers due: March 1st, 2016
Date of Symposium: April 1st – 2nd 2016
The study of Shiʿi institutions of learning, traditions, and scholarly practices serve as important areas of research within Islamic intellectual and social history. The role of religious institutions of learning, intra-Muslim polemics over the methods and praxis of knowledge preservation and dissemination, and the means by which authority is conferred to texts and discourses provide rich sources for questions regarding Shiʿism in both contemporary and historical periods.
This symposium seeks to bring together an international and inter-disciplinary group of scholars to address questions that are central to an understanding of Shiʿi Islam. What role do institutions of learning play in the propagation, spread and defense of the Shiʿi tradition? And how do institutions shape and, in turn, become shaped by the nature and practice of the transmission and legitimization of knowledge in Shiʿism? We welcome contributions from scholars and graduate students working on these questions from any relevant scholarly perspective, including social, intellectual and political history, anthropology, political science, literature, and religious studies.
The theme of the symposium encourages scholarly research on core questions regarding epistemic, cultural, and historical studies on the important topic of Shiʿi production of knowledge. Papers may focus on both modern and pre-modern subject areas might address such topics as the following:
Shiʿi conceptions regarding how knowledge may be disseminated and transferred institutionally;
The polemics and debates on verification and authorization of knowledge and texts;
Institutional histories of centers of learning, such as on the unique Twelver Shiʿi institution of the hawza (“seminary”);
The geographic and historical dimensions of centers of Shiʿi learning in cities such as Qom, Najaf, Hilla, Baghdad, Isfahan, and more recently in cities in North America and Europe;
Transnational dimensions of formal scholarly practice of the acquisition and transmission of knowledge;
The means by which clergy and scholars for various minority Shiʿi groups (including Nusayri- Alawites, Zaydis, Ismailis, Alevites) promote scholarly and/or clerical learning and transmit religious knowledge in a formal setting.
Format of the Symposium
Presenters will be requested to present for 20 minutes followed by substantial additional time for moderated discussion between panelists and the audience. The papers will be pre-circulated and should be no longer than 10,000 words.
Abstracts of around 300 words along with a CV must be submitted by November 1st, 2015. Send abstracts to Mohammad Sagha at msagha@uchicago.edu, with the words “UChicago Shiʿi Studies Symposium Application” in the subject line.
Due to the limited amount of funding available, we encourage participants to apply for independent sources of funding, including from their home institutions or other relevant bodies supporting such academic endeavors.
About the Symposium
The University of Chicago Shiʿi Studies Symposium is an endeavor of the Shiʿi Studies Group, established in 2010, to provide an interdisciplinary, non-area-specific forum for the discussion of research on Shiʿism by faculty and graduate students at the University and beyond. The annual symposium aims to strengthen the field of Shiʿi Studies by bringing together a group of both senior and early-career scholars to present research and to cultivate an environment for intellectual discussion and collaboration. At each symposium we aim to address a focused set of questions with cross-cutting relevance to scholars working on various periods and from various disciplinary perspectives.
Funding and support for this symposium is provided by various funders within the University of Chicago, including Norman Wait Harris Fund, the Martin Marty Center at the Divinity School, the Division of the Humanities, the Franke Institute for the Humanities, the Council for Advanced Studies Islamic Studies workshops and MEHAT workshops, the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, the Department of Anthropology, and the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Chicago.
See https://shii-studies.sites.uchicago.edu/ for more details on our past and future events.
The Aga Khan Documentation Center has received the Isfahan Urban History Project archive from the Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto, Canada). The project documents the development of Isfahan, Iran, from the time of the Buyid dynasty (ca. 9th c. AD/4th c. AH).
Undertaken by Dr. Lisa Golombek (Curator Emeritus [Islamic Art] Retired, ROM) and Dr. Renata Holod (Professor, and Curator in the Near East Section, Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania), the project spanned the 1970s and investigated the early urban nodes of Isfahan — a city perhaps more known for its monumental architecture and urban planning of the Safavid dynasty (16th-17th c. AD/10th-11th c. AH).
The gift includes slides, negatives, field notes, original drawings, plans, maps, photos, notes, and drafts for the unpublished material. The donation will be inventoried, housed in AKDC@MIT, and selections digitized for Archnet. Students, scholars, and researchers are welcome to visit the Center to use the original material.
http://libraries.mit.edu/news/isfahan-iran-urban/19565/
2. Announcement – Aga Khan Documentation Center at MIT donates library to university in Morocco
As a result of the sudden and tragic death of Melanie Michaildis (Ph.D., AKPIA MIT 2007) in 2013, Aga Khan Documentation Center at MIT became the home for her research archive and personal library.
Dr. Michaildis was an Islamic art specialist and was serving as the Korff Postdoctoral Fellow in Islamic Art at Washington University in St. Louis, MO, at the time of her death. She had conducted fieldwork in Iran, Uzbekistan and Western Europe, was praised as a gifted and passionate scholar and teacher on the subject of Islamic art. Dr. Michaildis had published numerous scholarly articles on Islamic ceramics as well as on mosques, shrines, castles, and tomb towers in Iran and Central Asia.
Almost immediately upon receipt of her archive and library, it was decided that the latter should be kept intact and sent to a deserving research institution. After many months of searching for the right home, Michael Toler’s (Archnet Content Manager) Peace Corp connections led us to the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Université Ibn Zohr-Agadir in Morocco; on 28 July, AKDC’s donation — 17 boxes of books in total — were shipped out, en route to their new home.
http://libraries.mit.edu/news/donates-books-university/19553/
3. CFP – Third Conference of the School of Mamlūk Studies (Chicago, June 23–25, 2016)
Third Conference of the School of Mamlūk Studies, Chicago, June 23–June 25, 2016
Call for papers
We are pleased to announce the Third Conference of the School of Mamlūk Studies, which will be held at the University of Chicago from June 23 to June 25, 2016.
The conference will be divided into two parts and will be preceded by a three-day intensive course on numismatics (June 20–22):
1) The first day of the conference (June 23) will be themed. The theme of this part of the conference will be: “Exchange in the Mamluk Sultanate: Economic & Cultural.” The act of exchanging one thing for another is ubiquitous in the history of all societies. It is found at all levels of commerce, from the local market to international trade, but it is not limited to economic matters. In the diplomatics and court practice of the Mamluk sultanate, the giving of gifts or the granting of rights, titles, or responsibilities are all forms of exchange in which the currency that facilitates the exchange is frequently something other than money. In societal relationships, ties could be strengthened by the exchange of family members via marriage, and in power relations non-tangible goods such as loyalty could be exchanged for wealth, titles, or other rewards. These are but a few examples of what exchange entails. The aim of this themed day is to focus on acts of exchange across these and other aspects of Mamluk society.
A maximum of 12 to 15 paper proposals will be selected. A proposal should represent an original work, not one for which publication is planned elsewhere, so that it may be published in the conference proceedings. Should a greater number of proposals be received, the authors of those which are not selected for the conference may be offered the possibility to publish their contribution in the proceedings. Time allotted to each paper will be twenty minutes, followed by a discussant’s comments and general discussion. In order to allow the discussants to prepare their comments, papers will need to be received by them at least two weeks prior to the conference.
2) The following two days of the conference (June 24–25) will be structured in panels, which may focus on any aspect of the intellectual, political, social, economic, and artistic life of the Mamlūk period. Panels will consist of three to four papers. The panel proposal must be made by a representative, who will be responsible for the panel’s organization. Please note that in case of cancellation of two papers out of the three (or three out of the four) composing the panel, the panel will have to be withdrawn from the program. Time allotted to each paper will be twenty minutes, and discussion will take place at the end of each panel. If more worthwhile panel proposals are received than can be accommodated, the organizing committee will make a selection among them which will provide the greatest possible variety of subject areas.
Language: The official language of the conference will be English.
Fees: The conference registration fee will be $40 for participants and attendees. A farewell dinner will take place on the last day (June 25) at a cost to be determined. Payment of the fees (registration and farewell dinner) must be received by April 30, 2016 (information on the method of payment to be used will be provided in the first circular, which will be sent in January 2016; onsite registration will not be possible). Participants must make their own travel arrangements; information and suggestions for accommodations will be provided in the first circular.
Proposals: Paper proposals for the themed day must be submitted electronically through the conference webpage (http://mamluk.uchicago.edu/school-of-mamluk-studies.html) by October 31, 2015. Panel proposals must be submitted in the same manner by November 30, 2015. Paper proposals require the name and a one-page CV of the speaker, a provisional title, and an abstract of a maximum of 300 words per paper. Panels must be proposed as such, not as individual papers. The panel organizer must provide the relevant information for each panel member and each paper, as well as the name of the panel’s chair (the chair can be one of the panelists). See the conference website for more information.
Acceptance: Paper and panel proposals will be peer-reviewed. A first circular will be sent by January 2016 to those whose proposals have been accepted, and to those who have expressed interest in attending the conference as listeners.
Publication:
Intensive course: Mamlūk Numismatics
A three-day intensive course in Mamlūk numismatics intended for advanced graduate students and other qualified participants will be offered by Professor Warren Schultz (DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois) and will be held immediately before the third conference of the School of Mamlūk Studies held at the University of Chicago (June 20–22, 2016). A reading knowledge of Arabic is required. The course will be demanding and hands-on in its format, but no previous numismatic experience is required.
Since the number of participants will be limited (a maximum of 15), those who desire to take part in the course are requested to submit a CV, a statement of purpose, and a letter of recommendation by someone familiar with their work to [sms2016chicago@gmail.com] by the end of January, 2016. Those who are selected for the course will be notified by the end of February, 2016, at which time information about the method of payment for the course fees will be provided.
The course fee is $300.00, which also includes the registration fee for the subsequent conference (June 23–25) as well the cost of the annual SMS social dinner. The fees must be paid by April 30, 2016. Registration and participation are not confirmed until payment is received. Participants must make their own travel arrangements. The local organizer will provide suggestions for lodging at an affordable price. A certificate of attendance will be awarded.
We look forward to meeting you in Chicago.
Marlis J. Saleh, University of Chicago (local organizer)
Frédéric Bauden, Université de Liège
Antonella Ghersetti, Ca’ Foscari University, Venice
4. Journal of Islamic Archeology
Issue 2.1 (2015)
Articles
A First Ceramic Chronology for the Late Islamic Arabian Gulf
Timothy Power
http://www.equinoxpub.com/journals/index.php/JIA/article/view/27011
JIA 2.1 (2015) pp1-34 issn 2051-9729
Analysis of Archaeobotanical Material from the Tupras Field project of the Kinet Höyük Excavations, Turkey
Jennifer Hope Ramsay, A. Asa Eger
http://www.equinoxpub.com/journals/index.php/JIA/article/view/26939
JIA 2.1 (2015) pp35-50 issn 2051-9729
Comments on Muslim, Jewish and Christian burial practices in medieval Toledo (Spain)
Arturo Ruiz-Taboada
http://www.equinoxpub.com/journals/index.php/JIA/article/view/26043
JIA 2.1 (2015) pp51-72 issn 2051-9729
Mīrzā Muḥammad Naṣīr Furṣat al-Dawla and the Archaeology of Iranian Archaeology
Ivan Szanto
http://www.equinoxpub.com/journals/index.php/JIA/article/view/20287
JIA 2.1 (2015) pp73-92 issn 2051-9729
Book Reviews- open access
The Byzantine–Islamic Transition in Palestine: An Archaeological Approach by Gideon Avni
Reviewed by Denis Genequand
http://www.equinoxpub.com/journals/index.php/JIA/article/view/27919
JIA 2.1 (2015) pp127-129 issn 2051-9729
Les etablissements des elites omeyyades en Palmyrene et au Proche-orient, Bibliotheque archéologique et historique, by D. Gennequand
Reviewed by Philip Wood
http://www.equinoxpub.com/journals/index.php/JIA/article/view/25663
JIA 2.1 (2015) pp130 issn 2051-9729
5. Eighth Annual ASMEA Conference: “For Better or Worse? Historical Trends in the Middle East and Africa”, Washington, D.C. 29-31 October 2015
Organised by the Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa. Early bird registration until 30 September 2015.
Information: https://asmea.nonprofitcms.org/c/conferences/3/pages/overview
6. Conference: “The Past in the Present of the Middle East”, Council for British Research in the Levant (CBRL), London, 15-16 April 2016
The conference will present sessions on a number of themes linking the past to the present day in the Middle East such as: cultural heritage in conflict; the past in the political present: the legacy of colonialism and intervention; the politics of dissent: challenges to Orientalism and Zionism etc.
Deadline for abstracts: 7 September 2015. Information: http://cbrl.org.uk/event/the-past-in-the-present-of-the-middle-east
7. Post-doc Position 2015-2016: “The Formation of Epistemic Networks and Centers of Knowledge in the Mediterranean, 5th to 16th Centuries”, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (MPIWG), Berlin
This position is part of the larger project “Convivencia: Iberia to Global Dynamics, 500-1750”. We invite proposals for one out of three research topics. Preference is given to approaches that aim to explore the factors that determined possibilities and constraints for the codification and modification of knowledge.
Deadline for applications: 30 August 2015. Information: http://humweb.ucsc.edu/mediterraneanseminar/news/index.php?id=494
8. Tenure-track Assistant Professor of Political Science, Politics of the Islamic World, Davidson College, NC
Experience in the region, including field research and research proficiency in a regional language, is required. We welcome applications from scholars who have conducted research in any part of the Islamic World. Applications from Ph.D.-holders and very advanced ABDs will be considered. Candidates demonstrating an ability to offer other needed courses in the sub-fields of comparative or international politics are welcome. Scholars with an interest in identity politics are strongly encouraged to apply.
Deadline for applications: 20 September 2015. Information: https://jobs.davidson.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp?time=1438886018086
9. Associate/Full Professor in Islamic Peace, School of International Service (SIS), American University, Washington, DC
Applicants should possess a Ph.D. or the highest equivalent degree in a relevant discipline. Candidates should be expert in the study of Islam, with knowledge of the study of peace and conflict resolution, without respect to a particular discipline. Scholars specializing in the Middle East and North Africa as well as any other region or country with a substantial Muslim population are encouraged to apply.
Review of applications will continue until position is filled. Information: http://apply.interfolio.com/30418
10. Global Inequalities Tenure-Track Position with Specialization in the Middle East, University of San Francisco
This is a position in Sociology at the Assistant Professor level to begin in fall 2016. We encourage candidates with expertise in or across areas of particular interest such as urban sociology, development, labor, social movements, stratification, and demography.
Deadline for applications: 2 October 2015. Information: www.usfjobs.com
11. Senior Program Manager at the Arab Council for the Social Sciences, Beirut
The position is responsible for developing, establishing and overseeing one or more programs of the ACSS. Requirements: PhD in Social Sciences; at least 5 years management of similar activities; perfect knowledge of Arabic and English. Knowledge of French is an asset.
Information: www.theacss.org/pages/fora-and-debates/319/job-opportunity_senior-program-manager-acss
12. Post-doctoral Fellowships in the Humanities at Universities and Research Institutes in the U.S. and Germany
The fellowships address postdocs based in the U.S.A. and Germany who wish to spend some time in Germany or in the U.S. and Canada working on a research project.
Deadline for applications: 1 October 2015. Information: www.volkswagenstiftung.de/en/funding/international-focus/post-doctoral-fellowships-in-the-humanities.html
13. Post-Doctoral Fellowships Program for Junior Arab Scholars from the Arab Council for the Social Sciences
This 9-month fellowship program aims at enabling young researchers, up to three years out of the PhD, to pursue their research and publishing plans, become part of Arab research networks and plan a research career in the Arab region.
Deadline for applications: 15 October 2015. Information: www.theacss.org/pages/post-doc-fellowships
14. CFP: Early Maritime Cultures on the East African Coast
A conference organized by the African Studies Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. October 23-24, 2015.
The Indian Ocean has long influenced cultures along the East African coast. This inter-disciplinary conference on maritime history will allow scholars from multiple disciplines to present work connected with seafaring in East Africa in any era. The organizers will particularly favor paper proposals focused on maritime developments before about 1500 CE.
Themes of particular interest include:
Papers on other themes will be considered, especially those that deal in some way with maritime technologies and practices in East Africa before about 1500.
One of our ambitions is to produce an edited volume, but we cannot guarantee publication.
The conference organizers expect to be able to provide lodging for presenters in Madison for one or two nights as well as some sociability (a meal or two). Potential presenters planning to come from locations outside the United States, especially Africa, may request additional support, such as help with air fare, but it is very unlikely that we will be able to provide more than $1,000 of such support for anyone, nor can we guarantee it at this time.
Submit an abstract of 200-300 words (pdf or .doc preferred) to events@africa.wisc.edu
Use subject line “East Africa Maritime Abstract”
EXTENDED deadline to submit abstract: August 15, 2015.
By September 1, 2015, we hope to notify submitters whether or not their paper has been accepted.
Akshay Sarathi, doctoral candidate in Archaeology
University of Wisconsin-Madison
African Studies Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
http://africa.wisc.edu/?page_id=8761
15. Persianate Cultures of Documentation: An International Symposium
Vienna, June 2016
Conveners: James Pickett and Paolo Sartori
States enact themselves through paper, leveraging the written word to project coercive authority outward – or the illusion of control. Producing, collecting, and cataloguing are simultaneously administrative acts and performative ones, shaping both the nature of the state and the historian’s perception of it. Over the past decade scholars of the Muslim world, and the Middle East in particular, have conferred greater epistemological significance on textual genres that conventionally go under the rubric of “documents.” However, the burgeoning field of Persianate studies remains overwhelmingly oriented toward literature – despite the existence of vast, largely untapped, repositories of documents. Can we speak of a common Persianate culture of documentation stretching from the Kazakh steppe to the Deccan, from Sarajevo to Kashgar?
Studies of Islamicate documentation outside the Ottoman Empire have been few and far between until very recently. The result is that most of the available studies on archives and documents in the Muslim world are based on legal sources, i.e. texts the documentary attributes of which reflect either a probative or a precedential value alone. The problem with this approach is that it predicates on a reified meaning of document thereby misidentifying other possible uses of the written word and overlooking other principles behind the preservation of texts. A number of recent studies begun to revise this status quo by historicising the production and preservation of certain texts in an effort to complicate a dominant (yet untenable) narrative predicated upon the purported absence of archives and the ostensibly limited patterns of textual consumption prior to the early modern period – illuminating, for instance, the existence of chancery practices and dynastic archives under the Abbasids and the Mamluks. While a great effort has been made to prove that in the early Islamic and medieval period Muslim states did in fact rely on central administrative apparatuses, little has been done to reflect on what we may term coeval cultures of documentation, by which we mean the assumptions that informed the functionality of writing and governed the preservation of texts in a certain period. By ignoring such questions, historians of the Islamicate world have risked their superimposing a commonsensical understanding of the documentary attributes of texts onto historical material that may well require a different hermeneutical approach.
We contend that a solution to this problem demands that we expand our informational basis and take a larger number of compositional genres into our purview. To achieve this goal, we propose to reflect on the meanings of documentation across a larger historical area of the Muslim world, which is termed “the Persianate”. With this symposium we thus bring together scholars who work on material either in Persian or in languages directly influenced by Persian such as Urdu, Chaghatay, Marathi, Ottoman, Tatar, and Uyghur across the early-modern and modern period.
By addressing the following questions, the symposium sets for itself the task of outlining a comparative history of documentation early modern and colonial periods across the Middle East, Central and South Asia:
What makes an archive in the Persianate world, and what are the practices of documentation therein?
Should we distinguish between archives and private collections?
Why did dynasts preserve certain texts and how did they use them?
Was the creation and the preservation of archives reflective of a certain historical consciousness?
Did the preservation of texts alter their original meaning? How do we take stock of the aspirational aspect of recordkeeping?
What was the relationship between archival practices and public knowledge?
How did the culture of the spoken affect archival practices?
What was the nature of interaction between manuscripts and practical documents – in terms of authorship, worldview, functionality and genre conventions?
Proposals should include paper abstracts of up to 500 words and a short CV (no more than 2 pages) of each speaker. Please send your proposal to paolo.sartori@oeaw.ac.at by 1 December 2015 at the latest. Travel and accommodation costs for invited speakers will be covered by the Institute of Iranian Studies within the framework of the Seeing Like an Archive Project https://seeinglikeanarchive.wordpress.com/. As a publication on the basis of the workshop is envisaged, please be prepared to circulate paper drafts in advance.
16. Duke University – History of the Islamic World/Muslim World
http://www.h-net.org/jobs/job_display.php?id=51253
University of Wisconsin – Madison – Rank open, TransAsia /
transdisciplinary scholar
http://www.h-net.org/jobs/job_display.php?id=51243
University of Hamburg – W2 Universitatsprofessur fur Kunstgeschichte
des Mittelalters / W2 Professorship in Medieval Art History
http://www.h-net.org/jobs/job_display.php?id=51258
The Department of Modern and Classical Languages at the University of
Houston announces a part-time opening in Arabic language instruction to be
filled starting Fall 2015. The part-time lecturer will teach beginning and
intermediate level Arabic language courses.
https://jobs.uh.edu/postings/26411
Arabic: The Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at Duke University invites applications for a full-time position as an Arabic language lecturer, beginning Fall 2016. The initial contract for the position is three years and renewable every five years based on a demonstration of quality and rigor of teaching, curricular innovation, professional development and service to the field. The successful candidate will join the growing Arabic program at Duke. The primary responsibilities consist of teaching and developing intermediate and advanced courses, creating teaching materials, designing assessment tools, and organizing and participating in extra-curricular activities related to service learning and refugee issues. The teaching load is maximum 5 courses per year or 12 contact hours per week, and the starting salary is negotiable based on experience and qualifications.
Candidates should have an M.A. or higher degree in Arabic language and literature, applied linguistics, or a related field, and must have fluency in both Arabic and English. Experience in teaching Arabic at the university level in North America is required, and the demonstrated ability to develop and implement service learning and outreach programs is preferred. Knowledge and experience with study abroad programs and instructional technologies, and desire to further pedagogical/professional development are desirable.
Applications received by September 30, 2015 will be guaranteed full consideration. Send: 1) a letter of application with a statement of teaching philosophy, 2) curriculum vitae, 3) a teaching portfolio including syllabi, a sample of teaching materials and student evaluations, and 4) three letters of reference, addressed to the Chair of Arabic Lecturer Search Committee, Dept. of AMES, Duke University. The application materials should be sent to Arabic Search Committee, Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Duke University, 2204 Erwin Road, Box 90414, Durham, NC 27708. For additional information please email amesdept@duke.edu
Duke University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual’s age, color, disability, genetic information, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status.
17. Weatherhead Initiative on Global History Fellowship
The Weatherhead Initiative on Global History (WIGH) at Harvard University identifies and supports outstanding scholars whose work responds to the growing interest in the encompassing study of global history. We seek to organize a community of scholars interested in the systematic scrutiny of developments that have unfolded across national, regional, and continental boundaries and who propose to analyze the interconnections—cultural, economic, ecological, political and demographic—among world societies. We encourage applicants from all over the world, and especially from outside Europe and North America, hoping to create a global conversation on global history.
WIGH Fellows are appointed for one year and are provided time, guidance, office space, and access to Harvard University facilities. They should be prepared to devote their entire time to productive scholarship and may undertake sustained projects of research or other original work. They will join a vibrant community of global history scholars at Harvard.
This fellowship is funded by a grant from the Volkswagen Foundation.
Terms
The competition for these awards is open only to scholars with a PhD (or comparable professional school degree). If still pursuing the PhD, WIGH Fellows must receive their degree no later than May 2016. There is no limit on time since submission of the candidate’s degree; we are open to candidates at various stages of their careers. We expect that candidates will be able to submit samples of independent work (articles, papers, dissertation chapters) in support of their candidacies on request. The WIGH Fellowship is residential and Fellows are expected to live in the Cambridge/Boston area for the duration of their appointments unless traveling for pre-approved research purposes, and they are expected to participate in WIGH activities, including a bi-weekly seminar.
Fellows will receive an annual stipend of up to $50,000, according to fellows’ needs. Because we cannot always offer the amount requested, we urge applicants to apply for funding from other sources as well. Applications are welcome from qualified persons without regard to nationality, gender, or race.
How to Apply
Applications are due December 15, 2015. Letters of reference are due by January 8th, 2016.
Please visit our website (http://wigh.wcfia.harvard.edu/content/wigh-fellowships-2016-2017) to apply.
Contact:
Jessica Barnard, Program Coordinator
jbarnard@wcfia.harvard.edu
Phone: +011 (617) 495-8923
18. Iran Heritage Foundation: Job Vacancy: Administrator (London)
IHF is looking for an enthusiastic person to join their office, preferably full-time.
Responsibilities will include: bookkeeping; maintaining the website and social media; responding to enquiries; and general administrative work.
The successful applicant must be fluent in English and have good IT skills, including Excel and Access. Persian speaking desirable.
Full-time salary: £19,000-22,000, depending on qualifications and experience.
Send your CV and a covering letter, with the names of two referees, one of whom should be your previous employer, to info@iranheritage.org by 4th September.
19. Metadata Librarian, Arabic Specialty
Princeton University Library
Princeton, New Jersey
Requisition #1500640
The Princeton University Library is one of the world’s leading research libraries, serving a diverse community of 5,200 undergraduates, 2,700 graduate students, 1,200 faculty members, and many visiting scholars. Its holdings include more than 7 million printed volumes, 5 million manuscripts, 2 million non-print items, and extensive collections of digital text, data, and images. The Library employs a dedicated and knowledgeable staff of more than 300 professional and support staff working in a large central library, 9 specialized branches, and 3 storage facilities.
Major Responsibilities:
Princeton University Library seeks a flexible and innovative Metadata Librarian with a specialization in the language, history and culture of the Arab World to become part of a team responsible for creating, converting and managing metadata to promote and enhance control of and access to the Library’s digital and print collections in Arabic.
The Princeton University Near East Collections constitute one of the major assemblages of Near Eastern research materials in the United States, representing all areas of classical Islamic civilization, with an emphasis on literary, historical, legal, and religious texts.
The position is a member of the Middle East Languages Team and reports to the Director of Cataloging and Metadata Services. The incumbent will provide metadata for new acquisitions in Arabic and for digital initiatives. S/he will collaborate with colleagues within Technical Services and in other Library departments on digital and cataloging projects to enhance access to the collections. The librarian will work with multiple library systems, traditional and modern metadata encoding, and employ tools for cross-walking, storing and re-purposing data. This position will require a firm and broad conceptual understanding of cataloging principles and the ability to apply and adapt them to existing and emerging media in a variety of encoding formats. Success in this position will require a commitment to achieving priority throughput of new acquisitions, a dedication to content quality assurance to foster discovery, and the imagination to arrive at new solutions to both new and traditional challenges, especially through capitalizing on the advantages offered by new technologies.
Essential Qualifications:
– MLS combined with an academic background in Middle Eastern studies; or an advanced degree in Middle Eastern studies with an emphasis on Arabic language, literature, culture, and history.
– Strong reading knowledge of Arabic.
– Ability to Romanize Arabic according to the ALA/LC Romanization table.
– Demonstrated proficiency and familiarity with library-relevant information technology and standards, especially those related to linked data, data visualization, XML and tools for data manipulation.
Strongly Preferred Qualifications:
– One year of comparable cataloging experience.
– Reading knowledge of other Middle Eastern languages, especially Persian, Hebrew, Turkish, and/or Ottoman Turkish.
– RDA cataloging experience and/or NACO experience.
– Experience providing cataloging and metadata for digital formats, and in creating and editing non-MARC metadata using standards and schema such as Dublin Core, MODS, etc.
Applications will be accepted only from the Jobs at Princeton website: http://www.princeton.edu/jobs and must include a resume, cover letter, and a list of three references with full contact information. Princeton University is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. This position is subject to the University’s background
20. “Slavery in the Medieval World”:
A Call for Papers and Sessions for participation in the 2016 Leeds International Medieval Congress
The study of slavery in the Medieval World has been largely marginalized in the past. Despite large amounts of evidence, medievalists have traditionally opted to focus their attentions elsewhere or to have seen slavery as being of only marginal importance in the societies and economies of the world from late antiquity until the opening of the Atlantic trade. While some important studies have been done in the past, a new interest in the subject has been growing with research looking more and more at the subject and its ramifications.
While it seems that the International Medieval Congress at Leeds this summer has barely ended, it is already time to begin thinking about next year. This summer, of course, there were more papers and sessions devoted to the subject of slavery (and related topics) in the medieval world than ever before. As a result, some were even scheduled to run against each other. In order to avoid this next summer and to better promote understanding of the topic, it is hoped to organize a strand of sessions to be held next year at the IMC Leeds 2016 (4 to 7 July 2016, at the University of Leeds).
The overall topic will be ‘Slavery in the Medieval World’ with separate sessions focusing on various eras and topics under the overall theme.
The individual sessions will be numbered and will have sub-titles relevant to what their particular focus is (as well as individual session organizers). Possible topics might include such areas as “Slavery in Medieval Arabia”, “Manumission”, “Children in Slavery”, “Slavery and the End of the Western Empire” and so on and so forth.
The total number of sessions will, of course, be determined by the number of participants; ideally, we will have a mix of early career and more senior scholars as well as of people working on a range of geographic and temporal areas.
By bringing together scholars working on different areas and periods of the history of medieval Europe, Asia, and Africa, we hope to address the question of whether there is a single subject of slavery in the medieval world, whether some practices and activities can be seen as being of global importance, and how the earlier modes of slavery found in antiquity shaped later practice. Whether the teachings of the monotheistic religions served to ameliorate slave-systems inherited from the past or whether they served to make them stronger could be discussed while the role of slavery itself in the systems of exchange and of personal relationship might also be usefully addressed.
All proposals addressing the topic, whether of single papers or of organized sessions, are welcome and will be examined.
Practical issues
If you are interested in giving a paper or organizing a session, please send an email by 23 August 2015 to
While we look forward to proposals for individual papers, we also encourage potential collaboration, respondents, and moderators. Of course, please feel free to forward this call for papers to any student or colleague who might be interested in participating in our strand!
When you write, include the following information:
1) paper title
2) a short abstract/brief description indicating what the paper will be about (max. 200 words)
3) your contact details and affiliation
4) Equipment needed? (Laptop, Beamer, etc.)
We will determine how papers of 20 minutes each best fit togther in the sessions and well will let you know the results as soon as possible (no later than mid-September). We will not be able to cover travel, registration and accommodation expenses for our speakers. We encourage PhD students and independent scholars to consider the bursary application offered by the IMC (deadline 17 October) which you can find following this link: https://imc.leeds.ac.uk/dbsql02/AQueryServlet?*context=IMC&*id=0&*formId=83&conference=201…
For general information on the IMC, see http://www.leeds.ac.uk/arts/info/125137/international_medieval_congress
