Archive for 2018

Saudi effort to isolate Iran internationally produces results

Saudi efforts to isolate Iran internationally are producing results in North Africa and Central Asia. Authorities and religious leaders in Tajikistan and Algeria have in recent weeks accused Iran of subversive activity and propagating Shiism while Morocco last month announced that it was breaking off diplomatic relations with the Islamic republic.

Some Aspects of Conversion Narratives in Late Safavid Iran and their Circulation: The Case of ʿAlī Akbar Armanī : Eurasian Studies

This study focuses on a conversion narrative from the late Safavid period, the Iʿtirāf-nāma, written by an Armenian merchant known after his conversion as ʿAlī Akbar Armanī. The study addresses questions on the transmission of texts, the conventions of the genre of convert literature, and the socialization of converts into Muslim scholarly families.

1.Ignaz Goldziher’s Correspondence Archive

http://real-ms.mtak.hu/view/collection/Goldziher_bequest.html

2. Interdisciplinary Workshop on Afghanistan, SOAS, London, 7 September 2018

The workshop seeks to exchange ideas that contribute towards the academic discourse on the country. A desired outcome of the workshop is a network of young scholars and professionals with ideas on how to foster dialogues and collaborations that will further ‘Afghanistan Studies’
Deadline for abstracts: 15 June 2018. Information: http://afgacademia.wixsite.com/workshop/call-for-papers

3. Conference: “Sharia and the Secular”, SoCal Islamic Studies Graduate Student Consortium, University of California, 19-20 October 2018

We are interested in papers that interrogate how Sharia and the realm of the non-shar’i has been constructed historically and how the practical application of Sharia reflects the non-shar’i domain. Papers that address shar’i and non-shar’i themes pertaining to the economy, medicine, society, public policy, and family life are especially welcome.

Deadline for abstracts: 30 July 2018. Information: http://www.cmes.ucsb.edu/IS_Grad_Conference.html

4. Conference: “Sharia and the Secular”, SoCal Islamic Studies Graduate Student Consortium, University of California, 19-20 October 2018

We are interested in papers that interrogate how Sharia and the realm of the non-shar’i has been constructed historically and how the practical application of Sharia reflects the non-shar’i domain. Papers that address shar’i and non-shar’i themes pertaining to the economy, medicine, society, public policy, and family life are especially welcome.

Deadline for abstracts: 30 July 2018. Information: http://www.cmes.ucsb.edu/IS_Grad_Conference.html

5. Workshop: “Professional Mobility in the Islamic Lands (900-1600):ʿulamāʾ, udabāʾ, and Administrators”, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, 20-21 March 2019

This workshop is interested in papers that consider the following questions: How and when did themadrasasstart producing bureaucrats?What did getting close to political authority entail for the ʿulamāʾ? How did offers for higher appointments travel in Islamic lands? How did the competition between ruling elites and households impact this professional mobility? Etc.

Deadline for abstracts: 15 September 2018: Information: https://iismm.hypotheses.org/30535

6. Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Islam and Sustainable Development, Markfield Institute of Higher Education (MIHE)

The Institute’s Centre of Islam and Sustainable Development (CISD), in partnership with Penny Appeal (a sector leading UK charity), is seeking to appoint one full-time or two part-time lecturers with interests in any of the following areas: sustainable development theory and practice, role of civil society in sustainable development, building peace and security, effective governance, youth development, women empowerment and capacity building of communities.

Deadline for applications: 16 June 2018. Information: https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/BJX087/lecturer-senior-lecturer-in-islam-and-sustainable-development/

7. Professor / Associate Professor / Assistant Professor in Islam and Women Studies, University Brunei Darussalam

The Centre is looking for candidates with a good track record in supervision of doctoral students and high quality publications in the mentioned area of study. The successful candidate is expected to provide academic leadership both in doctoral supervision and group research projects.

Deadline for applications: 31 July 2018. Information: https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/BJJ876/professor-associate-professor-senior-assistant-professor-assistant-professor-lecturer-islam-and-women-studies/

8. Assistant Teaching Professor in Islamic Studies, Georgetown University

The successful candidate will teach a 3-3 teaching load during the 2018-2019 Academic Year. 3 of these courses will be The Problem of God, the Theology Department’s core curricular course taken by most undergraduates; the other 3 courses will be in Islam, including a graduate level seminar. Start date is August 2018.

Deadline for applications: 18 June 2018. Information: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/11193

9. Articles for Special Issue on Iran for the Journal of “Sociology of Social Institutions”

The submissions should focus on Iran from a sociological perspective, while comparative studies between Iran and other countries are also acceptable. Topics include social institutions, social capital, family, social deviances, gender, population, migration, youth, etc.

Deadline for abstracts: 25 June 2018. Information: http://ssi.journals.umz.ac.ir/; e-mail: aliverdinia@umz.ac.ir

10. Articles on “Women in Islam” for Special Issue of MDPI Open Access Journal

This peer-reviewed special issue invites submissions focusing on women’s understanding, interpretation and lived experience of Islam with attention to women’s agency. Possible fields of inquiry include: 1. How Muslim women talk about and find meaning in Islam as a source of identity and belonging; 2. How Muslim women engage their faith as a belief system and how they choose to express that faith in both personal and public life; etc.

Deadline for abstracts: 30 September 2018. Information: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/societies/special_issues/Women_in_Islam

11. The Muslims in Britain Research Network, in collaboration with the University of Manchester, is very pleased to announce that it will hold a free forum for doctoral students and early career researchers in the field of British Muslim studies on the 18^th July 2018.

Through talks, open discussions and group workshops, this forum aims to inform early career researchers of potential career paths, how best to pursue them, and how to address each stage of this process. Sessions and keynotes will cover the place of the study of Islam and Muslims in UK higher education, as well as the nature of higher education employment. Participants will also be given the opportunity to share and discuss their research with other academics working in the field.

Whether pursuing careers within or outside of academia, this forum will give guidance on the options available and how best to engage with them, with advice and guidance both from well-established academics and other early career researchers. There will be the opportunity to network frequently throughout the day, with coffee and lunch provided.

Speakers will include (more TBC):

• Dr Shuruq Naguib, University of Lancaster
• Dr Carl Morris, University of Central Lancashire
• Dr Jawiria Naseem, University of Birmingham
• Dr Stephen H. Jones, Newman University

This event is provided free to charge by the Muslims in Britain Research Network and the University of Manchester, but all attendees need to register here:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/studying-muslim-britain-a-forum-for-early-career-researchers-tickets-46737447965

We will also be making some travel bursaries available nearer the date. If you are interested in receiving one of these please email muslimsinbritainrn@gmail.com.

International workshop: “Mapping Sunni-Shi‘i Relations in Europe”, University of Gothenburg, 7–9 June 2018.

This workshop aims to explore the multifaceted nature of Sunni-Shi‘i relations in Europe, and analyse how these relations are shaped.

This workshop is the first of a series of exploratory workshops on Sunni–Shi‘i Relations in Europe funded by the Joint Committee for Nordic research councils in the Humanities and Social Sciences (NOS-HS). The core team members of the project are Elvire Corboz (University of Edinburgh), Göran Larsson (University of Gothenburg), and Tuomas Martikainen (Migration Institute of Finland), with also the collaboration of Marius Linge (University of Oslo).

For the programme of the workshop or information on the project, please contact Elvire Corboz (elvire.corboz@ed.ac.uk).

Bahrain: Exonerate, Free Nabeel Rajab

The Bahraini government should drop its charges against a prominent Bahraini human rights defender for peacefully expressing his views and order his immediate release, Human Rights Watch said today. The Manama Appeals Court is scheduled to issue its final ruling on June 5, 2018 on an appeal by the rights defender, Nabeel Rajab.

La preuve de Dieu. La mystique shi’ite à travers l’oeuvre de Kulaynî de Mohammad Ali Amir-Moezzi – Les Editions du cerf

Le titre du présent ouvrage est inspiré du Livre de la Preuve (Kitâb al-hujja), oeuvre d’une des autorités religieuses les plus importantes…

Bahrain Moves to Ban Opposition Ahead of 2018 Elections

30 May 2018 – The National Assembly, Bahrain’s parliament, has advanced new legislation that will virtually ban members of the political opposition from seeking election. Both houses of the National Assembly have approved the measure, and the king may confirm it at any time.

For ABHRB Newsletter 253, click here.

Mahathir’s reforms could put Saudi Arabia and the UAE on the spot

Newly elected Malaysian Prime Minister Mohammed Mahathir is adopting policies that could reshape the Southeast nation’s relations with powerful Gulf states. A series of anti-corruption measures as well as statements by Mr. Mahathir and his defense minister, Mohamad (Mat) Sabu, since this month’s upset in elections that ousted Prime Minister Najib Razak from office, are sparking concern in both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The story of Pakistan’s ‘disappeared’ Shias

CCTV images from a local mosque show 30-year-old Naeem Haider being led away in handcuffs by more than a dozen armed men. Some have their faces covered with masks, others are in police uniform. It was the night of 16 November 2016. Mr Haider has not been seen since.

1.International Conference: “Jihadi Audiovisualities”, Department of Anthropology and African Studies, University of Mainz, 4-5 October 2018

We want to bring together experts and colleagues from multiple disciplines to foster multifarious exchanges, which will allow us to assess Jihadi audio-visuals in all their complexity. We will explore the acoustic dimension of jihadi videos, focus on cinematic means and the creative power involved in Jihadi audio-visuals, and examine activist modes of engaging with these communicative offers.

Information: https://networks.h-net.org/node/73374/announcements/1836988/jihadi-audiovisualities-university-mainz-germany

2. Conference: “Turkey and Surrounding World, History and Present Perspectives”, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China, 12-15 October 2018

The papers sought for the conference will be expected to cover aspects of Turkey’s role in and impact on the West and Central Asian region, with links to the East and South Asian regions also. Concern is both with the historical background in Ottoman times, and with current policy and practice. Papers on other subjects related to Turkey may also be considered.

Deadline for abstracts: 25 July 2018. For information contact s.saeed@exeter.ac.uk

3. 4th Meeting of the Society of Iranian and Turanian Studies: “Genealogy, Transmissions and Prosopography”. Autonomous University of Barcelona, 19-20 November 2018

The organizing team of the fourth meeting has taken the decision to ask for papers on the theme of genealogy, transmissions and prosopography of Iran and the Eurasian steppes in the ancient and medieval periods. This theme is of great importance for political history, the history of traditions, technology and science, diplomatics, literature and mythology.

Deadline for abstracts: 31 May 2018. Information: http://grupsderecerca.uab.cat/fonteseurasiae/sites/grupsderecerca.uab.cat.fonteseurasiae/files/4th_meeting_seit.pdf

4. Research Assistant (PhD Position): “The Cold War`s Clash of Civilizations (in the Middle East)”, Arbeitsbereich Globalgeschichte, Freie Universität Berlin

Possible themes include Soviet-Kurdish relations; local actors’ response to the Islamic Revolution in Iran; or the foreign affairs of socialist states like South Yemen or Soviet-aligned states such as Libya or Syria, etc. Successful candidates will develop a PhD dissertation in the field of international history in the twentieth century as well as contribute to the activities of the research group more generally.

Deadline for application: 18 June 2018. Information: https://www.h-net.org/jobs/job_display.php?id=56767

5. Summer Intensive Course: “Women’s and Gender Studies”, Tehran, Iran, 25-28 August 2018

The study of gender and women in Islamic contexts, though has expanded rapidly in recent decades is complicated by the modern historicity of these concepts and the danger of projecting them onto contexts in which they did not exist as categories of thought. A further challenge is that there is no uniform referent for the concepts of gender and sexuality across Islamic contexts and within diverse Muslim societies.

Deadline for applications: 30 June 2018. Information: http://www.academia.edu/36680010/Summer_Course_on_Womens_and_Gender_Studies-_August_25-28_2018

6. Abstracts for Book “Understanding Ethnic and Religious Minorities in Turkey”

Editors: Anja Zalta (University of Ljubljana, Slovenia) and Tahir Abbas (LSE, UK). The book aims to provide: 1) An historical and contemporary analytical perspective on the nature of ethnicity in ad migration to Turkey in shaping the Turkish national project; 2) How these perspectives have been shaped by recent periods of neoliberalism, authoritarianism and globalisation; and 3) The experience of minorities in Turkey in the context of the wider Middle East region.

Deadline for applications: 31 July 2018. Please submit your abstracts to anja.zalta@ff.uni-lj.si and t.abbas@lse.ac.uk

7. The International Center for the Developing Peace, Culture and Rationality (https://icpcr.com/en ) in order to promote peaceful coexistence, will hold the first International Peace Studies Conference in 1st MARCH 2019 and intends to gather together scholars and researchers for having a better explanation of peace and reconciliation.

Peace is one of the categories that mankind has been considering since the beginning of creation, and has always been wishing to be in a calm condition and reconciliation; However, in the different ages, human being has suffered because of the lack of peace.

Today, with regard to the complexities of human life and the disruptions in political and social interactions, nations are increasingly aware of the importance of peace and coexistence. The importance of this item can be found in the works of scholars, philosophers and sociologists; as they have considered it in designing Utopia. Accordingly, it is possible to explain peace in different ways, due to cultural, religious, and social beliefs and ideas.

Important dates:

Abstract deadline: 22 Oct. 2018

Full paper deadline: 20 Jan. 2019

Conference day: 1st MARCH 2019

for more information, please refer to https://icpcr.com/en/adm/conference.html

8. Electronic Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Law

University of Zurich

http://www.ejimel.uzh.ch/en.html

9. Lecture – Caliphs, Popes and Gold: Money and Long-Distance Connections in the Early Middle Ages (York, 29 May 2018)

[This was received only on 29 May, 2018.]

“Caliphs, Popes and Gold: Money and Long-Distance Connections in the Early Middle Ages” (York Islamic Art Circle)

with Dr Rory Naismith (Kings College, London), on Tuesday 29th May 2018, from 6:30pm-8pm, at The Bowland Auditorium, Berrick Saul Building, University of York, YO10 5DD, UK.

Attendance is by free booking only https://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/events/public-lectures/summer-18/popes-gold/

Abstract: One of the most celebrated Anglo-Saxon coins is a gold piece naming Offa, king of the Mercians (757-96), which closely imitates a gold dinar of the Abbasid caliph al-Mansur. It encapsulates a fascinating series of cultural interconnections which bound Anglo-Saxon England to the rest of mainland Europe and, ultimately, to the Muslim world. This talk will use the Offa dinar as its starting point, and explore other instances of money forming a visible and versatile point of contact between England, its Northern European neighbours and the Islamic lands to the east and south. These coins stand for a whole range of economic and cultural interactions, illuminated by other sources including narratives and manuscripts.

About the Speaker: Dr Rory Naismith completed a PhD at the University of Cambridge in 2009, and has been a lecturer in medieval history at King’s College London since 2015. His interests are in the earlier Middle Ages, and especially in aspects of economic, social and cultural history.