Archive for 2023
- April 05, 2023
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – Academic Items
1. HYBRID Annual Graduate Conference: “Diaspora, Identity and Belonging”, Transnational and Global History Seminar, University of Oxford, 5-6 June 2023
We invite early career historians and scholars in adjacent disciplines whose work engages with diaspora(s) to apply. The conference will investigate diasporic histories and identities as a way to disrupt the fiction of geopolitical borders, unsettle the nation as a unit of analysis, and destabilise colonial logic that coerces (dis)placement.
Deadline for abstracts: 15 April 2023. Information:
https://networks.h-net.org/node/73374/announcements/12646808/cfp-diaspora-identity-and-belonging
2. HYBRID 2023 PhD Global History of Empires Conference: “Governing the Lives of Others: Global Histories of Empires, Theories and Practices”, University of Turin, 14-15 September 2023
We want to bring together doctoral students and early career scholars from different geographical areas, historical periods and methodologies. Diversity is a necessary step to ensure that our discussions show the complexity of theory and practices of empire without recurring to the usual worn-out tropes. A more varied base will also enable us to make better use of comparisons and highlight lesser-known case studies.
Deadline for abstracts: 28 May 2023. Information: https://networks.h-net.org/node/73374/announcements/12646040/cfp-governing-lives-others-global-histories-empires-theories
3. HYBRID Annual Research Workshop “Arabic Pasts: Histories and Historiographies”, Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations, Aga Khan University, London, 6-7 October 2023
The workshop offers the opportunity to reflect on methodologies, research agendas, and case studies for investigating history writing in Arabic in the Middle East, North Africa, and beyond in any period from the seventh century to the present. Contributions are invited from scholars at all career levels, addressing any period and any part of the Middle East and North Africa, broadly defined.
Deadline for abstracts: 21 April 2023. Information:
4. Sessions on “Disability in the Early Modern Mediterranean World” at the “Sixteenth Century Studies Conference”, Baltimore, MD, 26-29 October 2023
We seek papers on any aspect of disability and on any aspect of human variance in bodies, minds, and sensoria in the Mediterranean world. In particular, we welcome papers from a wide variety of disciplines and methodologies that understand and use disability studies theories to analyze history, culture, artwork, and literature.
Deadline for abstracts: 7 April 2023. Information: https://networks.h-net.org/node/73374/announcements/12633840/sixteenth-century-studies-conference-scsc-2023-baltimore
5. 8th Annual International Interdisciplinary Conference of the Gulf Studies Center: “Gulf Families: Continuity and Change”, Qatar University, 19-20 November 2023
Papers are expected to have an emic view of the families in each Gulf country, and such a perspective will facilitate an in-depth understanding of the continuity and change of Gulf families within a cultural context. Gulf families include both national and non-national families in the Gulf. Travel expenses and accommodation are arranged and paid for by the organizers.
Deadline for abstracts: 15 May 2023. Information: mizan@qu.edu.qa
6. International Conference “Arabic as a Heritage Language: Issues and Approaches”, Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, Qatar, 24-25 February 2024
The conference offers an opportunity to explore current issues and trends in heritage language education, to discuss effective pedagogical approaches and strategies, and to address the complex sociolinguistic and cultural dimensions of heritage language learning and teaching.
Deadline for abstracts: 15 May 2023. Information: https://www.dohainstitute.edu.qa/EN/Academics/LanguageCenter/Programs/arprog/Pages/default.aspx
7. Conference “Transottoman (Retro-)Perspectives: Eastern European-Middle Eastern Shared History and Its Global Implications”, University of Leipzig, 29 February – 1 March 2024
A conference will mark the conclusion of the Priority Program Transottomanica and discuss new avenues of future research. Papers are invited on comparisons with/on the conceptual rivalries of partially related/ overlapping (trans)epochal area studies concepts such as the Ottoman World, Eurasia, MENA, Silk Roads, Persianate, Islamicate, the Orthodox Commonwealth etc. seen from a meta, post-area studies, i.e. Trans-ottoman, perspective.
Deadline for abstracts: 15 April 2023. Information: http://www.transottomanica.de/activities/calls/transottoman-retro-perspectives
8. PhD Position in Modern Turkish Studies / Alevi Studies (3 Years, 50%), Institute for the Study of Religions, Leipzig University
We are looking for a doctoral student with a dissertation project on religion in Turkey, preferably with a historical/cultural studies approach and on a topic related to the field of Alevi Studies. Admission to the Leipzig Graduate School Global and Area Studies is possible.
Deadline for application: 15 April 2023. Information: https://www.gkr.uni-leipzig.de/fileadmin/Fakult%C3%A4t_GKR/Religionswissenschaftliches_Institut/Dokumente/Ph.D._position_Turkish_Alevi_Studies_EN.pdf
9. Two Postdoctoral Research Fellows (5 Years), Heidelberg Center for Transcultural Studies
The Research Training Group “Ambivalent Enmity: Dynamics of Antagonism in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East” is interested in postgraduates in the following disciplines: Israel Studies/Jewish Studies, Political Science, Psychology, Romance Studies/Linguistics, Global Art History, Middle Eastern Studies, Eastern European History, Global History and Medieval History. We strongly encourage international scholars to apply!
Deadline for applications: 15 April 2023. Information:
https://adb.zuv.uni-heidelberg.de/info/INFO_FDB$.startup?MODUL=LS&M1=1&M2=0&M3=0&PRO=33061
10. 12 Predoctoral Research Fellows (4 Years), Heidelberg Center for Transcultural Studies
The Research Training Group “Ambivalent Enmity: Dynamics of Antagonism in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East” is interested in doctoral candidates with a background in Israel Studies/Jewish Studies, Political Science, Psychology, Romance Studies/Linguistics, Modern South Asian Languages and Literatures, Global Art History, Middle Eastern Studies, Eastern European History, Global History and Medieval History. We strongly encourage international junior scholars to apply!
Deadline for applications: 15 April 2023. Information:
https://adb.zuv.uni-heidelberg.de/info/INFO_FDB$.startup?MODUL=LS&M1=1&M2=0&M3=0&PRO=33058
11. Marie Sklodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships in Middle Eastern Studies, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice
Ca’ Foscari is the first institution in Italy and amongst the top five in Europe for MSCA Individual Fellowships awarded since 2014. The aim of the Fellowships is to support the career development and training of researchers through international and intersectoral mobility, in collaboration with a Supervisor.
Deadline for application: 14 September 2023. Information: https://www.unive.it/pag/28536/
and contact Professor Matteo Legrenzi matteo.legrenzi@gmail.com
12. Advanced Training Course on the Study of Oriental Manuscripts “Qur’anic Manuscripts, Past and Present: Cataloging and Digital Tools”, Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin and Al-Furqan Islamic Heritage Foundation (London), Berlin, 18-23 September 2023
The focus of this course will be on hands-on sessions, in which the participants will have the opportunity to observe discussed features of Qur’anic manuscripts kept at Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, one of the largest collections of Oriental manuscripts in the world. Each participant will be given the opportunity to discuss his or her ongoing research at the workshop.
Extended deadline for applications: 3 May 2023. Information: https://mailchi.mp/9927c0bb1d87/call-for-applications-quranic-manuscripts-past-and-present-cataloging-and-digital-tools?e=548be05d32
13. Chapters for Edited Volume “Oxford Handbook on Islamic Reform”
This is a comprehensive and interdisciplinary volume that aims to explore the diverse dimensions of Islamic reform movements and the ways in which they have shaped the contemporary Muslim world. We welcome proposals from scholars across disciplines, including but not limited to Islamic studies, history, anthropology, political science, and law.
For information contact the editors hamdehe@erau.edu and delongba@bc.edu
14. Articles for the “Journal of the Turkish Institute of Archaeology and Cultural Heritage”
Submissions related to Anatolia and its neighboring regions, including the Mediterranean, Aegean, Black Sea, and Balkans, as well as Southwest and Central Asia are welcome. The Journal publishes original scholarly research articles and book reviews from the disciplines of history, archaeology, history of art, anthro-pology, epigraphy, history of architecture, archaeometry, geographical information systems, etc.
Deadline for articles: 1 June 2023. Information: https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/tare
15. Arabic at Jordan Language Academy
Arabic summer courses and programs at Jordan Language Academy (JLA). We have exciting full immersion programs planned to help students learn valuable Arabic language skills, immerse in the culture, make new friends and create memories that will last a lifetime. Please click here for more info about our courses and programs or visit our website at www.Jordanla.com.
Kindly note that our alumni are eligible for a 10% discount on our rates for the summer of 2023.
For more information about our summer programs, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@jordanla.com
16. Mediterranea. International Journal on the Transfer of Knowledge, https://www.uco.es/ucopress/ojs/index.php/mediterranea/index.
An annual (it appears in March of each year), the journal has peer-reviewed research articles, review essays, and reviews of individual books. It’s actually in its 8th year now. See the “About the Journal” page for details: https://www.uco.es/ucopress/ojs/index.php/mediterranea/about.
The deadline for submissions for the 2024 volume is October 2023.
17. “How Islamic Architecture Shaped Europe”
Diana Darke
Wed, 3 May 2023 17:30 – 19:30 BST
Al-Furqan Islamic Heritage Foundation,
London
Full information at:
18. UCLA’s Pourdavoud Center Lecture Series with Anne Hunnell Chen
Dislodging Disciplinary Silos at Dura-Europos
Wednesday, February 15, 2023 at 4:00pm Pacific
Now available at:
https://pourdavoud.ucla.edu/video/dislodging-disciplinary-silos-at-dura-europos/
19. Online Workshop – “Playing in the Islamic World: Games and Toys in Archaeological Contexts”, Hajar – April 28
For registration (and zoom link), please write us to hajararchaeology@gmail.com until April 26th.
20. Museum of Fine Arts, Houston – Curatorial Assistant, Art of the Islamic Worlds
https://www.h-net.org/jobs/job_display.php?id=65278
Closing date: June 26, 2023
- April 04, 2023
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
- April 04, 2023
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – ‘A battle for the soul of Islam plays out in a Bahrain courtroom’ – J Dorsey
For the text, see:
https://www.jamesmdorsey.net/post/a-battle-for-the-soul-of-islam-plays-out-in-a-bahrain-courtroom
- April 03, 2023
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – Academic Items
1.The Quest for Modern Language
Between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea
April 13–14, 2023
Neubauer Collegium
5701 S. Woodlawn Ave.
Chicago, Ill.
About the Research Project
The Quest for Modern Language Between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, 1820–1948 is a collaborative, multidisciplinary initiative to examine the role of language ideologies in cultural and political discourses of modernity and modernization in and around the Middle East in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The project brings together historians, literary scholars, linguists, anthropologists, and sociologists to study the articulation, circulation, and mobilization of ideas about language death and revival, language reform, and language modernization in the contexts of empire, emerging nationalisms, and a modernized or quickly modernizing world. The research team is also exploring the role of developments in linguistics, philology, and adjacent disciplines in informing and shaping such ideas. Some of the questions that animate the project are: What does it mean for a language to be or become a modern language? Can, and should, a dead language be revived? How do notions of native tongue, language family, vernacular dialect, or register interact with concepts such as empire, nation, and motherland? How does the relation between language and the body figure in projects of (re)generation of modern polities and individuals? By studying authors who spoke and wrote in a variety of languages of the Eastern Mediterranean, and their interaction with the political and cultural bodies and movements that played important roles in shaping the modern Middle East, this project aims to reconstruct, and draw new insights about, the rich nexus of language, identity, and modernity.
Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society
5701 S. Woodlawn Ave.
Chicago, IL 60637
773-795-2329
neubauercollegium.uchicago.edu
2. La 7ème séance du séminaire “Sociétés, politiques et cultures du monde iranien” aura lieu le jeudi 13 avril 2023
17h à 19h, salle 3.15 à l’ INALCO 65, rue des Grands-Moulins 75013 Paris
Pour cette séance, nous recevons Jaroslava Obrtelovà (Uppsala University) pour une conférence intitulée :
« Linguistic means for expressing epistemological stance and perspective shifts in the Wakhi language »
Résumé :
Wakhi is one of the minority East-Iranian languages spoken in the remote areas of the high Pamir mountains. Analysis of the narrations collected among the Wakhi speakers in their natural environment revealed that expressing the speakers’ attitude towards knowledge and their stance in relation to what they tell is, if not more important, at least as important as expressing the temporal and aspectual properties of the narrated events.
For example, when telling a story, Wakhi narrators always choose between telling it either from the perspective of an eye-witness or from a non-witnessed perspective. The witnessed narrations are told exclusively in the past tense, while the non-witnessed narrations, be it a re-telling of past real events, fictional stories or even future events, are told in the non-tense/non-past. Thus, the choice of the verb form informs the listener/reader of the individual (subjective) speaker’s epistemological stance rather than the (objective) situation of the event on the time-line.
In addition to this ‘witnessed versus non-witnessed’ distinction, Wakhi speakers can further nuance their stance by either reinforcing or distancing themselves from the credibility claim. Different Wakhi speakers can narrate the same event or parts of it differently, depending on the speaker’s stance, which is reflected in the use of different linguistic means.
Orientation bibliographique
Mock, John Howard. 1998. The Discursive Construction of Reality in the Wakhi Community of Northern Pakistan . Berkeley: University of California PhD Thesis.
Obrtelová, Jaroslava. 2017. Narrative Structure of Wakhi Oral Stories (Studia Iranica Upsaliensia 32). Uppsala: Uppsala University, Department of Linguistics and Philology.
Obrtelová, Jaroslava. 2019. From Oral to Written: A Text-linguistic Study of Wakhi Narratives . Uppsala University, Department of Linguistics and Philology PhD Thesis.
Retrouvez les détails de cette séance et le programme complet du séminaire sur le site web du CeRMI : https://cermi.cnrs.fr/seminaires-de-recherche/societes-politiques-et-cultures-du-monde-iranien-2022-2023/
3. Online Lecture – “Impermanent Monuments, Lasting Legacies: The Dar al-Khilafa of Samarra and Palace Building in Early Abbasid Iraq”, Dr. Matt Saba – April 4
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro presents:
Tues., April 4, 5:30-6:30 Zoom,
A lecture by Dr. Matt Saba, MIT.
Register here: https://go.uncg.edu/mattsaba
In this talk, Dr. Saba offers a new interpretation of early Abbasid palaces as “impermanent monuments.” Synthesizing an array of sources, ranging from archaeological finds and classical Arabic literature to modern studies on the social and intellectual history of Islamic civilization, this talk reveals ways in which the Abbasid court designed, decorated, presented, and documented its palaces to leave lasting legacies of imperial power with what were considered at the time to be impermanent structures. In doing so, it sheds light on an architectural concept endemic to early Islamic Iraq that challenges popular notions of the monument as permanent and unchanging. The main palace of Samarra, known as the Dār al-Khilāfa, serves as the primary case study for this phenomenon.
Dr. Saba is Visual Resources Librarian for Islamic Architecture at the Aga Khan Documentation Center, MIT Libraries.
Co-sponsored by HNAC, Lloyd International Honors College, and Religious Studies.
4. Call for Papers – Postgraduate Symposium – Muslims in the Uk & Europe 2023
CfP for the postgraduate symposium, taking place on Thursday 22nd to Friday 23rd June 2023 at the Moller Centre in Cambridge. This will be a platform for current Masters and PhD candidates to present and exchange current research on any topic pertaining to Muslims in the UK and Europe (from any discipline) in a dynamic forum. While historical or theoretical context is valuable, we invite papers also to present, analyse or interpret research findings, data or material. Participants are expected to attend the keynote speech and all sessions.
To apply please submit a 500-word abstract, with curriculum vitae outlining current research interests, to cis@cis.cam.ac.uk by 31 March 2023.
Successful candidates will be notified by 7 April 2023 and invited to submit draft papers of no more than 3000 words by 11 June 2023.
5. Book launch – Silent Teachers: Turkish Books and Oriental Learning in Early Modern Europe – 26 April 2023 – Warburg Institute
THE WARBURG INSTITUTE
School of Advanced Study | University of London
Book launch and roundtable: Silent Teachers: Turkish Books and Oriental Learning in Early Modern Europe, 1544–1669
With Nil Ö. Palabıyık (Queen Mary University of London), Philip Alexander (University of Manchester), Simon Mills (Newcastle University), Warren Boutcher (Queen Mary University of London)
Wednesday 26 April 2023, 5.00-7.00pm
Warburg Lecture Room, Woburn Square, London WC1H 0AB
Followed by a drinks reception.
Attendance free in person or online via Zoom with advance booking here: https://warburg.sas.ac.uk/events/turkish-books-and-oriental-learning
6. “Counter Narratives”: A Podcast About Multicultural Heritage Collections
The Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship for Diversity, Inclusion, and Cultural Heritage at the Rare Book School is launching “Counter Narratives in Practice,” a podcast series about multicultural heritage collections, storytelling, and representation in Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums, and beyond. This podcast is part of a larger project to highlight the work of the Andrew W. Mellon Fellows.
Fellows, led by Allie Alvis, worked together from across the U.S. to tell stories about the archival materials in their collections and how they prompt thinking about counter narratives in their professional practice. Here are brief summaries of these episodes.
The Pacific Time Zone Group produced the podcast episodes “Archiving Political Histories that Shape Education” and “Disconnection and Accessibility in the Archive.” Guests highlight the roles of Indigenous advocacy, settler colonialism, disability, and accessibility in archival collections.
The Central Time Zone Group produced the podcast episodes “We Were Never Silent: Immigrant Narratives & Caribbean Print Culture as Counter Narrative” and “We Were Never Silent: Bilingual Text in the Ottoman Empire & Pidgin English in Chinese Text as Counter Narratives.” Discussants explore immigration, oral history, and music as they relate to formal and informal institutions of memory.
The Eastern Time Zone Group produced the podcast episodes “Hidden Histories: African American, Asian American, and Afro-Asian Relationality” and “Hidden Histories: Immigrant Farm Workers and Black Intellectual Histories.” Guests discuss Florida Farmworkers, Covid-19, and the importance of documenting marginalized stories.
7. Leiden Summer school on Philology and Manuscripts from the Muslim World 2023
The al-Babtain Leiden University Centre for Arabic Studies is organising the fifth Summerschool on Manuscripts from the Muslim World, to be held 21 August- 1 September 2023. The course can host 12 to 14 graduate (MA and PhD) students. It consists of lectures by experts on a range of topics related to codicology and much hands-on experience with manuscripts from Leidens famous collection. See the preliminary programme and information about application and scholarships here or send an e-mail to Fons Hooft, a.p.c.hooft@hum.leidenuniv.nl. The deadline for application is June 16, 2023.
8. Fellowship – MESA Global Academy – Deadline: May 1
The Global Academy Call for Applications for the 2023-2024 academic year
is now open!
The MESA Global Academy offers competitive fellowships to Middle East Studies scholars from the MENA region who are currently displaced in North America.
The Global Academy awards $5,000 scholarships and facilitates programming for its fellows, including speaking engagements at partner universities across the United States, publication opportunities, mentoring, and professional development workshops.
Eligibility criteria for the fellowships include: 1) holding a PhD or equivalent in a field in the social sciences or humanities (graduate students will not be considered); 2) the primary institutional affiliation was in the MENA region prior to displacement; and 3) a publication record indicating scholarly productivity (in English, French, a native MENA language, or principal research language of the field).
The deadline for applications is May 1, 2023.
For more information and to apply, click here.
The Global Academy now has its own Twitter feed and Facebook page. Follow us here and here.
9. Hybrid Lecture – “KHATAI PAPER IN IRAN,” Yusen Yu (NYU, Silsila) – April 5
Yusen Yu, University of St. Andrews
Wednesday, April 5th, 6:30pm EDT
Silsila Spring 2023 Program
Online and in person at New York University, Room 222, 20 Cooper Square, New York, 10003
In the study of Persian art, the meaning of “Khatai (Chinese) paper” remains elusive. This talk draws on a wide array of source materials and explores the following aspects: the circulation of the paper in medieval networks of exchange, its materiality in the aesthetic experience of books, and its historiography in modern Iranian codicological scholarship.
This event will be held in person at NYU in room 222, 20 Cooper Square, NY 10003. In accordance with university regulations, visitors must show a valid government-issued photo ID (children under 18 can provide non-government identification).
Please use the following link to rsvp as an in-person attendee:
https://forms.gle/6GTiXk4fSmxqwTNTA
This event will also take place as a live Webinar at 6:30pm EDT (New York time). To register as a remote attendee, please use the following link:
https://nyu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_AXz5yIEgSCWYR3tEDz1qfg
Only registered attendees will be able to join this event.
10. Webinar – British Institute of Persian Studies (BIPS)
‘The Hunt as Erotic and Military Training in Early New Persian Poetry’
with Domenico Ingenito
19 April, 2023, 5pm UK time
For full information and to register:https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/1516801688417/WN_V51jqckFT3iRSEwJyq0p9Q#/registration
- April 01, 2023
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
- March 31, 2023
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
- March 30, 2023
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – ‘A Shi`i Lebanese reading of Sunni Hadith’ – E Machlis
‘A Shi`i Lebanese reading of Sunni Hadith: progress, inclusivity, and an empowered contestation of narratives’
British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 2023
Access here
- March 29, 2023
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – Academic Items
1. ONLINE “EHESS Spring Talks”: International Scholars and Students will Engage Directly with 30 EHESS Professors, Paris, 27 March – 21 April 2023, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm, Paris Time
The 15 talks will offer space for EHESS researchers to engage in one-hour live discussions with a moderator on the topic of their research seminar, in English or in French. The speakers will also be able to present their books or the scientific journals they supervise. The format of the talks envisages some discussion time to which the audience online will be warmly invited to participate.
Information, program, and registration: https://www.ehess.fr/fr/ehess-spring-talks#eng
2. HYBRID Roundtable “Intimate and Family Histories”, Ottoman and Turkish Studies Initiative, New York University, 31 March 2023, 12:30 pm EST
Historians working on family/intimate histories in the Balkans, West Africa, and the Middle East, will discuss their methodology and goals in adopting this approach to research and writing, and how it can help bright to light histories that have, so far, been written out of conventional historical narratives.
Information and registration: https://networks.h-net.org/node/11419/discussions/12526483/roundtable-intimate-family-histories-march-31-1230-est-person
3. ONLINE Seminar “Exportability and Context: Reading Arabic Literature in the West” by Hosam Aboul-Ela (University of Houston) in Conversation with Mona Kareem, Crown Center for International Studies, Brandeis University, 19 April 2023, 11:00 am – 12:15 pm EDT
The “exportability” of Arabic literature will be discussed by looking at the work of Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim in its Arabic, French, and English versions. Aboul-Ela argues the term “exportability” speaks to the challenges of understanding the novels of Ibrahim in their original context and reimagining them in the different contexts into which they are translated.
Information and registration: https://www.brandeis.edu/crown/events/2023/apr-19.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Exportability%20and%20Context%3A%20Reading%20Arabic%20Literature%20in%20the%20West&utm_campaign=test%20new%20template
4. Mediterranean Seminar Spring 2023 Workshop: “Diasporic Legacies of the Mediterranean”, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, 27-28 April 2023
This seminar aims to bring together scholars interested in diasporas in the Mediterranean context and their impact on and representation in history, historiography, political writing, literature, and the arts. We will ex-plore how diaspora and diasporic communities and their cultural production can be read from the perspective of Mediterranean Studies.
Information, program, and registration: https://mailchi.mp/mediterraneanseminar/diasporic-legacies-mediterranean-seminar-2023-spring-workshop-27-28-april-minnesota?e=82aeb6c61d
5. Conference: “Collaborations and Contestations: Interfaith Architectural Encounters in Egyptian Society”, American University in Cairo (AUC), 25 July 2023
We seek papers particularly with regard to architecture from all periods (up to the present) regarding Christian, Jewish and Muslim (including Sunni and Shi’a) interactions. Topics might include: mutual influence of Coptic and Islamic architecture; heritage preservation (especially perceived biases); shared sacred spaces; shared practices of worship; contestation of sites; use of spolia, architectural rivalry of churches and mos-ques.
Deadline for abstracts: 15 May 2023.
Information: https://muslimstudies.isp.msu.edu/about/trt-conference-auc/
6. Symposium “Toward a Social History of Ottoman Languages”, University of Chicago, 10-11 May 2024
Papers are invited which demonstrate socio-linguistic realities and transformations between the 15th century and the beginning of the 19th century. We seek contributions that explore the languages spoken in and around the Ottoman domains, exploring the relationship of Ottoman languages with their particular social and cultural environment and the social connections or tensions between spoken languages, jargons, and accents.
Deadline for abstracts: 15 May 2023. Information:
7. Assistant/Associated Professor in Islamic History or Islamic Studies, Al Akhawayn University, Ifrane, Morocco
The successful candidates will be able to teach a broad range of undergraduate and graduate-level courses covering Islamic histories, cultures, societies and Islamic humanism. A Ph.D. in History, Islamic Studies or a closely related field is required.
Review of applications started on 25 March 2023. Information: https://www.higheredjobs.com/details.cfm?JobCode=178325485&utm_source=03_20_23&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=JobAgentEmail
8. Visiting Assistant Professor in the Arabic Language (1 Year), Middle East and South Asia Studies (MESAS) Program, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC
We seek a candidate with native or near-native fluency in Arabic and English, and experience in teaching Arabic language courses of all levels as well as for specific purposes at the university level. The candidate will be expected to teach six courses per year or the equivalent.
Deadline for applications: 20 April 2023. Information:
9. Articles on “Sufism in the Modern World” for a Special Issue of the Journal “Religions” (Editor: Saeed Zarrabi-Zadeh)
This issue analyzes various aspects of the presence of Sufism in the modern world. Scholars from different fields are invited to approach the topic from their own specialism or from an interdisciplinary perspective. The journal is indexed in the ATLA Religion Database and Web of Science. All articles are published online soon after their acceptance.
Deadline for manuscript: 30 June 2023. Information: www.mdpi.com/si/97594
10. New Book Series on “Political Communication and Media Practices in the Middle East and North Africa”, Edited by Dina Matar and Zahera Harb (Bloomsbury Academic)
This is the first scholarly series that engages with a de-colonial, non-Euro centric approach to addressing the relationship between politics, communication and culture in the Middle East and North Africa from the per-spective of key actors and states in the region, and its peoples.
11. CfP: “Law and Society in Saudi Arabia”, Berlin, June 19-21, 2024, Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient
Legislation, jurisprudence, and legal mobilization have undergone epochal alterations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Historically, Saudi law has been identified predominantly with uncodified Islamic law, although legal realities on the ground have been much more complex but often little understood. With the publication of court judgments and the introduction of specialized courts, King ‘Abdallah initiated a process of legal transformation which has gained momentum since King Salman ascended the throne in 2015. One of the most recent developments is the codification of Islamic law, which many regard as a pivotal moment in the evolution of law in Saudi Arabia. How does this intersect with, impact on, and influence earlier understandings of law and legality? In this conference, we would like to take stock and reflect on the radical changes that law and society have undergone in recent years and in historic perspective.
The two-day conference addresses the role of the law in Saudi society both in the past and the present. We adopt a broad understanding of law, one encompassing both Islamic normativity as well as state-issued codes. This includes the law as it is conceptualized and applied by state institutions and legal professionals (religious scholars, lawyers, judges). It also encompasses the various ways in which people interact with the law and legal institutions in their everyday lives and how they express themselves through legal language. We believe that a better understanding of these practices can provide us with important insights into past and ongoing processes of social and political transformation in the kingdom.
With this “law and society” approach, we seek to bridge the gap between the study of social, political, and historical phenomena on the one hand, and research on the Saudi legal system on the other hand. In other words, we seek to discuss law in its social context from various perspectives: How is law socially and historically constructed in Saudi Arabia? How does law impact Saudi culture and politics? How are inequalities reinforced through differential access to and familiarity with legal procedures and institutions?
The conference aims to bring together different disciplinary perspectives. We especially welcome contributions from the fields of law, sociology/anthropology, political science, history, Islamic/Middle Eastern studies, and gender studies.
We are particularly, but not exclusively, interested in the following topics:
- Law in history: law and state-building; constitutional movement; historical case studies,
- Law and equality: courts, litigation, and access to justice; legal mobilization; human rights,
- Law and Islam: morality, public decency, and Islamic law; waqf; finance and banking; fatwas and legal language,
- Law and gender: divorce and custody; women’s rights and mobilization; domestic violence, sexual harassment,
- Law and governance: constitution/the Basic Law of Governance; citizenship/nationality; laws affecting associations and civil society; law-making and state institutions,
- Law in action: legal language and its use in society; navigating the law: lawyers and legal procedures, digital technology and the law; the experience of courts; the effects of globalization on the law.
Paper Submission: Please send the title and an abstract of your proposed paper (up to 300 words) as well as a short CV as a PDF document by 15 May 2023 to Conference.Law.Society.KSA@gmail.com. For questions and queries, please contact nora.derbal@mail.huji.ac.il. Authors of selected abstracts will be notified by 15 June 2023.
Organization: The conference Law and Society in Saudi Arabia is being organized by Nora Derbal (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem), Ulrike Freitag (Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient Berlin), and Dominik Krell (Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law/University of Oxford). The conference will take place in Berlin at Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient on 19-21 June 2024. The conference language is English.
Publication Plans: The conference papers will be published as an edited volume. We expect participants to submit a 7,500-word contribution in advance of the conference (preliminary deadline: 1 May 2024). The contributions should be based on original research and must be unpublished work.
Funding: We are seeking funding to cover some of the costs of the conference. Participants are, however, invited to use their own travel funds wherever possible.
12. Posts:
Saint Olaf College – Visiting Assistant Professor
https://www.h-net.org/jobs/job_display.php?id=65246
University of Virginia – Howell Postdoctoral Research Associate in Arabian Peninsula and Gulf Studies
https://www.h-net.org/jobs/job_display.php?id=65257
13. Hybrid Lecture – “MARHABA TO THE FUTURE,” Mounir Ayache (NYU, Silsila) – March 29
“MARHABA TO THE FUTURE”
Mounir Ayache, Independent Artist
Wednesday, March 29th, 6:30pm EDT
Silsila Spring 2023 Program
Online and in person at New York University, Room 222, 20 Cooper Square, New York, 10003
By envisioning alternate futures, Ayache proposes an image of the Arab world radically different from those circulated in the West. His sci-fi approach weaves together family histories, fictionalised re-appropriations of experiences and Arab identities. These traits situate Ayache within the unofficial movement of Arabfuturism, which derives its name from the Afrofuturism movement in the 90s. Both Afro and Arabfuturism are characterised by a turn to fiction that allows us to imagine vastly different realities.
Ayache will discuss the progress of his research at the Villa Medici in Rome where he is currently in residence: he is developing a fictional project in which Hassan al Wazzan (known as Leo the African) travels into the future in 2500.
This event will take place as a live webinar at 6:30pm EDT (New York time). To register as an online attendee, please use the following link:
https://nyu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6-XRukm9QW6MbtdII4qYlQ
This event will also be held in person at NYU in room 222, 20 Cooper Square, NY 10003. In accordance with university regulations, visitors must show a valid government-issued photo ID (children under 18 can provide non-government identification).
Please use the following link to rsvp as an in-person attendee:
https://forms.gle/9iEUgoNqY66Ht7VJ8
Only registered attendees will be able to access this event online or attend in person.
14. University of Cambridge, p/t post.
A new part-time job opportunity has arisen for a Research Assistant to work with our Research Associate, Dr Vivek Gupta. The post (based in the Fitzwilliam Museum) is to prepare full catalogue descriptions of one of the most significant manuscripts in the Fitzwilliam Museum collection, the Plowden album.
Made in Lucknow in 1787-88 for an Englishwoman, Sophia Elizabeth Plowden, the album contains 77 songs in Persian, Urdu and Classical Hindi, and high quality illustrations of performers, dancers, singers, courtesans, and other entertainers within the courtly or nawabi society of late eighteenth-century Lucknow. The assignment holder will describe its contents, assemble bibliographies, research objects, and liaise with external scholars.
For more details and to apply click here. Note that the closing date is 2nd April.
Regards
Neil Cunningham
Programmes Manager
Centre of Islamic Studies
University of Cambridge
- March 28, 2023
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – Imam Ali Seminar (London, 9.4.23)
SEMINAR
TO COMMEMORATE THE MARTYRDOM OF
IMAM ALI (a.s.)
SUNDAY 9th APRIL 2023 – 2:00 PM
RUDOLF STEINER HOUSE
35 PARK ROAD, LONDON NW1 6XT
Opposite Mumtaz Restaurant
Tube station: Baker Street
Chair: Aliya Jafri Azam, MBE
Mrs Azam’s current and past positions have been Secondary Head of Science in Al Sadiq School and Al Zahra School for thirty years. Her responsibilities also include representing the Al Khoei Foundation at the Religious Education Council of England and Wales (REC) as well as organising inter-faith projects and community cohesion. Mrs Azam has been a Board Member and Trustee of the Religious Education Council of England and Wales from 2012 to 2021; Trustee of Al Ayn Social Care Foundation UK since 2006; Muslim representative of the ‘Faith and Football’ programme organised by the Football Association; and Trustee of the Christian Muslim Forum (CMF) from March 2020. She was honoured with an MBE for community cohesion with the Al Khoei Foundation in 2015. Mrs Azam is a graduate from UCL, BSc (Hons) in Psychology, postgraduate from SOAS, MA in Islamic Societies and Cultures, PGCE in science from the Institute of Education. Graduate in traditional Islamic Seminary Studies, BA in Islamic Studies and currently studying Advanced Hawza Islamic Seminary Studies.
Dr Reza Shah-Kazemi
Slain by Love: Imam Ali and the Embracing of Death
Dr Reza Shah-Kazemi is a writer and lecturer in the fields of Comparative Religion and Islamic Studies; and the Managing Editor of Encyclopaedia Islamica. Among his works are Justice and Remembrance: Introducing the Spirituality of Imam Ali (London, 2006) and Common Ground between Islam and Buddhism (with a Foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama; Louisville, 2010). He studied International Relations and Politics at Sussex and Exeter Universities before obtaining his PhD in Comparative Religion from the University of Kent in 1994.
Gulamabbas Lakha
Imam Ali (A.S.): Managing Addictions
Shaykh Gulamabbas Lakha takes a multi-disciplinary approach to research and teaching at Oxford. His doctorate in Psychiatry investigates mental health applications of key Islamic concepts and practices, including empirical work on depression in the UK Muslim population. He is a tutor in Psychology of Religion and also leads seminars on Neuroscience of Religious Experience, including supervising medical students with special interests in this field. In addition, he lectures on Christian-Muslim relations and co-founded the Oxford Interfaith Forum, bringing together over 1,500 scholars, policy-makers and faith community leaders globally. His original training was in financial economics and founded an investment firm in 2004. He subsequently completed four master’s degrees, spanning Psychology and Neuroscience, Theology, Islamic Studies, History and Arabic. Following training over a number of years, he was accredited as a Shaykh and has been lecturing on contemporary Islam across the UK and on Muslim TV channels.
AN OPEN INVITATION
ORGANISER & SPONSOR: THE AHMED FAMILY
- March 27, 2023
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment