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Archive for October, 2024

Shii News – ‘The Ottoman Ibadis of Cairo, A History’ – P M Love, Jr

Posted in: Field-specific (academic), Egypt

October 07, 2024
by Andrew Newman
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Shii News – Academic Items

1.Annemarie Schimmel-Foundation for Islamic Studies Research Award

(PhD thesis award)

The Annemarie Schimmel-Foundation for Islamic Studies (Bonn) calls for recommendations for the 2025 grant of its PhD thesis award. Eligible for the award are outstanding PhD dissertations in the field of Islamic Studies. The awardee will be honored at a ceremony at the Deutscher Orientalistentag 2025 in Erlangen (8–12 Sept 2025) and will receive a 5000 Euro prize. The board of the Annemarie Schimmel-Foundation, in cooperation with the DMG section for Islamic Studies, will evaluate all eligible proposals after the call’s closure. Please note that the award may be shared.

Only contributions in English or German that have been published since 2022 will be considered. PhD dissertations that have been submitted and defended but not yet published may also be considered if accompanied by the supervisor’s report and an additional expert opinion.

Recommendations may be submitted by all university professors and by PhD-holding members of the DMG. Recommendations of non-German studies are explicitly welcomed. A submission should include an electronic version of the research work (either in its published form or, if not published, in the form submitted) and a short explanatory statement (1–2 pages).

Self-nominations by candidates are also accepted. If you plan to submit your own research

contribution, please do so in electronic form, including an abstract and a CV.

Please submit your recommendations by 31st March 2025 to the Board of the Annemarie Schimmel-Foundation at: Prof. Dr Regula Forster, regula.forster@uni-tuebingen.de

2. Annemarie Schimmel-Foundation for Islamic Studies Research Award

(advanced scholars)

The Annemarie Schimmel-Foundation for Islamic Studies (Bonn) calls for recommendations for the 2025 grant of its advanced scholars award. Eligible for the award are outstanding monographs in the field of Islamic Studies. The awardee will be honored at a ceremony at the Deutscher Orientalistentag 2025 in Erlangen (8–12 Sept 2025) and will receive a 5000 Euro prize. Please note that the award may be shared. The board of the Annemarie Schimmel-Foundation, in cooperation with the DMG section for Islamic Studies, will evaluate all eligible proposals after the call’s closure.

Only monographs written in English or German that have been published since 2022 will be considered. They must not be PhD dissertations or books developed from a PhD dissertation.

Recommendations may be submitted by all university professors and by PhD-holding members of the DMG.

Recommendations of non-German studies are explicitly welcomed. A submission should include an electronic version of the monograph and a short explanatory statement (1-2 A4 pages).

Self-nominations by candidates are also accepted. If you plan to submit your own research contribution, please do so in electronic form, including an abstract and a CV.

Please submit your recommendations by 31st March 2025 to the Board of the Annemarie Schimmel-Foundation at: Prof. Dr Regula Forster, regula.forster@uni-tuebingen.de

3. Yale University seeks to appoint a Postdoctoral Associate for a two-year position beginning in the academic year 2025-2026 within Archaia: the Yale Program for the Study of Global Antiquity.

Archaia is a collaborative forum that brings together scholars and graduate students working on early and pre-modern cultures and civilizations at Yale in the Humanities and Social Sciences in addition to the Divinity and Law Schools and various University collections and libraries, including the Yale University Art Gallery, the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, the Peabody Museum of Natural History, and the Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage. Participating departments and disciplines include Classics, East Asian Languages and Literatures, Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, History, Religious Studies, Archaeology and Anthropology, History of Art, and the Divinity School. In addition to hosting conferences and colloquia, the year-long Ancient Societies Workshop (ASW), and study tours, Archaia offers a graduate qualification for students interested in research beyond departmental lines. For additional information, see https://archaia.yale.edu/certification. Information about past post-doctoral fellows can be found here.

Past Archaia seminars and ASW topics have included ancient music, comparative linguistics in pre-modern languages, ancient comparative law, ancient ritual, antiquity through the digital humanities, and the archaeology of Dura Europos. Anticipated upcoming topics include environmental determinism, constructions of the human body and race and how these ideas travel cross culturally, and the archaeology of Gerasa; we are also open to other innovative and cross-disciplinary proposals for future workshops and core seminars. We especially welcome applicants working in areas beyond the ancient Mediterranean world.

The postdoctoral associate is expected to take an active role in Archaia programming while pursuing research in their own area of expertise. Additionally, the associate’s duties include: (1) participating in the Archaia Steering Committee, coordinating the graduate certification program, and participating in the graduate forum as a mentor; (2) offering, in the first year, a graduate seminar and/or a study tour (the seminar may be connected with the tour); (3) in the second year of the appointment, co-teaching the Archaia core seminar with a Yale faculty member and/or co-organizing the Archaia Study Tour. The postdoctoral associate will receive guidance from and report to the Archaia co-chairs and will also be provided with at least one mentor from a field/department close to their area of training and expertise.

Salary is commensurate with education and experience along with Yale’s benefits package that includes health insurance.

Requirements

A Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Classics, East Asian Studies, South Asian Studies, History, Religious Studies, Archaeology, Anthropology, History of Art, or a related field.
The intellectual training and trajectory of the postdoctoral associate must show a commitment to cross-disciplinary or cross-cultural research in more than one of the areas, languages, and/or disciplines represented by Archaia.
The successful applicant will be able to demonstrate a desire and ability to build collaborative relationships across departments and collections.
We especially encourage applications from scholars underrepresented in the study of antiquity.

Applicants and referees should upload documentation via Interfolio: https://apply.interfolio.com/155704 .

Applicants must supply:

(1) a cover letter,

(2) a curriculum vitae,

(3) a research statement (1000 words max.) detailing the work that the associate wishes to pursue at Yale,

(4) three brief descriptions (not syllabi) of up to 500 words each, for

a co-taught global antiquity seminar to be offered as an Archaia core course;
a graduate seminar related to your own research specialization, and with some concern for global antiquity;
a travel study opportunity (5-10 days)

(5) a teaching portfolio (including teaching evaluations or other evidence of teaching effectiveness and syllabi for courses taught or planned),

(6) three letters of recommendation addressed to the Chair of the Search Committee, Prof. Molly Zahn.

Review of applications will begin Dec. 1, 2024.

4. Qeshm: The History of a Persian Gulf Island

W Floor and D T Potts

Mage, 2024

https://magepublishers.com/qeshm/

5. The Department of Middle Eastern Language of the University of Chicago is honored to have Prof. Nasrin Rahimeh as speaker in the Franklin Lewis Lecture Series of 2024-2025. The lecture will be in person and on zoom on Thursday, October 24 at 5:30 PM US Central Time at SHFE 146.

Please see below the information about this talk and our speaker, and attached the poster of the lecture.

Title: Iranian Women Writers and the Question of Reader Responsibility

Abstract: In this presentation, I examine the question of readers’ responsibility vis-à-vis fiction by contemporary Iranian women writers. Against a backdrop of Iranian women’s writing being treated as a barometer of women’s agency and/or subjugation, I propose ways of reading that complicate the assumption that women’s writing merely mirrors Iranian society today. Drawing on works by Belqeys Soleimani and Fereshteh Sari, I focus on the ways their fiction complicates questions of subjectivity, challenging us to read beyond the binarism of resistance or conformity.

6. Zoom: Zahra Speaker Event on Oct 9: Berlin Circle (1916-1925) and the Rise of Pan-Persianism in the Early 20th Century, 9.10.24

Join us for the second event of our 2024 Fall Speaker Series on Wednesday, 9 October. Our speaker, Dr. Ahmad Mohammadpour (Bentley University), will present on, “Berlin Circle (1916-1925) and the Rise of Pan-Persianism in the Early 20th Century.”
Dr. Mohammadpour is a Kurdish sociologist and anthropologist whose research focuses on contemporary Iran’s intellectual thought, internal colonialism, ethnoreligious minoritized communities, and the political economy of de-development, with a focus on Kurds in Iran. His presentation will examine how the Berlin Circle and the rising Pan-Persianism of the early 20th century shaped the Kurdish identity and resistance in Iran.
𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: Berlin Circle (1916-1925) and the Rise of Pan-Persianism in the Early 20th Century.
𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧: 12:00 pm Central /1 pm Eastern, Wednesday, October 9
𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: Zoom, https://zoom.us/j/96379904649?pwd=H9bzjq3yRq37e43eJeFfDqKe4BdJBL.1

7. Two faculty positions currently available in the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies at Georgetown University.
1. Assistant Teaching Professor of Arabic

Location: Main Campus, Washington, DC
Position Type: Faculty – Main Campus Non-Tenure Line – Instructional
Start Date: August 1, 2025

Description:
The Department invites applications for a full-time Assistant Teaching Professor of Arabic, beginning in August 2025. This is a three-year renewable contract pending a successful first-year review. We seek a dynamic individual with expertise in teaching Modern Standard Arabic within the context of Arab-Islamic culture. Native or near-native fluency in Modern Standard Arabic and an Arabic dialect is required, along with proficiency in classical Arabic language and culture.
Qualifications:
Ph.D. by Summer 2025 preferred; advanced ABDs considered.

Experience in proficiency-based, communicative methods of teaching.

Application Deadline: October 15, 2024
Apply Here: [Assistant Teaching Professor of Arabic]
2. Teaching Professor of Arabic, Open Rank

Location: Main Campus, Washington, DC
Position Type: Faculty – Main Campus Non-Tenure Line – Instructional
Start Date: August 1, 2025

Description:
We invite applications for a full-time Teaching Professor of Arabic (open rank) with responsibilities to direct our Arabic language program. This position starts in August 2025 and involves a three-year renewable contract. The successful candidate will be responsible for teaching Arabic language courses and coordinating the Arabic Language Program. Native or near-native fluency in Modern Standard Arabic and an Arabic dialect, along with a solid foundation in classical Arabic, are required.
Qualifications:

Ph.D. by Summer 2025 preferred; advanced ABDs considered.
Experience in proficiency testing and language program coordination is preferred.

Application Deadline: October 15, 2024
Apply Here: [Teaching Professor of Arabic, Open Rank]

8. Digital Resource – New Podcast episode on Iranian Mina’i wares with Dr Richard McClary

The ART Informant podcast is back with a new episode dedicated to the study of Iranian mina’i wares with Dr Richard McClary, Senior lecturer in Islamic art history at the University of York.

Throughout his career, Dr McClary has published extensively on artistic and architectural productions across the Islamic world. In July 2024, his latest monograph was published at Edinburgh university press, titled “Mina’i Ware: A Reassessment and Comprehensive Study of Iranian Polychrome Overglaze Wares through Sherds”.

The episode dives into this production of ceramic, limited to Iran between 1180 and 1220, its technique, classification, use, and the problems of fakes and forgeries tied to the art market at the end of the 19th century.

The ART Informant is a space for collectors, connoisseurs, students, experts, and people who love Islamic and Indian Arts, to explore the different areas of the art world including the market, exhibitions, latest research and much more!

Every month, join Isabelle Imbert as the Art Informant in conversations with some of the best and most interesting people of the industry, such as market experts, scholars, curators and many others.

Contact Email

contact@isabelle-imbert.com

URL

https://isabelle-imbert.com/art-informant-podcast/richard-mcclary/

9. CFP – 35th Deutscher Orientalistentag, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

We cordially invite you to participate in the 35th Deutscher Orientalistentag (DOT) at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 8-12 September 2025. The section on Material Culture, Art History and Archaeology is open for papers referring to periods and regions covered by Oriental Studies at large, although traditionally there has been a focus on Islamic cultures. The section will be organized by Ilse Sturkenboom (LMU Munich) and Lorenz Korn (University of Bamberg). This is an opportunity to meet and to discuss ongoing research and to be in touch with other areas of SWANA-related academia. Please submit your abstract through the conference portal until 31 January 2025. Pre-organized panels on specific topics are also welcome. For all technical issues concerning registration, submission of abstracts etc. please refer to the conference website: https://www.dot2025.fau.eu/

Contact Information

Else Sturkenboom, Institute of Art History, LMU Munich

Lorenz Korn, Institute of Oriental Studies, University of Bamberg

Contact Email

lorenz.korn@uni-bamberg.de

URL

https://www.uni-bamberg.de/islamart

10. LSE: Gholam Reza Nikpay Annual Lecture 14 November
The Iranian History Initiative at LSE is pleased to invite you to attend the Gholam Reza Nikpay Annual Lecture in modern Iranian history, which this year will be delivered by Professor Ali Ansariof the University of St Andrews, on 14 November at 6pm in the Wolfson Theatre, Cheng Kin Ku Building, LSE.

Professor Ansari will be speaking on ‘History and Historical Writing in Pahlavi Iran.’

Full events details: https://www.lse.ac.uk/International-History/Events/2024/History-Historical-Writing-in-Pahlavi-Iran-the-Gholam-Reza-Nikpay-Annual-Lecture

Event Registration: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScrj7dhbA8UWu-dWUVP7Tu873m7wYE_3bq9EbLirEe61cpWTA/viewform

11. The Department of Humanities at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice (Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici dell’Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia) invites applications for a fellowship in: “Environmental History in the medieval Islamicate Mediterranean, c. 650-1050”,

Academic discipline: STAA-01/J History of Islamic Countries, area Cod. GSD (vd. DM 639/2024) – 10/STAA-01, duration 24 months, tutor Prof. Helen Foxhall Forbes, financed by the ERC COG project “SSE1K – Science, Society and Environmental Change in the First Millennium CE”, Grant Agreement n. 101044437, CUP: H73C22001720006, Principal Investigator Prof. Helen Foxhall Forbes.

Abstract: The research fellow will examine the history of water and the broader environment in the Islamic Mediterranean from the 7th century to the early 11th century, focusing on social and/or intellectual themes. They will conduct original research on Arabic sources, and may also use archaeological evidence, to examine human relationships with the environment, with particular attention to the role of water and climate fluctuations. They will collaborate with the SSE1K research team to make comparisons between different contexts and regions across the Mediterranean. The research fellow will define a topic of study and the most promising approach suited to their skills in discussion with the PI and the research team. Applicants should therefore outline their proposed area of research in the motivation letter (maximum 500 words). The research fellowship is particularly, but not exclusively, focused on water in terms of toponymy, ritual practices, resource management, reaction to climate events, and scientific knowledge. The geographical area of interest ranges from Mesopotamia to the Islamic West, with a particular focus on the latter. Excellent knowledge of the Arabic language and research experience with premodern Arabic written sources is required. Knowledge of other languages relevant to this area, such as Syriac, Hebrew, or Greek, is desirable. In addition to preparing their own research for publication, the fellow will collaborate on various activities of the SSE1K project, including participating in team meetings and dissemination activities (conferences, seminars, workshops) on the project’s topics. The research may be carried out in English.

Deadline: Nov 12, 2024, 12 noon Italian time.

Full details at:

https://apps.unive.it/common2/file/download/assegni_ricerca/66fbae5d6018c

12. UCLA: The ‘Arabicate’ World: Arabic in the Making of African, Asian, and Mediterranean Literatures

A one-day conference organized by the Center for Near Eastern Studies and the Ibn Khaldun Chair in World History

Friday, October 18, 2024

8:30 AM – 4:30 PM PST

UCLA Royce Hall & Online

https://www.international.ucla.edu/cnes/event/16782

13. AUC: Entertainment in the History of the Middle East:

The Serious Business of Leisure and Fun

The Department of Arab and Islamic Civilizations (ARIC) at the American University in Cairo (AUC) is pleased to announce the Call for Papers for its Annual History Seminar 2025. The upcoming round of the seminar aims to explore various aspects of the social and cultural history of entertainment and entertainers and analyze the roles they played in the history of the Middle East.
The seminar sessions will be held in Cairo, Egypt, at AUC Tahrir Square Campus on Friday 11 and Saturday 12 April 2025. Abstracts of around 300 words, in either English or Arabic, along with a recent CV are expected by 1 December 2024. Please send abstracts and CVs to ahs@aucegypt.edu . Unfortunately, we do not have funds to assist with air travel or accommodation. However, there are no registration fees for the seminar.

Call for Papers

Historicizing entertainment and leisure is one of the growing areas in the social and cultural history of the Middle East. While it has often been approached from the perspective of court and high culture, recent scholarship also pays attention to forms of entertainment beyond the court and ones that crossed various social boundaries including from the perspectives of “history from below”. The work of storytellers, poets and poetry reciters, singers, dancers, acrobats, magicians, as well as games, shadow plays and sports, can help us understand various aspects of past societies.

The upcoming round of the Annual History Seminar aims to study various aspects of the social and cultural history of entertainment and entertainers in the Middle East. The aim is to analyze the various roles that entertainers and entertainment activities played in different historical contexts in the past of the Middle East. Through studying various forms of entertainment and the positionality and dynamics between entertainers and other social actors we can better understand some of the worldviews and mentalities of historical societies. Rather than describe the work of particular entertainers, we hope to probe the relations between various social actors and analyze changing social, economic and political relations among them. We aim to look at the social and cultural history of the Middle East through the lens of entertainment.

We invite abstracts of around 300 words in either English and Arabic for presentations that would revolve around the broad theme of entertainment and leisure activities in the history of the Middle East. Possible themes include:

Historicizing Entertainment: What are the sources we can use to shed light on entertainers, usually associated with the lower strata of society? Can some traditional sources, such as al-Maqrizi’s seminar Khitat, be used differently to study entertainment? Are there alternative archives or untraditional sources that can be approached?

Regulating Entertainment: Although their arts were much in demand, entertainers, especially dancers and singers, had to deal with the antagonism of ruling and religious authorities. How did entertainers navigate this tension between popular demand and moral censorship and regulations? What roles did state officials, such as muhtasibs and qadis, play in this dynamic? What were the discrepancies between those different perspectives and how wide were they? How did different social groups moralize different forms of entertainment? What were the varying attitudes towards music for example and how did they shift over time and space? What were the various licit and illicit forms of entertainment and did this distinction shift over time? What aspects of entertainment were criminalized in a given society and how was that regulated?

Literature and History as Entertainment: Middle East historiography has been dominated by textual studies, and yet the entertainment aspect that many texts provided has not always received enough attention. Which literary genres developed as forms of entertainment and in which historical contexts? How did history as a genre become popular and when and why can it be considered a form of entertainment? What about folk epics (siyar) and popular tales (such as Alfa Layla wa Layla)?What roles did they play in entertaining? What themes were more prevalent in these genres?

Medieval Popularization: Medievalists speak of a bourgeois trend and popularization in the society and culture of the Middle East. How was this trend reflected in the entertainment practices of the time?

Mulids and Entertainment: The period 1200-1900 witnessed a significant expansion of mulids and saint festivals in different parts of the Middle East and across religious communities. What impact did this have on the different entertainment crafts. Can we link the history of mulids to the expansion of entertainment crafts?

Parody, Satire, Jokes, and Carnival: Entertainment activities often have a light aspect to them, yet one that carries very serious connotations at times. What roles did parody and satire play in some of the entertainment activities of the past? Can the concept of “carnival” help us understand some aspects of popular celebrations and entertainment in Middle East history?

The Crafts and Skills of Entertainers: Some forms of entertainment (dancing, shadow plays, poetry-reciting) required a high level of skill and craftsmanship. Can they be classified as high culture, low culture, popular culture? To what extent, how, when and why, were some forms of entertainment classified as crafts?

Organizing Entertainment: How were entertainers organized, both in terms of their own structures (guilds), and from the point of view of ruling authorities in terms of tax-paying? Did crafts remain within families?

Entertainment and the Margins? Where did different entertainers fall in the social structure of the city? Were they necessarily part of the urban poor? Were some entertainers marginalized and others celebrated? Where did entertainers lie within rural society? What chances did entertainers have for social mobility?

Locating Entertainment: Where did entertainment activities take place within the urban and rural landscape contexts? Where did they live? Were there specific areas and times in cities that were set aside for entertainment? How did this change from one historical context to another? How did the development of the urban landscape in critical turning points, such as the mid-Ottoman period of growth or the 19th century, affect the position and location of entertainment?

Coffee Shops and Entertainment: Since the early 16th century, coffee shops have become an integral component of social and cultural life in the Middle East. What roles did this new space play in entertainment? What forms of art, culture and play did it encourage?

Class and Entertainment: What roles did cultural salons play in the medieval Middle East? What, if any, parallels did these gatherings have across different social classes and periods? How did literacy or lack thereof affect entertainment? How did class and taste intersect?

Gendering Entertainment: How were certain entertainment activities gendered? And how did this differ from one region or period to another? What roles did women play in entertainment and in which contexts? How were aspects of the management of entertainment businesses and taxation gendered? What roles did enslaved people play in the entertainment business and how was that gendered? How gendered was the management of entertainment and its administration?

Sports and Games: Games and spectator sports have a long history in the Middle East but they are not often studied for the medieval period even though military regimes such as the Mamluks encouraged some of them such as polo. What public games were popular in different historical periods? Who patronized these games and public spectator sports? What political and social roles did these activities play? How was this different at various historical junctures?

Modernity and Entertainment: How did the changes in the 19th century impact people and practices of the entertainment business? How did the Arab Nahda affect entertainment in particular? How did ideas of social reform as well as religious reform movements affect the culture of entertainment? How did new forms of entertainment such as the press and the theater affect the culture of entertainment and affect other traditional forms of entertainment? How did the social placement of entertainers and the functions of entertainment change with modernity? What new forms of entertainment arose with changing social and political circumstances and why? How did changes in urban landscapes affect entertainment practices?

The sessions of the seminar are scheduled for Friday 11 and Saturday 12 April, 2025 at the Oriental Hall of the Tahrir Square Campus of the American University in Cairo. Participants should plan to speak for around 20 minutes in either English or Arabic. Abstracts of around 300 words, in either language, along with a recent CV are expected by 1 December, 2024. Graduate students and PhD candidates are encouraged to apply. Participants will be informed by late December 2024. Please send abstracts and CVs to ahs@aucegypt.edu.

Inquiries can be directed to either of the organizers:

Dr Nelly Hanna nhanna@aucegypt.edu

Dr Amina Elbendary abendary@aucegypt.edu

14. Literary Modernity in the Persophone Realm: A Reader

Editors: C. Nolle-Karimi et al.,

Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2024

https://www.scienceopen.com/book?vid=1a31f3ab-1a9d-44c3-a865-1eab2df9fe96

15. IIS: Listening in Many Tongues: Multilingual interpretive communities and acts of translation in Early Modern South Asia
This conference seeks to bring together scholars working across diverse fields, languages, and geographies on ideas of translation. For example, these would include scholars concentrating on Ismaili and Sufi studies in Persian and South Asian vernaculars and those working across Arabic, Malayalam, scholars working on Jain and Apabhramsa texts in translation, and on sites in South India.
Please note: this conference will take place on 21-22 October 2024.
The conference will be followed by a musical performance entitled Sham-i Mousiqi: An evening of Persian, Afghan, and South Asian Music. The concert will be held at The Ismaili Centre London on 21 October

https://www.iis.ac.uk/events/listening-in-many-tongues/

16. IIS: Conference on Afghanistan
The Central Asian Studies Unit at IIS and The Collective for Afghanistan Studies are organising an international conference entitled, “Afghanistan: Continuity and the Persistence of Tradition, Culture, and Identity”. Conference presentations will focus on history, identity, women, community, heritage, literature, and other topics in Afghanistan and its diaspora.
This conference will take place on 8-9 November 2024.

https://www.iis.ac.uk/events/afghanistan-conference/

Posted in: Academic items

October 05, 2024
by Andrew Newman
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Shii News – The Limits of Saudi ‘Reform’, 30

Saudi Arabia: Highest execution toll in decades as authorities put to death 198 people

Posted in: News, Saudi Arabia

October 04, 2024
by Andrew Newman
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Shii News – ‘Nahj al-balāgha, Identity and Adab Literature in the Būyid Period’ – G Warner

Posted in: Field-specific (academic), Iraq

October 03, 2024
by Andrew Newman
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Shii News – CfP: ‘Devotion to the Prophet’s Family in Islamic Thought and Practice’ (London, 2025)

Posted in: Field-specific (academic)

October 02, 2024
by Andrew Newman
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Shii News – Academic Items

1.Cambridge Seminars in the History of Cartography 2024-2025

United Kingdom

19 November 2024, 5.30pm UK time

Finnian O’Cionnaith, Dublin

‘A peculiar survey … for our peculiar purpose’: founding the Ordnance Survey of Ireland

25 February 2025, 5.30pm UK time

Maurice Whitehead, Venerable English College, Rome

Maps, meridians and missions: Christopher Maire, SJ (1697–1767), an English cartographer in continental Europe

6 May 2025, 5.30pm UK time

Onur Engin, University of Cambridge

Echoes on the map: unveiling the auditory history of late Ottoman Istanbul through digital cartography

All are welcome

All seminars will be on Zoom and joining instructions will be circulated nearer the time. Please send an email to events@emma.cam.ac.uk if you wish to join the mailing list.

The seminars are kindly supported by Emmanuel College Cambridge

Contact Information

For any enquiries, please contact Sarah Bendall at sarah.bendall@emma.cam.ac.uk

2. CFP INSAP 2025: Celestial Connections Across Time and Space

Call for Papers: INSAP XIII: Celestial Connections Across Time and Space

(Queen’s University Belfast, 8-13 June 2025)

We are delighted to announce a call for papers for the INSAP XIII conference Celestial Connections Across Time and Space. This conference aims to bring together scholars, artists, and scientists from various disciplines to explore the multifaceted relationships between the skies – be it the stars, planets, or other celestial phenomena – and their influence across cultures, histories, and fields of study. INSAP’s purpose from its inception has been to foster a dialogue that bridges the gap between the sciences and the arts, encouraging a holistic understanding of the universe.

Themes and Topics:

We invite proposals for papers, presentations and posters on a wide range of topics, including but not limited to:

Astronomy and Cosmology Through the Ages
How different civilisations have understood and interpreted the cosmos, including the development of astronomical knowledge, cosmological models and their influence on scientific progress.
Astro-Architecture and Celestial Alignments
Studies on ancient and modern architecture designed with astronomical significance, such as megalithic structures, sacred sites, and observatories aligned with celestial events.
Art and the Celestial: The depiction of celestial bodies and phenomena in visual arts, literature, and music across different historical periods and cultures.
Philosophy and the Cosmos: Philosophical interpretations of the universe.
Literature and Myth: The portrayal of celestial events in literature, myths, and legends; how the skies have inspired narratives and storytelling.
History of Science: The development of astronomical knowledge, key figures, and their contributions to understanding the universe.
Space Exploration and Human Imagination
Discussions on the impact of space exploration on contemporary culture, ethics, and the future of human civilisation, including the role of science fiction and speculative narratives.
Interdisciplinary Approaches: Combining methodologies from different fields to explore celestial phenomena.
Environmental and Ethical Implications of Space Exploration
Consideration of the environmental impact of space missions and the ethical questions surrounding the exploration and exploitation of outer space.

Submission Guidelines:

We welcome submissions from established scholars, early-career researchers, graduate students, practitioners in the arts and anyone interested in the sky. Submissions include:

Individual Paper: Abstracts of up to 300 words and short bio of the author(s).

Artistic Presentations or Performances: A description of the work (up to 300 words) and any technical requirements.

Key Dates:

Abstract Submission Deadline: 22 December 2024

Notification of Acceptance: 20 January 2025

Submission Process:

All submissions should include the following:

Title of the presentation.

Name(s) and affiliation(s) of the author(s).

Contact details.

A brief bio (up to 150 words).

Please submit your abstracts and proposals via the Proposal Submission Form:

Link to submission form

Conference Publication:

Papers from the conference will be considered for publication in a special journal issue of Culture and Cosmos.

Contact Information

For any queries, please contact the conference organising committee at insapxiii@gmail.com

3. ONLINE Webinar A Persian Paradise: Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson in Iran 1925-1927

with Nicci Obholzer

British Institute of Persian Studies (BIPS), 16 October, 2024, 5:00 pm UK Time
This talk will take us behind the scenes of the Sissinghurst Castle’s exhibition “A Persian Paradise: Vita and Harold in Iran 1925-1929”: Nicci Obholzer reflects on the new research which led to this exhibition, the digitisation project of the Sissinghurst’s archives which made it possible, and where these take Sissinghurst’s new understanding of its collection.
The exhibition was sponsored by BIPS and the Iran Society and became Sissinghurst’s most visited exhibition ever.

Information and registration:

https://www.bips.ac.uk/event/persian-paradise/

4. Call for Applications: SoFCB Junior Fellows Program

Rare Book School’s Andrew W. Mellon Society of Fellows in Critical Bibliography (SoFCB) invites applications for its 2025–27 cohort of Junior Fellows. The deadline is Friday, November 1, 2024.

This scholarly society works to advance the study of texts, images, and artifacts as material objects through capacious, interdisciplinary scholarship—and to enrich humanistic inquiry and education by identifying, mentoring, and training promising early-career scholars. Junior Fellows will be encouraged and supported in integrating the methods of critical bibliography into their teaching and research, fostering collegial conversations about historical and emerging media across disciplines and institutions, and sharing their knowledge with broader publics.

The fellowship includes tuition waivers for two Rare Book School courses, as well as funding for Junior Fellows to participate in the Society’s annual meeting and orientation. Additional funds are available for fellows to organize symposia at their home institutions, and fellows will have the option of attending a bibliographical field school to visit libraries, archives, and collections in a major metropolitan area. After completing two years in good standing as Junior Fellows, program participants will have the option to become Senior Fellows in the Society.

The Society is committed to supporting diversity and to advancing the scholarship of outstanding persons of every race, gender, sexual orientation, creed, and socioeconomic background, and to enhancing the diversity of the professions and academic disciplines it represents, including those of the professoriate, museums, libraries, archives, public humanities, and digital humanities. We warmly encourage prospective applicants from a wide range of disciplines, institutions, and areas of expertise.

For more information and to apply, please visit: http://rarebookschool.org/admissions-awards/fellowships/sofcb/. For more information about diversity and the SoFCB, please read the SoFCB Diversity & Outreach Committee’s Welcome Letter: https://rarebookschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/2024-SoFCB-Welcome-Letter.pdf.

Inquiries about the SoFCB Junior Fellows Program can be directed to SoFCB Administrative Director Kathryn Higinbotham at kathryn.higinbotham@virginia.edu.

Contact Information

SoFCB Administrative Director Kathryn Higinbotham at kathryn.higinbotham@virginia.edu.

Contact Email

kathryn.higinbotham@virginia.edu

URL

https://rarebookschool.org/sofcb/

5. Second Symposium on Middle Eastern, North African and Central Asian Dances, Music and Performing Arts (MENACA 2024), Pomona College in Claremont, California, 3-6 October 2024

The program offers scholarly papers, two keynote speakers, movement workshops, a film screening, and a dance concert providing a rich scholarly context in which dialogue and debate are encouraged.

Information and programme: https://www.menaca2024.com/schedule/

6. ONLINE Launch “Big Bang or Slow Motion? Changing State-Society Relations in MENA” of the Special Issue “Drivers of Change in Social Contracts in the Middle East and North Africa Region”, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), 9 October 2024, 4:00 –

5:30 pm CET

A first input will take a conceptual perspective and compare the changes in the MENA with those in other regions. The second input deals with the very specific social contract that emerged in Egypt under President Sisi after the 2011 revolution and the 2013 coup. The third input will focus on digitalisation as a potential factor of change to social contracts in MENA. The final open debate will discuss policy options and research needs for more inclusive and sustainable development.

Information and registration: https://archive.newsletter2go.com/?n2g=ezs426oj-wre98ce9-ji8

7. International Workshop “Women’s Knowledge Production in Qur’anic Exegesis”, Berlin Insti-tute for Islamic Theology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10-11 October 2024

The international workshop, organized by the Chair for Islamic Textual Studies (Qur’an and Hadith), aims to illuminate the often overlooked contributions of women to the field of Qur’anic exegesis. It seeks to delve into the role of women in generating exegetical knowledge, both historically and in contemporary contexts.

Information and programme:

https://www.islamische-theologie.hu-berlin.de/de/workshop-knowledge-production_poster-programm.pdf

8. ONLINE Seminar “Women, Workers, and Dis/Empowerment in Saudi Arabia” by Nora Jaber (Edinburgh), Centre for Gulf Studies, Exeter, 5 November 2024, 17:00 – 18:30, London Time

This talk examines the relationship between Saudi Arabia’s legal gender order for citizens and its labour regime. It shows how ‘women’s empowerment’, while beneficial to some, is implicated in the reproduction of material inequalities that are invariably racialised and gendered, particularly as they affect migrant workers. It considers how future feminist struggles can be articulated and directed so as to dissolve, rather than re-produce, the social relations through which all forms of exploitation are sustained.

Information and registration: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/events/details/index.php?event=14195

9. ONLINE Seminar “Redirecting Movement in the Indo-Iranian Borderlands and Beyond” by Mikiya Koyagi (University of Texas Austin), Centre for Gulf Studies, Exeter, 12 November 2024, 17:00 – 18:30, London Time

This talk conceptualizes the Indo-Iranian borderlands not as a periphery between empires but as a space where multiple routes of circulation merged, linking Iran to India, India to the Soviet Union, and interior lands to the Persian Gulf and beyond. It does so by examining how the formation of the Pahlavi state redirected the movement of goods, people, and ideas in the Indo-Iranian borderlands and its surrounding areas with the border town of Dozdab (present-day Zahedan) as the emerging infrastructural nodal point.

Information and registration: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/events/details/index.php?event=14196

10. ONLINE Seminar “The Voyage of The Crooked: Writing History Across the Gulf and Indian Ocean” by Fahad Bishara (University of Virginia), Centre for Gulf Studies, Exeter, 3 December 2024, 17:00 – 18:30, London Time

This talk charts out an oceanic microhistory, grounded in the voyages of the Kuwaiti dhow, The Crooked in 1924-25. It anchors itself in the nakhoda’s logbook, and looks out onto a world of texts, letters, accounts, and other writings by nakhodas. Through these writings, and from The Crooked’s deck, we can begin to thread together lifeworlds and histories that have been scattered along the coasts of Arabia, South Asia, and East Africa.

Information and registration: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/events/details/index.php?event=14198

11. HYBRID International Conference “Conflict Dynamics in Arabic and World Literature”, Cairo, 7-9 December 2024

Conflict dynamics allude to the attitudes, perceptions, and elements that shape the course of conflicts, in-cluding identity issues, feelings, lack of communication, and contentious politics. Those conflicts are best conveyed, negotiated and, at times, resolved through narrative. Literary and cultural products convey all kinds of conflict dynamics, whether as power struggles or resolution strategies.

Extended deadline for abstracts: 15 October 2024.

Information: https://conferences.andromedapublisher.org/CDIAAW/?

12. “3rd Postgraduate Islamic Studies International Conference: Understanding Islam an Muslim Societies in a Changing World”, Western Sydney University, 9 December 2024

The conference seeks to examine the inner complexities of Islam as a complete way of life and its variety of rituals, practices, and teachings embedded in the pattern of Muslim everyday living using modern academic tools, scientific research methods, and theoretical frameworks. It is designed to foster and disseminate on-going and new research about Islam and Muslims in national and international contexts.

Deadline for abstracts: 9 October 2024. Information: https://www.isra.org.au/postgradconf24/

13. “Fifth European Convention on Turkic, Ottoman and Turkish Studies (Turkologentag 2025)”, University of Mainz, 18-20 September 2025

The conference is organized in co-operation with the Society for Turkic, Ottoman and Turkish Studies (GTOT e.V.). We are inviting proposals for papers and panels in the domains of language, literature, history, culture, society, politics, and philology of the Turks and the Turkic peoples. Conference languages are English, Ger-man, and Turkish.

Deadline for abstracts: 15 December 2024. Information: https://turkologentag.uni-mainz.de/call-for-papers/

14. 13th Nordic Conference on Middle Eastern Studies: “A New World Order – A New Middle East?”, Oslo, Norway, 25-27 September 2025

We encourage papers that address different aspects of these developments, ranging from the religious, cul-tural, historical, and social to the political. We also welcome papers on other relevant themes pertinent to Middle Eastern and/or Islamic Studies, including the disciplines of Middle Eastern history, anthropology, ar-chaeology, religion, politics, sociology, language, and literature.

Deadline for abstracts: 15 December 2024.

Information: https://nsmes.org/Thirteenth-Nordic-Conference-on-Middle-Eastern-and-Studies

15. The HM Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Professorship of Modern Arabic Studies, University of Cambridge

The ideal candidate will have an innovative vision for the future of Modern Arabic Studies at Cambridge and enthusiasm to build on current strengths in maintaining and developing a leading research presence. They will hold a PhD or equivalent postgraduate qualification and would ideally currently hold a professorial position.

Deadline for application: 5 November 2024.

Information: https://www.minervasearch.com/current-opportunities/sultanqaboos/

16. Assistant Professors in Arabic Studies, Department of Arabic and Translation Studies, Amer-ican University of Sharjah

A PhD in Arabic Studies, Arabic Literature or related areas is required. The willingness and ability to teach entry-level Arabic heritage classes is essential. The ability to offer courses on the history, culture and society of the United Arab Emirates will be a distinct advantage. Successful applicants will have native or near-native proficiency in Arabic and English.

Deadline for applications: 15 December 2024.

Information: https://mesana.org/resources-and-opportunities/2024/09/17/positions-in-arabic-studies

17. Visiting Lecturer (1-3 Semesters +) in Middle Eastern and North African Studies (Arabic Language and Literature), Bowdoin College, Brunswick

An advanced degree, MA or PhD, in Arabic or a related discipline is required by the date of appointment. Successful candidates will demonstrate a strong commitment to undergraduate liberal arts education.

Deadline for application: Open until filled. Information: https://careers.bowdoin.edu/postings/14923

18. Tenure Track Position in International Relations (Focus Middle East), Government Department, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, PA

The rank will be Assistant Professor or Instructor depending on qualifications. Applicants should possess or be close to completing a doctorate degree. The position is in international relations and we are particularly interested in candidates whose scholarship and teaching combine that expertise with a regional focus on the Middle East.

Deadline for applications: 7 October 2024. Information: https://apply.interfolio.com/149720

19. Advanced Assistant or Associate Professor in Arabic Literary / Cultural Studies, Tulane University

We are actively seeking an Arabist who can teach a variety of literary or cultural topics in both English and Arabic, with the period of specialization open. The ideal candidate might also contribute to our programs in Gender and Sexuality Studies, Africana Studies, Environmental and Urban Studies, and/or Native American and Indigenous Studies. Candidates should have an established record of scholarship and demonstrated excellence in teaching.

Deadline for applications: 15 November 2024. Information: https://apply.interfolio.com/152104

20. Assistant Professor (Tenure-Track) in the Arabic Language and Culture, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC

We seek candidates who have a commitment to excellence in teaching and research. Applicants must have a Ph.D. (or ABD status) in Arabic linguistics, literature, second-language pedagogy, or a related area. We seek a candidate with native or near-native fluency in Arabic and English, and experience in teaching Arabic language courses of all levels.

Deadline for applications: 20 October 2024. Information: https://mesana.org/resources-and-opportunities/2024/09/23/assistant-professor-in-the-arabic-language-and-culture

21. Assistant Teaching Professor for Persian Language and Culture (3 Years), University of Washington

Qualifications: Master’s degree or PhD in a relevant field such as Persian language, Persian culture, language pedagogy, or applied linguistics; superior proficiency in Persian, as demonstrated by teaching reviews; demonstrated excellence, as demonstrated by teaching reviews, in college-level Persian language teaching at all levels to diverse groups of students, including heritage learners.

Deadline for applications: 10 October 2024. Information: https://mesana.org/resources-and-opportunities/20 24/09/17/assistant-teaching-professor-persian-language-and-culture243

22. Grants and Places in the Doctoral Program of the “Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies (BGSMCS)” for 2025/2026, Freie Universität Berlin & Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin & Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient (ZMO)

The BGSMCS supports doctoral candidates who develop academically well-founded and relevant answers to questions arising in various research areas under the thematical umbrella of Muslim cultures and societies. The BGSMCS also provides its fellows with access to a broad academic network. The program is ideal for highly qualified and socially engaged junior scholars with a global outlook. Introduction week: 7-10 October 2024.

Deadline for applications: 1 November 2024.

Information: https://www.bgsmcs.fu-berlin.de/announcements/202409_cfa_doctoral_programme.html

23. ONLINE Course: „Istanbul in the 16th Century“, SOAS, London, 18 October – 6 December 2024

This online specialist art short course will explore the geography of the Ottoman capital and how it changed and reached its apex under the patronage of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent. The lectures offer a wide view on the artistic output of the time, looking at ceramics, works on paper but also textiles and architec-ture.

Introduction and programme: https://www.soas.ac.uk/study/find-course/istanbul-16th-century

24. REMMM: Dissent in the Arabic literary space: Commitment, autonomy and international circulation

Main themes:

1 – Dissent and the role of literary actors

2 – Dissent and autonomy of the field

3 – Dissent and the international circulation of works and actors

Deadline for abstracts: 15 December 2024. Information:

https://journals.openedition.org/remmm/21519?fbcl%20id=IwY2xjawFXW_dleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHZ1S71Y1sK5SKySV2D4unzNhTrKVH5pEI5I03d7er4hz1_eWN%20a0KEHxCcw_aem_Dk4

25. Articles on “Secularism in Social and Political Contexts: Contemporary Trends, Movements, and Ideas in the Middle East” for a Special Issue of the Journal “Religions”

Themes: 1) Original research articles studying how secularism manifests itself in social, political, and intel-lectual layers in the last decade. 2) Articles/reviews that explore contemporary academic approaches, ideas, theories, and methods on the study of secularism and politics in the Middle East. Editors: Dr. Gokhan Bacik & Dr. Serkan Seker.

Deadline for manuscripts: 30 June 2025.

Information: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/religions/special_issues/35392B10OI

26. History of Science/Medicine job at Rice University

Assistant Professor, Medieval or Early Modern History of Science, Technology, and/or Medicine at Rice University
Call for applications
Institution Type: College / University
Location: Texas, United States
Position: Assistant Professor
The Department of History in the School of Humanities at Rice University in Houston, Texas, seeks applicants for a tenure-track assistant professor of medieval or early modern history of science, technology, and/or medicine. A PhD in a relevant field is required at the time of appointment. The area of geographical specialization is open. The search will be held in the 2024-2025 academic year, with a start date for the position of July 1, 2025.
This position will complement the Department of History’s strengths and course offerings at the graduate and undergraduate levels, and will also facilitate interdisciplinary connections with other departments in the School of Humanities and the School of Social Sciences and with programs in Medieval and Early Modern Studies, Science and Technology Studies, Medical Humanities, Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations, Jewish Studies, the Center for African and African American Studies, Politics, Law, and Social Thought, and the Center for Environmental Studies. The successful candidate for this position will hold a primary appointment in the Department of History, complement existing faculty strengths, and foster connections with STEM fields on campus.
The Department of History at Rice University has a growing strength in the history of science, technology, and medicine and has implemented a new pre-modern course requirement for undergraduate majors. The University offers an undergraduate interdisciplinary major and minor in Medieval and Early Modern Studies and has recently launched a minor in Science and Technology Studies. The Fondren Library’s Woodson Research Center has a rich collection of rare books pertaining to the history of science, technology and medicine, including early editions of Copernicus, Newton, Robert Boyle, and William Harvey.
Applicants should demonstrate an outstanding record of research and teaching. Applicants should be prepared to teach regularly-offered undergraduate and graduate courses in the medieval and early modern history of science, technology, and/or medicine. Candidates with evidence of teaching excellence and of cultivating connections with STEM students of diverse backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply. The normal course load in the School of Humanities is 2:2.
Review of applications will begin on October 15, 2024 (via Interfolio) and must include a letter of application; CV, including a list of publications and other authored, creative works; diversity statement; a writing sample of approximately 25 double-spaced pages; evidence of teaching excellence; and 3 letters of reference. The position will remain open until filled. For further information or questions contact Luis Campos, search committee chair, at lc@rice.edu. General information about the Department of History can be found at https://history.rice.edu.
Rice University is a private, comprehensive research university located in the heart of Houston’s dynamic museum district and adjacent to the Texas Medical Center. Rice University offers undergraduate and graduate degrees across eight schools and has a student body of over 4,000 undergraduates and a nearly equal number of graduate students. The fourth largest and most diverse city in the United States, Houston provides an opportunity for scholars to collaborate with area universities, museums, and civic organizations, and to engage with the broader metropolitan community.
Application Process
This institution is using Interfolio’s Faculty Search to conduct this search. Applicants to this position receive a free Dossier account and can send all application materials, including confidential letters of recommendation, free of charge.
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