Archive for March 15th, 2025
Shii News – Academic Items
1.SOAS Centre for Iranian Studies
07 – 08 May 2025
In these lectures, two distinctive understandings of Wisdom, from the Zoroastrian and the Sufi Muslim traditions respectively, are discussed in juxtaposition, in a study of two of the most famous examples of their religious literature. Definitions of terms such as ‘wisdom’, ‘knowledge’, ‘understanding’, ‘mysticism’ and ‘esotericism’ will be given, and answers sought, in what will, it is hoped, be an accessible, non-elitist, down-to-earth, exposition.
2. SOAS Shapoorji Pallonji Institute of Zoroastrian Studies
Kutar Memorial Lecture Series – Sogdian fire-worship: Between Zoroastrianism and Buddhism
6.00pm, Thursday 01 May 2025
In this lecture, the author will attempt to summarise what we know of fire worship in Sogdiana (the land in present-day Uzbekistan and Tajikistan) which was inhabited by eastern Iranian people. These groups, being active traders on the Eurasian tracks, developed a sophisticated culture in the pre-Islamic period. The images on mural paintings and other media, archaeological discoveries, and the few references in the written texts show that worship in front of a fire was a significant part of the ritual practices of Sogdians.
3. Zahra Institute: 2025 Spring Speaker Series and Annual Lecture
Untold Kurdish Women’s Histories
Wednesday, 19 March: 12pm Central / 1pm Eastern
Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/94141584925?pwd=ebwnEB2UsKcak3VxkYCKZe1PZgacZN.1
Farangis Ghaderi (Ph.D, University of Exeter) is a Kurdish scholar, lecturer in Gender and Kurdish Studies, and Director of the Centre for Kurdish Studies at the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies of the University of Exeter, UK. She is co-editor of Women’s Voices from Kurdistan (2021) and the Principal Investigator of the Kurdish Digital Archive project at the University of Exeter. Her research focuses on Kurdish cultural production, Kurdish women, translation, literary history, and archives.
‘The Black Box of the Republic’: Dersim ’38 and the Making of the Modern Turkish State
Wednesday, 2 April: 12pm Central / 1pm Eastern
Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/96441162849?pwd=GaXrM34WzeUrMGtPKG3KYnNtOFlXRi.1
Cevat Dargın (Ph.D., Princeton University) is a historian and Visiting Assistant Professor at Columbia University’s Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies. His research focuses on the transformation from indirect imperial to centralized nation-state rule in the modern Middle East and North Africa during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Currently he is working on several projects, including a book manuscript which explores the formation of the modern state at the intersection of race, religion, and territory in the late Ottoman Empire and post-Ottoman territories.
Annual Lecture
The Life and Legend of the Sultan Saladin
Saturday, 5 April: 2:30 – 5pm Central
Where: Loyola University Chicago – Crown Center
Ticket: Free & open to the public | Dinner provided | Register here
Jonathan Phillips (Ph.D., University of London) is a leading historian of the Crusades and presenter of the Public Television series Ancient Roads: From Christ to Constantine. He is the author of several award-winning histories, including The Life and Legend of the Sultan Saladin (Bodley Head 2019), described by The Times of London as “Superbly researched… enormously entertaining… one of the outstanding books of the year.” His current research focuses on both the history of the Third Crusade and the memory of the crusades in Western Europe and the Near East.
4. Arabic Scholarship at Jordan Language Academy (JLA) – Summer 2025
Objective
The Jordan Language Academy (JLA) Scholarship aims to support exceptional students who demonstrate academic excellence, financial need, and a strong commitment to language learning. This highly competitive scholarship is available to students nominated by their academic departments for a four-week, full-time summer language program at JLA in Amman, Jordan.
Scholarship Details
- Location:Jordan Language Academy, Amman, Jordan
- Duration:4 weeks (Full-time)
- Available Sessions:
- June 10 – July 7, 2025 OR
- July 8 – August 4, 2025
- Language Level:Intermediate
- Scholarship Awards:
- One full scholarshipcovering 100% of tuition fees for one session
- One partial scholarshipcovering 50% of tuition fees for one session
Eligibility Criteria
- Academic Excellence:Strong academic record with proven potential in language studies.
- Financial Need:Priority consideration for students demonstrating financial hardship.
- Language Proficiency:Applicants must have an intermediate level of Arabic proficiency.
- Departmental Nomination:Formal nomination by the applicant’s academic department is required.
- Commitment to Cultural Exchange:Enthusiasm for cross-cultural engagement and learning.
- Personal Statement:A compelling statement outlining the applicant’s motivation for studying at JLA, future academic goals, and how the scholarship will support their aspirations.
- Interview:Shortlisted candidates must participate in an interview.
Nomination & Application Process
- Academic departments must submit a nomination letterendorsing the applicant.
- Nominated students must complete a formal application, including:
- Academic transcripts or records
- A personal statement detailing academic goals, financial need, and commitment to language learning
- A faculty letter of recommendation
- Arabic Essay:A 500–700 word essay in Arabic explaining the applicant’s motivation for studying at JLA, how the scholarship will support their goals, and their role in promoting cultural exchange
- JLA will evaluate applications based on academic merit, financial need, interviews, and nomination endorsements.
- Selected recipients will receive an official scholarship award notification with enrollment instructions.
Deadlines & Notification
- Application Deadline:April 20, 2025 24:00 GMT (Late applications will not be considered).
- Notification Date:Scholarship recipients will be informed by May 1, 2025.
Scholarship Disbursement
- Scholarship funds will be directly applied to tuition fees at JLA.
- Recipients are responsible for covering additional costs, including accommodation, travel, optional excursions, and personal expenses.
For inquiries or further details, please contact Jordan Language Academy at info@jordanla.com .
5. ‘The Socio-historical Process of Women’s Scientific Progress in Iran’
In: Feminine Visibility in Contemporary Iran
Brill, 2024
A Tavassoli and M Abedi
6. We are still accepting applications for a number of summer courses at the University of Virginia and elsewhere. An offering that may be of particular interest to H-Islamart is:
- M-85 Introduction to Islamicate Manuscripts, taught by Kelly Tuttle at the Free Library of Philadelphia
We hope you’ll consider immersing yourself in bibliographical inquiry alongside us this summer. In-depth course descriptions can be found at: https://rarebookschool.org/schedule/. To apply, visit: https://rarebookschool.org/admissions-awards/application/. We have transitioned into the rolling admissions phase of our admissions cycle, so we recommend applying as soon as possible!
Please feel free to reach out to rbsprograms@virginia.edu, or myself directly (emma.reilly@rarebookschool.org) with questions.
All best,
Emma
—
Emma Reilly (she/her)
Miranker Online Program Manager
Rare Book School
at the University of Virginia
Contact Information
Contact rbsprograms@virginia.edu or myself directly (emma.reilly@rarebookschool.org).
7. Le Centre de Recherche sur le Monde Iranien (CeRMI, UMR8041 CNRS) a le plaisir de vous convier à la XXVIème Journée Monde Iranien, qui se tiendra le vendredi 4 avril 2025 de 10h à 18h dans l’Auditorium du Pôle Langues et Civilisations de l’INaLCO, 65 rue des Grands-Moulins, Paris XIII (accueil café à partir de 9h30).
Vous trouverez le programme détaillé de la Journée en pièce jointe, et en ligne à cette adresse sur le site du CeRMI: https://cermi.cnrs.fr/xxvie-journee-monde-iranien/
Dans l’attente du plaisir de vous retrouver toutes et tous pour cette XXVIème Journée, organisée cette année par notre collègue Wouter Henkelman (EPHE-PSL).
8. ONLINE Lecture “Saints of Dayr al-Naqlun: Fragments of Devotional Life in the Medieval Egyptian Countryside” by Lev Weitz (Catholic University of America), Mary Jaharis Center for Byzantine Art and Culture, Harvard University, 25 March 2025, 17:00 CET
This talk brings together documentary sources with archaeological and art-historical evidence from Dayr al-Naqlun, a monastery in Egypt’s Fayyum Oasis, to explore the distinctive ritual practices of Coptic Christianity in the rural hinterland of the Fatimid Caliphate.
Information and registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_23rCJf35S1KkSJVsjUIrIQ#/registration
9. HYBRID OTS-NYU Roundtable: “Halide Edib and Refik Halid Karay in Translation and as Dissidents”, New York University, 4 April 2025, 18:00 CET
This is an interdisciplinary round table on translation, Turkish literature and history, hosting literary scholars and translators İclal Vanwesenbeeck and Nefise Kahraman as well as the Middle Eastern/ Ottoman historian Christine Philliou.
Information and registration: https://nyu.zoom.us/meeting/register/lfGY6sbDTb2ZkTvI3AmUwA#/registration
10. “1st Annual Social Sciences Graduate Student Symposium of the Diyanet Islamic Research Insti-tute”, Lanham, MD, 3-4 May 2025
The Diyanet Center of America promotes informed discussions on Islam and Muslim societies, emphasizing classi-cal Islamic sciences and their contemporary relevance while supporting interdisciplinary research, collaboration, and public engagement.
Deadline for abstracts: 5 April 2025. Information: https://diyanetamerica.org/symposium/
11. „Congress of Qur’anic Studies (CQS)”, Faculty of Theology, Istanbul University, 26-28 September 2025
The congress aims to facilitate networking and intellectual exchange among researchers in the fields of Qur’an and tafsir, offer young academics opportunities to explore different perspectives, discuss past, present, and future studies, and create an environment for collaboration. To encourage discussions from various perspectives and through different academic formats, 12 working groups have been established.
Deadline for abstracts: 15 April 2025.
Information: https://cqs.istanbul.edu.tr/en/content/call-for-papers/call-for-papers
12. International Workshop “Greek Myths in Arabic Literature: Reception, Translation, Circulation, Re-Creation”, Rome, 6-8 November 2025
The workshop aims to stimulate debate on different types of texts, including poetry, staged or manuscript plays, fiction, translations, essays in the periodical press, encyclopaedic entries, school and university curricula, as well as in oral literature, music, cinema, and visual arts. The main focus is modern and contemporary Arabic literary production (1800-today), but special sessions will be dedicated to the reception of Greek myths in premodern Arabic literature.
Deadline for abstracts: 15 May 2025.
Information: https://www.digimyth.eu/digimythpublications/cfp-workshop-greek-myths-in-arabic-literature/
13. Session on „Digital Humanities and Cultural Research“ During „The International Conference on Shaping Knowledge Beyond Digital Archiving”, Abu Dhabi, 21-23 April 2026
Digital tools are redefining the study of literature, history, and cultural heritage. Researchers are using AI-driven text analysis, digital archives, and computational humanities methods to uncover new insights into manuscripts, language studies, and historical narratives. This theme explores innovative digital approaches that contribute to the preservation, interpretation, and recontextualization of cultural and historical knowledge.
Deadline for abstracts: 31 July 2025. Information: https://shapingknowledge.com/en
14. Postdoctoral Researcher (4 Years) in Ottoman History, University of Amsterdam
The researcher will be responsible for the Ottoman subproject within the “Daily Bread” project, which compares food protests between circa 1500-1800 in Dutch, Italian and Ottoman cities. This subproject can include protests in Istanbul and/or additional (major) provincial cities. The postdoc will select relevant cases, building on the existing historiography and their own expertise and linguistic scope. Excellent knowledge of Ottoman Turkish is a must.
Deadline for applications: 10.4 2025.
Information: https://werkenbij.uva.nl/en/vacancies/postdoctoral-researcher-in-ottoman-history-netherlands-13900
15. Altaf S. Al Sabah Visiting Chair (1 Year +) in Women and Societal Development Studies, American University of Beirut
We seek an advanced assistant or associate professor with a demonstrated record of scholarship on women and gender in the Middle East. While the specific area of expertise is open, the successful candidate must contribute to at least one of the core disciplines within SOAM. Applicants should hold a PhD in Women and Gender Studies or a related discipline and demonstrate a strong commitment to undergraduate and graduate teaching.
Deadline for applications: 31 March 2025. Information: https://apply.interfolio.com/163961
16. Visiting Assistant Professor (1 Year) in the History of the Mediterranean World, Hampden-Sydney College, Virginia
Successful candidates’ teaching will situate Mediterranean history in a transregional context; preference will be given to candidates focusing on late antiquity or the medieval era.
Deadline for applications: 24 March 2025. Information: https://apply.interfolio.com/164566
17. “26th Session of the Intensive Ottoman and Modern Turkish School”, Conducted by the Ottoman Studies Foundation (Boston, Mass.) in Cunda, Turkey, 7 July – 15 August 2025
The program provides daily instruction (2 hours) in reading and translating Ottoman Turkish texts in both manuscript and printed forms. There is a so-called ‘Early Ottoman course’ covering pre-nineteenth-century manuscripts and documents and a ‘Late’ one covering printed texts and documents in rik’a. The school also provides tuition in Persian (including Persian and Arabic elements in Ottoman) and Modern Turkish.
Deadline for applications: 24 March 2025. Information: https://networks.h-net.org/group/announcements/20062151/call-applications-26th-session-intensive-ottoman-and-modern-turkish
18. Summer Language Intensive Program in Modern Turkish and Ottoman Turkish, Istanbul University, 7 July – 8 August 2025
This program is ideal for MA and PhD students in the fields of history, literature, and Islamic studies. Included in the Program: 100 hours of intensive language training. – Access to the Islamic Studies Institute Special Collections Library. – Seminars by field experts. – Guided tours to key historical sites: Historical Peninsula, Süleymaniye Manuscript Library, and Presidential Archives. – Istanbul University certificate upon completion.
Information: https://islamtetkikleri.istanbul.edu.tr/en/content/summer-program/summer-language-intensive-program-2025
- March 15, 2025
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment