Archive for June, 2025

1.Call for Papers: Special Issue on Multilingualism, Translation, and Religion in the Premodern Islamic World(s)

I’m pleased to share news of a special issue I am co-editing with Prof. Ross Brann (Cornell University), tentatively titled:
Multilingualism, Translation, and Religion in the Premodern Islamic World(s): Texts, Contexts, and Crossroads.

This issue will appear in Religions, a peer-reviewed journal with a strong platform and excellent citation rankings. We are delighted to announce that, following discussions with the editorial team, all accepted papers will be published free of open-access fees.

Each submission will undergo rigorous peer review by both guest editors as well as two external reviewers, ensuring the highest scholarly standards of the whole volume.

We currently have room to accommodate two to three additional contributions. If you are interested, we invite you to review the full description via the link below and reach out to me before submitting your abstract through the journal’s system:

https://www.mdpi.com/journal/religions/special_issues/646PBX1664#editors

Due date: Dec 31, 2025

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Intellect is pleased to present Journal of Contemporary Iraq & the Arab World 19.1.

For more information about the journal and issue click here>>

https://www.intellectbooks.com/journal-of-contemporary-iraq-the-arab-world

 

 

 

 

3. Call for: IHF Modern Iran Book Series

We are pleased to announce the second round of our call for for book proposals under the IHF Modern Iran Series, a new Open Access, peer-reviewed academic book series published by I.B. Tauris, an imprint of Bloomsbury Academic. The Iran Heritage Foundation (IHF) is supporting successful applicants with Open Access publication costs.

To submit a proposal to the series, please contact Hassan Hakimian, Series Editor, and Rory Gormley, Senior Commissioning Editor at I.B. Tauris.

The deadline for submission of the first round of proposals is August 31 2025.

The IHF Modern Iran Series publishes innovative Open Access books with a broad thematic focus on modern and contemporary Iran. The chronological scope of the series covers the late nineteenth century to the present day with thematic areas ranging from cultural and social to political and economic issues.

The full announcement can be read here.

 

 

 

 

4. Political, Cultural and Social History of Iran: Essays in Honor of Ervand Abrahamian

Edinburgh University Press, 2025

E. Chehabi, ed.,

https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-political-social-and-cultural-history-of-modern-iran.html

 

 

 

 

 

5. Full Professor Position in Arabic Language and Literature – UAE University

UAE University, the oldest and most prestigious public university in the country, is located in the beautiful oasis city of Al Ain, just 90 minutes from both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The campus offers a quiet, inspiring environment for teaching and research.

The university places strong emphasis on Scopus-indexed publications and values promising research trajectories aimed at high-ranking journals. Strengthening or rebuilding your Scopus h-index is a key consideration in the evaluation process.

The position offers a competitive, tax-free salary, along with a generous benefits package that includes:

• Free accommodation (with furniture allowance)
• Annual return flights for the entire family
• Comprehensive health insurance
• Schooling allowance for children
• A reduced teaching load of two courses per semester (4 per year)

Courses are taught in Arabic, and in my experience, the students are respectful, engaged, and a pleasure to teach.
Application and further details here:

https://jobs.chronicle.com/job/37847997/professor-in-arabic-language-and-literature-310130/

 

 

 

 

 

6. ONLINE Launch of the Arabic-English Digital Database and Website ‘News of Cairo’, Cairo, 30 June 2025, 19:00 CET

“News of Cairo” is a textual database of Arabic and Ottoman Turkish articles about Cairo’s urban development from the official Egyptian government journal, al-Waqāʾiʿ al-Miṣriyyah, between 1828 and 1914. – _”Digital Cairo” is a sub-project of “La fabrique du Caire modern” (Ifao-InVisu-Duke University), with the help of the collaborative research award from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Information and registration: https://www.ifao.egnet.net/recherche/manifestations/ma1718/

 

 

 

 

 

7. Conference “Arabic Language and Applied Sciences – _Empowerment and Integration”, Islamic University of Madinah, 9-10 November 2025

Themes: 1: Enhancing Digital Content for Arabic Language (Efforts and Aspirations). – _2: Artificial Intelligence and its Contributions to Arabic Language Sciences and Literature (New Developments). – _3: Interdisciplinary Studies between Arabic Language and Applied Sciences (Opportunities and Fields). – _4: Arabization of Applied Sciences (Visions, Experiences, and Challenges).

Deadline for articles: 26 July 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/yb4ehe3d

 

 

 

 

 

8. Full Professor of Arabic Studies, Faculty of Philological and Cultural Studies, University of Vienna

The successful candidate will be expected to represent the field of Arabic Studies with a focus on linguistics in both research and teaching. They should have an outstanding international reputation and a strong research profile, particularly in the study of spoken varieties of Arabic, encompassing both dialectological and general linguistic approaches. Complementing the existing focus on the Maghreb, a research focus on the eastern part of the Arab world is desired.

Deadline for applications: 17 September 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/2f4mtwzp

 

 

 

 

 

9. 28 Fellowships (10 Months) ot the “French Institutes for Advanced Study Fellowship Programme” at seven Institutes of the Aix-Marseille, Cergy, Loire Valley (Orléans-Tours), Lyon, Montpellier, Nantes and Paris, 2026-2027

The Programme is open to all disciplines in the Social Sciences and the Humanities (SSH) and to all other research fields interfacing with the SSH. FIAS awards fellowships to outstanding researchers of all career levels, from postdoctoral researchers to senior scientists. The minimum requirement is a PhD + 2 years of research experience at the time of the application.

Deadline for applications: 16 July 2025. Information: https://www.fias-fp.eu/fellowships/faq

 

 

 

 

 

10. Assistant, Associate or Full Professor in Anthropology, American University in Cairo

Requirements: A PhD in Cultural Anthropology or Social-Anthropology and a demonstrable record of teaching that illustrates an ability to teach courses in the BA in Anthropology and the MA in Sociology and Anthropology programs at AUC, including those with a focus on the Middle East and North Africa, as well as courses in their area of sub-disciplinary expertise.

Deadline for applications: 15 October 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/42rctkpf

 

 

 

 

 

11. “Alixa Naff Migration Studies Prize” for Studies from Any Discipline on Studies on the Middle East and North African Migrations and Diasporas, Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies

Award of $ 1,000 for: 1. Established Scholars: Articles or books published between 1 June 2024, and 30 May 2025. – _2. Graduate Students: Papers authored between 1 June 2024, and 30 May 2025.

Deadline for applications: 26 September 2025.

Information: https://lebanesestudies.ncsu.edu/explore/awards/alixa-naff-prize/

The SALAM project, under the PRISME Initiative, in collaboration with the Sectarianism, Proxies, and De-sectarianisation (SEPAD) project at Lancaster University’s Richardson Institute, invites proposals for an upcoming online workshop focused on the interrelations between sectarianism, transnational politics, and militarization in and with the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
This collaborative workshop seeks to engage scholars, policymakers, and experts – particularly emerging voices – to explore how sectarian identities, sectarian governance, and transnational dynamics have fueled militarization and security dilemmas in the region. Discussions will also identify pathways to shift security narratives beyond sectarian divides and transnational conflicts, aligning with PRISME’s mission of fostering non-militarized, inclusive security approaches.
Workshop Overview:
Scheduled for mid to late September 2025, this online workshop will bring together eight scholars and practitioners from the MENA region, Europe, and North America. Participants will engage in open dialogue on the intersections of sectarianism and militarization, exploring the roles of state and non-state actors, foreign intervention, and alternative governance models. Key topics include:
*   Sectarianism and Security Dilemmas: How have sectarian politics shaped state security strategies? To what extent have sectarian narratives justified militarization and repression?
*   Transnational Conflicts and Militarized Alliances: How have regional and international actors instrumentalized sectarianism to advance geopolitical and military objectives?
*   Militarization of Identity: How have sectarian divides contributed to arms accumulation, paramilitary formations, and regional arms races?
*   De-Sectarianization and Security Reframing: Can alternative security narratives challenge sectarian securitization? How can states and societies move beyond sectarian-militarized paradigms?
*   Case Studies and Historical Perspectives: What can be learned from past efforts at sectarian de-escalation and non-military security solutions?
Submission Guidelines
We welcome proposals from scholars across disciplines, particularly early-career researchers. Abstracts should be 250 words, outlining the central question, argument, and approach of the proposed 2,000-word memo, with a clear focus on how your perspective will contribute to this cross-regional dialogue.
Please send your abstract to office@prismeinitiative.org , by June 30, 2025, with the subject line: “SALAM-SEPAD Sectarianism Workshop Proposal.”
Once selected, authors will be required to submit a full draft of their 2,000-word memo by August 31, 2025. After the workshop, participants will have time to revise their drafts based on the discussions and feedback during the event. Final drafts will be due on October 12, 2025, and the memos will then be published individually on the PRISME and SEPAD websites throughout October and November.
Authors whose memos are finalized and submitted by the October 12 deadline will receive an honorarium in recognition of their contribution.
About PRISME and the SALAM Project
The PRISME Initiative envisions a reconceptualization of security in the Middle East and North Africa beyond militarized frameworks, engaging diverse stakeholders to promote collaborative approaches. By fostering constructive dialogue, PRISME seeks to encourage new strategic relations that contribute to a more peaceful and stable future.
As part of this vision, the SALAM project (Sustaining Alternative Links beyond Arms and the Military), facilitates discussions on sustainable security alternatives to arms-based policies. Previous SALAM workshops have notably explored the role of the arms trade in MENA’s international relations; the economic trade-offs of arms manufacturing and trade; and the socio-political consequences of militarized policies. Each discussion has questioned the reliance on military solutions, highlighting the need for innovative, cooperative approaches to regional security.
About SEPAD:
The SEPAD project (Sectarianism, Proxies, and De-sectarianisation), based at Lancaster University’s Richardson Institute, is an international research network aimed at understanding the conditions that give rise to sectarian violence and transnational conflicts. SEPAD brings together over 60 experts and early-career scholars from more than 20 countries, fostering interdisciplinary research and policy engagement to create space for the de-sectarianization of socio-political life.
Dr. Emma SOUBRIER
Ingénieure de recherche, Institut de la Paix et du Développement, LADIE, Université Côte d’Azur
Directrice, Pathways to Renewed and Inclusive Security in the Middle East (PRISME) Initiative
Associated Researcher, World Peace Foundation, Fletcher School, Tufts University
Non-Resident Fellow, the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington (AGSIW)
Expert, the Forum on Arms Trade

1.Open Access Book – “Housing, Heritage and Urbanisation in the Middle East and North Africa”

This book explores the interconnection between housing, heritage and urbanisation. Bringing together architects, archaeologists, urban sociologists, urban designers, urban planners and landscape architects, this multi-authored and interdisciplinary volume presents diverse case studies from the Middle East and North Africa, shedding light on the past, present and future of residential spaces.

With its focus to traditional, modern and contemporary housing in Egypt, Iran, Morocco, Syria and Tunisia, Housing, Heritage and Urbanisation in the Middle East and North Africa explores the correlation between architecture, urban planning and society. The contributors critique the impact of rapid urbanisation and global architectural standardisation, which often goes beyond local identity. Instead, they advocate for a sustainable urban development rooted in community needs and cultural heritage.

Ultimately, this volume argues that successful urban planning must balance modernity with tradition, ensuring that housing reflects the lived experiences of its inhabitants. A crucial read for scholars and practitioners, it reaffirms that sustainable cities must be shaped by local needs, not just global trends.

Read and Download for Free: We are pleased to inform you that Housing, Heritage and Urbanisation in the Middle East and North Africa is freely available to read and download in both PDF and HTML formats. Access the full text here and explore the wealth of knowledge this publication has to offer.

Secure Your Copy: For those who prefer a tangible edition or who are interested in acquiring the book in ePub format, you can do so at https://doi.org/10.11647/OBP.0460

URL

https://www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.11647/obp.0460

 

 

 

 

 

2. Untold Stories: Recognizing the People Behind the Art and Archaeology of the Ancient West Asian, Ancient Egyptian, and Islamic Worlds. 

The Charles K. Wilkinson Lecture Series. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. June 30. Presentations: 2:00-5:00pm. Reception: 5:00-6:00pm. 

Join the Met for a series of lectures highlighting little-known stories and contributors to the fields of Egyptian, Islamic, and Ancient West Asian art and archaeology.

2pm. “Unearthing Legacies: Egyptians Who Worked on The Met’s Early Twentieth Century Excavation,” with Isabel Stünkel, Curator, Department of Egyptian Art, The Met

3pm. “The Campfire Excavation: Bedouin Stories, Memories, and Archaeological Knowledge,” with Allison Mickel, Associate Professor, Lehigh University

4pm. “Celebrating the Uncelebrated: Craftsmen and Designers in Islamic Art and Architecture,” with Bernard O’Kane, Professor, American University in Cairo

This program is made possible by the Charles K. Wilkinson Lecture Series Fund. Free with Museum admission, though advance registration is required. Please note: Space is limited; first come, first served. Priority is given to those who register.

Watch the livestream on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@metmuseum/streams (note: No registration or log in required to view the livestream).

URL

https://engage.metmuseum.org/events/education/talks/public-programs/grr/fy25/th…

 

 

 

 

 

3. The Idea of Persia: A Philosophical Enquiry

Ramin Jahanbegloo

Gingko, 2025

https://www.gingko.org.uk/publishing/books/the-idea-of-persia/

 

 

 

 

4. IIS: Hybrid event: ‘The abolition of the Ottoman caliphate in 1924’

London, 26.6.25, 17.00 UK time

https://www.iis.ac.uk/events/the-abolition-of-the-ottoman-caliphate-in-1924-debates-controversies-and-implications/

 

 

 

 

 

5. IIS: In person: “But none sought out my secrets from inside”

Islamic History and Thought Lecture Series

3 July at 17.00 BST | Aga Khan Centre
Mawlana Jalal al-Din Mohammad Balkhi Rumi (d. 1273) is very often viewed among non-Muslims in isolation from his own background, largely because bestselling translations of selections of his poetry are much more widely read than any other sources for Sufism, and they provide little context. In this talk, Professor Mojaddedi examines Rumi’s writings both to situate him within the Sufi tradition and to highlight what that implies about the wider Islamic context which has too often been underappreciated

https://www.iis.ac.uk/events/ihtls-but-none-sought-out-my-secrets/

 

 

 

 

 

6. Call for Applications: BIRI Postdoctoral Research Fellowships

The British International Research Institutes (BIRI) – British Institute at Ankara (BIAA), British School at Athens (BSA), British Institute for Libyan and North African Studies (BILNAS), British Institute in Eastern Africa (BIEA), British School at Rome (BSR), British Institute for the Study of Iraq (BISI), British Institute of Persian Studies (BIPS), Council for British Research in the Levant (CBRL) and Egypt Exploration Society (EES) –  invite applications for postdoctoral research fellowships as part of the project “Ottoman Mobilities and Interactions“. These full-time positions are funded until the end of March 2026, with the potential for this to be extended dependent on a successful internal funding bid application.

Applications must be submitted by 14 July 2025 .

More at:

https://biea.ac.uk/call-for-applications-postdoctoral-research-fellowships/

 

 

 

 

 

7. Ancient Civilizations of Afghanistan, From the Earliest Times to the Mongol Conquest

Warwick Ball

Reaktion Books, 2025

https://reaktionbooks.co.uk/work/ancient-civilizations-of-afghanistan

1.Fall 2025 Kurdish Language Instruction Program
As a key part of our humanistic approach to Kurdish studies, Zahra Institute is committed to offering Kurdish language instruction. Students can enroll in our Kurdish language offerings (Kurmanji and Sorani) as standalone courses or take them as electives in our MA and Certificate programs. Application deadline is 15 July and financial aid is  available. To apply, visit our webpage: https://www.zahrainstitute.org/KLIOverview.html.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Available online: Arabic, Persian, and Turkic Poetics: Towards a Post-Eurocentric Literary Theory,

Hany Rashwan, et al, eds.

Oxford University Press, 2024

https://academic.oup.com/british-academy-scholarship-online/book/60334

 

 

 

 

 

3. Ars Orientalis invites submissions of innovative articles on the arts of the broad geographic area of Asia, from the ancient period to the contemporary.

We seek original, previously unpublished work that reflect insightful interventions, including but not limited to comparative or interdisciplinary approaches, multi-media content, and digital humanities methods. Manuscripts should be 8,000 to 12,000 words (including endnotes).

Ars Orientalis is a digital publication with a print-on- demand option. The digital volume also allows for the incorporation of other media, such as video, sound, and 3D models. Visual material must include permissions for print and online reproduction.

To submit or request more information, please email ArsOrientalis@si.edu .

We are currently accepting submissions for volume 57 to be published in December 2027. Articles must be received by September 1, 2025 to be considered.
For more contributor guidelines, please visit: https://asia.si.edu/research/publications/ars-orientalis/submit-research/ .

URL

https://asia.si.edu/research/publications/ars-orientalis/submit-research/

 

 

 

 

 

4. Gazing at Mecca and Medina: Premodern Representations of the Ḥaramayn

Series: Arts and Archaeology of the Islamic World, Volume: 23

Volume Editor: Mounia Chekhab-Abudaya

Brill, 2025

This volume presents a comprehensive collection of studies centered on the depictions of Mecca and Medina across diverse media, historical periods, and geographical contexts. By covering such an extensive temporal and spatial range, it provides readers with fresh and engaging interpretations and brings forward of overlooked and understudied materials, such as Acehnese manuscripts or Bosnian wall paintings.

Contributors: Deniz Beyazit; Guy Burak; Sergio Carro Martín; Mounia Chekhab-Abudaya; Haris Dervišević; Nicoletta Fazio; Barry Flood; Sabiha Göloğlu; Nurul Iman Rusli; Marika Sardar; Avinoam Shalem.

URL

https://brill.com/display/title/69107?srsltid=AfmBOordaNde-gbid83wbapgjdnarp1ZI…

 

 

 

 

 

5. Invisible East

Invisible Treasures – in person event, 1 July, 2025

Sir Victor Blank Lecture Theatre, Weston Library, Oxford, OX1 3BG

Join us for a screening of the short film Striking Gold: The Discovery of Medieval Documents from Afghanistan & a panel discussion on the ethical and practical challenges facing scholars and heritage institutions today.

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/invisible-east/invisible-treasures-in-person-event/e-qdddxe

 

 

 

 

 

6. Institute of Ismaili Studies (London)

Dissertation Writing Scholarship

https://www.iis.ac.uk/news/2025/june/dissertation-scholarship-2025/

Closing date: 30 September, 2025.

 

 

 

 

 

7. CFP – Global Histories – Heritage(s) 2026: Conference in Istanbul. Deadline: July 30

Conference dates: 6-8, July, 2026. Abstracts due: July 30, 2025 (Early); Dec 15, 2025 (Round One).

Place: Istanbul (+ virtual).

Definitions of heritages, cultural pasts and urban futures are intrinsically linked. They cross disciplines, geographies and times. They can be complex, contradictory and often contested. As a result, when we think about heritage we must think holistically. UNESCO is explicit about this. Heritage is related to place and the traditions of its peoples. The future of a city is connected to the history on which it was built. Questions of contemporary culture are always aligned with their past, and their future. In this context, heritage, culture and place are all entwined. To understand this interconnection requires historical knowledge, social context and an awareness of art and design, whether that be related to a community narrative or a global movement. It needs to be viewed through artworks, buildings, cities and objects, both ‘universal’ examples of architecture and sculpture, and more understated design vernaculars and local crafts. It needs to be seen as something ‘intangible’ – a sense of place and identity or the meaning ascribed to a city, neighborhood or local artwork. In short, it needs to be examined across disciplinary boundaries and scales. Seeking to engage with the varied ways in which we understand heritage, cultural pasts and urban futures then, this conference asks how we interpret these themes locally, regionally and internationally. It does so while seeing the host city, Istanbul, as a place that typifies the varied questions at play.

Visit the website: https://amps-research.com/heritages-global-histories/. See the announcement: https://networks.h-net.org/group/announcements/20067340/cfp-global-histories-heritages-2026-conference-istanbul

URL

https://amps-research.com/heritages-global-histories/.

 

 

 

 

 

8. CFP – Travel Writing, Knowledge-Making and Ignorance in the Early Modern Period – Deadline June 30

https://networks.h-net.org/group/announcements/20070042/travel-writing-knowledge-making-and-ignorance-early-modern-period-1600

 

 

 

 

 

9. Call for Proposals – Online Workshop, Historians of Islamic Art Association (HIAA), Deadline: July 15

Historians of Islamic Art Association (HIAA) is pleased to announce a call for Online Workshop proposals on diverse topics pertaining to our field, encompassing scholarship, teaching, and professional development.

These workshops will provide opportunities for members to engage in conversations on pressing issues that have bearing on the study of Islamic art and contribute to the advancement of the discipline and our community. HIAA will assist the workshop organizers in designing, staging, and promoting the event. Any current HIAA member in good standing may submit a proposal. The workshops will be held online. Proposals may encompass conventional panel-style workshops, but we also encourage our members to propose workshops in alternative formats. Resources from previous workshops can be found on the HIAA website.

Required Documents: Title & Description, a 150-word description outlining the workshop’s content, objective, and format; Potential Discussants (when relevant to the format), a list of 4-5 potential discussants; and Curriculum Vitae, a 2-page CV of the organizer.

Please submit your proposal to HIAA Secretary Emily Neumeier at sec.hiaa@gmail.com

Contact Email

sec.hiaa@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

10. Postdoctoral Research Fellowships on “Ottoman Mobilities and Interactions”

British International Research Institutes (BIRI)

We welcome scholars from history, anthropology, archaeology, art history, literary studies and related fields who are committed to innovative research on Ottoman mobilities in their diverse forms. We particularly welcome applications with an interest in the long nineteenth century, with preferred focus on Türkiye, the Middle East/West Asia, Greece, North and East Africa.

Deadline for applications: 14 July 2025. Information:

https://www.bsa.ac.uk/2025/06/17/postdoctoral-research-fellowships-on-ottoman-mobilities-and-interactions/

 

 

 

 

 

11. Ijtihad Journal for Islamic and Arabic Studies

Information: https://journal-ijtihadcenter.com/index.php/ijias/index

 

The Pious Labour of a Muslim Master Mason

25 June, 2025, 6pm UK time

The Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) is pleased to announce that applications for the Zahid Ali Fellowship are now open.
The Zahid Ali Fellowship is awarded every 5 years to an internationally renowned scholar working in the field of Classical Arabic Literature who will use the award to publish research on a topic of relevance to Ismaili Studies.
Full information at:
https://www.iis.ac.uk/news/2025/june/zahid-ali-fellowship-2025/
Deadline for applications: 30 September 2025

1. A Swedish Officer’s Account of Turkey and Persia, 1816-1817

Mage, 2025

Carl Peter von Heidenstam, W Floor, transl.,

https://mage.com/underrattelser-a-swedish-officers-account-of-turkey-and-persia-1816-1817/

1.UCLA Screening of Sloan Winner – JIN – A Kurdish film with themes of Jin Jiyan Azadi and Intersectionality– June 26th, 7-10 PM.

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/jin-short-film-screening-tickets-1371989149479?aff=erelexpmlt

 

 

 

 

 

2. JSAI Volume 55 – Studies in Honour of Albert Arazi

We are pleased to announce the publication of volume 55 of Jerusalem Studies in Arabic and Islam(JSAI). This peer-reviewed academic journal covers a range of subjects related to classical Islam, Islamic religious thought, Arabic language and literature, and the interaction between Islam and other civilizations. This honorary volume is presented to Albert Arazi of the Hebrew University and includes papers that highlight his diverse fields of academic interests.

As the flagship project of the Institute of Asian and African Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, The Max Schloessinger Memorial Foundation is dedicated to providing high-quality research and analysis on the subject of Islam and Arabic studies. We are proud to have published 55 volumes of JSAI to date and we are confident that the latest addition will be of great interest to academics and researchers worldwide.

We invite you to visit our website at https://jsai.huji.ac.il/publications to learn more about JSAI.

The Editors
Max Schloessinger Memorial Foundation

Contact Email

msjsai@mail.huji.ac.il

URL

https://jsai.huji.ac.il/about-jsai-0

 

 

 

 

 

3. Columbia University – Lecturer/Visiting Professor in Armenian Studies

https://www.h-net.org/jobs/job_display.php?id=68808

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Join us for our first Digital Lab event in Scotland! The event takes place Wednesday 2-3 July 2025 in Edinburgh, Scotland, with an optional 4 July special excursion to Glasgow. Our focus is on the intersections of Islamic art, architecture, video games/XR, digital cultural heritage and museum collections. This event will bring together our local and international community members and anyone else who shares our interest in bridging academic, video games/entertainment/XR+, and cultural heritage sectors for positive social impact. We’ll combine brief talks with hands-on workshops, and plenty of time for meeting fellow members of the Digital Lab community, strengthening our international connections, and sharing exciting new projects.

2-3 July Digital Lab Days Edinburgh​

Day 1 Edinburgh Futures Institute, University of Edinburgh

Bridging the academy and video games/entertainment/XR

Digital Technologies for Islamic Art History & Cultural Heritage

Hands-On Workshop for Digital Cultural Heritage

Day 2

AM: Spotlight on Islamic art, University of Edinburgh Heritage Collections

PM: Spotlight on Islamic art, National Museum Scotland with Friederike Voigt (Principal Curator, West, South & Southeast Asian collections, Head of Asia Section, Department of Global Arts, Cultures and Design)

Optional 4 July Digital Lab Days Glasgow Field Trip

Introduction to Museums in the Metaverse, ARC-XR Lab, University Glasgow

Islamic collections session, Glasgow Life Museums Resource Center with Aisha Asghar (Assistant Curator, World Cultures – Art)

Contact Information

Dr. Glaire Anderson

Founding Director, Digital Lab for Islamic Visual Cultures & Collections

Senior Lecturer in Islamic Art, School of History of Art/ECA

Affiliate, Edinburgh Futures Institute

University of Edinburgh, Scotland

Contact Email

glaire.anderson@ed.ac.uk

URL

https://dlivcc.kit.com/profile/events

 

 

 

 

 

5.  The Medieval Mediterranean between Islam and Christianity

Crosspollinations in Art, Architecture, and Material Culture

Edited by Sami Luigi De Giosa and Nikolaos Vryzidis

AUC Press, 2025

https://aucpress.com/9781649031877/

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. CFP: American Historical Review, Special Issue on Methods for Archival Silence in Early History, Sept. 16

The American Historical Review seeks proposals for a special issue illustrating a range of methodological approaches to archival silence developed by scholars of early history. Articles may be grounded in any part of the world and address any topic as long as they are method-driven, focused on archival silence, and situated early within the periodization of your field.

About the Issue

What should historians do when our sources do not tell us what we want to know? Although this may be a universal experience of historical research, the problem arises in various forms. Some silences are intentional, others unintentional. Some sources are minimal, others extensive but off-topic. Some sources are inaccessible, some have not been preserved, some were never created. Sometimes we do not or cannot know whether our desired sources ever existed, or, if they did, what happened to them. Silences cluster around certain topics, places, and periods more than others.

Historians have articulated this problem in a variety of ways. This call uses the language of archival silence and silencing developed by Michel-Rolph Trouillard and Marisa Fuentes. It could have drawn on the concept of the subaltern (Ranajit Guha, Gayatri Spivak), strategically produced silence and plausible stories (Natalie Zemon Davis), records designed for jettison (Marina Rustow), hidden transcripts (James Scott), living oral traditions (Bethwell A. Ogot), or writing off the radar (James Lockhart), to name only a few.

Faced with archival silence, historians have developed a range of methods for working in, through, and around it. Some techniques and approaches have become characteristic of expertise in early periods. Others are applied by historians across specializations. These include but are not limited to reading against the grain; creative combination of well-known sources; creative use of unusual or little-known sources; oral and other forms of non-written record; technical skills in the so-called ancillary disciplines (numismatics, paleography, codicology, epigraphy, and more); interdisciplinary approaches to method (anthropology, archaeology, literature, linguistics, and more) and to what constitutes a source (climate data, aDNA, physical objects, art, and more); critical fabulation or disciplined imagination; and reframing our questions to build on our sources’ strengths.

Submitting a Proposal

Proposals should be submitted via Google Form by September 16, 2025. Proposals should be no more than 800 words in length and should address the following questions:

• What is your field of historical research? In the context of your field, why is your project considered early?
• Briefly describe the archive(s) or bod(ies) of sources on which your project is based. In what sense are these sources silent?
• Briefly describe the method(s) that you use to work with these sources. What methodological intervention does your project make, and why is it significant?
• What form will your project take in the journal?

We invite projects in a wide variety of forms. They can include, but are not limited to:

• Traditional research articles (no more than 8,000 words, excluding footnotes)
• Image- or video-centered projects
• Digital history/humanities projects
• Public history projects or virtual exhibitions
• Pedagogical projects that examine approaches to methodology and archival silence in the classroom

Decisions on proposals will be announced in November 2025. A positive decision does not guarantee publication in the journal but is rather an invitation to submit a full and complete version of the proposed project for peer review. The submission deadline for complete projects for peer review is May 1, 2026. We anticipate publication of the special issue in 2027.

Please contact the special issue editor, Hannah Barker (hannah.barker.1@asu.edu), with questions.

Contact Information

Hannah Barker

Associate Professor, School of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies, Arizona State University

Contact Email

hannah.barker.1@asu.edu

URL

https://www.historians.org/news-publications/american-historical-review/how-to-…

 

 

 

 

 

7. Birmingham Research Institute for History and Cultures

The Vernacular Millennium: Literary Cultures in History:  International Multidisciplinary Workshop

19–20 June, University of Birmingham

Venue: G05, Institute of Advanced Studies(IAS), University of Birmingham, 54 Pritchatts Rd, Birmingham B15 2SA, UK

This hybrid workshop will discuss Sheldon Pollock’s book titled The Language of the Gods in the World of Men: Sanskrit, Culture, and Power in Premodern India (University of California Press, 2009). Since its publication fifteen years ago, Pollock’s massive book has profoundly reshaped how cultural and literary historians, as well as philologists specialising in the broadest possible linguistic fields, think about the development of languages and the relationship between language and politics. Pollock focused on Sanskrit and its impact on vernacular literary languages in India, suggesting stages for how as a cosmopolitan literary idiom it gave way to local languages. He offered a framework that successfully moved historical models for the development of literary languages away from nationalist teleology, which sees the rise of ‘national languages’ as connected to ethnic identity and as an inevitable process. Since the appearance of the book, scholars have applied Pollock’s vision to their own field, creating new ways of thinking about literary history, philology, historical linguistics, etc., whether in the western hemisphere or the Global South. While some have agreed and others have disagreed with Pollock, problematising his model’s applicability in certain linguistic traditions, critical engagement with his model has proven remarkably fruitful, whether speaking about languages of the ancient Near East, Antiquity, Late Antiquity, the Middle Ages and Early Modernity. This has undoubtedly created new ways of talking about premodern global connectivities and the contingency of the linguistic – and by extension, also the cultural – makeup of the modern world. It is now time to take stock of this impact. The workshop will bring together specialists of diverse linguistic traditions – historians, philologists and linguists from the UK and international academia. The regional and linguistic specialisations of the invitees will include Indology, Iranian, Turkic, Arabic, English, Spanish and Latin Studies.

Those interested but unable to attend in person can participate via Zoom via the links included below.

Thursday, 19 June

https://bham-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/83998767478?pwd=4iGaxo9gRCq0PsT4hAVBaKgWTsY7iS.1

Meeting ID: 839 9876 7478, Passcode: 430140

Welcome: 13:30-14:00 Soft opening

14:00-15:00 The Politics of Language in the Nile-to-Oxus Region

Ludwig Paul (University of Hamburg), “The Early History of New Persian”

Ferenc Csirkés (University of Birmingham), “Language Ideologies of Turkic in Premodern Iran”

Discussant: Leire Olabarria

15:00-15:45 Latinitas and Translation in the Medieval Christian  West

Elena Caetano Alvarez (University of Birmingham), “Por aver remembrança”: Translation, Adaptation, and the Language of Empire in Alfonso X’s Historiography”

Discussant: Aengus Ward (University of Birmingham, Department of Modern Languages)

[15:45-16:15 Tea/ Coffee]

16:15-17:15 Cosmopolitan Multilingualism in the Early Modern and Modern West

Kamran Khan (University of Birmingham), “Language Citizenship Testing as Border Control”

Warren Boutcher (Queen Mary, University of London), “Beyond vernacularisation: The TextDiveGlobal project and the literary history of early modern Europe in the world”

Discussant: Jing Huang (University of Birmingham)

[18:30-  Dinner – Syriana, Edgbaston]

 Friday, 20 June

https://bham-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/81404724181?pwd=XckGnlagv9spC5G1JvabwGeqAyPoDu.1

Meeting ID: 814 0472 4181

Passcode: 512641

09:15-10:15 Cosmopolitanism and Vernacular Traditions in India

Imre Bangha (University of Oxford), “Moving on from the Language of Gods: Revisiting the Emergence of Hindi”

Roy Fischel (SOAS, University of London), “Telling the Local to the World: Cosmopolitan and its Boundaries in the Persianate Deccan”

Discussant: Ferenc Csirkés

[10:15-10:30 Tea/Coffee]

10:30-11:30 Keynote

Nicholas Ostler (Foundation of Endangered Languages), “History of Language Succession”

11:30-13:00 [LUNCH, buffet brought in to accompany round table]

Roundtable, (and next steps?)

 

 

 

 

8. The Islamic College:

An Online Panel Discussion On: Religious Experience in Abrahamic Traditions
Date: Wednesday 25 June 2025
Time: 6.00 P.M. – 8.30 P.M. (LONDON TIME)

A Short Account of the Talk: Religious experience is described in some detail in the Hebrew Bible and yet is not emphasized on the whole in later forms of the religion. There are some Jewish traditions for which experience is significant, but for most Jews it is not so important, and is perhaps replaced by practices such as prayer and law, or a commitment to social justice. There will be a discussion of how and why this occurred, what are its implications and whether or not this presents the religion with a problem. Bio Oliver Leaman is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Kentucky and a member of the Accademica Ambrosiana, Milan . He is the author and editor of books and articles in Islamic, Jewish and Asian philosophy and culture, and his most recent book is the Routledge Handbook of Jewish Ritual and Practice, 2022, which he edited..  He remains the editor of the Routledge Jewish Book Series, one of the largest English language academic series of publications. A Short Account of the Talk: The Nature and Significance of Religious Experience: An Islamic Perspective Religious experience in Islamic thought is a profound encounter that fosters spiritual transformation, ethical refinement, and divine proximity. Rooted in the Qur’an and Hadith, it encompasses prayer (salat), supplication (du’a), contemplation (tafakkur), and mystical awareness (ma‘rifah), each serving as a pathway to deeper connection with God (Allah). This presentation explores the nature and significance of religious experience in Islam, examining its personal, communal, and theological dimensions. Drawing from Qur’anic narratives, prophetic traditions (Sunnah), and Shi‘a Islamic teachings, the discussion will highlight experiences such as revelation (wahy), divine love (hubb), and spiritual purification (tazkiyah). Special attention will be given to the transformative power of dhikr (remembrance of God). Bio Hujjat al-Islam Dr. Mohammad Ali Shomali is a distinguished Islamic scholar and philosopher. He studied at the Islamic Seminaries of Qum and also earned his BA and MA in Western philosophy from the University of Tehran and his doctorate in moral philosophy from the University of Manchester. He is the founding director of the Risalat International Institute, which focuses on Islamic curriculum development and educational training. Over the past 28 years, he has led seminars and courses in over 60 cities across four continents, contributing to Islamic education and interfaith dialogue. Dr. Shomali’s work in interfaith engagement has connected him with scholars and religious leaders in Europe, North America, Africa, and Asia. His publications include works on Islamic philosophy, ethics, and spirituality, such as Ethical Relativism, Self-Knowledge, Shi‘a Islam: Origins, Faith & Practices, and Lessons on Islamic Beliefs. Dr Shomali is co-editor of Catholics-Shi’a Dialogue volumes: Catholics & Shi’a in Dialogue: Studies in Theology & Spirituality (2004 & 2011) Catholic-Shi’a Engagement: Reason & Faith in Theory and Practice (2006 & 2011) A Catholic-Shi‘a Dialogue: Ethics in Today’s Society (2008 & 2011) Monks and Muslims: Monastic and Shi‘a Spirituality in Dialogue (2012) Monks and Muslims II: Creating Communities of Friendship (2014) Monks and Muslims III: Towards a Global Abrahamic Community (2015) and co-editor of Protestant-Shi’a Dialogue volume: Faith and Modernity: A Muslim-Christian Conversation (2018) A Short Account of the Talk: The Christian faith is born in religious experience: the miraculous birth of the Christ child, the many miracles of Jesus, his martyr death, his resurrection and ascension. Today the Christian life is often seen as beginning with the personal reception of a divine encounter with Jesus, called “conversion.” The topic of religious experience within Christianity takes many turns and the literature is rich with philosophers, psychologist, and theologians analyzing the authenticity, especially of the extraordinary accounts of such experiences. In his presentation, Professor Huebner will consider both the exceptional accounts of religious experiences as well as the “ordinary” ones. His main argument is “We could say that it is a religious experience whenever there is a “meeting” of the divine and the human. Or, whenever we receive an act in this world as divine.” Bio Harry Huebner is Professor Emeritus of philosophy and theology at Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg, Canada. In the past few decades, he has been active in interfaith dialogue and teaching. He is the author of several books, his latest being An Introduction to Christian Ethics: History, Movements, People.

https://islamic-college.ac.uk/event-register/

 

 

 

 

 

9. Dust That Never Settles: Literary Afterlives of the Iran-Iraq War is now available through Stanford University Press.

Ami Mousavi deals with the ways in which Iranian and Iraqi writers have dealt with the legacy of the war between their two countries in contemporary Persian and Arabic fiction.

https://www.sup.org/books/middle-east-studies/dust-never-settles

If you’re inclined to purchase one, you can get a 20% discount from SUP by using the code MOOSAVI20.

https://www.sup.org/books/middle-east-studies/dust-never-settles

 

 

 

 

 

10. Digital Methodologies for the Study of Religion Symposium

Wednesday 25th June

Coventry University

9.30am-4.15pm

This knowledge exchange symposium is part of the ESRC-funded Digital British Islam research project. Hosted by Coventry University, it will bring together scholars to critically engage with the uses, challenges, and future directions of digital methodologies for the study of religion. The draft programme for the symposium is available on here: https://digitalbritishislam.com/draft-symposium-programme/

Registration is free and includes access to all conference sessions, lunch, refreshments, and networking opportunities. Please note, we are not able to cover travel expenses on this occasion.

Please register on this link as soon as possible: https://digitalbritishislam.com/symposium-registration/

Places are very limited and registration will closed once full or on Wednesday 18th June.

 

 

 

 

 

11. IED lecture – 23/6 – Thijl Sunier ‘Making Islam work: Islamic Authority among Muslims in Western Europe’

Thijl Sunnier (VU Amsterdam) will close this first online lecture series with a talk on his latest book ‘‘Making Islam Work: Islamic Authority Among Muslims in Western Europe”.

Date: Monday, June 23rd, 3.00-4.30 pm CET

Registration link: click here to register and save your Teams access link

After his presentation, discussant Dominik Müller (Zürich University) will offer a response, followed by a Q&A

Abstract

Thijl Sunier: ‘‘Making Islam Work: Islamic Authority Among Muslims in Western Europe”.

Who speaks for Islam? Religious authority hinges on persuasiveness and addresses issues of truthfulness, authenticity, legitimacy, trust, and ethics within the realm of religious matters.

While Islamic authority may seem like an inherent status for Muslim scholars, tied to their knowledge of religious sources, Sunier argues that the process of establishing Islamic authority is a continuous dynamic.

His book Making Islam Work: Islamic Authority Among Muslims in Western Europe (Brill) analyses authority as a social and relational practice that extends beyond theological proficiency and personal status, even encompassing objects, activities, and events. Moreover, he contends that the development of Islamic landscapes in Europe is intricately linked to the evolution of Islamic authority.

In this talk, he will explore the diverse ways in which Islamic authority is constituted, with a specific emphasis on the role of ‘ordinary’ Muslims. Drawing on ethnographic research conducted among Muslims in Western Europe from the mid-1980s to 2020, he aims to shed light on the multifaceted dynamics of Islamic authority in this context.

Thijl Sunier is professor emeritus (VU University Amsterdam) and president of the Netherlands Interuniversity School for Islamic Studies (NISIS). His work focuses on the study of migrants in Europe, Turkey and the study of Islamic religious authority

Looking forward to seeing you there!

IED team (An Van Raemdonck, Iman Lechkar, Dominik Müller, Nadia Fadil, Aymon Kreil).

 

 

 

 

 

 

12. Nemati Book Award For Studies on Iran’s Minoritized Ethnic and Religious Communities

The Nemati Book Award honors exceptional monographs on Iran’s minoritized ethnic and religious groups. Established in memory of Mrs. Nemati [from Kermanshah in Iran], the award supports inclusive, interdisciplinary scholarship. The UNC-Chapel Hill Persian Studies Program administers this award in collaboration with the Association for Iranian Studies (AIS).

Prize: $1,000 (awarded biennially)

Eligibility: Books published in the past two years (January 1, 2024- December 31, 2025)
Focus: Communities such as Armenian, Assyrian, Jewish, Zoroastrian, Bahá’í, Kurdish, Baluch, Yarsan, and others
Submission: Authors or publishers may submit a digital copy of the book, a nomination letter by authors/publishers, and a CV by January 31, 2026, to yaghoobi@email.unc.edu

 

 

 

 

13. Hedayat on Religion

Edited by M.R. Ghanoonparvar and Paul Sprachman
Contributors: Iraj Bashiri, Michael Beard, M. Mehdi Khorrami, Nasrin Rahimieh
Costa Mesa, CA: Mazda Publishers, 2024.

https://www.mazdapublishers.com/book/hedayat-on-religion

 

 

 

 

 

14. The team of the UKRI-funded project Musical Lives: Towards an Historical Anthropology of French Song, 1100-1300 (MUSLIVE) invites expressions of interest from researchers at an early career stage (broadly conceived and inclusive of current PhD students) to participate in a workshop on 17^th-18^thSeptember at King’s College London.

Our intention is to bring together researchers whose work intersects with the project’s interests in the lives of poets or songmakers who lived in or travelled the Mediterranean, or whose work can be positioned within trans-Mediterranean cultural networks, in the period 1100 to 1300. We take a capacious view of “musical lives” to include all forms of performed speech, with or without melody. We welcome contributions which focus on Arabic, Hebrew, Latin or European vernacular poetic traditions (particularly medieval French and Occitan).

In lieu of a traditional conference paper, we will ask participants to present a primary source, be that an object, text (or extract of a longer text), or document, linked to the project’s core themes and timeframe. Prior to the workshop, participants will submit their object/source for distribution in advance (with English translation provided), along with a short contextual statement about it, some research questions you are working on, and how it might relate to MUSLIVE’s core themes (for example, how it contributes to building a musical life and/or network.) In the workshop, each participant will offer an informal introduction to their item for a maximum of 5 minutes, with ample room afterwards for generative and open-ended conversation in a convivial and supportive atmosphere.

We conceive of the workshop as the first step in an ongoing collaboration through which participants will have the opportunity to develop a chapter for submission to one of the project’s edited volumes. The workshop will be an in-person event, though we anticipate further workshops will be online and/or hybrid.

We ask potential participants to submit an abstract of no more than 250 words outlining their chosen source and their approach to it, along with a short CV. Please submit your materials by June 30^th to muslive@kcl.ac.uk and feel free to contact us on that address with any questions.

The project is able to offer a number of bursaries to support travel and accommodation costs, with priority given to those who do not have access to institutional or other funding. Please indicate if you would like to be considered for a bursary when submitting your abstract.

MUSLIVE is a UKRI Frontier Research Grant, running 2023-2028. It was successfully evaluated by the ERC and funded by the UKRI Horizon Europe guarantee (EP/X022501/1). For more information about the project themes, see: https://muslive.kcl.ac.uk

Best wishes,

The MUSLIVE team

muslive@kcl.ac.uk

 

 

 

 

 

15. New Online Course: The Shahname: Introduction to the Iranian Epic

July 11 – August 29, 2025

 Ferdowsi School of Persian Literature

https://ferdowsi.org/the-shahname-introduction-2/

 

 

 

 

 

16. HYBRID Lecture Reconstructing the Higher Thought of Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-Karīm al-Shahrastānī (d.548/1153): Eclecticism or Intellectual Synthesis ?

by Dr. Toby Mayer (Institute of Ismaili Studies, London), INALCO, Paris, 16 June 2025, 18:15 – _20:00 CET

Information and registration: https://tinyurl.com/2nu8pphy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17. “7th International Conference of the Mediterranean Maritime History Network”, University of Zadar, Croatia, 25-26 May 2026

Main themes: – _On the sea (seamen, ships, navigation, sea trade, war, piracy). – _Around the sea (maritime communities, islands, port cities, shipping, shipping-related, fishing and touristic businesses). In the sea (fishing, maritime resources, environment). – _Because of the sea (maritime transport systems and entrepreneurial networks, maritime empires, international and national maritime institutions and policy). – _About the sea (the maritime culture and heritage).

Deadline for abstracts: 30 September 2025. Information: https://conference.unizd.hr/mmhn2026/

 

 

 

 

 

18. Postdoctoral University Assistant (up to 6 Years) in Ottoman/Turkish Studies, University of Vienna

Qualification: Ph.D in Ottoman/Turkish Studies. – _Habilitation project in historical migration research focusing on Turkey. – _Research interests: migration history, minorities, spatial studies. – _Professional and methodological expertise in Ottoman/Turkish and European history, cultural theory, and digital humanities (DH). – _Excellent command of English, Turkish and Ottoman Turkish. – _Very good knowledge of Greek, Hebrew or Ladino.

Deadline for applications: 15 July 2025.

Information: https://jobs.univie.ac.at/job/University-Assistant-postdoctoral/1212816901/

 

 

 

 

19. Chapters on “The Aesthetics of Monotheism: Islam & the Hermeneutics of Art and Architecture” for Edited Volume of the Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar

The book explores theoretical and practical methods in historiography to examine the aesthetic foundations of Islamic art and architecture. It aims to build a framework grounded in Islamic aesthetics, critique orientalist perspectives, and expand understanding beyond architecture to include poetry, ornament, and music.

Deadline for abstracts: 30 July 2025. Information: Contact Ms. Rayan Khalil (rkhalil@hbku.edu.qa )