Archive for 2025
Shii News – Academic Items
1. Hybrid – ‘Negotiating Asian Modernity: Educational Reform, Hyderabad, and Japan, 1868–1926.’ 19.9.25
Dear colleagues,
A glitch was found in the link to the registration form for online participation in the version of this announcement that was circulated earlier. Please use and share this corrected version.
My apologies for the additional traffic.
Best regards,
Kazuo Morimoto
* * * *
The Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, University of Tokyo (Tobunken), together with the Japan Regional Office of the Association for the Study of Persianate Societies, is pleased to co-host a lecture by Professor Mimi Hanaoka (University of Richmond) entitled “Negotiating Asian Modernity: Educational Reform, Hyderabad, and Japan, 1868–1926.”
The lecture is open to the public. Please note that advance registration is required for online participation. The co-organizers look forward to your participation.
Lecture Title:
Negotiating Asian Modernity: Educational Reform, Hyderabad, and Japan, 1868-1926.
Speaker:
Professor Mimi Hanaoka (Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Special Assistant to the Provost at the University of Richmond).
Chair:
Professor Kazuo Morimoto (Professor in Islamic and Iranian History, Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, University of Tokyo).
Date and Time:
19 September (Fri) 2025, at 18:00-19:30 (JST).
Venue:
Room 303, Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo (東京大学東洋文化研究所3階、大会議室303), and online via Zoom.
Abstract:
This project explores two sites geographically located on the peripheries of European empires and revolving like an increasingly tighter double-helix around them: the Muslim-ruled princely state of Hyderabad in British colonial India and early modern Japan during the years 1868-1926. As the global world order transitioned from an era of empire to nation over the 19th century, whether and how a nation might be modern without being western became a vexed question. I argue that Masood envisioned a particular type of Muslim imperial nationalism and Muslim modernism that was possible during the politically liminal period in India during the 1920s and 1930s but which became incompatible with political and social realities after Partition in 1947.
Anchoring the narrative in the biography and peregrinations of Syed Ross Masood and his official report on Japan’s educational system, Negotiating Asian Modernity explores how the Indian Muslim educator Syed Ross Masood looked to Japan as a model of imperial Asian modernity. Masood served as a bureaucrat for the Muslim ruler of the Indian princely state of Hyderabad for whom he wrote a report, titled Japan and its Educational System (1923), about Japan’s educational system and how and why it should serve as a model for Hyderabad’s educational system.
Speaker’s Bio:
Mimi Hanaoka is the author of Authority and Identity in Medieval Islamic Historiography: Persian Histories from the Peripheries (Cambridge University Press, 2016), which explains themes and literary strategies that “centered” texts from “peripheral” regions in medieval Persia. She has published numerous articles on Islam, identity, and trans-regional linkages, and her work has appeared in such journals as History of Education Quarterly, Mizan, Journal of Persianate Studies, and Iranian Studies. Outside of the academy, her work has been published in various outlets with mass reach and appeal, including Grantland, Guernica, Los Angeles Times, GlobalPost, and National Geographic’s Glimpse. For more information, visit https://religiousstudies.richmond.edu/faculty/mhanaoka/ .
How to Participate:
Pre-registration is required for online participation. Please fill in the form at https://forms.gle/s17Gbe88hwo6ii1i6 by 18 September, at 24:00 JST.
In-person attendance does not require advance registration.
Contact Person: Kazuo Morimoto (morikazu@ioc.u-tokyo.ac.jp)
This event is co-organized by the Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, University of Tokyo (organized by the Regular Research Project W-1: Approaches to the “Persianate World” as a Tobunken Seminar) and the Japan Regional Office of the Association for the Study of Persianate Societies (as a Gilas Lecture).
2. Bloomsbury: We are delighted to announce the Bloomsbury Academic Writing Fellowship will run for a third successive year in partnership with Writers & Artists.
If you identify as Black, Asian or Ethnically Diverse (BAED), are based in the UK, and have an idea you would like to develop into an academic book but are unsure where to start, this Fellowship is for you. We’ve expanded the criteria this year to include key thematic topics from across the Humanities and Social Sciences.
The recipient of this Fellowship will receive £1000 of financial support, £250 worth of books from Bloomsbury Academic, editorial support and mentorship for one year, plus event and networking opportunities.
Applications can be submitted between 1st September 2025 and 1st October 2025.
We are delighted to announce the Bloomsbury Academic Writing Fellowship will run for a third successive year in partnership with Writers & Artists.
If you identify as Black, Asian or Ethnically Diverse (BAED), are based in the UK, and have an idea you would like to develop into an academic book but are unsure where to start, this Fellowship is for you. We’ve expanded the criteria this year to include key thematic topics from across the Humanities and Social Sciences.
The recipient of this Fellowship will receive £1000 of financial support, £250 worth of books from Bloomsbury Academic, editorial support and mentorship for one year, plus event and networking opportunities.
Applications can be submitted between 1st September 2025 and 1st October 2025.
3. Workshop Programme and Registration: Beyond Eurocentrism and Arabocentrism, 12–13 September 2025, University of Aberdeen, UK
Please see, via the link below, the full programme of the workshop for your consideration.
You may register for all sessions through the link provided below. For those who are near Aberdeen University, we would be delighted to welcome you in person.
https://www.abdn.ac.uk/dhpa/news/24636/
- September 02, 2025
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – Academic Items
1.New Open Access Issue of Journal of Digital Islamicate Research
https://brill.com/view/journals/jdir/3/1/jdir.3.issue-1.xml
2. 2025 Fall Speaker Series Begins on 3 September
Zahra Institute’s Fall 2025 Speaker Series begins on 3 September. This year’s lineup will cover topics such as Kurdish music, madrasa culture, security, and contemporary art. All speaker events are free and open to the public on Zoom.
For more information on our upcoming events, please visit our website: www.zahrainstitute.org/ .
September Events
What’s So Kurdish about Kurdish Music? Perspectives from Ethnomusicology
Jon Bullock, Assistant Professor, Department of Music, University of Notre Dame
Wednesday, 3 September: 12pm Central / 1pm Eastern
Register today: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/6Fk09ckFTpuliBhlAXnqxg
Malik Kurd: On Kurdish Sovereignty
Mucahit Bilici, Professor, Department of Sociology, John Jay College and CUNY Graduate Center
Wednesday, 17 September: 12pm Central / 1pm Eastern
Register today: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/2k53etS4RROqfpe7WwFQqg
3. UC Irvine’s Dr. Samuel M. Jordan Center for Persian Studies new home for Encyclopædia Iranica
University of California Irvine and the Encyclopædia Iranica Foundation have established a long-term collaborative agreement for the publication of the Encyclopædia Iranica that designates the renowned Dr. Samuel M. Jordan Center for Persian Studies as the new home for the Encyclopædia. Professor Touraj Daryaee, Maseeh Chair in Persian Studies & Culture and the Director of the Center, has been appointed as the new Editor-in-Chief
Encyclopædia Iranica is a leading resource dedicated to the promotion and study of Iranian civilization. Founded by Professor Ehsan Yarshater in 1990 at the Center for Iranian Studies at Columbia University, the Encyclopædia is a multi-volume, multi-disciplinary work designed to provide a detailed and accurate picture of an important world civilization over a span of several thousand years. The Encyclopædia will be available both in print and in a new updated online format, which will be free and open to the public and scholars.
UC Irvine was chosen as the site for Encyclopædia Iranica through a rigorous international competition. Vice Chancellor for Research Pramod P. Khargonekar states, “Housing this internationally recognized collection on our campus strengthens our research enterprise by providing scholars and students with direct access to curated knowledge, fostering new research and cross-disciplinary collaboration in understanding the Jordan Center’s work.”
Encyclopædia Iranica is supported by the Encyclopædia Iranica Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting the study of Iranian civilization, particularly through the Encyclopædia. Dr. Ramine Rouhani, Chair of the Encyclopaedia Iranica Foundation, notes, “We are confident that UCI’s exceptional academic reputation and its extensive experience in Iranian studies, particularly as evidenced by the Jordan Center’s robust research, educational and cultural programs, will be instrumental in furthering the vital mission of the Encyclopædia Iranica.”
Encyclopædia Iranica is an international undertaking that draws on the most authoritative scholarship worldwide to ensure the quality and reliability of its articles. To date, more than 1,300 scholars from around the globe have contributed articles in various languages, including English, Russian, Persian, Turkish and Chinese. In Volume I alone, articles were contributed by 285 authors. Prior to relocating to UC Irvine, seventeen volumes of the Encyclopædia Iranica covering letters A to K have been published in print format and more than 9,000 articles have been published digitally.
4. ‘Islamic Normative Legal Theory: Framework and Applications’
Journal of Law and Religion
Habib Ahmad
5. Tenure Track Assistant Professor in IR/IC
Lafayette College
The Department of Government and Law and the International Affairs Program at Lafayette College invite applications for a shared tenure-track position in International Relations and/or Comparative Politics at the rank of Assistant Professor commencing July 1, 2026. Preference will be given to candidates with a regional focus in South Asia or the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
Deadline | Review of applications to begin on 22 September
More information
6. Research Group Leader in Comparative Area Studies
Charles University
The Faculty of Arts, Charles University (Prague, Czech Republic) is seeking a research group leader in comparative area studies. As part of the project funded by Horizon Europe(ERA Chair in Multidisciplinary Area Studies, ERA-AREAS), this post holder will be responsible for coordinating a newly created Center for Multidisciplinary Area Studies (CenMAS). The applicants are expected to focus on one of three regional specializations: Middle Eastern studies, Asian studies, East European studies.
Deadline | 30 September 2025
More information
7. Researcher in Comparative Area Studies
Charles University
The Faculty of Arts, Charles University (Prague, Czech Republic) is seeking a postdoctoral researcher in comparative area studies. As part of the project funded by Horizon Europe (ERA Chair in Multidisciplinary Area Studies, ERA-AREAS), this post holder will participate in the newly created Center for Multidisciplinary Area Studies (CenMAS). The applicant will work closely with the ERA Chair holder, Prof Mariana Llanos, and the research group leader.
Deadline | 30 September 2025
More information
8. The Centre for Arab Studies at the University of Houston is accepting students
The Centre for Arab Studies at the University of Houston is accepting students at both the MA and PhD levels who are interested in colonialism and anti-colonialism, revolutions, popular and democratic movements, labor, popular culture, gender and sexuality, political economy, and literary criticism. Scholars from the Arab world with experience researching Arabic-language archival sources and field work are enthusiastically welcome. Financial support for research and academic development is offered in a strong, supportive community of dedicated faculty and students.
Students find mentorship from and engagement with a variety of distinguished leaders in the field of Arab Studies whose interests are wide-ranging and diverse. For any interested students who have any questions about applying to pursue your Masters or PhD with UH, please email Dr. Patrick Higgins phiggins@central.uh.edu or Dr. Hanan Hammad at hhhammad@central.uh.edu.
9. Hybrid: The Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, University of Tokyo (Tobunken), together with the Japan Regional Office of the Association for the Study of Persianate Societies, is pleased to co-host a lecture by Professor Mimi Hanaoka (University of Richmond) entitled “Negotiating Asian Modernity: Educational Reform, Hyderabad, and Japan, 1868–1926.” 19.9.25
The lecture is open to the public. Please note that advance registration is required for online participation. The co-organizers look forward to your participation.
Lecture Title:
Negotiating Asian Modernity: Educational Reform, Hyderabad, and Japan, 1868-1926.
Speaker:
Professor Mimi Hanaoka (Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Special Assistant to the Provost at the University of Richmond).
Chair:
Professor Kazuo Morimoto (Professor in Islamic and Iranian History, Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, University of Tokyo).
Date and Time:
19 September (Fri) 2025, at 18:00-19:30 (JST).
Venue:
Room 303, Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo (東京大学東洋文化研究所3階、大会議室303), and online via Zoom.
Abstract:
This project explores two sites geographically located on the peripheries of European empires and revolving like an increasingly tighter double-helix around them: the Muslim-ruled princely state of Hyderabad in British colonial India and early modern Japan during the years 1868-1926. As the global world order transitioned from an era of empire to nation over the 19th century, whether and how a nation might be modern without being western became a vexed question. I argue that Masood envisioned a particular type of Muslim imperial nationalism and Muslim modernism that was possible during the politically liminal period in India during the 1920s and 1930s but which became incompatible with political and social realities after Partition in 1947.
Anchoring the narrative in the biography and peregrinations of Syed Ross Masood and his official report on Japan’s educational system, Negotiating Asian Modernity explores how the Indian Muslim educator Syed Ross Masood looked to Japan as a model of imperial Asian modernity. Masood served as a bureaucrat for the Muslim ruler of the Indian princely state of Hyderabad for whom he wrote a report, titled Japan and its Educational System (1923), about Japan’s educational system and how and why it should serve as a model for Hyderabad’s educational system.
Speaker’s Bio:
Mimi Hanaoka is the author of Authority and Identity in Medieval Islamic Historiography: Persian Histories from the Peripheries (Cambridge University Press, 2016), which explains themes and literary strategies that “centered” texts from “peripheral” regions in medieval Persia. She has published numerous articles on Islam, identity, and trans-regional linkages, and her work has appeared in such journals as History of Education Quarterly, Mizan, Journal of Persianate Studies, and Iranian Studies. Outside of the academy, her work has been published in various outlets with mass reach and appeal, including Grantland, Guernica, Los Angeles Times, GlobalPost, and National Geographic’s Glimpse. For more information, visit https://religiousstudies.richmond.edu/faculty/mhanaoka/ .
How to Participate:
Pre-registration is required for online participation. Please fill in the form https://forms.gle/s17Gbe88hwo6ii1i6 by 18 September, at 24:00 JST.
In-person attendance does not require advance registration.
Contact Person: Kazuo Morimoto (morikazu@ioc.u-tokyo.ac.jp)
This event is co-organized by the Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, University of Tokyo (organized by the Regular Research Project W-1: Approaches to the “Persianate World” as a Tobunken Seminar) and the Japan Regional Office of the Association for the Study of Persianate Societies (as a Gilas Lecture).
10. Workshop for PhD Candidates: “Researching, Writing and Publishing on Gender, Culture and Society: Upskilling Early Career Researchers in Türkiye”, British Institute at Ankara (BIAA), 23-24 October 2025 and 23-24 March 2026
This project aims to support final year PhD candidates and researchers who completed their PhD within the last five years from universities across Türkiye working in interdisciplinary gender studies. Participants will gain insight into writing for publication and applying for grants with editors of leading international journals and publishers of academic monographs. Participants will also be assigned a mentor who will support them to write an article suitable for publication
Deadline for applications: 13 September 2025. Information: genderwritingworkshops@gmail.com
11. Research Assistant (4 Years) for Project “(De)Colonizing Sharia?”, Max-Weber-College, University of Erfurt
The position is part of the Project “Tracing Transformation, Change and Continuity in Islamic Law in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in the 19th and 20th Centuries (DeColSharia)”. Qualification: M.A. in Arabic/Islamic Studies or a comparable discipline. – _Research specialization in modern Islamic law and/or in the fields of law/politics/ (post)colonialism. – _Very good knowledge of Arabic, English, if possible, Persian/Turkish/Ottoman Turkish, if possi-ble, German.
Deadline for applications: 29 September 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/5xwxkecw
12. University Assistant Postdoctoral in the Field of Islam in Contemporary Society, Department of Islamic-Theological Studies, University of Vienna
Qualification: Excellent German language skills (at least C1 level). – _Completed doctoral/PhD studies in Islamic-Theological Studies or a comparable discipline. – _Research in the field of Islamic theology with a focus on its relevance for European societies. – _Theological and interdisciplinary engagement with questions of religious plurality and interreligious dialogue.
Deadline for applications: 8 September 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/5e8m6mhj
13. Assistant Professor in Modern Arabic Literature (Specializing in Modern Arabic Poetry), University of Haifa
Candidates holding a PhD, with post-doctoral studies, academic teaching experience, and a strong publication record are invited to apply.
Deadline for applications: 10 October 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/3efevkua
14. Undergraduate Research Workshop, MESA’s Committee on Undergraduate Middle East Studies (CUMES), Washington DC, 22-25 November 2025
Students pursuing a bachelor’s program or recent graduates who have not yet begun a graduate degree are eligible. All fields and disciplines are welcome. The workshop consists of a private small panel presentation with feedback, professional development sessions, and a public poster session. If selected, students are eligible for travel grants and discounted registration.
Deadline for proposals: 15 September 2025.
Information: https://mesana.org/annual-meeting/undergraduate-workshop
15. Winter School: “Commensality and Cultural Heritage in the Middle East and Its Diasporas”, University of Groningen, 20-24 January 2026
This interdisciplinary program invites MA, PhD students Postdocs and from the humanities, social sciences, and public health, and professionals in cultural heritage and food studies to engage with cutting-edge research and community perspectives – _through seminars, discussions, and hands-on culinary activities.
Deadline for applications: 1 December 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/ybryyd7x
16. New Book Series “Trans-cultural Spaces: Intellectual and Social History in the Pre-industrial Islamicate World (ca. 1350-1850 CE)”, Edited by Georg Leube, Georg Olms Verlag & Nomos Publishing Group
The publications in this series are dedicated to the intellectual and social history of the pre-industrial Islamic period (ca. 1350-1850 CE). The series promotes the understanding of concepts, disciplines, texts, or phenomena across cultural spheres, regions, and linguistic boundaries within the culturally and religiously diverse Islamicate realm.
Information: https://tinyurl.com/y6k3skaa
17. New Book Series “Reimagining Social Sciences and Humanities in and from the Middle East”, Springer
Central themes include epistemological reform, curriculum innovation, the Islamisation of knowledge, academic free-dom, migration, and the evolving role of higher education. The series addresses public perceptions and the practical value of social sciences and humanities education, encouraging interdisciplinary dialogue and comparative research that juxtaposes developments across countries to deepen regional and global understanding.
Information: https://link.springer.com/series/60386
18. Twilight of the Saints
The History and Politics of Salafism in Contemporary Egypt
Stéphane Lacroix. Translated by Jeremy Sorkin
Columbia University Press
The book examines the history of Salafism in Egypt from its 1920s emergence in Cairo’s scholarly circles through the present day, shedding new light on the movement’s shifting relationship to politics. Drawing on extensive field-work and interviews, the author illustrates how Salafism redefined what it means to be Muslim for Egyptians and offers an in-depth, authoritative understanding of the relationship of Salafism, politics, and authoritarianism in Egypt.
Information: https://cup.columbia.edu/book/twilight-of-the-saints/9780231215213/
19. The Twelfth Conference of the School of Mamluk Studies will be held at the University of Pennsylvania (aka “Penn”) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 23-25, 2026.
https://mamluk.uchicago.edu/sms-conference.html
The conference will be conducted in two parts: a themed day on “The Mamluks and the Crusades” (July 23) and two days of panels with open themes (July 24-25). The conference will be preceded by a three-day intensive course on “The Crusades and Islamic History” (July 20-22). See below for more information about this course.
The first day, July 23, will be themed and dedicated to the history of experiences of the crusading movement within the Mamluk sultanate (1250-1517), before and after the fall of Acre in 1291. The rise of the Mamluk sultanate brought with it a palpable shift in the dynamic between the remaining Crusader states and the Muslim polities of the Middle East and north Africa that has yet to be fully explored. We welcome studies of Mamluk-Frankish conflict and cooperation, whether in the realms of military history, diplomacy, commerce, social history, or cultural exchange. The themed day is also open to relevant studies of literature, material culture, non-Muslim communities, historiography, and philological or codicological concerns. A maximum of 12 paper proposals will be selected for this themed day. Should a greater number of proposals be received, the authors of those that are not selected for the conference may be offered the possibility to publish their contribution in the proceedings. The time allotted to each paper will be twenty minutes, plus ten minutes for discussion.
The following two days of the conference (July 24 and 25) will be structured in panels, which may focus on any aspect of the social, economic, intellectual, political, and artistic life of the Mamluk period. The panels will be organized into presentations of three to four papers of twenty minutes each. Panel proposals must be made by a representative, who will be responsible for its organization. Please note that in case of cancellation of two papers out of the three (or three out of the four) composing the panel, the panel will have to be withdrawn from the program. The time allotted to each paper will be twenty minutes. Discussion will take place at the end of each panel.
Language: The official language of the conference will be English.
Location:The conference will take place in the Orrery Pavilion in the Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books, and Manuscripts, Van Pelt Library 6th Floor, University of Pennsylvania.
Fees: The conference registration fee will be $60 for participants and attendees. Graduate students will be offered a discounted fee of $45, subject to availability. An optional farewell dinner will take place on the last day (Saturday, July 25) at a cost to be determined. Payment of the fees (registration and farewell dinner) must be received by April 15, 2026. Any enquiries should be sent to sms2026philadelphia@gmail.com
To register for the conference and pay the $60 registration fee, either as a participant or non-participant attendee, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/school-of-mamluk-studies-2026-conference-philadelphia-tickets-1567051907439
Paper proposals for the themed day must be submitted electronically (see link below) by October 31, 2025. Paper proposals must provide the name and a one-page CV of the speaker, a provisional title, and an abstract of a maximum of 300 words.
To submit a paper proposal, complete the form athttp://mamluk.uchicago.edu/sms2026paperproposal.html.
Panel proposals must be submitted by November 30, 2025. A panel may include 3 or 4 papers. The proposal should provide the following information for each paper in the panel: the name and one-page CV of the author, a provisional paper title, and an abstract (maximum of 1500 characters, or about 300 words). Panel proposals must also identify the panel’s chair (who may be one of the panelists). The organizer of a panel should have all information about the panel members and their papers before beginning the proposal submission.
To submit a panel proposal, complete the form athttp://mamluk.uchicago.edu/sms2026panelproposal.html.
Acceptance: Paper and panel proposals will be peer-reviewed. A first circular will be sent by February 2026 to those whose proposals have been accepted, and to those who have expressed interest in attending the conference as non-presenters.
Publication: Selected papers from the themed day will be published in a special issue ofMamlūk Studies Review.
Accommodations:Participants must make their own travel arrangements and secure their own accommodations. The intensive course and the conference will be held in Van Pelt Library in the center of Penn’s campus.
A list of nearby hotels will be provided shortly, and, if possible, blocks of rooms will be reserved at a special rate in some cases.
Those who would like to express their intention to attend the conference as non-presenters should complete the registration form.
INTENSIVE COURSE: The Crusades and Islamic History (July 20-22, 2026)
This three-day intensive course will focus on reading medieval primary sources for the social, economic and religious history of Egypt and Greater Syria, including Palestine during the period of the Crusades, roughly 1050-1500. It is intended for advanced graduate students and other qualified participants and will be offered by Prof. Paul M. Cobb (University of Pennsylvania) in collaboration with Prof. Ann Zimo (University of New Hampshire) and Prof. Reuven Amitai (Hebrew University of Jerusalem). The course will include close reading and historical analysis of published Arabic literary sources (chronicles and the like), Frankish sources in translation, and modern secondary literature. The overall goal is to provide students with in-depth understanding of the conventions and genres of historical writing on the Crusades and what we gain (and lose) by understanding the Crusades in their Middle Eastern context.
The number of participants will be limited to a maximum of 12.
Applications for the intensive course should include a CV, a statement of purpose (up to 750 words), and a letter of recommendation by someone familiar with your work. These should be sent to sms2026philadelphia@gmail.com by the end of January 2026. Those who are selected for the course will be notified by the end of February 2026, at which time a syllabus and information about the method of payment for the course fees will be provided.
The course fee is $250, which also includes the registration fee for the subsequent conference (July 23-25). The fees must be paid by April 15, 2026. Registration and participation will not be confirmed until payment is received. Participants must make their own travel arrangements; the local organizer will provide suggestions for accommodation.
20. The ZDMG calls for the submission of new and innovative articles in Islamic Studies of various thematic foci to be published in the issues 176.2 (2026) und 177.1 (2027). We particularly welcome articles with a historical orientation grounded in philological analysis. Contributions should focus on pre-modern Muslim societies (up to approximately 1800 CE) and address topics such as history, religion, culture, law, literature, or social structures.
Deadline for submission: 15 October 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/bdhmd2td
- August 30, 2025
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – ‘A Shiʿi Distinction Between Farāʾiḍ and Sunan Laws’ – K Rajani
- August 28, 2025
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – Graduate Students: Launch of the Shii Studies Network
Launch of the Shii Studies Network
The Shii Studies Network aims to provide a space for graduate students researching Shiism to forge personal and professional connections, share their research with and learn from each other, and push the field forward.
Membership of the Network is open to students currently enrolled on a doctoral program at universities, divinity schools, and seminaries anywhere in the world who work on or who have an interest in the study of Shiism in any of its manifestations, across any time period, and in any region.
For more information, see the Network’s website: https://www.shiistudies.net/.
- August 27, 2025
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – Academic Items
1.New Open Access Issue of Journal of Digital Islamicate Research
https://brill.com/view/journals/jdir/3/1/jdir.3.issue-1.xml
2. Zahra Institute – 2025 Fall Speaker Series Begins on 3 September
Zahra Institute’s Fall 2025 Speaker Series begins on 3 September. This year’s lineup will cover topics such as Kurdish music, madrasa culture, security, and contemporary art. All speaker events are free and open to the public on Zoom.
For more information on our upcoming events, please visit our website: www.zahrainstitute.org/ .
September Events
What’s So Kurdish about Kurdish Music? Perspectives from Ethnomusicology
Jon Bullock, Assistant Professor, Department of Music, University of Notre Dame
Wednesday, 3 September: 12pm Central / 1pm Eastern
Register today: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/6Fk09ckFTpuliBhlAXnqxg
Malik Kurd: On Kurdish Sovereignty
Mucahit Bilici, Professor, Department of Sociology, John Jay College and CUNY Graduate Center
Wednesday, 17 September: 12pm Central / 1pm Eastern
Register today: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/2k53etS4RROqfpe7WwFQqg
3. UC Irvine’s Dr. Samuel M. Jordan Center for Persian Studies new home for Encyclopædia Iranica
University of California Irvine and the Encyclopædia Iranica Foundation have established a long-term collaborative agreement for the publication of the Encyclopædia Iranica that designates the renowned Dr. Samuel M. Jordan Center for Persian Studies as the new home for the Encyclopædia. Professor Touraj Daryaee, Maseeh Chair in Persian Studies & Culture and the Director of the Center, has been appointed as the new Editor-in-Chief.
Encyclopædia Iranica is a leading resource dedicated to the promotion and study of Iranian civilization. Founded by Professor Ehsan Yarshater in 1990 at the Center for Iranian Studies at Columbia University, the Encyclopædia is a multi-volume, multi-disciplinary work designed to provide a detailed and accurate picture of an important world civilization over a span of several thousand years. The Encyclopædia will be available both in print and in a new updated online format, which will be free and open to the public and scholars.
UC Irvine was chosen as the site for Encyclopædia Iranica through a rigorous international competition. Vice Chancellor for Research Pramod P. Khargonekar states, “Housing this internationally recognized collection on our campus strengthens our research enterprise by providing scholars and students with direct access to curated knowledge, fostering new research and cross-disciplinary collaboration in understanding the Jordan Center’s work.”
Encyclopædia Iranica is supported by the Encyclopædia Iranica Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting the study of Iranian civilization, particularly through the Encyclopædia. Dr. Ramine Rouhani, Chair of the Encyclopaedia Iranica Foundation, notes, “We are confident that UCI’s exceptional academic reputation and its extensive experience in Iranian studies, particularly as evidenced by the Jordan Center’s robust research, educational and cultural programs, will be instrumental in furthering the vital mission of the Encyclopædia Iranica.”
Encyclopædia Iranica is an international undertaking that draws on the most authoritative scholarship worldwide to ensure the quality and reliability of its articles. To date, more than 1,300 scholars from around the globe have contributed articles in various languages, including English, Russian, Persian, Turkish and Chinese. In Volume I alone, articles were contributed by 285 authors. Prior to relocating to UC Irvine, seventeen volumes of the Encyclopædia Iranica covering letters A to K have been published in print format and more than 9,000 articles have been published digitally.
- August 26, 2025
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
- August 25, 2025
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – Academic Items
1. The 2025 Imam Abdallah Ibn-Alawi Al-Haddad – 7 Book Collection
https://fonsvitae.com/product/fons-vitae-al-haddad-collectors-book-set/
2. Twelfth Conference of the School of Mamluk Studies Conference
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
USA
July 23-25, 2026
Call for Papers
We are pleased to announce that the Twelfth Conference of the School of Mamluk Studies will be held at the University of Pennsylvania (aka “Penn”) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 23-25, 2026.
The conference will be conducted in two parts: a themed day on “The Mamluks and the Crusades” (July 23) and two days of panels with open themes (July 24-25). The conference will be preceded by a three-day intensive course on “The Crusades and Islamic History” (July 20-22). See below for more information about this course.
The first day, July 23, will be themed and dedicated to the history of experiences of the crusading movement within the Mamluk sultanate (1250-1517), before and after the fall of Acre in 1291. The rise of the Mamluk sultanate brought with it a palpable shift in the dynamic between the remaining Crusader states and the Muslim polities of the Middle East and north Africa that has yet to be fully explored. We welcome studies of Mamluk-Frankish conflict and cooperation, whether in the realms of military history, diplomacy, commerce, social history, or cultural exchange. The themed day is also open to relevant studies of literature, material culture, non-Muslim communities, historiography, and philological or codicological concerns. A maximum of 12 paper proposals will be selected for this themed day. Should a greater number of proposals be received, the authors of those that are not selected for the conference may be offered the possibility to publish their contribution in the proceedings. The time allotted to each paper will be twenty minutes, plus ten minutes for discussion.
The following two days of the conference (July 24 and 25) will be structured in panels, which may focus on any aspect of the social, economic, intellectual, political, and artistic life of the Mamluk period. The panels will be organized into presentations of three to four papers of twenty minutes each. Panel proposals must be made by a representative, who will be responsible for its organization. Please note that in case of cancellation of two papers out of the three (or three out of the four) composing the panel, the panel will have to be withdrawn from the program. The time allotted to each paper will be twenty minutes. Discussion will take place at the end of each panel.
Language: The official language of the conference will be English.
Location: The conference will take place in the Orrery Pavilion in the Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books, and Manuscripts, Van Pelt Library 6th Floor, University of Pennsylvania.
Fees: The conference registration fee will be $60 for participants and attendees. Graduate students will be offered a discounted fee of $45, subject to availability. An optional farewell dinner will take place on the last day (Saturday, July 25) at a cost to be determined. Payment of the fees (registration and farewell dinner) must be received by April 15, 2026. Any enquiries should be sent to sms2026philadelphia@gmail.com
To register for the conference and pay the $60 registration fee, either as a participant or non-participant attendee, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/school-of-mamluk-studies-2026-conference-philadelphia-tickets-1567051907439?aff=oddtdtcreator
Proposals: Paper proposals for the themed day must be submitted electronically through the School of Mamluk Studies webpage (http://mamluk.uchicago.edu/school-of-mamluk-studies.html) by October 31, 2025. Panel proposals must be submitted in the same manner by November 30, 2025. The paper proposals should provide the name and a one-page CV of the speaker, a provisional title, and an abstract of a maximum of 1,500 characters (about 300 words) per paper. Panel proposals must be submitted as such, including the relevant information for each component paper as well as the name of the panel’s chair (the chair can be one of the panelists).
Acceptance: Paper and panel proposals will be peer-reviewed. A first circular will be sent by February 2026 to those whose proposals have been accepted, and to those who have expressed interest in attending the conference as non-presenters.
Publication: selected papers from the themed day will be published in a special issue of Mamlūk Studies Review.
Accommodations: Participants must make their own travel arrangements and secure their own accommodations. The intensive course and the conference will be held in Van Pelt Library in the center of Penn’s campus.
A list of nearby hotels will be provided shortly, and, if possible, blocks of rooms will be reserved at a special rate in some cases.
INTENSIVE COURSE: The Crusades and Islamic History (July 20-22, 2026)
This three-day intensive course will focus on reading medieval primary sources for the social, economic and religious history of Egypt and Greater Syria, including Palestine during the period of the Crusades, roughly 1050-1500. It is intended for advanced graduate students and other qualified participants and will be offered by Prof. Paul M. Cobb (University of Pennsylvania) in collaboration with Prof. Ann Zimo (University of New Hampshire) and Prof. Reuven Amitai (Hebrew University of Jerusalem). The course will include close reading and historical analysis of published Arabic literary sources (chronicles and the like), Frankish sources in translation, and modern secondary literature. The overall goal is to provide students with in-depth understanding of the conventions and genres of historical writing on the Crusades and what we gain (and lose) by understanding the Crusades in their Middle Eastern context.
The number of participants will be limited to a maximum of 12.
Applications for the intensive course should include a CV, a statement of purpose (up to 750 words), and a letter of recommendation by someone familiar with your work. These should be sent to sms2026philadelphia@gmail.com by the end of January 2026. Those who are selected for the course will be notified by the end of February 2026, at which time information about the method of payment for the course fees and a syllabus will be provided.
The course fee is $250, which also includes the registration fee for the subsequent conference (July 23-25). The fees must be paid by April 15, 2026. Registration and participation will not be confirmed until payment is received. Participants must make their own travel arrangements; the local organizer will provide suggestions for accommodation.
To pay the course fee, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/school-of-mamluk-studies-2026-conference-philadelphia-tickets-1567051907439?aff=oddtdtcreator
We look forward to meeting you in Philadelphia.
Paul M. Cobb, University of Pennsylvania (local organizer)
Frédéric Bauden, Université de Liège
Antonella Ghersetti, Ca’ Foscari University, Venice
Marlis Saleh, University of Chicago
3. James Lyman Merrick: The Life and Times of an American Missionary Maverick Recalled from Persia
Hooman Estelami
Mazda, 2025
https://www.mazdapublishers.com/book/james-lyman-merrick
4. Stories from Tehran
Fereshteh Molavi
Expanded Edition
Afterword by Mahdi Ganjavi
ISBN: 978-1-997503-08-8
https://asemanabooks.ca/stories-from-tehran/
5. Conference “Exploring the Sacred: People, Place and Power in the Islamic Indian Ocean”, National University of Singapore, 4-5 December 2025
We invite historical and contemporary papers that explore the sacred by grounding it in the archives, texts, material culture, and ethnographies of the Islamic Indian Ocean. Papers may focus on local or transregional processes and themes but should attempt to relate one scale to the other.
Deadline for abstracts: 12 September 2025. Information: https://ari.nus.edu.sg/events/exploring-the-sacred/
6. Research Conference on “AI Methodologies and Applications in Middle Eastern/Islamic World Studies”, Global Studies Centre, Gulf University for Science and Technology, Kuwait, 4-5 February 2026
Themes: 1. Opportunities/Challenges/Ethics in incorporating AI in the methodology of the Social Sciences and Humanities disciplines. – _2. Specific Social Sciences or Humanities research projects or applications with significant use of AI or other digital technologies in Middle Eastern and Islamic World Studies. – _3. AI applications in religious law, textual commentary and prophetic traditions. – _4. AI applications in the cultural heritage of the Middle East and Islamic World.
Deadline for abstracts: 1 October 2025. Information: https://www.gust.edu.kw/gsc
7. Visiting Fellowships (8 Months) in the History of Islam in South Asia (13th – _18th Century), Oxford Center for Islam Studies
Applications are invited for up to two Visiting Fellowships associated with the Centre’s Atlas project on Muslim social and intellectual history of South Asia. The successful candidates will normally be at a post-doctoral level. Each Visi-ting Fellowship is tenable for eight months from January 2026. It carries a stipend of £8,000 and single residential accommodation.
Deadline for applications: 1 October 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/ms583uae
8. PhD Scholarships in Global Digital Humanities (Focus Arabic, Persian Language Areas), School of Modern Languages, University of St Andrews
This award supports innovative doctoral research that either employs or critically examines digital methodologies within the context of Modern Languages. This is your opportunity to gain advanced technical and analytical skills while contributing original research to the evolving landscape of digital scholarship in the humanities.
Deadline for applications: 1 September 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/bdhcedm4
- August 23, 2025
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – Passing of Sheila Canby
The HIAA (Historians of Islamic Art Association) Board is extremely sad to announce that Sheila Canby, former HIAA President 2014-2016, has passed away. Our thoughts are with her friends, family, and loved ones. Please see her obituary below, provided by her colleagues at the Department of Islamic Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art:
The Department of Islamic Art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art mourns the loss of Sheila Canby, Curator Emerita and former Curator in Charge of the Department from 2009 to 2019. She was a scholar in the field of Persian art and culture, with a vibrant career as a museum professional. She received her BA from Vassar College and her MA and PhD from Harvard University.
Before joining The Met, Sheila Canby was Curator of Islamic Art and Antiquities at the British Museum and held curatorial and research positions at the Brooklyn Museum, Los Angeles County Museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Fogg Art Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Her research and contributions to the field of Safavid art have left an enduring legacy. Throughout the course of her career Dr. Canby organized dozens of exhibitions and installations and authored numerous articles, encyclopedia entries, reviews and books. Her exhibitions and publications include: Princes, Poets and Paladins: Islamic and Indian Paintings from Collection of Prince and Princess Sadruddin Aga Khan (1998); Rebellious Reformer: The Paintings and Drawings of Riza-yi Abbasi of Isfahan (1999); The Golden Age of Persian Art (1999); Islamic Art in Detail (2005), Shah Abbas: The Remaking of Iran (2009); The Shahnama of Shah Tahmasp: The Persian Book of Kings (2011); Hunt for Paradise; Court Arts of Safavid Iran,1501-1576 (2003), Court and Cosmos: The Great Age of the Seljuqs (2016) and Masterpieces of Islamic Art from the Farjam Collection (2024).
In 2012 Sheila Canby won the Farabi book award for The Golden Age of Persian Art. She served on the Board of the American Institute of Iranian Studies, on the Cultural Committee of Asia House in London, on the Council of the British Institute of Persian Studies, the Society for Iranian Studies, as well as on the Advisory Council of the Department of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University, and she was also a fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society,
The Department of Islamic Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- August 20, 2025
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – Academic Items
1.Cats in the Cabinet: Tracing Feline Presence in the Berlin State Museums
The Museum for Islamic Art in Berlin has launched an online exhibition exploring the presence of cats in art across centuries and cultures. For thousands of years, cats have captivated human imagination – admired for their cleanliness, respected for their independence, loved as companions, and often surrounded by myth and magic.
The human fascination with cats remains unbroken – especially in the digital age. As of 2025, cats rank among the world’s most popular pets. Depending on the source, between 370 and 600 million cats live in households across the globe. In Germany alone, an estimated 15.2 million domestic cats purr their way through everyday life – roughly one for every five people. That makes Germany the cat capital of the European Union.
From sacred symbols to playful companions, cats have inspired artists from ancient settlements to the digital age. Featuring manuscripts, ceramics, stamps, and more from the Berlin State Museums, the exhibition explores how these adaptable animals have shaped—and been shaped by—human history, faith, and creativity in three themed galleries.
Contact Information
Museum für Islamische Kunst (im Pergamonmuseum)
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin – Preußischer Kulturbesitz
Contact: https://islamic-art.smb.museum/kontakt/?lang=en
Contact Email
URL
https://islamic-art.smb.museum/en/story/catshibition
2. Inperson: Book Launch: The Production and Consumption of Non-Muslim Islams
On 20 August 5-7 PM, BRAIS will launch the edited volume The Production and Consumption of Non-Muslim Islams (Edinburgh University Press). Aaron Hughes, Garbi Schmidt, and Jonas Otterbeck will each present their contribution to the book, followed by debate and a reception many of the other contributors will also be present.
The book launch will be held at the Aga Khan University in London (10 Handyside St). More information in the link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/book-launch-the-production-and-consumption-of-non-muslim-islams-tickets-1553241811069?aff=oddtdtcreator
3. New Version of the Daiber Collection Manuscript Database Released
The Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia at The University of Tokyo is pleased to announce the release of the beta version (public test version) of the new Daiber Collection database, which provides access to approximately 520 Arabic-script manuscripts held by the institute. Nearly two decades have passed since the launch of the original database, and a comprehensive update is now underway to enable more advanced use.
This upgrade is being carried out in collaboration with the Uehiro Project for the Asian Research Library (U-PARL) and the Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, both within The University of Tokyo.
On June 30, 2025, we released the first phase of the beta version of the new database, and we warmly invite all users to participate in its testing. This initial release features manuscripts No. 1 through No. 50 from Collection I of the Daiber Collection (which consists of two parts). Additional updates will be made on a regular basis.
Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, The University of Tokyo
[Related Links]
- Beta Version of the Database: https://daiber.u-parl.lib.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/
- Project Overview: https://daiber.u-parl.lib.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/about/
- How to Use the Database: https://daiber.u-parl.lib.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/guide/
Call for Cooperation in “Cultivating” the Beta Database
The beta version of the database is an open-ended archive that will grow through the active contributions of a diverse range of stakeholders. We warmly welcome feedback on metadata corrections and general impressions of the beta database. Please share your thoughts using the following form: https://u-parl.lib.u-tokyo.ac.jp/ja/contact . Kindly use “Regarding the Daiber Collection” as the subject line.
Team Daiber (Interdepartmental Team for Daiber Database, The University of Tokyo)
Contact Information
Kazuo Morimoto
Contact Email
- August 19, 2025
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
- August 18, 2025
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment