Archive for January 17th, 2026
Shii News – Academic Items
1. Della Valle’s Travels Through Persia, 1617-1622, Translated by Willem Floor
https://mage.com/travels-in-persia-1617-1622-by-pietro-della-valle/
2. The British Society for Middle Eastern Studies invites submissions of interest for our upcoming conference‘War, Empire, and Sabotage in an Age of Genocide,’ co-hosted with the SOAS Middle East Institute. The conference will take place at SOAS University of London on 23-25 June 2026.
The submission deadline is next Sunday, 18 January 2026 at midnight (UK time).
In addition to submissions aligned with the conference theme, we welcome papers on a broad range of topics related to Middle East Studies. Relevant fields include, but are not limited to, politics, culture & society, literature, anthropology, economics, history, linguistics, and translation studies, with a focus on the MENA region. We welcome proposals for Panels, Roundtables, Individual/Co-authored Papers, and Creative Interventions.
https://www.brismes.ac.uk/conference/about-the-conference/conference-theme
3. Advanced Persian through History of Art Texts
About the course:
This 12-week advanced Persian course strengthens students’ ability to read and analyze sophisticated Persian prose through foundational texts on the history, theory, and practice of Iranian art. Focusing on Persian treatises and art-related writings—such as manuals of calligraphy and painting, artists’ biographies (tazkiras), architectural descriptions, and courtly reflections on aesthetics—the course trains students to engage directly with technical vocabulary, stylistic conventions, and evaluative discourse in art history. Emphasis is placed on close reading, genre awareness, and contextual interpretation. The course is especially beneficial for advanced Persian learners, graduate students, and scholars of art history, Islamic art, Iranian studies, and manuscript culture who seek direct access to Persian art discourse in original sources.
Course Details:
Schedule: Fridays, 30 January 2026 – 10 April 2026
Time: 09:00–10:00 AM (US Pacific), 12:00–13:00 (US Eastern), 06:00–07:00 PM (Central European)
Format: 24 online sessions
Class days and times may be adjusted in accordance with the request of enrollees.
Registered participants will receive full access to recorded session videos and all course materials.
Contact Email
URL
https://www.ghandeparsi.com/winterschool/arttexts
4. The American Center of Research in Amman Archaeological Ceramics Courses, Summer 2026
The American Center of Research is pleased to announce two new courses for 2026, taught by Assistant Professor Sarah Wenner:
* Introduction to Classical Period Ceramics of Southern Jordan and Northern Saudi Arabia: Introductory
* Introduction to Classical Period Ceramics of Southern Jordan and Northern Saudi Arabia: Advanced.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 15, 2026.
For further information, please visit the course webpage:
https://acorjordan.org/ceramics-field-schools-2026/
5. Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships at the Orient Institut Beirut (OIB)
6. Between Veil and Vanguard: Ideological Battles over Afghan Femininity
Sayed Hassan Akhlaq
Review of Middle East Studies, Volume 59 / Issue 2, December 2025, pp 55 – 67
7. MESA 2026 Call for Papers Opens
https://mesana.org/annual-meeting/call-for-papers
Deadline for abstracts: 17 February 2026.
8. ONLINE Webinar Series “Empowering Muslim Women in Scientific Research” on “Gender Attitudes and Trends over the Last Decade: Examining Female Labor Force Participation” by Prof. Amaney Jamal (Princeton), University of Manchester & University of Sharjah, 28 January 2026, 14:00 – 15:30 CET
Female labour force participation in MENA has been and continues to be quite low when com-pared cross-nationally. Using data from the Arab Barometer, this presentation will examine ap-proximately 20 years of data capturing societal attitudes from across MENA on female employ-ment and empowerment. What progress has and has not been made over the last two decades?
Information and registration: https://tinyurl.com/mr2tsm6f
9. HYBRID Book Launch: “The Ascetic Qur’an and Its Kharijite Readers” by Nora K. Schmid (University of Tübingen), January 29, 2026, 15:00 – 17:00 CET
This book reframes Islamic asceticism away from premodern zuhd literature to the ascetic dimen-sion of the Qur’an and its Kharijite reception. Situating the asceticism of the Qur’an in late antiq-uity, it shows how interiorizing and enacting scripture shaped early Islamic culture. Respondents are Sean Anthony, Adam Gaiser, and Sebastian Guenther.
Information and registration: https://www.qasla.eu/book-launch-nora-schmid
10. European Workshops in International Studies (EWIS): “Diaspora Diplomacy Reconsidered: Mapping Possible Futures” (Focus MENA Countries), Izmir University of Economics, 1-3 July 2026
This workshop engages with the concept and practice of “diaspora diplomacy”, exploring how diasporas develop their own diplomacies and participate in a wider geopolitical worldmaking be-yond the state, and considering the geographies of their diplomatic practices. From state-led efforts to mobilise migrants as cultural ambassadors, to transnational diaspora political participation, “diaspora diplomacy” operates in spaces where international relations and everyday life intersect.
Deadline for abstracts: 11 February 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/yc42pnsvv
11. PhD Thesis Prize of the British Association of Islamic Studies (BRAIS) on the Study of Islam and the Muslim World
This international prize is awarded annually to an outstanding doctoral thesis. English-language submissions on any aspect of the academic study of Islam and the Muslim world, past and pre-sent, including Muslim-minority societies are accepted. Applicants can be based in any country.
Deadline for applications: 30 January 2026. Information: https://www.brais.ac.uk/prize
12. International Summer Academy: “Chagatai Manuscript Reading Course”, University of Münster, 29 June – 3 July 2026
The course aims to provide the participants with advanced knowledge of one of the central lan-guages of the Islamic world through the study of primary texts. Chagatai is not only one of the most important Turkic languages but also an essential source and literary language for studying
the history of Central Asia, Afghanistan and Northwestern China. However, due to the disciplinary division of this area between Slavic Studies, Sinology, Turkic, Islamic and Iranian Studies, Cha-gatai is rarely taught.
Deadline for applications: 13 February 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/4kvdzbvn
13. ONLINE “Politics Beyond Politics” in the Journal “Middle East Bulletin – A Greek Review of Middle Eastern Affair”, Vol. 47, January 2026, 51 Pages
Articles: The Politics of Turkish drama series. – Growth in a Desert of Censorship? Cinema in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Iran. – Tourism as a Political Instrument in the Contemporary Middle East: The Cases of Israel, Turkey, Egypt and Dubai. – The use of social media during Israel-Palestinian & Iranian-Israeli conflicts. – Israeli Universities and Academic Boycott: The limits of neutrality. – Etc.
Table of content and direct access to the text: https://tinyurl.com/44zuadbm
- January 17, 2026
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment