One of the earliest known Arabic works on dream interpretation, attributed to the Sistani ruler Abū Aḥmad Khalaf bin Aḥmad al-Sijistānī (d. 399/1009).

https://aub.edu.lb/aubpress/Pages/Tuhfat_al-Muluk.aspx

3. The Turn to the Environmentالاتجاه نحو المحيط

AUB Press, 2026

During the late 1980s, the artist Hanaa Malallah (b. Baghdad, 1958) made frequent visits to the Iraq Museum, sketching archaeological artifacts in an attempt to grasp the temporality by which they could at once belong to the past and yet exist in the present. In the wake of the Gulf war in 1991, when the museum was closed and sanctions isolated Iraq from the outside world, Malallah shifted her attention from the museum to its surrounding environment, and she began to explore the city of Baghdad as a field of traces with a temporal structure like that of the archaeological artifact. This research resulted in a distinctive manner of constructing her panels—using found materials to build patterns that seem to encode some indecipherable meaning but only communicate the meaning of time itself—and it set her on a path of further research that moved increasingly in the direction of semiotics and logic.

Malallah conceptualized this turn to the environment in dozens of short texts that she published in newspapers in Baghdad and London over the 1990s. This book gathers that body of art theory not only to provide insight into the evolution of Malallah’s practice, in its taking up a question first posed by Jewad Selim and renewed by Shakir Hassan Al Saʿid, of the relationship between the modern artwork and the historical artifact, but also to open a window into the practice of art in Iraq during a decade of intellectual isolation and material deprivation

https://aub.edu.lb/aubpress/Pages/turn-to-the-environment.aspx

4. Zahra Institute: Spring 2026 Kurdish Studies Courses & Speaker Series

Register Now for Spring 2026 Courses

Zahra Institute is pleased to offer M.A. and Certificate programs in Kurdish Studies and Critical Muslim Studies. All courses are also available as standalone options for those seeking focused academic enrichment.

Our Spring 2026 courses include Kurdish Media, Approaches to Kurdish Studies, and language courses in Kurmanji.To register, contact:
admissions@zahrainstitute.org

2026 Spring Speaker Series Begins February 11

We are delighted to announce the launch of Zahra Institute’s 2026 Spring Speaker Series on February 11. This semester’s lineup brings together scholars and experts exploring a range of topics, including Kurdish politics, cultural heritage, literature and identity, Islamic intellectual history, and Muslim chaplaincy in the US.

For details on both see the website: https://www.zahrainstitute.org.

Posted in: Academic items

January 13, 2026
by Andrew Newman
0 Comment

Shii News – Muḥammad Amīn al-Khānjī and the Kāshif al-Ghiṭāʾ Family in Najaf (S Schmidtke)

Muḥammad Amīn al-Khānjī and His Transactions with Members of the Kāshif al-Ghiṭāʾ Family in Najaf

Posted in: Field-specific (academic), Egypt, Iraq

January 12, 2026
by Andrew Newman
0 Comment

Shii News – Academic Items

1. Séminaire “L’Afghanistan à travers les âges” – 4e séance mercredi 14 janvier 18h-19h30

nous avons le plaisir de vous convier à la troisième séance du séminaire “L’Afghanistan à travers les âges”, qui se tiendra mercredi 14 janvier 2026, 18h-19h30, en salle 3.01 à l’INaLCO (65 rue des Grands Moulins, Paris XIII, 3^e étage).

Nous sommes heureux d’accueillir Mme. Laurianne Sève, directrice de la Délégation archéologique française en Afghanistan, pour une conférence intitulée : Nouvelles recherches sur Aï Khanoum (Afghanistan).

Résumé:

La ville d’Aï Khanoum, située dans le nord-est de l’Afghanistan, à la frontière avec le Tadjikistan constitue l’une des grandes découvertes de la Délégation Archéologique Française en Afghanistan. Fouillée entre 1965 et 1978 sous la direction de Paul Bernard, le directeur de la DAFA de l’époque, elle a révélé un ensemble de monuments de grande ampleur, dont beaucoup sont fortment marqués par la culture grecque (un théâtre et un gymnase notamment). Plusieurs de ces monuments ont fait l’objet de publications parues peu de temps après l’arrêt des fouilles, provoqué par l’invasion de l’Afghanistan par l’URSS. Ces travaux ont permis de proposer une première interprétation de l’histoire de la ville et de son peuplement. Les publications se sont ensuite espacées, et bien que le travail soit encore en cours, la façon dont on envisage la ville et ses fonctions n’a pas toujours beaucoup progressé. Aï Khanoum était marquée par une forte mixité culturelle et c’est principalement à travers cette problématique, fortement renouvelée dans le cadre des post-colonial studies que de nouvelles approches ont vu le jour. L’objet du séminaire sera de présenter ces interprétations et de proposer une autre façon de concevoir la ville et son histoire.

Orientations bibliographiques:

Hoo, M., « Baktria in Early Hellenistic Times and the Question of ‘Alexandrian Legacy’ », in K. Nawotka et A. Wojciechowska, éds., Legacy of the East and Legacy of Alexander, Wiesbaden 2023, p. 103-127.
Lecuyot, G., éd., Il y a 50 ans… la découverte d’Aï Khanoum : 1964-1978, fouilles de la Délégation archéologique française en Afghanistan (DAFA), Paris 2014.
Martinez-Sève, L., « Aï Khanoum and Greek domination in Central Asia », Electrum 22, 2015, p. 17-46.

Vous trouverez l’intégralité du programme 2025-2026 du séminaire mensuel de recherche “L’Afghanistan à travers les âges” en ligne sur le site du CeRMI: L’Afghanistan à travers les âges – Centre de recherche sur le monde iranien

2. The Islamic College

Ta’wil and the Unfolding of Historical Meaning in the Qur’an
Professor Maria Massi Dakake
Friday, 23 January 2026
6:00-7:30 pm (London time)
Online (register for link)

https://islamic-college.ac.uk/tawil-registration/

3. Online Persian Winter School – From Beginner to Advanced

Following the successful completion of the 2025 Ghand-e Parsi Persian Autumn School, we are delighted to announce the launch of our Online Persian Winter School.

The Ghand-e Parsi 2025 Winter School is a seasonal program designed to offer learners from all backgrounds a rich, structured, and immersive experience of the Persian language and Persianate culture. With carefully designed courses at the elementary, intermediate, and advanced levels, the Winter School provides a comprehensive learning pathway—from building foundational communication skills to engaging deeply with historical, literary, artistic, and mystical Persian texts.

In addition to the core language levels, the program includes a diverse selection of cross-level courses that open interdisciplinary perspectives, such as Digital Humanities, Persian through Arabic, and Persian through Music. Taught by distinguished instructors including Mohammad H. Naraghi, Peyman Eshaghi, Domenico Arturo Ingenito, and Mehdi Rezania, the Winter School brings together language learning, cultural exploration, and scholarly expertise in a unique and intellectually enriching environment.

All course sessions are fully recorded, allowing participants to review materials and watch sessions outside of live class hours.

Below you will find the list of courses offered this winter:

Elementary Courses

Elementary Persian (Mohammad H. Naraghi)

Intermediate Courses

Intermediate Persian (Mohammad H. Naraghi)
Intermediate Persian through Short Stories (Mohammad H. Naraghi)
Intermediate Persian through News Websites in Simple Persian (Mohammad H. Naraghi)
Persian for Heritage Speakers (Mohammad H. Naraghi)

Advanced Courses

How to Read Persian Poetry: From Ferdowsi to Forugh Farrokhzad (Domenico Arturo Ingenito)
Advanced Persian through Mystical and Sufi Texts (Peyman Eshaghi)
Advanced Persian through Persian Codicology Texts (Peyman Eshaghi)
Advanced Persian through Safavid Texts (Peyman Eshaghi)
Advanced Persian through South Asian Persian Texts (Peyman Eshaghi)
Advanced Persian through History of Art Texts (Peyman Eshaghi)

Cross-Level Courses

Persian Language and Culture through Iranian Cinema (Peyman Eshaghi)
Bridging Arabic & Persian: Learn Faster, Remember Better (Mohammad H. Naraghi)
Digital Humanities and Persianate Studies Bootcamp (Peyman Eshaghi)
Learning Persian Through Songs: Language, Poetry, and Culture Across the 12 Dastgāh (Mehdi Rezania)
Persian for Everyday Conversation (Mohammad H. Naraghi)

We warmly invite you to join us for this Winter School and take part in a meaningful journey into Persian language and culture. Whether you are continuing your studies or joining Ghand-e Parsi for the first time, we hope this program will be both inspiring and rewarding.

Dates: January 26 – April 12, 2026

Registration Deadline: January 20, 2026

🔗 Learn more about all courses:
https://www.ghandeparsi.com/winterschool

🔗 Testimonials:
https://www.ghandeparsi.com/testimonials

📝 Register here:
https://forms.gle/RLeytfi9nMU5RpdXA

4. Al-Ghazālī’s Moral Psychology

From Self-Control to Self-Surrender

Joel Craig Richmond

Available in hardback and ebook editions
For more information and to order at a discount visit the webpage:

https://equinoxpub.com/projects/al-ghazali-moral-psychology

5. HIAA ONLINE WORKSHOP: Teaching Islamic Art to Artists – Friday, January 16

9-10:30 am Pacific
11 am-12:30 pm Central
12-1:30 pm Eastern

To register: https://temple.zoom.us/meeting/register/K1dGohPMQyy_DkgTk_5Bqw

Join us for a conversation with Glaire Anderson, Kerr Houston, D. Fairchild Ruggles, and Foad Torshizi about different approaches for teaching the history of Islamic Art and Architecture to students in the art and design disciplines, many of whom are looking to their futures in studio art, architecture, animation, graphic design, and fashion. The objective of the workshop is to share strategies for student engagement in

Islamic art with the broader HIAA community, while critically evaluating how Islamic art history is integral to an arts-based education. Topics of discussion will include the value of hands-on workshops, the teaching of Islamic art objects as precedents to contemporary practice, and digital tools to create immersive experiences of Islamic art. Organized and moderated by Nisa Ari.

URL

https://temple.zoom.us/meeting/register/K1dGohPMQyy_DkgTk_5Bqw

6. The Elahé Omidyar Mir-Djalali Institute of Iranian Studies, in partnership with the Toronto Book Club, present the Iranian Studies Book Launch Series.
This event will feature Arezou Azad’s latest titles for Edinburgh University Press in The Islamicate East series, The Warehouse of Bamiyan & The Rise and Fall of the Barmakids.
Please join us on Monday 19 January at 12PM EST / 5PM GMT / 6PM CET.Pre-registration is essential.

https://utoronto.zoom.us/meeting/register/IRIPumA0RiywhWQndxY9ZA#/registration

7. The complete programme of the Monday Majlis series (online) in the spring term Centre for the Study of Islam, Exeter
19^thof January (Monday) 17:00-18:30 (UK time).

Gabriel Said Reynolds, A Faithful Dog and a Clay Bird: The Qur’an in Its Christian World

https://Universityofexeter.zoom.us/meeting/register/3uYLlGdRRcGlh0sgg2JnOw

26^th of January (Monday) 17:00-18:30 (UK time).

Orhan Elmaz, Digital Tools and Methods in (+/- Contemporary) Quranic Studies

https://Universityofexeter.zoom.us/meeting/register/fbHQXhbxSm6-9gtiDQ4ovQ

2^nd of February (Monday) 17:00-18:30 (UK time).

James E. Montgomery, A Future, Remembered—The Poet-Prophet al-Mutanabbī

https://Universityofexeter.zoom.us/meeting/register/mUwZSgnkQ3mQLiOxe2qCnw

11^th of February (Wednesday) 17:00-18:30 (UK time).

Andrew Marsham, Perspectives on the Umayyad Empire

https://Universityofexeter.zoom.us/meeting/register/mdvrgHS4Sq6MNpJ7eKzrWQ

18^th of February (Wednesday) 17:00-18:30 (UK time).

Rosabel Ansari, Al-Fārābī and the Study of Islamic Philosophy

https://Universityofexeter.zoom.us/meeting/register/8TC1t86eSMqXmUAzEP9SQg

23^rd of February (Monday) 17:00-18:30 (UK time).

Michael Cook, Women as Jurists: The Case of Kasani’s Wife

https://Universityofexeter.zoom.us/meeting/register/INbq3y5ERAeojbtkOi2aSg

2^nd of March (Monday) 17:00-18:30 (UK time).

Yuka Kadoi, Museumisation in Arabia: The Reach and Limits of Cultural Heritage

https://Universityofexeter.zoom.us/meeting/register/T4SPygHTQpm4ICdTA1ThUg

9^th of March (Monday) 17:00-18:30 (UK time).

Samuel Hodgkin, The Blind Bard: The Afterlives of Rōdakī’s Poetics

https://Universityofexeter.zoom.us/meeting/register/PqKX8HD6SaulZJfU76hsQQ

16^th of March (Monday) 17:00-18:30 (UK time).

Matthew L. Keegan, Islam and Adab: Reading al-Hariri’s Maqamat in an Age of Commentary

https://Universityofexeter.zoom.us/meeting/register/0IINz8EATQKNhFUjkvj7dA

23^rd of March (Monday) 17:00-18:30 (UK time).

Mehdi Aminrazavi, Islamic Philosophy and its Receptivity to Non-Islamic Traditions

https://Universityofexeter.zoom.us/meeting/register/31PX0Ik-RuWt6P1XrhM3gw

In the spirit of the label ‘Majlis’ and also to make the talks even more interesting, our speakers present the topic discussed as embedded in their own journey.

You can watch the previous Majlises here https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8YRkUahFj_81oJzCSDLTx4kVQQgeHLc-.

However, we don’t record the Q&A in order to keep the discussion free.

If you’d like to be included in the CSI (Centre for the Study of Islam, Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter) mailing list, please write to I.T.Kristo-Nagy@ex.ac.uk

8. Second European Round Table on Modern Persian Literature, 15-17 January 2026, Institute of Iranian Studies, Austrian Academy of Sciences

https://www.oeaw.ac.at/en/ifi/veranstaltungen/event-details/modern-persian-literature

9. ONLINE Book Talk “Islamic Theology and the Problem of Evil” by Safaruk Chowhury (Cambridge Muslim College), American University in Cairo Press, 13 Jan-uary 2026, 18:00 CET

This rigorous study examines four major dimensions of the problem of evil: human disability, animal suffering, evolutionary natural selection, and Hell, offering fresh insights into how Islamic theology has grappled with these enduring questions.

Information and registration: https://tinyurl.com/3cc9bd39

10. ONLINE Book Launch “International Relations in a Multipolar Middle East” by Francesco Belcastro and Edward Wastnidge, Hosted by the Open University, 23 January 2026, 12:00 – 13:00 CET

This volume explores the international relations of today’s Middle East. The tumult following the Arab Uprisings has expanded the arenas competed over by regional powers, global ac-tors and non-state players. As global politics moves towards a new, multipolar era, the volume’s co-editors help shed important light on how this transition is impacting on the re-gion.

Information and registration: https://tinyurl.com/2h29ccdf

11. Workshop “Jewish Literature under Muslim Rule: Textual Transformations and Inter-Religious Encounters” by the Simon Dubnow Institute (Leipzig) & Unit of Judaic Studies (University of Munich), Munich, 14-16 April 2026

The workshop invites proposals exploring the impact of Muslim rule on Jewish literature, with a particular focus on religious texts – including translations of the Bible, commentaries, and philosophical and legal writings. This workshop seeks to sharpen the lens by examining how the realities of Muslim political authority and Islamic intellectual traditions influenced or shaped Jewish religious writing.

Deadline for abstracts: 20 January 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/mvej4ubr

12. 40th Annual Middle East History and Theory Conference (MEHAT): “Playing with the Scales: The Local, Regional, and Global in Middle Eastern Studies”, University of Chicago, 1-2 May 2026

How do micro-scale engagements with Middle Eastern agents help us to understand global developments, like the transformation of law and statehood and the emergence of capital-ism? What role do regional configurations, whether defined in terms of shared ecological, economic or political contexts, trade, religious or intellectual networks, play in shaping the interaction of individual, local, and global scales?

Deadline for abstracts: 31 January 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/dvzubk37

13. Several Postdoctoral Fellowships (10 Months) in the Humanities and Social Sciences 2026-27, Orient-Institut Beirut

The fellowships are specifically designed for postdoctoral candidates engaged in outstand-ing research projects in the humanities and social sciences. We invite applications across disciplines, time periods, and geographic coverage. Proposals are encouraged to articulate the contemporary stakes of the research project, whether historiographical, cultural, reli-gious or political dimensions.

Deadline for applications: 1 March 2026.

Information: https://www.orient-institut.org/postdoctoralfellowships.html

14. Several Doctoral Fellowships (10 Months) in the Humanities and Social Sciences 2026-27, Orient-Institut Beirut

The fellowships are specifically designed for doctoral candidates engaged in outstanding research projects in the humanities and social sciences. We invite applications across dis-ciplines, time periods, and geographic coverage. Proposals are encouraged to articulate the contemporary stakes.

Deadline for abstracts: 1 March 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/4m4tf77v

15. “DECRIPT Program”: Call for Research and Transfer Projects (Focus Middle and Near East), INALCO, Paris

Deadline for proposals: 30 January 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/3wvr9wbx

16. “DECRIPT Program”: Call for Applications for 20 International Research Residencies (1 Month, Focus Middle and Near East), INALCO, Paris

During their stay, researchers must propose to conduct or formalize high-level academic research related to the program’s core scientific question on civilizational narratives and/or civilizationism, in connection with the Middle and Near East or its methodological area. Compensation: €3,400 covering transportation and living expenses. Location: Paris, Bordeaux, Lille.

Deadline for applications: 28 February 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/2nmn5nyk

17. “Gerda Henkel Prize” for Excellent and Internationally Acclaimed Researchers (Focus Historical Islamic Studies)

The Foundation invites scholars of universities worldwide, as well as renowned cultural and academic institutions, and calls on scholars in these institutions to nominate suitable candi-dates. The prize is open to scholars from all countries. Individuals as well as teams of several researchers can be nominated. The Gerda Henkel Prize is worth 100,000 euros.

Deadline for nominations: 30 January 2026. Information: https://www.gerda-henkel-stif-tung.de/en/prize

18. “Armed Groups and the Politics of International Legitimation” (Including Pales-tine, Afghanistan, Libya), Edited by Stephan Hensell & Klaus Schlichte, Oxford Aca-demic, 15 December 2025

This book is the first comparative study of armed groups that try to gain international legiti-macy. It analyses how and when these attempts are successful. Based on practice theory and global history, it highlights the interaction of practices and publics in the process of le-gitimation and introduces four different historical times, spanning from 1945 to the present.

Complete text: https://academic.oup.com/book/61785

19. “Al-Junayd: The Sufi Master of Baghdad” by Arin Salamah-Qudsi, Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 2025, 184 Pages

This book offers the first comprehensive reconstruction of al-Junayd al-Baghdādī based on his own writings, especially his treatises and letters. Tracing his legacy from the classical period to the modern age of media and cyberspace, the study provides a fresh portrait of Junayd and his enduring place in Islamic piety and thought.

Information: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-87094-1

Posted in: Academic items

January 10, 2026
by Andrew Newman
0 Comment

Shii News – New Issue of Turkish Journal of Shiite Studies

Posted in: Field-specific (academic)

January 09, 2026
by Andrew Newman
0 Comment

Shii News – Hyrbid Book Launch – ‘From the Letter to the Spirit’ in Honour of Professor Mohammad Ali Amir-Moezzi (12.1.26, 5pm UK time)

Please join us at 5 pm (UK time) on Monday, 12 January, for the book launch of the volumes in honour of Professor Mohammad Ali Amir-Moezzi, titled From the Letter to the Spirit, with participation of the dedicatee, volume editors and contributors. The details of this publication can be found on the publisher’s website: https://www.brepols.net/products/IS-9782503618159-1

To join, please register for either online or in-person attendance at https://www.iis.ac.uk/events/book-launch-honouring-amir-moezzi/

Posted in: Field-specific (academic)

January 08, 2026
by Andrew Newman
0 Comment

Shii News – Academic Items

1. New Book “A Pedagogical Grammar of Arabic by al-Qazwīnī al-Naǧǧār: Edition and Study” by Almog Kasher, Harrassowitz-Verlag, December 2025, 184 Pages

This study presents a critical edition of an anonymous pedagogical Arabic grammar, identifying its author as Ṭāhir al-Qazwīnī al-Naǧǧār. It highlights its unorthodox pedagogical features and argues that it likely underlies the renowned Lubāb al-ʾiʿrāb al-māniʿ min al-laḥn fī al-Sunna wa-l-Kitāb, composed by the prolific Sufi ʿAbd al-Wahhāb al-Šaʿrānī.

Information: https://tinyurl.com/4w9wkavk

2. Open Call for Submissions for Emruz Festival 2026 (NYC)

We are proud and excited to announce the Open Call for Submissions for Emruz Festival 2026, taking place April 29 – May 3, 2026 in New York City.

Emruz Festival is a spring, biennial, multi-day festival celebrating artists of Middle Eastern, Southwest Asian, and North African (MENA / SWANA) descent. The festival will feature performances, concerts, theater works, short film screenings. We aim to create space for artistic exchange, experimentation, and community gathering.

Spanning several days, Emruz Festival presents a dynamic blend of open-call submissions and curated works, showcasing projects ranging from finished pieces to works-in-progress. Across disciplines—from theater, music, and film—artists are invited to put their work on its feet, share it with the community, and engage with New York City audiences at large.

This year, we are honored to collaborate with Brooklyn Art Haus and Cheers Cinema, which will host selected works throughout the festival.

We warmly welcome submissions from emerging artists across all disciplines. We especially encourage narrative-driven works—projects that speak to what is dear to the artist’s heart and seek to engage contemporary audiences in New York City in meaningful ways. We strongly recommend responding thoughtfully to all application questions, as each submission will be reviewed with care and attention. Emruz Festival provides performance/screening space, production support, and representation of your work as part of the festival. Submission to the Emruz Festival is free.

Key Dates

Application Deadline: January 31, 2026
Decision Notification: February 16, 2026
Festival Dates: April 29 – May 3, 2026

Apply Here!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchZ1dj2DMOdPT2ZwrC6GKCpA5V6fSDLui8b4gTDbUchvGrgQ/viewform?pli=1

3. Northwestern University – Keyman Modern Turkish Studies Postdoctoral Fellowship
https://networks.h-net.org/jobs/69646/northwestern-university-keyman-modern-turkish-studies-postdoctoral-fellowship

4. Bahçeşehir University, Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences has designated the Middle East as the theme for its inaugural Interdisciplinary Regional Studies Conference to be held in 2026. This conference aims to address current and historical issues related to the Middle East from an interdisciplinary perspective and to create a productive, deliberative, and comprehensive academic platform by bringing together researchers, experts, and graduate students studying the region.

Researchers wishing to participate in the conference must submit their abstracts of at least 250 and no more than 500 words and relevant keywords by March 15, 2026. Applications will only be accepted via the online form.

IMPORTANT DATES

Abstract Submission Deadline: March 15, 2026
Acceptance Notification: March 30, 2026
Registration Opens: April 1, 2026
Registration Deadline: April 15, 2026
Conference Dates: May 7-8, 2026

CONFERENCE VENUE

The conference will be held in person at the Fazıl Say Conference Hall in the South Campus of Bahçeşehir University in Beşiktaş, Istanbul. All sessions and panels will be held in the relevant halls within the campus, and the detailed program will be shared with participants before the conference date.

CONTACT INFORMATION

bau.bck@eas.bau.edu.tr

Contact Information

bau.bck@eas.bau.edu.tr

Çırağan Caddesi Osmanpaşa Mektebi Sokak No: 4 – 6 34353 Beşiktaş, ISTANBUL / TURKEY

Contact Email

bau.bck@eas.bau.edu.tr

URL

https://bau.edu.tr/news/19506-interdisciplinary-regional-studies-conference-mid…

5. Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany – Professor for the History of the Islamic World
https://networks.h-net.org/jobs/69670/johannes-gutenberg-university-mainz-germany-professor-history-islamic-world

6. CFP – From the Balkans to Bengal in Baltimore: Engaging Diasporas, Shaping Publics, and Reimagining Islamic Art in American Museums- Deadline February 15
🗓 Conference Dates: September 24-25, 2026
📍 Location: UMD, College Park, and Baltimore
📬 Proposal Deadline: February 15, 2026
🔗 Submit Here: https://forms.gle/4saumkLZiNAxP8EE7
Conference Overview
How should American museums that present Islamic art engage the diasporic communities that are increasingly recognized as key public constituencies? What strategies might best encourage communities to move from viewing art to responding to it—and in doing so, reshape how it is interpreted in public spaces?

This conference explores the transformative ways diasporic communities from the Balkans to Bengal interact with Islamic art in North America. The organizers invite submissions from scholars and museum professionals that identify challenges and opportunities for local actors to engage with global histories of Islamic art. The conference will bring those ideas together with artists and community leaders advancing the needs of local Muslim communities in Baltimore and the wider DMV.

This 2-day conference combines discussions of historical and theoretical foundations with those of the concrete, present challenges of migrant communities as they define their place in the contemporary world. We welcome papers that present experiences with normative and dissident approaches to cultural heritage in migrant societies (pre- and post migration), and that introduce real-world projects and collaborative practices that center community voices, challenge traditional narratives, and reimagine what museum spaces can be—especially in politically and culturally complex moments.

Day One of the conference will be on campus at UMD, College Park, and will include a full day of panel discussions followed by a keynote lecture in the evening, to coincide with a walkthrough of an exhibition of Islam & Print at the University of Maryland Art Gallery. Day Two of the conference will include a visit to the Walters Art Gallery and presentations focused on diasporic Muslim communities in Baltimore.

We welcome paper submissions on a wide range of topics related to the display of arts of the Islamic world, including but not limited to:

Diasporas and Institutions
● How diasporic communities interact with and shape historical collections and Museums
as contact zones for dialogue and cultural negotiation

States, Memory, and Identity
● Reckoning with borders, belonging, and the politics of display
● How museums participate in crafting national and diasporic memory
● The role of Islamic art in narratives of statehood, citizenship, and cultural identity

Community-Led Interpretation
● Community-authored labels, co-curation, and grassroots storytelling
● Empowering communities to shape how Islamic art is displayed

Technology & Immersion
● The potentials of AR/VR, digital storytelling, and immersive tools that connect past to present
● Expanding access and empathy through tech

Contemporary Art and Counterculture
● Connecting Islamic heritage to contemporary practitioners
● Contemporary Islamic art as critical engagement and action

Museum Practice in Challenging Moments
● Navigating Islamophobia, censorship, and contested publics
● Curating in politically charged environments

Who Should Submit?
We invite proposals from scholars across disciplines: Art Historians and Historians (South Asia, MENA, Museology, Migration and Diaspora), museum practitioners (Curators, Educators, Collections staff), Artists, Community Organizers & Heritage Advocates, and Technology/Digital Humanities collaborators.

Submission Guidelines:
Papers (20 minutes):
1. Title of presentation or project
2. Abstract (300–500 words)
3. Short bio (150 words)
4. Optional: links to media, images, or work samples
📞 Questions? Contact us at sslinglu@umd.edu
Contact Email

sslinglu@umd.edu

URL

https://forms.gle/4saumkLZiNAxP8EE7

Posted in: Academic items

January 07, 2026
by Andrew Newman
0 Comment

Shii News – ‘Imāmī Thought in Iran during the Ilkhanid Period’ (H Ansari and S Schmidtke)

For further information, click here.

Posted in: Field-specific (academic), Iran

January 05, 2026
by Andrew Newman
0 Comment

Shii News – Academic Items

1. Tokat Institute for Advanced Islamic Studies

TIAIS INAUGURAL ARTICLE PRIZE COMPETITION WINNER

We are also pleased to announce Professor Michael Rapoport of Florida Atlantic University as the recipient of the TIAIS inaugural Article Prize for his essay, “The Unambiguous Truth (al-ḥaqq al-ṣarīḥ): Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī on Philosophy and the ‘Truth’ in His Compendium (Mulakhkhaṣ).” Professor Rapoport’s work exemplifies exceptional analytic precision and carefully reasoned analysis, challenging current scholarly perspectives in offering a nuanced interpretation of the interplay between theology and philosophy in two of Rāzī’s important works. His essay combines meticulous textual reading with fruitful scholarly debate, advancing Rāzī studies and postclassical Islamic intellectual history in innovative and promising directions. Professor Rapoport’s article will be published in the first issue of TIAIS’ new Open Access journal, Islamic Intellectual Traditions.

https://tokatinstitute.org/news/tiais-inaugural-article-prize-winner

2. Introduction to Persian Manuscripts: Classical Persian through Living Books online course, which will start on January 26 and last for two weeks.

https://ferdowsi.org/introduction-to-persian-manuscripts-2026/

Ferdowsi School of Persian Literature

Yerevan, Armenia

Website: www.ferdowsi.org

3. CfP: International Meeting of the SBL

Biblical Traditions in Islamic Contexts unit at the International Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (https://members.sbl-site.org/cfp-detail-im?z7412e263df1640689761ab72b66f59df=00fb281888-9c7f-46b6-b3e6-bad4fc23df7c&z423c93b755704c19a0e7ac980d5d638c=00fb281888-9c7f-46b6-b3e6-bad4fc23df7c).

Proposals are not limited to comparing Islamic texts (e.g., Qur’an) with the biblical traditions. They could also be about biblical communities, their biblical reception, transmission, etc, under Islamic rule throughout history. So, the scope is more expansive than you may think.

The conference is scheduled to take place from 5 to 9 July 2026, down under in Adelaide, Australia.

If you live in Australasia or the Asia-Pacific, this is a rare opportunity for a conference coming near you.

If you live elsewhere, then what better excuse to visit that amazing part of the world?
The deadline for paper or session proposals is 15 January 2026.

4. International Workshop “Radical Imaginations – Rethinking Gender Justice in the Middle East and North Africa”, Irish Centre for Human Rights, University of Galway, 6-7 July 2026

The workshop will bring together scholars working on gender justice, law, lived experience, and social change across the MENA region. It aims to create space for critical, interdisciplinary conversations that rethink dominant frameworks and open new analytical and political possibil-ities.

Deadline for abstracts: 31 January 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/yc589pyd

5. International Conference: “Entrenchment and Experiment: Situating Authoritarian Turkey in the 1930s and 1940s”, University of Hamburg, 1-2 October 2026

This conference and the subsequent book project invite scholars to contribute cutting-edge research on authoritarianism as lived and practiced in Turkey between 1931 and 1950. We are especially interested in contributions that consider issues of institutional experimentation, state-society relations, and rule of law (including states of exception and legal arbitrariness).

Deadline for abstracts: 16 January 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/2yzercmz

6. 2nd Edition of the Rabat Policy Forum: “Fractured Social Contract: Citizens, State, and Trust in Institutions in MENA”, Moroccan Institute for Policy Analysis (MIPA), Rabat, 9-10 October 2026

This forum seeks to foster a high-level academic and policy dialogue on rebuilding state-society trust and envisioning a renewed social contract grounded in participation, protection, and pro-vision. Themes: The Old Social Contract. – The Role of Parliament in Shaping a New Social Contract. – Institutional Prerequisites for a New Social Contract. – New Social Movements and the Renewal of the Social Contract.

Deadline for abstracts: 28 February 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/2ny7mnbs

7. Assistant Professor (Tenure Track) for History of the Middle East, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Preference will be given to candidates whose research expertise aligns with one of the following broad thematic areas: 1) Gender and sexuality; 2) War, revolution, and society; 3) Science, technology, and medicine. Expertise in public history and/or digital history will be considered an asset.

Deadline for appllications: 16 January 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/epebjk4d

8. Postdoctoral Fellowship (2 Years) in the Study of Turkey and Its Diasporas in a Global or a Comparative Perspective, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

Scholars in all branches of the Social Sciences and Humanities may apply. We welcome and encourage applications from early career scholars whose work focuses on nondominant and underrepresented groups including religious, ethnic, and LBGTQ minorities and otherwise mar-ginalized groups.

Deadline for applications: 26 January 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/3bfxh473

9. Summer School for Persian Language, Yerevan, Armenia, 6-10 weeks, 21 June – 28 August 2026

Courses are available at beginner, elementary, and intermediate levels and focus on all core language skills: reading, writing, speaking, listening, grammar, and vocabulary. Small class sizes ensure close interaction with experienced instructors and rapid progress. Participants will also benefit from a strong cultural immersion component, including guided excursions.

Deadline for applications: 21 May 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/2mdhwru9

10. Chapters for the Volume “On Ottoman Objects: A Sourcebook for the Cultural Herit-age of the Ottoman Peoples”, Edited by Ceren Abi, Published by Gordium

The volume seeks to expand the existing literature on cultural heritage in the Ottoman context by foregrounding the perspectives and experiences of the empire’s many communities – Mus-lim and non-Muslim, urban and rural, elite and subaltern. While it will include sources produced by individuals associated with the Ottoman state apparatus, it also aims to feature provincial voices and materials produced in different languages.

Deadline for abstracts: 31 May 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/27jn2upy

11. Chapters for “The Handbook of Ecofeminism” (Focus on Ecofeminists from the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia)

The volume opens with foundational ecofeminists and environmental activists. Between these sections, contributors examine how ecofeminist perspectives foster more holistic scientific par-adigms, promote ethical responsibility toward nonhuman animals, and cultivate affirmative spir-itual practices. The volume demonstrates that ecofeminism is not only a critical framework for exposing injustice but also a generative force for imagining and enacting emancipatory futures.

Deadline for abstracts: 13 January 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/ywbtfkam

12. Articles on how authoritarian ideas, practices, and technologies circulate transnationally — with a focus on the SWANA (South-West Asia and North Africa) region as a key hub of exchange.

If your research touches on authoritarian diffusion, surveillance, policing, regime learning, counter-revolution, digital repression, or international linkages between democracies and autocracies – Fabrizio Leonardo Cuccu and Paola Rivetti at Dublin City University would love to hear from you!

Deadline for abstracts: 10 January 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/4z73fyvr

13. The new issue of “CyberOrient” (Vol. 19, Issue 2, 2025) is available for free at the link https://cyberorient.net/

Articles on “The War of Humor: A Visual Content Analysis of Israel’s Information Warfare in France and Spain” by Ninon Bouteloup. – “Finishing the Fight for Freedom: The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s Strategic Communication of the “Freedom Jihad” Narrative Frame on X” by Bořivoj Nachtmann. – “Lurking Terror in Andor: The Subaltern from Above” by Emir Alışık.

Posted in: Academic items

January 03, 2026
by Andrew Newman
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