Shii News – Academic Items
1. The Digital Lab for Islamic Visual Culture & Collectionsannual Digital Lab Days event will take place in Edinburgh on 2–3 July 2026. The event brings together scholars, curators, developers, educators, and heritage professionals working across Islamic art & architecture, history, video games/immersive media, and GLAM. The programme is designed to foster conversation across Islamic art, games/entertainment/XR, and GLAM sectors and to share new approaches to research, representation, and public engagement.
Speakers and workshops will engage with topics including:
- Digital tools for Islamic architectural heritage
- Al-Andalus in Arabic television
- Game design as art historical methodology
- Self-Orientalism in games and popular media
- Art and MENA representation in contemporary digital media
This event is particularly relevant to scholars and practitioners in:
- Islamic history and art history
- Medieval and Middle East studies
- Digital Humanities
- Museum/Heritage studies
- Games, Entertainment, & Creative Industries
- Game Studies
Contact Email
URL
https://www.digitallabivcc.com/digital-days-islamic-art-games-xr-glam-edinburgh…
2. Fons Vitae- An English translation ofLiu Zhi’s The Exposition of the Five Pillars of Islam, which remains the most influential Chinese-language Islamic work, regarded by Chinese Muslims (Islam arrived in China as early as 618 CE) as a fundamental textbook for learning and comprehending the divinely ordained duties of Islam. Liu Zhi(1660-1739), was a prominent Chinese Sunni Hanafi-Maturidi scholar of the Qing dynasty and a leading figure in the Han Kitab tradition.
“The Exposition of the Five Pillars of Islam” (Wugong Shiyi) by Liu Zhi is a profound treatise on the meaning of the Five Pillars of Islam (Shahada, Salah, Sawm, Zakat, and Hajj), framed within a metaphysical structure that draws on the language and lens of Chinese civilization and philosophy. The work provides both a theological and spiritual explanation of the Five Pillars as well as a moral framework that connects them to broader philosophical ideas about the nature of existence, ethics, and personal cultivation.
Bi-lingual: English and Chinese edition. To purchase… Available in Paperback, PDF and ePUB formats. (UK & Europe customers ORDER here.)
3. Invisible East WEBINAR | Documents from Turbulent Times: Middle Persian Collections from the Late Sasanian and Early Islamic Periods-Opportunities and Challenges
The Elahé Omidyar Mir-Djalali Institute of Iranian Studies and Invisible East present ‘Rethinking History: Returning to Archives and Documents’, a series of monthly online seminars.
Convened by Arezou Azad and Mohamad Tavakoli, the seminars are held on Zoom.
Please join us on Wednesday 13 May at 12PM EDT / 5PM BST to hear Dr Nima Asefi of
Universität Hamburg speaking on ‘Documents from Turbulent Times: Studying Middle Persian Collections from the Late Sasanian and Early Islamic Periods-Opportunities and Challenges’. Pre-registration is essential.
4. Fashion in Late Ottoman Istanbul
Photography and Identity in a Global City
Nancy Micklewright
5. Christian-Muslim Relations in the Bodleian Library Manuscript Wardrop d.
11 May, 6-7 BST
We are deeply honoured to welcome Dr Jaimee Comstock-Skipp, Leverhulme Early Career Fellow in the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, and Research Fellow at New College, University of Oxford, to lead a session of the Manuscripts in Interfaith Contexts Reading Group
Abstract: What makes an illustration a ‘Persian miniature’? The paintings within a Georgian-language Vepkhistqaosani (Man in the Panther Skin) by Shota Rustaveli (c.1160 – c.1220) in the Bodleian Library (MS Wardrop d.27) look ‘Persian’ and connect to Iran. The term ‘Persian’ can refer to the language of a manuscript containing illustrations or a geographic attribution where Persian was spoken or appreciated, but it more often functions as an elusive cultural and stylistic evocation deployed without proper explanation. The Bodleian manuscript permits a targeted investigation into specific artistic and political connections between Iran and Georgia in the late 16th through the 17th century. Its illustrations, posited to have been completed c.1650–1700, reflect a familiarity with artistic conventions and developments in the Safavid capital Isfahan, synthesised with elements from local workshops in or near Tbilisi. Whereas the qualifier ‘Persian’ is often taken as a given, the talk offers a case study in artistic and sartorial influence and diffusion between presumed original source material and later assimilation and deployment elsewhere. In addition to political co-mingling, numerous artists originally born in Georgia served in the Royal Safavid workshops. How long a style associated with one centre takes to transfer to another is an open question, as is whether the artists responsible for the Bodleian manuscript’s illustrations were personally trained in Safavid workshops, or whether forms and figures were transferred through circulating materials for Georgian artists to copy.
Speaker: Dr Jaimee Comstock-Skipp is a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow in the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, and a Research Fellow at New College, University of Oxford.
Chair: Dr Shaahin Pishbin, Laming Junior Research Fellow at the Queen’s College, Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Oxford.
Date: 11 May, 2026
Time: 18:00-19:00 BST | 10:00-11:00 PDT | 13:00-14:00 EDT
Venue: Online
More information and registration: https://oxfordinterfaithforum.org/thematic-international-interfaith-reading-groups/manuscripts-in-interfaith-contexts/christian-muslim-relations-through-bodleian-library-ms-wardrop-d-27/
6. ONLINE Webinar “Regulating Kinship: Religion, Genetics and Reproductive Governance across Europe and the Middle East” by Yafa Shanneik (SOAS), University of Manchester, 13 May 2026, 14:00 – 15:30 CET
This presentation introduces RELI-GENE, a new interdisciplinary research project at SOAS. The project examines how state-led genetic healthcare policies intersect with religious beliefs, kinship traditions and individual reproductive decision making in close-knit religious minority communities. It further ex-plores how transnational spaces enable families to navigate, negotiate and bypass national legal and healthcare frameworks.
Information and registration: https://tinyurl.com/4dun6ej9
7. ONLINE Webinar “Borders and Epidemics: Sanitary Transformation of State Borders in the Ottoman Empire (18th – 19th Centuries)” by Giorgio Ennas (University of Utrecht), 13 May 2026, 17:00 – 19:30 CET
Through the establishment of quarantine facilities, the Ottoman imperial government sought to control population movements, render inter-imperial borders more visible, and resist the expansion of rival powers. This session will emphasise the fundamental role of sanitary measures in shaping both the internal and external administrative boundaries of the Empire, ultimately influencing the national bor-ders of the 20th century.
Information and registration: https://tinyurl.com/vd6h2dyk
8. ONLINE Talk on “Tracing al-Suyūṭī’s Impact on Sixteenth-Century Syrian Scholars: A Quanti-tative Analysis of Najm al-Dīn al-Ghazzī’s (d. 1651) Biographical Dictionary al-Kawākib” by Gürzat Kami (Istanbul University), OIB/Universities of Bamberg & Göttingen, 13 May 2026, 18:00 CET
This presentation in the Webinar Series “The Heirs of Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyūṭī (d. 1505 AD)” traces the reception, influence, and memory of al-Suyūṭī in sixteenth-century Ottoman Syria. To this end, it exam-ines scholarly lineages and book transmission in al-Ghazzī’s biographical dictionary “al-Kawākib”, using social network analysis tools and methods to map patterns of intellectual continuity and transformation.
Zoom link: https://tinyurl.com/suyuti1. About the series: https://tinyurl.com/suyuti2
9. Colloque « Philosophie, théologie et mystique dans l’Occident musulman médiéval », Mai-son méditerranéenne des sciences humaines et sociales, Aix-en-Provence, 20-21 mai 2026
Information et programme : https://tinyurl.com/46xakkts
10. ONLINE Book Talk “Empire of Officials: Christians and Jews in the Ottoman Bureaucracy” by Abdulhamit Kırmızı (Marmara University), Ottoman and Post-Ottoman Studies Student Asso-ciation (OPSA), University of Toronto, 21 May 2026, 17:00 – 18:00 CET
The particular focus of the historian is on bureaucracy, governance, and intercommunal relations under imperial rule. The event will be of interest to students and scholars working on Ottoman history, post-Ottoman studies, bureaucracy, minorities, empire, and modern Middle Eastern and Balkan history.
Information and registration: https://tinyurl.com/226xza3a
11. HYBRID Vortrag “Digitale Doppelgänger und menschliche Verantwortung: Islamische Theo-logie im Dialog mit KI-Medizin” von Hadil Lababibi (Universität Zürich), Universität Innsbruck, 2. Juni 2026, 18:30 – 20:00 CET
In der Vortragsreihe “Mensch 2.0? Religion, Politik und Ethik im Zeitalter von KI, Transhumanismus und Anthropozän” beleuchtet Hadil Lababidi die ethischen Herausforderungen digitaler Doppelgänger in der modernen Medizin aus islamisch geprägter bioethischer Perspektive. Der Vortrag diskutiert Chancen und Risiken dieser Technologie insbesondere im Hinblick auf Personsein, Datenschutz und gerechte Zugänge zur Gesundheitsversorgung.
Information und Registrierung: https://tinyurl.com/26u86yzh
12. HYBRID Vortrag “Transhumanismus zwischen horizontalem Fortschritt und vertikalem Rückschritt. Philosophisch-ethische Reflexionen aus der Perspektive der islamischen Anthro-pologie” von Ilhan Ilkilic (Istanbul Universität), Universität Innsbruck, 16. Juni 2026, 18:30 – 20:00 CET
In der Vortragsreihe “Mensch 2.0? Religion, Politik und Ethik im Zeitalter von KI, Transhumanismus und Anthropozän” interpretiert Ilhan Ilkilic den Transhumanismus aus Sicht der islamischen Anthropo-logie als einen „vertikalen Rückschritt“, der das gottgegebene Wesen des Menschen verfehlt. Der Vortrag zeigt auf, warum islamische Ethik und Menschenbild eine fundamentale Kritik an der techni-schen Selbstüberwindung des Menschen nahelegen.
Information und Registrierung: https://tinyurl.com/26u86yzh
13. Annual Digital Lab Days “The Digital Lab for Islamic Visual Culture & Collections”, Edin-burgh, 2-3 July 2026
The event brings together scholars, curators, developers, educators, and heritage professionals work-ing across Islamic art & architecture, history, video games/immersive media, and GLAM. The pro-gramme is designed to foster conversation across Islamic art, games/entertainment/XR, and GLAM sectors and to share new approaches to research, representation, and public engagement.
Deadline for registration: 1 June 2026.
Information, abstracts of papers and speakers: https://tinyurl.com/7e53bhjr
14. Fall 2026 Workshop of the Mediterranean Seminar on “The Urban Environment”, 18-19 Sep-tember 2026
We seek papers that deal with any aspect of the urban environment as it relates to the Mediterranean world in any period but with a focus on Late Antiquity through Early Modernity. These aspects may be literal or metaphorical, historical or imagined, as seen from diverse disciplinary perspectives: economic, social, cultural, or political history; literature; history of philosophy, religion, science, or medicine; art and art history; musicology; anthropology; or any related humanities or social science disciplines.
Deadline for abstracts: 1 June 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/ep5ebshn
15. International Symposium “Qurʾānic Manuscripts”, Manuscript Institution of Türkiye (TÜ-YEK), Istanbul 12-13 November 2026
The symposium will bring together scholars to advance research on Qurʾānic manuscripts, including their identification, dating, cataloguing, and digitization.
Deadline for abstracts: 23 May 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/2rvxhf9f
16. ONLINE 55th Annual Conference of the North American Association of Islamic and Muslim Studies (NAAIMS): “Islam, Ethics and Environment”, Fordham University, New York, 19 Novem-ber 2026
How do Islamic ethical traditions engage contemporary environmental challenges? This conference invites reflection on the moral, theological, legal, and philosophical dimensions of the human relation-ship to the natural world. We welcome contributions that examine environmental questions, including water and air quality, resource use, and animal welfare, through sustained engagement with Islamic sources, concepts, and lived practices.
Deadline for abstracts: 11 July 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/v2m42u7s
17. HYBRID Workshop “Law on the Margins of Empire: Pluralism and Politics in Colonial Pe-ripheries” (Focus MENA), Trinity College, University of Cambridge, 19-20 March 2027
This workshop investigates colonial law on the “margins” of (early) modern empires. We invite papers that engage with transregional, comparative, and locally grounded perspectives. Selected papers may be considered for a journal special issue. Applicants should submit a title, abstract, bio, and attendance preference. Limited travel funds are available.
Deadline for abstracts: 10 August 2026. Information: https://www-tinyurl.com/3b3b7884
18. Postdoctoral Fellowship (6 Months) in Islamic Bioethics, Research Center for Islamic Legis-lation and Ethics (CILE), Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
We are seeking early-career researchers (PhD obtained within the last 5 years) specialized in Islamic Bioethics or Applied Ethics. Ideal candidates will be ready to transform their research into high-impact publications and possess professional proficiency in either English or Arabic (bilingualism is a signifi-cant advantage).
Deadline for applications: 23 July 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/54net8n8
19. Cataloger (1 Year, Remote Employment Only) of West African Manuscripts in Arabic, Hill Museum and Manuscript Library (HMML), Collegeville, MN
Qualification: Doctorate in History, African Studies, Islamic Studies, Arabic Studies. – Excellent knowledge of Arabic language and paleography and of Islamic literature in the West African context. – Native or near native English language proficiency and good communications skills. – Experience in working with manuscripts or cataloging manuscripts. – Strong computer skills.
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Information: https://tinyurl.com/5je9cs8t
20. Arcapita Visiting Professorship (1 Semester) in Modern Arab Studies, Columbia University, New York
We are interested in candidates whose field of research and teaching is in history, culture, or social sciences of the modern Arab world. The incumbent will be expected to teach one course, participate in the activities of the Middle East Institute, and give a brown bag lecture and other such public lectures as may be appropriate.
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Information: https://apply.interfolio.com/184343
21. 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
22. ONLINE Summer Skills Seminar “Medieval & Early Modern Cartography: An Introduction” with Karen Mathews (University of Miami), CU Mediterranean Studies Group & Mediterranean Seminar, 22-25 June 2026
This seminar addresses the importance of maps in medieval and early modern society in terms of their production, function, display, and their contribution to a mapping mentality. We will study different types of maps from Islamic and Christian territories in relation to their form, content, use, and context. We will work here to integrate maps more fully into art historical discourses while analyzing them as ideological objects.
Extended deadline for applications: 17 June 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/3kwjz2b2
23. HYBRID Summer School on “Ottoman Paleography” and “Ottoman Archival Documents and Diplomatica”, Middle East and Africa Research Center (ORDAM), Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakıf Uni-versity, Istanbul, 7-30 July 2026
The program aims to teach archival languages required for research in Social Sciences, particularly in History, and to improve participants’ existing language skills. Participants will be able to use the archival language they learn for academic or personal purposes. During the program, 48 hours of intensive language training will be offered.
Deadline for applications: 29 May 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/ynncsawd
24. Articles on “Literature and the Body: The Relations Between Being and Writing” for a Special Issue of “Nesir: Journal of Literary Studies”, Samsun, Turkey
This issue eeks to reconsider how literature translates bodily experience into writing and visibility, and how the body, in turn, discloses and shapes literary meaning. It welcomes essays that conceive litera-ture as an ontological threshold, poised between meaning and sensation, writing and life, word and world.
Deadline for abstracts in English and Turkish: 1 August 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/3xpctvxd
25. Chapters on “Humanistic Approaches to the Sharia in Islamic Fiqh and Theology” for Vol-ume Edited by Masoumeh Rad Goudarzi, Combined with a Workshop in Aarhus University, Den-mark
We invite chapter proposals for an author workshop and edited volume exploring humanistic ap-proaches to the Sharia in Islamic fiqh and theology, with a focus on innovative, comprehensive, and underexamined perspectives in contemporary Islamic thought. The volume will target scholars of Is-lamic studies, law, theology, and human rights, as well as interdisciplinary researchers working on reli-gion and ethics.
Deadline for abstracts: 31 May 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/4kzaeec7
26. ONLINE New Book “Rethinking Neoliberalism in WANA (West Asia and North Africa): Femi-nist Economic Perspectives”, Edited by Salam Said & Adriana Qubaiova, Dietz Verlag, 2026, 254 Pages
The book argues that feminist economics offers a valuable alternative framework by highlighting the structural roots of inequality and by integrating economic analysis with social, political, and environ-mental dimensions. It pays particular attention to issues such as neoliberal policy impacts, geopolitical interventions, and persistent gender and social inequalities that continue to shape the region.
Download: https://tinyurl.com/yxs8vvhk
27. New Book: “Ottoman-Era Documents from the Cairo Genizah” by Jane Hathaway, Open Book Publishers, March 2026, 510 Pages
Moving beyond the more familiar Hebrew and Judaeo-Arabic texts, the author ventures into neglected terrain, offering expert translations of Arabic and Ottoman Turkish texts in Arabic script. The collection is rich with remarkable ‘firsts’, including a Jewish funerary prayer on the reverse of a letter from a military commander, fragments of Sufi poetry, and a primer on Muslim practice. Each document opens new avenues of inquiry, linking Egypt’s Jewish community to wider intra- and intercommunal networks in the Ottoman Empire and beyond.
Information: https://tinyurl.com/4csx3eps
28. ONLINE E-Book: “Coptic Heritage Awakening” by Mariz Tadros, Refcemi, London, January 2026, 282 pages
Readers are invited on a journey of heritage sense-making through multiple lenses: that of the author, the heritage gatherers comprising the hundreds of young people who have captured the photos and collected the stories, alongside members of their communities. The journey starts from the heart of Coptic communities; heritage is gathered through the young people residing there, and heritage sharing efforts are shared first and foremost in these same communities.
Download: https://tinyurl.com/4cxev36k
Posted in: Academic items- May 09, 2026
- 0 Comment
