Shii News – Academic Items
1.CFP 13th School of Mamluk Studies Conference (Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain, November 11–13, 2027)
We are pleased to announce that the Thirteenth Conference of the School of Mamluk Studies will be held at the Maritime Museum of Barcelona and organized by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) in Barcelona, Spain, November 11–13, 2027.
The conference will be conducted in two parts: a themed day on “Documents, Documentary Production, and Archival Practices in the Mamluk Sultanate: Case Studies and New Research Approaches” (November 11) and two days of panels with open themes (November 12–13).
The conference will be preceded by a three-day intensive course on “Documents, Recordkeeping Practices, and Comparative Perspectives for the Study of Diplomatic Correspondence” (November 8–10). The course will be taught by Roser Salicrú i Lluch, Mercè Viladrich i Grau, Frédéric Bauden, Élise Franssen, Marta Manso Rubio, and Alessandro Rizzo. See below for more information about this course.
THEMED DAY: Documents, Documentary Production, and Archival Practices in the Mamluk Sultanate: Case Studies and New Research Approaches (November 11)
Studies conducted over the past few decades on the production and preservation of written records under the Mamluk Sultanate have made a substantial contribution to the historiographical debate on the significance of documents and archival practices in the medieval Islamic world. Compared with earlier historiography, scholars have attributed renewed importance to both the extrinsic and intrinsic features of documents of different kinds. At the same time, divergent scholarly approaches have focused on the ways in which these material objects were preserved in different settings and for diverse purposes. The themed day will provide an opportunity to return to these issues, with reflections grounded in case studies of different types of documents. Through the analysis of sources such as contracts of various kinds, waqf and private property records, letters, decrees, and so forth, as well as of how and why they were archived, the discussion will survey the current state of historical research on these matters in the context of the Mamluk Sultanate. A maximum of 12 to 15 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.
PANELS (November 12-13)
The following two days of the conference 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 at the Maritime Museum of Barcelona.
Fees: The conference registration fee will be €60 for participants and attendees. An optional farewell dinner will take place on the last day (Saturday, November 13) at a cost of €50 per person. Payment of the fees (registration and farewell dinner) must be received by September 30, 2027.
Paper proposals for the themed day must be submitted electronically (see link below) by December 31, 2026. 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/sms2027paperproposal.html.
Panel proposals must be submitted by January 31, 2027. 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/sms2027panelproposal.html.
Acceptance: Paper and panel proposals will be peer-reviewed. A first circular will be sent by June 2027 to those whose proposals have been accepted. The first circular will also include a preliminary program, information on how to register and pay, the name of the restaurant where the farewell dinner will be held, and further information on how to reach the conference venue.
Publication: Selected papers from the themed day will be published in a special issue of Mamlūk Studies Review.
Travel and Accommodations: Participants must make their own travel arrangements and secure their own accommodations. The intensive course and the conference will be held at the Maritime Museum of Barcelona.
Those who would like to express their intention to attend the conference as non-presenters should complete the registration form.
INTENSIVE COURSE: Documents, Recordkeeping Practices, and Comparative Perspectives for the Study of Diplomatic Correspondence (November 8–10, 2027)
The intensive course, intended for advanced graduate students and other qualified participants, will focus on chancery documents as evidence of the relations between the Mamluk Sultanate and Christian powers. The Crown of Aragon Archive in Barcelona preserves the largest body of records resulting from diplomatic exchanges between Cairo and another political entity. These sources in Arabic, Latin, Catalan, and Aragonese will provide the documentary basis for the workshop. Following an introduction to this collection, selected documents will be examined in greater detail, with particular attention to their nature, external and internal characteristics, and preservation. Part of the course will then be devoted to a comparison between these sources and those produced in the course of relations between the Mamluk Sultanate and other Christian polities.
The number of participants will be limited to a maximum of 10.
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 sms2027barcelona@imf.csic.es by March 31, 2027. Those who are selected for the course will be notified by the end of May 2027, at which time a syllabus and information about the method of payment for the course fees will be provided.
The course fee is €300, which also includes the registration fee for the subsequent conference. The fees must be paid by September 30, 2027. Registration and participation will not be confirmed until payment is received. Participants must make their own travel arrangements.
We look forward to meeting you in Barcelona!
Roser Salicrù i Lluch (CSIC) and Alessandro Rizzo (University of Barcelona), local organizers.
Frédéric Bauden, Université de Liège
Antonella Ghersetti, Ca’ Foscari University, Venice
Marlis Saleh, University of Chicago
Contact Email
URL
https://mamluk.uchicago.edu/school-of-mamluk-studies.html
2. UNDERSTANDING CARPETS AND RUG WEAVING WORKSHOP
We are pleased to announce “Understanding Carpets and Rug Weaving,” a five-day workshop organized and hosted by The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum. Held from April 5th through April 9th at the museum’s Avenir Foundation Conservation and Collections Resource Centerand the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Center, the workshop will be led by Walter B. Denny (The Textile Museum Research Associate, emeritus Professor of Art History at the University of Massachusetts Amherst) and Sumru Belger Krody (Chief Curator, The Textile Museum Collection), with support from the museum’s curatorial, collections management, and conservation staff. The workshop will address professional concerns of museum curators and academic scholars from all levels of experience, including those currently undertaking graduate study. Please visit our website to register.
The program will include a mix of formats: illustrated lectures providing an overview of the history and development of rug and carpet weaving; group discussions; and practical exercises in analyzing weave structures, including an up-close study of a selection of rugs and other textiles from The Textile Museum Collection. Participants will come away with an understanding of basic weave structures in the context of various carpet cultures (Anatolia, Iran, Transcaucasia, and Central Asia), weaving traditions (nomadic and settled), eras (from Early Modern times to the 19th century), and economic spheres (court and commercial production), as well as methods for analyzing and documenting rugs and carpets. We will also discuss the storage, conservation, and display of carpets in a museum context.
The museum will provide lunch and coffee, as well as all materials necessary for the workshop. Participants will be responsible for their own travel, accommodation, and dinner expenses. The Museum will provide a syllabus, some basic documentary materials to be read in advance, and detailed accommodation recommendations upon registration. Registration for the workshop closes on March 6, 2027, and is limited to 7 participants(including one scholarship recipient). Those who wish to be added to a waitlist should email MuseumCuratorial@gwu.edu. To reserve a spot, registrants must pay a $250 registration fee. Should a participant wish to cancel their registration, this fee will be refundable through March 6, 2027, after which time a refund will not be provided.
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS
The museum is happy to provide a scholarship covering the registration fee and hotel accommodation to one graduate student or PhD candidate for the workshop. Students who are in good standing and currently enrolled in a U.S. higher-education institution are eligible to apply. We welcome applicants from programs in art history, archaeology, history, classics, religious studies, and other fields who might benefit from close engagement with our collection and training in material-culture approaches.
To apply, please submit a CV and cover letter with a summary of your research interests, plans for future research, and an explanation of how the workshop would benefit your intellectual and professional development. All materials should be submitted as a single PDF document to MuseumCuratorial@gwu.edu.
Applications are due by January 2, 2027.
Applicants are also encouraged to explore other sources of funding support within their own institutions and from various professional organizations that support research in the area of carpets, textiles, and the history of Islamic art.
Contact Email
URL
https://connect.gwu.edu/site/Calendar?id=133912&view=Detail
3. Islamic Wood Networks is an informal research group comprising art historians, museum professionals and creative practitioners, who are interested in delving deeper into the histories and craft of woodwork from across the Islamic world.
We are launching a series of webinars. We are planning to hold these every two months, on roughly the first Monday of the month, at a time that hopefully crosses multiple timezones (12:00 NYC/17:00 London/18:00 Central Europe/19:00 Cairo).
Our next talk is scheduled to take place on Monday 7th December, when Asmae El Kacimi of INSAP in Morocco will talk to us about “Wood Fragments Preserved by the Desert: The Painted Roof of the Great Mosque of Sijilmassa.”
If you would like to join the list of people who receive the invites to attend these webinars, please email me at m.rosserowen@vam.ac.uk.
And if you are researching anything that touches on the woodwork – an interesting object, architectural feature, construction technique, craft practice or revival, conservation or analysis, materials and trade, collecting history, museology – from anywhere in the Islamic world, and would like to give a presentation in our series, please get in touch!
4. “How Safavid Carpets Speak,” Sarah Molina, Markarian Foundation Lecture, Cincinnati Art Museum, November 8
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Date: November 8, 2-4PM
Place: Fath Auditorium, Cincinnati Art Museum
Evocative poetic inscriptions run the perimeters of several carpets produced in early modern Iran. These poems have often been recognized as delightful espousals of beauty, but they do so much more. Join Sarah Molina, Sullivan Visiting Professor in Art History at Wesleyan University, for an exploration of how such inscriptions can be considered fundamental sources for understanding how carpets were conceptualized during the Safavid period (1501–1722). Together we will contemplate the longer history of inscribed objects in the Islamic world, the considerations taken to integrate text into the textile medium, and how inscriptions allow Safavid carpets to speak on their own terms.
Sarah Molina is currently the Sullivan Visiting Professor in Art History at Wesleyan University. She recently completed her PhD at Harvard University. Her Professor Molina’s research focuses on a wide range of textiles from the early modern Islamic world, with particular interests in carpets from Safavid Iran, funerary textiles, technical approaches to objects, and theories of aesthetics.
Please join us for the lecture from 2–3 p.m. in Fath Auditorium with light refreshments to follow from 3–4 p.m. in the Marek Family Commons.
To register, please follow this link.
5. The Ottoman and Post-Ottoman Studies Student Association (OPSA) warmly invites you to join us for another term of the Ottoman Manuscripts Reading Group. We are excited to resume our weekly collective reading sessions dedicated to exploring Ottoman language manuscripts and a wide range of archival documents.
Each session offers a collaborative space to engage closely with historical materials, build familiarity with Ottoman Turkish documents, and learn alongside others interested in Ottoman and post-Ottoman studies. The reading group is open to U of T students (as well as external graduate students specializing in Ottoman and Post-Ottoman studies, subject to availability), particularly those with preliminary experience working with Ottoman Turkish documents.
The sessions will take place every Friday, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. EST, online via Zoom. Registration is available through the link below and the QR code on the poster.
Register in advance for this meeting: https://utoronto.zoom.us/meeting/register/_nxo4eTQQV-bBmKlKVmAFQ
We welcome OPSA members, affiliated faculty and students, and anyone interested in deepening their engagement with Ottoman primary sources to join us.
Contact Information
Ottoman and Post-Ottoman Studies Student Association
University of Toronto
opsa.uoft2025@gmail.com ; ahmet.koc@mail.utoronto.ca ; rayan.khadeer@mail.utoronto.ca
Contact Email
URL
https://sop.utoronto.ca/event/opsa-ottoman-manuscripts-reading-group/
6. The Provost Office at Ithaca College, in partnership with the Department of History, invites applicants for the pre-doctoral Julian Euell Future Faculty Fellow (JEFFF) for academic year 2027-2028 with expertise in any area, period, region, or methodology within the discipline of History. The fellowship provides advanced doctoral candidates with meaningful teaching experience and mentorship as they complete their dissertations. Over the course of one year, fellows teach one course per semester, engage in scholarly forums, develop pedagogical skills, and receive professional development to prepare them for successful academic careers.
The Fellowship is non-renewable. It begins on August 16, 2027 and ends on May 31, 2028. Fellows receive a $43,260 stipend, $5,000 in travel/professional development support, relocation reimbursement, office space, health benefits, access to Ithaca College and Cornell University libraries, and a dedicated faculty mentor in their program.
Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited program leading to a Ph.D. degree at a U.S. institution; display evidence of a commitment to a career in teaching at the college or university level; demonstrate a dedication to equitable classroom practices; display evidence of a scholarly agenda; and be authorized to work in the United States.
Candidates who have demonstrated a commitment to minoritized communities in their teaching, service and/or research are strongly encouraged to apply.
Prior to August 15, 2027, applicants must be advanced to candidacy at their home institution, with an approved dissertation proposal. Preference will be given to candidates who are in the last year of dissertation writing and who will most benefit from the opportunity (i.e. those who are actively working to draft and revise their dissertation).
To Apply:
Interested applicants must apply and include (1): Unofficial transcript from an accredited Ph.D.- granting institution; (2) a cover letter detailing the candidates teaching pedagogy and interest in a career in teaching; description of research agenda and a timeline for finishing the dissertation; and how they will contribute to the curriculum of the chosen department; (3) a CV; (4) a syllabus for a course you propose to teach; and (5) the contact information of two references. To ensure full consideration applications should be received by November 15th, 2026. Applications will not be considered complete until all materials are in.
Visa sponsorship is not provided for this position.
Ithaca College is committed to building a diverse academic community and encourages members of underrepresented groups to apply. Experience that contributes to the diversity of the college is appreciated.
All bargaining unit faculty members shall be covered by the collective bargaining agreement between Ithaca College and Services Employees International Union, Local 200 United. Full time bargaining unit employees are all limited term faculty teaching term appointments on a full-time non-tenured and non-tenure track basis employed by Ithaca College at its Ithaca, New York campus. Information about the Union can be found here: https://www.ithaca.edu/human-resources/contingent-faculty-union. Successful candidates will be required to meet with union leadership prior to their first day.
Hiring Rate:
$43,260
We pride ourselves on providing our benefit-eligible employees with comprehensive benefits, including:
• Healthcare including vision and dental
• Generous Paid Time Off Policies
• 403B Retirement Savings Plan with Matching Employer Contribution
• EAP
• Flexible Work Plans
• Educational Benefits
• Career-Enhancing Trainings
• For an overview of our benefit offerings, please visit https://www.ithaca.edu/human-resources/employee-benefits-wellness
In an effort to promote campus safety and the security of College resources, Ithaca College will, consistent with the requirements of the law and prudent practices, conduct criminal background investigations per College policy. This position is subject to a criminal background check. All offers of employment are contingent upon review of the criminal background check.
Contact Information
Matt Klemm, Chair, Department of History
Job URL
https://www.ithaca.edu/office-provost/dr-julian-euell-future-faculty-fellowship…
Website
https://www.ithaca.edu/academics/school-humanities-and-sciences/history
Posting Date
October 19, 2026
Closing Date
November 16, 2026
7. The Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University seeks to appoint a tenure-track or tenured professor in Medieval Islamic Cultures and Societies. We welcome applicants who specialize in the medieval period (600-1500) and in various subfields, including (but not limited to) early and medieval Islamic history, classical Arabic literature, and non-Muslim communities in medieval Islamic societies. The successful candidate will be expected to teach and advise at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, will have an excellent reading knowledge of Arabic, and will have the ability to guide graduate students in the reading of Arabic primary sources, both printed and in manuscript. In Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, tenure-track positions are untenured. The appointment is expected to begin on July 1st, 2027. The appointee will teach and advise at the undergraduate and graduate levels. External applicants and finalists considered for a tenured appointment will need to complete the same
Candidates are required to have defended their PhD and to have their doctoral degree in hand at the time of application. Applications from current PhD students will not be considered.
Demonstrated strong commitment to teaching, advising, and research is desired. Candidates for a tenured appointment should also evince intellectual leadership and impact on the field and potential for significant contributions to the department, University, and wider scholarly community.
Please submit the following materials through the ARIeS portal (https://academicpositions.harvard.edu/postings/16920). Candidates are encouraged to apply by November 15, 2026; applications will be reviewed until the position is filled.
- Cover letter
- Curriculum Vitae
- Teaching/advising statement (describing the candidate’s teaching philosophy and practices as well as their approach to creating a learning environment in which every student is encouraged to ask questions and share their ideas)
- Research statement
- One published, article-length writing sample.
- Service statement describing efforts to strengthen academic communities (e.g., the candidate’s department, institution, and/or professional societies)
- Candidates for a tenure-track position are also required to submit names and contact information of 3-5 referees, who will be asked by a system-generated email to upload a letter of recommendation once the candidate’s application has been submitted. Three letters of recommendation are required, and the application is considered complete only when at least three letters have been received. For candidates for a tenure-track position, at least one letter must come from someone who has not served as the candidate’s undergraduate, graduate, or postdoctoral advisor.
- External applicants to a tenured position are required to complete, sign, and upload/submit the form entitled “Authorization to release information for external applicants” as part of the Conduct Inquiry Process and Procedures for External Applicants and Finalists to Tenured Positions.
If visa sponsorship is needed, Harvard retains the discretion to determine which visa status is appropriate and whether a visa sponsorship application will ultimately be submitted, including payment of any applicable fees.
Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard’s academic purposes.
Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, sex, ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university’s non-discrimination policy. Harvard’s equal employment opportunity policy and non-discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination.
Salary Range:
Tenure-Track Salary: $100,000-$130,000
Pay offered to the selected candidate is dependent on factors such as years of experience, training or qualification, field of scholarship, and accomplishments in the field.
Tenured Salary: $170,000-$310,000
Pay offered to the selected candidate is dependent on factors such as experience, training or qualifications, field of scholarship, and accomplishments in the field.
Contact Information
Paul Vadan – Administrative Coordinator
Job URL
https://academicpositions.harvard.edu/postings/16920
Website
Posting Date
October 23, 2026
Closing Date
November 16, 2026
8. The Department of History at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, in New Brunswick invites applications for a full-time assistant professor in the history of the Middle East. We are particularly interested in applications from candidates specializing in the history of the Ottoman Empire and its provinces. We encourage applications from historians whose scholarship intersects with one or more of our program’s strengths, including in environmental history; law and history; the history of women, gender and sexuality; the histories of health and medicine; and the histories of race and capitalism. Home to the interdisciplinary Rutgers Center for Historical Analysis, the department is committed to creative collaboration and innovation, including in research and the classroom. We also encourage applicants who write both scholarly and public-facing work and can participate in our program in Public History.
Located in New Jersey, Rutgers University is a premier, Research 1, public land grant institution that reflects the broad spectrum of backgrounds in the state. The School of Arts and Sciences, the largest and most comprehensive school at Rutgers University, is especially interested in candidates who can advance the goals and values expressed in the SAS Strategic Plan. Applicants are encouraged to include in their cover letter information about how they will further our mission of excellence.
The successful candidate will have a 2-2 course load and will be encouraged to teach in areas that serve departmental needs, including popular courses on The Ottoman Empire, World History, and the Modern Middle East as well as in creating new courses related to their research. They will also conduct research in the field of Middle East History and contribute to our Ph.D program and the M.A. program in Global and Comparative History. The academic year salary for an assistant professor will not be less than $82,110, based on the most recent collective bargaining agreement between the faculty union (AAUP-AFT) and Rutgers University.
Applicants should upload the following materials to https://jobs.rutgers.edu/postings/282204 by November 30, 2026: a cover letter outlining the candidate’s research, teaching, and service, addressed to Professor Toby Jones, Search Committee Chair; a CV; the names and e-mail addresses of three references; and an article-length writing sample directly relevant to the candidate’s expertise. Long-listed candidates will be asked for reference letters, additional writing and other materials. The successful candidate is expected to have completed their Ph.D. in History or related field before the start of the position.
It is university policy to provide equal employment opportunity to all its employees and applicants for employment regardless of their race, creed, color, national origin, age, ancestry, nationality, marital or domestic partnership or civil union status, sex, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, disability status, liability for military service, protected veteran status, affectional or sexual orientation, atypical cellular or blood trait, genetic information (including the refusal to submit to genetic testing), or any other category protected by law. As an institution, we encourage all qualified applicants to apply. For additional information please see the Non-Discrimination Statement at the following web address: http://uhr.rutgers.edu/non-discrimination-statement.
Contact Information
Candace Walcott-Shepherd
Department of History
Rutgers University
16 Seminary Place
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Job URL
https://jobs.rutgers.edu/postings/282204
Website
Posting Date
October 19, 2026
Closing Date
November 30, 2026
Posted in: Academic items- October 27, 2026
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