Categories : Academic items

1. Query: Maritime cartography and a late 17th-century French chart of India

At the Maritime Museum in Amsterdam we are researching a French chart of the second half of the seventeenth century. It is part of a collection of 5 charts procured by the Museum in 1949.

While 4 of these maps are nautical charts used by the Dutch East India Company during the 17th century, the fifth one is a French chart outlining the Bay of Bengal, dating around 1650-1700 without details on the cartographer or place of manufacture. You will find the chart, with an image on our collection website:  https://collectie.hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl/details/museum/505967

All the maps in the collection bear, in the same hand, in manuscript on the reverse side N (number) Bonté (year)” . To state an example, the French map is signed “N 12 Bonté 1692.  At the moment, it is a mystery to us what or who Bonté could be.

We are also having difficulty finding literature connected to maritime cartography and representation of the Indian Ocean in a French context during the late 17th century.  If someone would have suggestions for further information of literature, this would be much appreciated.

Sincerely,

Diederick Wildeman

Curator of Navigation, Cartography & Library Collections

Het Scheepvaartmuseum / National Maritime Museum, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

 

 

 

 

 

2. Society for the History of Discoveries Virtual Lecture Series:

“There is Nothing in the Desert”: Empire, Environmental Perceptions, and the Allure of Emptiness in Modern Desert Exploration

Dr. Andrea Duffy, Associate Professor of History, Colorado State University

June 4, 2026, 2 pm CST. 

Modern imperialism was about more than just resource-rich environments and new spaces for settlement; it also involved the investigation, acquisition, and control of desolate, forbidding places such as deserts, high mountains, oceans, polar regions, and space. These extreme environments involved heightened threats to human visitors and created unique challenges for imperialism. They also defied common assumptions about the drivers and objectives of imperialism. Unlike other landscapes of exploration and empire, extreme environments were generally considered uninhabitable and lacked the appeal of resources. Explorers branded them as useless, dangerous, and empty, even when they were not.

While most extreme environments were considered natural – and in some cases the most pristine examples of nature – imperial agents often viewed desert regions as unnatural and sought not just to contain or tame them, but to restore them to an idealized, fertile past. This paper highlights the unique nature of desert exploration in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It affirms that imperial ventures were largely about power and the ideal of control over not just territory or people, but nature itself.

You can RSVP here: https://discoveryhistory.org/event-6689464
A zoom link will be distributed closer to the date!

Contact Information

Cortney Anne Berg

Contact Email

archivist@c-berg.com

URL

https://discoveryhistory.org/event-6689464

 

 

 

 

 

3. Orbs of Blood in 14th-Century Persia

The «Tānksūqnāmah» and Its Theory of the Rotational Motion of Blood

Ben Kavoussi

28 May 2026 – 5 PM (CET)

A 14th-century Persian medical manual on the Medicine of Cathay (Northern China) known as the Tānksūqnāmah-yi Īlkhān dar funūn-i ʿulūm-i Khaṭāʾī (Tānksūqnāmah) explicitly states that blood “makes rounds” within the body, flowing from the liver to the heart, then to the lungs, and returning again to the liver.

Commissioned by the vizier and physician Rashīd al-Dīn Hamadānī (1247–1318) during Mongol rule in Iran, the manual is an attempt to explain Chinese medicine to a Persian readership, translating a book that summarised Chinese medical knowledge at the time.

Drawing on Chinese cosmology and medicine, as well as the Graeco-Arabic medical tradition, the book ultimately advances its own conception of blood movement, moving beyond simple continuity. This model, which links bodily processes to celestial movements, differs from the philosophical description of pulmonary transit by Ibn al-Nafīs (1213–1288) and the quantitative theory of systemic circulation by William Harvey (1578–1657).

The Tānksūqnāmah is therefore best understood as a product of the distinctive cross-cultural milieu of Mongol-era Iran, exemplifying how scientific ideas can emerge through reinterpretation within zones of cultural and scientific contact rather than through linear transmission within a single lineage.

To register for this event, please click here.

Kindest regards,

Andreas Hylla

Centre for the Study of Medicine and the Body in the Renaissance (CSMBR) – Assistant Coordinator

Domus Comeliana, Via Cardinale Maffi 48, 56126 Pisa, Italy

Tel.: +39.02.006.20.51 – Mobile: +39.333.13.12.203

Email: ah@csmbr.fondazionecomel.org 

 

 

 

 

4. Interdisciplinary hybrid conference at the University of Geneva, May 20–21:

Reframing the Constitutional Revolution: Gender, Law, and the Iranian Press

This interdisciplinary gathering brings together scholars from art, literature, history, and religious studies from Iran, the United States, and beyond.

The conference will explore new perspectives on the Constitutional Revolution through the lenses of gender, law, and media. At a time of renewed global and local challenges, these discussions aim to offer critical insight into the historical and contemporary significance of these issues: https://unige.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_UIwLbMwjSeOC6GycTFSvgA

 

 

 

 

5. Hybrid:2026 Sir William Luce Lecture – Wednesday 10 June 2026 – 12.00 – 1.00 (GMT)

You are warmly invited by Durham University’s Institute for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies to attend the 2026 Sir William Luce Annual Lecture scheduled to take place on Wednesday 10 June 2026 from 12.00pm – 1.00pm in Room IM102, Al Qasimi Building, School of Government & International Affairs, Durham University,DH1 3TU.

The 2026 Sir William Luce Fellow, Professor Simon Smith will present a lecture on ‘Recovering lost slave voices: Slavery and Manumission in the Gulf and Arabian Peninsula’.  Professor Simon C. Smith is a Professor of International History at the University of Hull.  His research focus is on imperialism, nationalism and decolonization in South-East Asia, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East with a particular focus on the Gulf region.

You can attend the lecture online on the day at 12.00pm on Wednesday 10 June 2026 using the following link – Sir William Luce Annual Lecture 

If you plan to attend the lecture in person can you please RSVP to luce.fund@durham.ac.uk by Monday 1 June 2026.

 

 

 

 

 

6. Call for Papers: Entangled Histories Seminar Series 2026–2027

Following the success of the current edition, the Entangled Histories Seminar Series invites abstracts for its 2026–2027 cycle:

“Borders and Sustainability: Human and Natural Resources across Time and Space.”

This edition explores sustainability not as an exclusively environmental concern but as a multifaceted concept that intersects with borders across diverse cultural, material, and ecological contexts.

The series adopts a diachronic and interdisciplinary perspective, spanning from prehistory to the contemporary world.

Sustainability and Borders: A Broad Perspective. We seek to investigate sustainability in its multiple dimensions:

• Material sustainability:recycling of resources (manuscripts, architectural structures, waste, and landscapes).
• Ecological sustainability:relationships between humans, animals, and environments; balance between preservation and exploitation.
• Social, linguistic, and cultural sustainability:transmission of knowledge, endangered languages, healing practices, migration, and community resilience.
• Symbolic sustainability:representations of ecological limits, hybrid beings, and cultural imaginaries of nature and borders.

Conceptual Framework At the heart of the series lies the concept of borders, understood as dynamic thresholds that shape access to resources and regulate interactions. Borders are not only physical or political: they can be ecological, cultural, social, linguistic, political and material. While we encourage long-term temporalities and global spatial entanglements, we also offer the elements (earth, water, air, fire, ether, wood, etc.) as a possible heuristic framework to explore these dimensions across different historical strata.

Topics of Interest: We encourage contributions from a wide range of disciplines, including but not limited to:

• Archaeology and Prehistory: Resource use, landscapes, indigenous practices, and environmental interactions over time.
• Medieval Studies, Philology, and Manuscript Cultures: Material sustainability of manuscripts, palimpsests, intellectual ecologies, literatures and languages, and the transmission of knowledge.
• Art History and Visual Culture: Representations of nature, landscapes, borders, and material practices across different periods.
• Anthropology and Folklore: Vernacular ecological knowledge, oral traditions, liminal beings, and environmental imaginaries.
• History of Science and Medicine: Healing practices, scientific knowledge, and environmental understanding across cultures.
• Environmental Humanities and Ecology: Human–non-human relations, ecosystems, climate, and resilience.
• History of Economy, Trade, and Food Systems: Circulation of resources, subsistence, scarcity, and sustainability practices.
• Architecture and Infrastructure Studies: Built environments, water and soil management, roads, and material borders.
• Geography, Cartography, and Media Studies: Spatial representation, mapping, and communication of environmental knowledge across borders.

🌟 High-Impact Publication Opportunity: A selection of the most significant contributions will be published in a dedicated edited volume or a special issue with a leading international publisher (past collaborations and ongoing projects include prestigious venues such as Brill, De Gruyter, and Routledge). This ensures that the research presented reaches a global audience of specialists.

Submission Guidelines

• Format:Online seminar (approximately 30-minute talk + discussion).
• Schedule:October 2026 – Summer 2027.
• Required:Title, Abstract (250–300 words), Short Bio (100–150 words), Affiliation, email address, and preferred months of availability.
• Deadline:31 August 2026.
• Send to:seminars@outlook.com.

Contact Information

Organized by:

• Maria Pia Ester Cristaldi(Üsküdar University)
• Elisa Ramazzina(University of Insubria)

Under the patronage of: The Faculty of Communication and the Master’s Programme in Media and Cultural Studies at Üsküdar University.

Contact Email

entangledhistories.seminars@outlook.com

URL

https://sites.google.com/view/entangledhistories/home

 

 

 

 

 

7. ‘The Bisotun–Madharan route: the reconstruction of a lost communication route in the southern part of the Bisotun–Sahneh plain’

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-royal-asiatic-society/article/bisotunmadharan-route-the-reconstruction-of-a-lost-communication-route-in-the-southern-part-of-the-bisotunsahneh-plain/7AE5F7CF800F9AE907D637369585C621?utm_source=SFMC&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Article&utm_campaign=New%20Cambridge%20Alert%20-%20Articles&WT.mc_id=New%20Cambridge%20Alert%20-%20Articles

 

 

 

 

 

8. Arabic, Persian, and Turkic Poetics

Towards a Post-Eurocentric Literary Theory

Liverpool U Press, 2024

H Rashwan, R Ruth Gould, N Askari, eds.,

https://www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/book/10.3828/9780197267790

1. Upcoming Course: The Shahname: Introduction to the Iranian Epic

The new Shahname course is already open for applications, and will start on May 27. Here you can read more about it:

https://ferdowsi.org/the-shahname-introduction-to-the-iranian-epic-spring-2026/

Always feel welcome to write me if you have any questions, course ideas or are considering participating in the Ferdowsi Summer School but are not sure about your plans yet.

All the best,

Ruben

Ferdowsi School of Persian Literature

Yerevan, Armenia

Website: www.ferdowsi.org

 

 

 

 

 

2. Monday Majlis Series 

Online on Mondays, 2025-2026, Summer Term 

Centre for the Study of Islam

Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies

University of Exeter
18^th of May (Monday) 17:00-18:30 (UK time).

András Barati, A Tale of Two Decrees: Dynastic Rivalry and Bureaucratic Continuity in Eighteenth-Century Isfahan

Register please at:

https://Universityofexeter.zoom.us/meeting/register/LWnKOTWjTlO_NgNHfL61_g

25^th of May (Monday) 17:00-18:30 (UK time).

Nuha Alshaar, Muslim Sicily: Fāṭimid and Kalbid Policies Towards Their Christians and Muslim Populations

Register please at:

https://universityofexeter.zoom.us/meeting/register/TBJgbYt6Rk2rVXgQvpdvvA

1^st of June (Monday) 17:00-18:30 (UK time).

Tim Greenwood and Leone Pecorini Goodall, Rare Insights into the Late Umayyad Era through a Neglected Armenian Source: The Martyrdom of Vahan of Gołt‘n

Register please at: https://universityofexeter.zoom.us/meeting/register/9osam7fcQ6GNiuN2lpNwaw

8^th of June (Monday) 17:00-18:30 (UK time).

Bilal Orfali, Prophets, Tricksters, and the Yellow Cow: Qurʾānic Echoes in al-Hamadhānī’s al-Maqāma al-Mawṣiliyya

Register please at:

https://universityofexeter.zoom.us/meeting/register/VMC2b0OAShOR4mwBrFIXuA

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. Please come and enjoy the talks and the discussions.

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.

 

 

 

 

3. Call for Papers

Balkan Islam and Balkan Muslims

European Perspectives

Diasporic Trajectories, Institutions, Identities

International conference ·  5–6 October 2026

Conference Hall, MISHA — 5 allée du Général Rouvillois, 67000 Strasbourg

Since the labour migrations of the 1960s and 1970s, the displacements caused by the post-Yugoslav wars, post-socialist mobilities, and contemporary student and professional circulations, Muslim populations from the Balkans, from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Sandžak, have settled durably in France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Benelux, the Nordic countries, and the United Kingdom. They now constitute one of Western Europe’s oldest autochthonous Muslim diasporas, yet they remain comparatively invisible in public and academic debates on European Islam, which tend to be structured around other regional reference points.

This conference proposes to place these communities at the centre of the analysis. It seeks to examine the modalities of their settlement, the organisation of their religious and associative lives, the transnational ties they maintain with their societies of origin, and the ways in which they articulate their European belonging in a context shaped by the securitisation of Islam and the reconfiguration of secularism regimes. The historical legacies of Balkan Islam, its Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian and Yugoslav layers, provide the necessary backdrop to this reading, without being its main object.

Thematic tracks

• The formation and historical development of Islam in the Balkans
• Theology and the specificities of the interpretation of Islam in the Balkans
• Islamic thought and its contemporary developments
• Plural identities: being Muslim, Balkan and European
• Migratory trajectories and diasporic reconfigurations: labour, war, post-socialism, contemporary mobilities
• Institutions, places of worship and Balkan Muslim associations in Western Europe
• Transnational circulations: imams, religious knowledge, ritual practices, diaspora economies
• Generations, languages, transmission and religious practice in diasporic contexts
• Women and youth in Balkan Muslim communities across Western Europe
• Relations with host societies: institutional recognition, secularism, pro- and anti-Muslim discourses
• The experience of war, genocide and collective memory

The conference brings together contributions from history, sociology, anthropology, religious studies, political science and law. Both comparative approaches across Western European countries and localised case studies are welcome.

Submission guidelines

Proposals (200–300 words, in English or French), together with a short biographical note, should be sent by 15 June 2026 to: akgonul@unistra.fr and dzsusko@gmail.com.  Notification of acceptance: 15 July 2026. Funding (travel and accommodation) may be awarded, with priority given to doctoral candidates and early-career researchers.

Conveners and Scientific Committee

Conveners: Dževada Garić and Samim Akgönül (University of Strasbourg).

Scientific committee: Samim Akgönül, Dževada Garić, Ségolène Plyer, Khalid Rabeh.

 

 

 

 

 

4. I am pleased to announce the recent publication of a special issue of the Annales islamologiques. The dossier, entitled “Symbolisms and Representations of the Ka’ba” and edited by Kader Smail,  Gregory Vandamme, and myself, is now available in open access at the following link:https://www.ifao.egnet.net/anisl/60

Here is the table of contents of the dossier :

– Fârès Gillon, Kader Smail, Gregory Vandamme, “Introduction”

– Harry Munt, “The Kaʿba in al-Fākihī’s (d. c.279/892–893) History of Mecca: From Local Traditions to Universal History”

– Adam Bursi, “On the Pattern of God’s Throne: The Kaʿba as Paradise in the First Centuries of Islam”

– Jean-Charles Ducène, “Le sanctuaire de la Kaʿba et ses représentations topographiques médiévales”

– Anna Caiozzo, “Présence de la Kaʿba dans la culture visuelle de l’Orient médiéval”

– Luca Patrizi, “The Relics of the Kaʿba and Their Ritual Use Through Islamic Historiographical and Exegetical Sources”

– Simon O’Meara, “House First: The Quranic Figure of the Kaʿba

– Fârès Gillon, “Interprétations ésotériques du sanctuaire mecquois dans le chiisme ismaélien du ive/xe siècle. Entre antinomisme et symbolisme”

– Gregory Vandamme, “Le sanctuaire de la Kaʿba et ses dimensions symboliques dans les Futūḥāt al-makkiyya d’Ibn ʿArabī”

Fârès Gillon

Maître de conférences en Islamologie et langue arabe, Aix-Marseille Université

+33 (0) 6 66 34 28 31

 

 

 

 

 

5.  I am happy to announce that my book, Transcendent God, Rational World: A Maturidi Theology (Edinburgh University Press, 2021), will be the subject of a forthcoming Book Symposium in TheoLogica: An International Journal for Philosophy of Religion and Philosophical Theology, guest edited by myself and Shoaib Ahmed Malik.

For this special issue, scholars are invited to engage with, critique and extend the philosophical and theological ideas within the book. I will also be writing a published response to the papers. There are further details here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HopazieQ02RLyK3Qduq7s95gNUE3Roox/view?usp=drive_link

Dr Ramon Harvey

Senior Lecturer in Islamic Studies
Cambridge Muslim College

14 St. Paul’s Road

Cambridge, CB1 2EZ

 

1. The Digital Lab for Islamic Visual Culture & Collections annual 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

info@digitallabivcc.com

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

https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/fashion-in-late-ottoman-istanbul-9781350454842/?utm_source=Bloomsbury+Academic+Print&utm_campaign=714a8b7d67-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2025_10_15_11_50_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-c6b4f8ae5f-605268203&mc_cid=714a8b7d67&mc_eid=cf8726f727

 

 

 

 

 

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

1.Position – Sullivan Visiting Professor in Islamic Art History – Deadline May 18

The Department of Art and Art History at Wesleyan University invites applications for a one-year, full-time Sullivan Visiting Professor of Art History. We seek an historian of pre-modern Islamic Art with an emphasis on South, Central, or West Asia. We welcome specialists in any subfield working on periods before 1800 and pursuing any methodological approach/es. Candidates from the fields of art and architectural history and archaeology are welcome to apply. Applicants must have earned their Ph.D. in Art History or a related field, or be near completion, by the start date of the position (September 1, 2026).

The teaching load is 2/1. Additional duties include advising and mentoring students, carrying out a program of research, and participating in the life of the Department.

Interested candidates should submit a 1) cover letter, (2) curriculum vitae, (3) writing sample (such as a dissertation chapter or published article), (4) statement of current research, and documentation of teaching interests and/or experience, (5) course syllabi and/or descriptions, 6) the email addresses of three referees from whom we may obtain confidential letters of recommendation. In the cover letter, applicants should describe how they will embrace the college’s commitment to fostering an inclusive community.

Term: September 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.

Compensation: $62,000-$66,000

Please apply at: https://wesleyan.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/careers. Applications received by May 18, 2026 will receive full consideration. The file size for uploads is limited, so for larger files please submit a link to a shared folder.

Inquiries may be directed to Song Keng Teoh (steoh@wesleyan.edu), administrative assistant, Department of Art and Art History

Contact Email

steoh@wesleyan.edu

URL

https://wesleyan.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/careers/job/Middletown-CT-Main-Campus/Su…

 

 

 

 

2. Online Turkish and Ottoman Summer School – From Beginner to Advanced

Lisan-ı Türki

The Academy of Turkish Language and Turkic Culture

holds its online summer school

Turkish & Ottoman Online Summer Program

Join our comprehensive online language program this summer to explore the rich linguistic and historical heritage of the Turkish and Ottoman worlds. Whether you are an absolute beginner or an advanced researcher, our expert-led courses offer a tailored path to proficiency.

Turkish and Ottoman Courses

• Elementary Turkish

: A friendly foundation for absolute beginners focusing on daily life, essential vocabulary, and basic interactions.

Intermediate Turkish: Conducted primarily in Turkish (A2+), focusing on newspaper articles and novels through the Istanbul coursebook series.

Advanced Turkish: An immersive course designed to elevate vocabulary and grammar to a level of full comprehension of complex Turkish texts.

Turkish for Everyday Conversation: Master the art of Turkish communication with expert-led conversation lessons tailored for all levels.

Ottoman Thematic Course: An intensive survey of Ottoman historiography (15th–18th century), analyzing original primary sources and narrative strategies.

Our Faculty this Summer:

Dr. Ufuk Erol (PhD, Indiana University Bloomington, USA)

Dr. Gökçe Karaoğlu (PhD, University of Zurich, Switzerland)

🔗 Learn more about all courses:

https://www.lisaniturki.com/

📝 Register here:

https://forms.gle/CTE8EkcRD1U95dVY9

It is possible to arrange intensive and one-on-one classes tailored to the specific needs of learners. To do so, please send us an email, and we will get in touch with you.

We look forward to welcoming you this summer. If you have any further inquiries, please don’t hesitate to contact us at admin@lisaniturki.com

Warmregards,
Lisan-ı Türki Team

 

 

 

 

 

3. I AM THE WOUNDED VICTIM OF A SUICIDE BOMBER, by Fazel Ahad Ahadi / Ilex Project

https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674303270

 

 

 

 

 

4. PD in Islamic Medicine

Three postdoctoral positions on our current Wellcome funded project ‘Pustules, Palaeogenetics and Pandemics from Galen to Rhazes: How to do the Early History of Smallpox and Measles’, (PI Professor Rebecca Flemming).  The deadline for applications is 20th May, 2026 for a start date around September 2026 or soon thereafter at the University of Exeter, UK.

 

• Q14529 Postdoctoral Research Associate or Fellow in Ancient Medicine (CAHRT)  – To view this advert please click here
• Q14531 Postdoctoral Research Associate or Fellow in Medieval Arabic Medicine (IAIS) –  To view this advert please click here
• Q14532 (Postdoctoral Research Associate or Fellow in Ancient Disease and Pandemics (interdisciplinary approaches) (CAHRT) – To view this advert please click here

 

 

 

 

 

5. ARIANNA D’OTTONE 

THE BLUE QURʾĀN AND THE BIBLE OF DANILA: A MEANINGFUL CONNECTION 

Monday Majlis Online on the 11th of May, 17:00-18:30 (UK time)

Centre for the Study of Islam, Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter

Register please on this link:  

https://Universityofexeter.zoom.us/meeting/register/uIEfgH8jSiOX1FUwG9wHCg

 

 

1.ORHAN ELMAZ, Digital Tools and Methods in (+/- Contemporary) Qurʾānic Studies . MONDAY MAJLIS ONLINE. 4th of May (Monday) 17:00-18:30 (UK time)

Centre for the Study of Islam, Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter

Register please on this link:  

https://universityofexeter.zoom.us/meeting/register/fbHQXhbxSm6-9gtiDQ4ovQ#/registration

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.

Please come and enjoy the talks and the discussions : ) 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 me (I.T.Kristo-Nagy@ex.ac.uk).

 

 

 

 

2. Call for Papers:

Subalterns in the Persianate world in the Zand and Qajar periods

3^nd workshop:

Recovering ‘Lost Voices’:

The Role and Depiction of Iranian/Persianate Subalterns from the 13^th Century to the Modern Period.

A multi-year research project funded by the British Institute of Persian Studies (BIPS).

The third workshop on subalterns across the entire Persianate world in the Zand and Qajar periods will be held at the University of Edinburgh, UK, on 27-29 October, 2026 

Read more at:

http://www.shii-news.imes.ed.ac.uk/projects/the-subalterns-project/
Conference Deadlines:

• Friday, 12 June, 2026:Please RSVP by this date, simply to let us know if you can participate – we are eager to have you attend: anewman@ed.ac.uk
• Tuesday, 30 June, 2026: Send Abstracts (250–300 words), which should include the title of the proposed paper, a brief introduction to the topic, and a well-developed thesis with objectives and preliminary arguments clearly expressed. Include a biography (up to 100 words).
• Thursday, 1 October 2026 Pre-conference draft papers for your talk (approx. 3,000–3,500 words for a 20-25-minute presentation) and PowerPoint slides (if using and ready) to be sent
  Practical Details:

The conference will cover meals from dinner on 27 October to lunch on 29 October.

Depending upon final numbers, further, if limited, funding support for travel, accommodation, and other expenses may be available, especially for PhD students, Early Career Researchers (ECRs), and unaffiliated scholars.

Publication Guidelines – Looking Ahead:

Thinking longer term, the following information will be helpful to you:

• Final Paper Submission Deadline:Wednesday, 30 June, 2027
• Length:~7,000–10,000 words (excluding citations)
• Software Format:MS-Word, .docx
• Transliteration and Foreign Languages:
  • Do not use Arabic script unless it is necessary for the argument.
  • Use ALA-LC Romanization Table for Arabic(which also covers Persian and other Arabic-script characters).
  • Use ʿ and ʾ for ʿayn and hamzah
  • Passages in foreign languages must also be translated into English.
• Review:All papers will undergo peer review and editorial revision. Please ensure your submissions are review-ready. Papers that do not pass peer review cannot be included in the volume.

Further publishing information will be available closer to the time.

For further information, please contact

a.newman@ed.ac.uk

 

 

 

 

3. Prochaine séance du séminaire “Sociétés, politiques et cultures du monde iranien”, jeudi 7 mai 2026, 17h, à l’INALCO
Le CeRMI a le plaisir de vous convier à la prochaine séance du séminaire “Sociétés, politiques et cultures du Monde iranien”, qui se tiendra le jeudi 7 mai 2026, 17h-19h, en salle 4.06 à l’INaLCO(65 rue des Grands Moulins, Paris XIII, 4^eétage).

Nous sommes heureux d’accueillir M. Tobias Jones, historien, chercheur en contrat postdoctoral à l’Académie des Sciences de Prague (République tchèque), pour une conférence intitulée : Mongol Women through Persian Eyes.

Résumé :

Almost all foreign observers of Mongol society noted the high regard in which women were held. Persian sources are no exception to this. It is through one source in particular, namely Rashīd al-Dīn’s history of the Mongols, that a great deal of our information about Mongol women emerges. However, there are many other Persian historians who wrote about the Mongols, and who provide us with rather a different picture of women’s place in the Mongol Empire and the Persian Ilkhanate. By considering a wider range of historical works, including local histories, the relationship between the rulers and the ruled is more clearly revealed, indicating how far Mongol cultural norms about women penetrated into the Perso-Islamic world. This lecture seeks to illuminate how Persian historians saw Mongol women and if and how these images diverge from the picture present in the court chronicle of Rashīd al-Dīn.

Orientations bibliographiques :

– Yoni Brack, “A Mongol Princess Making hajj: the Biography of El Qutlugh Daughter of Abagha Ilkhan (r. 1265-1282)”, Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society 21, No. 3, (2011): 331-359.

– Anne Broadbridge, Women and the Making of the Mongol Empire (Cambridge University Press, 2018).

– Bruno De Nicola, Women in Mongol Iran: The Khatuns, 1206-1335 (Edinburgh University Press, 2017).

– Antony Eastmond, Tamta’s World: The Life and Encounters of a Medieval Noblewoman from the Middle East to Mongolia (Cambridge University Press, 2017).

– Hind Gilli-Elewy, “On Women, Power and Politics During the Last Phase of the Ilkhanate”,  Arabica 59, (2012):709-723.

– Gavin R. G. Hambly, “Becoming Visible: Medieval Islamic Women in Historiography and History”, in Women in the Medieval Islamic World: Power, Patronage, and Piety, ed. G. Hambly (St. Martin’s Press: 1998): 3-28.

Vous retrouverez l’intégralité du programme 2025-2026 du séminaire mensuel de recherche “Sociétés, politiques et cultures du Monde iranien” en ligne sur le site du CeRMI: https://cermi.cnrs.fr/seminaires-de-recherche/societes-politiques-et-cultures-du-monde-iranien-2025-2026/

Dans l’attente du plaisir de vous retrouver à l’occasion de ces séances, qui se déroulent en présentiel sur le site de l’INaLCO (65 rue des Grands Moulins, Paris XIII).

Bien cordialement,

Les organisateurs –

Simon Berger et Justine Landau

Contact: justine.landau@sorbonne-nouvelle.fr

 

 

 

 

4. AMI : conference.

Al-Mahdi Institute is delighted to open registration for its upcoming Islamic Mysticism and Spirituality conference on: “Ways of Knowing in Sufism: Epistemology, Authority, and Contemporary Implications” taking place on 1st–2nd June 2026 at Al-Mahdi Institute. The conference brings together scholars to examine Sufi ways of knowing — unveiling, tasting, inspiration, and presential knowledge — through rigorous interdisciplinary inquiry, drawing on classical Islamic thought, philosophy, history, and the study of religious experience. The programme engages debates on the proof-value of experiential knowledge, the philosophical systematisation of kashf, the regulation of ilhāmin Ottoman scholarly culture, and the contemporary implications of mystical knowledge-claims for modern Islamic theology and reform.

Tickets are £35 per day or £60 for both days (with a 20% student discount) and include lunch and dinner on the chosen day(s).

Further details and registration: https://almahdi.edu/ims-conference/

 

 

 

 

5. Hybrid: Medieval Landscapes and Rurality in Anatolia and Beyond

Thursday, May 14, 9.30 am 

Friday, May 15, 10.00 am

Deutsches Archäologisches Institut Istanbul, İnönü Caddesi 10, Istanbul (GMT+3)

This in-person conference is also available on-line.

Organization : D. B. Erciyas (METU, Ankara) & M. Durocher (Sorbonne Universite, Paris)

List of speakers :

• Birgül Açıkyıldız
• Michele Abballe
• Ayşe Belgin-Henry
• Pierre Benoit
• Ahmet Bilir
• John Bintliff
• Marica Cassis
• Marco Cavalazzi
• Suna Çağaptay
• Mustafa Doğan
• Maxime Durocher
• Asa Eger
• Burcu Erciyas
• Alkiviadis Ginalis
• Filiz İnanan
• Adam Izdebski
• Anaïs Lamesa
• Giorgios Liakopoulos
• Paolo Maranzana
• Oya Pancaroğlu
• Evengelia Pişkin
• Grégoire Sommer
• Iryna Teslenko
• Vincent Thérouin
• Athanasios K. Vionis
• Sara Nur Yıldız
• Luca Zavagno

Register link and program : https://sa.metu.edu.tr/en/announcements/conference-medieval-landscape-and-rurality-anatolia-and-beyond

Contact Information

Maxime Durocher

Contact Email

maxime.durocher@sorbonne-universite.fr

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Summer Academy Khorog (Tajikistan) 2026

Cultural Heritage at the Mountain Crossroads of Central Asia

Description

The Summer Academy takes place in Khorog, the capital of the Autonomous Region of Mountain Badakhshan in Tajikistan. Overlooking the Panj river and the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan at an altitude of 2.200 m, Khorog is an ideal place to explore cultural heritage as expressions of past and present experiences of mountain societies living along the crossroads of Central Eurasia. While mountain societies were often considered peripheral, this Summer Academy offers the opportunity to experience connectivities and cultural connectedness in and across Pamir Mountains of Central Asia. The material and immaterial legacies around us will offer multiple vantage points for discussing theories, methods, and approaches to cultural heritage in particular from the perspective of cultural infrastructure that shapes discourses, practices and politics on different scales, from the local to the translocal.

Where:            University of Central Asia, Khorog, Tajikistan

When:             17 – 30 August 2026

Duration:        14 days (2 days of transfer Dushanbe-Khorog, 10 days Khorog, 2 days return transfer to Dushanbe)

Language:       English

Level:               Graduate students (MA and PhD), exceptions for advanced BA (see below)

Credits:                        Certificate of Participation

Costs and scholarships: Course fee 200 EUR including tuition, study materials and excursions. Full scholarships (course fee waivers, travel and accommodation grants) are available for participants enrolled in an institution of higher learning in Tajikistan or other Central Asian countries. Other participants can apply for a number of scholarships including travel and accommodation grants. Other expenses such as insurance, visa, meals and individual activities during the weekend are not included.

Programme

Through a programme of lectures, reading/discussion sections, cultural visits and small research exercises, participants are offered diverse ways of engaging with cultural heritage, practices and meanings around it, as well as with contested, muted or `difficult’ heritage. At the same time, participants will acquire and deepen knowledge about the cultural history of the Badakhshan region of Tajikistan in the Central Asian context and its wider Eurasian (especially Iranian and South Asian) connectivities. Specific attention will be paid to questions of material cultural heritage in the rural space, immaterial culture (music, dance and poetry), cultural heritage and adventure tourism, and community initiatives to preserve and valorise cultural heritage. Pending confirmation, the programme will include regional excursions.

Participants

The Summer Academy offers spots for up to 15 participants. Seven spots are reserved for participants who at any time of 2026 are or will be enrolled at institutions of higher learning in Central Asian countries. The Summer Academy is open to MA- and PhD-students from disciplines such as history, anthropology, area studies, fine arts, cultural studies and human geography with an interest in cultural heritage and the Central Asian region. Advanced BA-students may be exceptionally considered on the basis of strong letters of motivation. The Summer Academy will be held in English. Knowledge of languages spoken in the region is an asset but not a requirement.

Requirements

English language competency on a level sufficiently high to read, discuss and write is expected (at least an equivalent of iBT TOEFL 80/PBT TOEFL 550 for non-native speakers).

Participants are responsible for organising their own travel to Dushanbe, including visa (if applicable) and insurances and accommodation until departure for Khorog and after return to Dushanbe. Participants are also responsible for obtaining the obligatory permit for travel to GBAO (Mountain Badakhshan Autonomous Region). The organisers will provide general information on visa and permits, but accept no responsibility for the accuracy of this information. Transportation from Dushanbe to Khorog and from Khorog to Dushanbe as well as local transportation for programmed excursions will be organised by the Summer Academy. The organisers of the summer academy reserve the right to adapt the schedule to local circumstances and requirements. All changes will be announced in due time.

Summer Academy Faculty

The Summer Academy is led by Jeanine Dağyeli (University of Vienna, Dept. of Near Eastern Studies & Austrian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Iranian Studies), Ariane Sadjed and Florian Schwarz (both Austrian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Iranian Studies) in collaboration with faculties from Social Sciences and Humanities of University of Central Asia in Khorog, Tajikistan. It is financially supported by a grant from the Austrian Cluster of Excellence Eurasian Transformations.

Application

If you want to apply for the Summer Academy Cultural Heritage at the Mountain Crossroads of Central Asia, please send your application including a CV and a letter of motivation to iran.office@oeaw.ac.at by May 15, 2026.

PhD candidates should additionally provide a short description of their research project.

Please indicate in your application which of the following options applies to you:

• you are or will be enrolled in 2026 an institution of higher education in Central Asia country (please indicate the country, the university and a ref) and are therefore eligible for a full fee waiver and a travel and accommodation scholarship

Or, if you are not enrolled at an institution of higher education in Central Asia, please indicate whether

• you would attend the Summer Academy with your own funding from your home institution or other funding sources, including self-funding, or whether
• you are applying for a partial travel and accommodation scholarship.

Timeline:

21 April 2026              Publication of call

15 May 2026               Deadline for applications

My 31 2026                 Notification of applicants about outcome of selection process

Further organizational information for successful applicants

Preliminary notification on scholarships

June 2026                   Scholarship details, reading materials, further details on programme and teaching faculty

17 August 2026          7 am: Departure from Dushanbe for overland transfer to Khorog

28 August 2026                       Return to Dushanbe (arrival 30 August)

Contact

I you have any further questions regarding the Summer Academy, please feel free to contact the organisers directly:

Jeanine Dağyeli: jeanine.dagyeli@univie.ac.at

Ariane Sadjed: ariane.sadjed@oeaw.ac.at

Florian Schwarz: Florian.Schwarz@oeaw.ac.at

 

 

 

 

 

7. 2026 BRISMES Annual Conference: Registration for Non-Presenting Delegates Open!

Registration is now open for non-speaking delegates for the 2026 BRISMES conference, “War, Empire and Sabotage in an Age of Genocide” taking place at SOAS University of London from 23 to 25 June. The provisional programme features over 100 panels and plenaries, covering a wide range of topics both within and beyond the conference theme. The deadline to register is 8 June 2026.

https://www.brismes.ac.uk/news/2026-brismes-conference-registration-for-non-presenting-delegates-open

 

 

 

 

 

8. Call for Papers | The 2026 International Conference of the Syrian Academics and Researchers’ Network in the UK (SARN UK)

International Conference, University of Cambridge, 17–18 September 2026

SARN UK is pleased to invite papers for its 2026 international conference, co-hosted with the Margaret Anstee Centre for Global Studies (MAC) at Newnham College, University of Cambridge. This year’s theme, “Syria in Transition: Knowledge, Memory, and the Everyday Aftermath,” invites Syrian and Syria-focused scholars to reflect on the evolving role of academic, cultural, and intellectual work in shaping Syria’s futures.

Deadline | 15 May 2026

More information

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. Call for Contributions | The Bloomsbury Handbook to LGBTQ+ Culture in the Middle East and North Africa

Edited Volume, Editor: Feras Alkabani

BRISMES Trustee and Associate Professor of Comparative Literature, Dr Feras Alkabani, has been commissioned to edit The Bloomsbury Handbook to LGBTQ+ Culture in the Middle East and North Africa, and would like to invite scholars working on relevant areas covered in the edited collection to contribute a chapter. Through a blend of historical context and contemporary cultural analysis, the book challenges monolithic portrayals and highlights the resilience, creativity and complexity of queer identities across diverse MENA societies and in their diaspora.

More information

 

 

 

 

 

10. HYBRID Lecture “The Popularization of “Arab Music” on Colonial Radio in Egypt: Changing Concepts and Contexts” by Kira Weiss, CEDEJ, Cairo, 3 May 2026, 16:00 CET

This paper examines the popularization of the concept of “Arab music” by the Egyptian State Broad-casting station (ESB), which operated under joint Egyptian and British administration from 1934–1947. This radio station monopolized the airwaves, putting an end to “community radio” (al-idhāʿa al-ahliyya).

Information and registration: https://tinyurl.com/mr2vucpp

 

 

 

 

 

11. ONLINE Inaugural Meeting of the “Scholarly Network for the Study of Muslim Antisemitism”, Florida, 4 May 2026, 17.00 – 18:00 CET

As the global landscape surrounding religious and political discourse undergoes rapid transformation, there is a pressing need for a dedicated, interdisciplinary space to examine the intersection of antisem-itism and Islamic contexts. This introductory session aims to bridge the gap between historical inquiry and contemporary political analysis, fostering a community of practice that prioritizes rigorous scholar-ship and collaborative output.

Information and registration: https://tinyurl.com/9b4ua2nw

 

 

 

 

 

12. ONLINE Lecture “Ambition and Spectacle: The Architectural Patronage of Mehmed Ali Pasha of Egypt” by Ryan Mitchell (Temple University), Virtual Islamic Art History Seminar Series (VIAHSS), Michigan, 5 May 2026, 18:00 CET

Information and registration: https://tinyurl.com/mt2fypc4

 

 

 

 

 

13. ONLINE Interdisciplinary Webinar Series & Edited Volume on “American Islam at 250: Community, Authority, and Futurity in the American Muslim Experience”, Florida International University & East-West Foundation, July – December 2026

This series convenes historians, political scientists, religious studies scholars, sociologists, anthropol-ogists, legal scholars, theologians, and public intellectuals for a rigorous, eight-episode examination of the American Muslim community as it is today and as it might become. The series is organized topically, with each episode addressing a defining dimension of contemporary American Muslim life.

Deadline for abstracts: 15 May 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/4m54whdp

 

 

 

 

14. Conference “The Periphery at the Center: Islands and Islandness in the Late Antique, Medieval, and Early Modern Mediterranean”, Bilkent University, Department of History, 14-16 October 2026

The conference aims at reassessing the political, religious, socio-cultural, and economic significance of insular geographies in relation to the great empires and polities across two millennia of Mediterranean history.

Deadline for abstracts: 15 May 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/5btrs8ar

 

 

 

 

 

15. International Conference “Rupture of Continuity in Sharīʿa – (De)Colonizing Sharīʿa?”, Centre for Islamic Studies (ISAM), Istanbul, 9-11 June 2027

This conference seeks papers that critically interrogate notions of rupture, continuity, or beyond to

characterize colonial-era sharīʿa. It seeks to gather scholars studying Islamic legal thought,

practice, institutions, and beyond across global Islamic legal contexts in their encounter with

colonialism, broadly conceived. The organizers will cover traveling expenses, accommodation, and meals.

Deadline for abstracts: 20 June 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/37su8555

 

 

 

 

 

16. Five PhD and Postdoc Fellowships (10-12 Months) for the Academic Year 2026-2027, Center for Economic, Legal, and Social Studies (CEDEJ), Cairo

The fellows should be conducting research on modern and contemporary Egypt from humanities or social science perspectives.

Deadline for applications: 1 June 2026. Information: https://cedej-eg.org/fr/opportunities-2-2-2/

 

 

 

 

 

17. Five PhD and Postdoc Fellowships (10-12 Months) for the Academic Year 2026-2027, Center for Economic, Legal, and Social Studies (CEDEJ), Cairo

The fellows should be conducting research on modern and contemporary Egypt from humanities or social science perspectives.

Deadline for applications: 1 June 2026. Information: https://cedej-eg.org/fr/opportunities-2-2-2/

 

 

 

 

 

18. Articles for the “Druze Studies Journal”

The Druze Studies Journal (DSJ) invites submissions for its 2026 issue, seeking original research on Druze history, society, culture, faith, and politics. This open access, interdisciplinary journal publishes peer-reviewed articles on a rolling basis. DSJ especially encourages contributions on underrepresented areas, including the Druze diaspora, the Druze in Jordan, and contemporary and historical studies of Druze communities in Syria.

Deadline for submissions: 31 July 2026. Information: https://journals.ku.edu/druze

 

 

 

 

 

19. New Book: “The Arabic Language” by Kees Versteegh, Edinburgh University Press, Third Edition, January 2026, 544 Pages

This introduction to Arabic linguistics covers all aspects of the history of Arabic, the Arabic linguistic tradition, Arabic dialects, sociolinguistics and Arabic as a world language. It makes links between lin-guistic history and cultural history. It also emphasises the role of contacts between Arabic and other languages.

Information: https://tinyurl.com/hdbza84j

 

 

 

 

 

20. New Book: “Fashion in Late Ottoman Istanbul: Photography and Identity in a Global City” by Nancy Micklewright, Bloomsbury Publishing, 14 May 2026, 224 Pages

Appealing to scholars across a range of fields, including fashion history, Ottoman studies, women’s and gender history, visual culture and photography history, “Fashion in Late Ottoman Istanbul” provides a fascinating insight into women’s histories, writing and dress practices in a rapidly changing Istanbul.

Information: https://tinyurl.com/37xpdp59

 

 

 

 

 

21. Open Rank (Assistant/Associate/Full Professor) position in Political Theory, Bilkent University, Ankara

Candidates must demonstrate an active research agenda and depending on seniority, a strong record of publication. They are also expected to offer high-quality teaching and training at undergraduate and graduate levels, particularly on Turkish Political Development and Contemporary Turkish Politics.

Deadline for applications: 30 September 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/2k3we6a3

 

 

 

 

 

2. Open Rank (Assistant/Associate/Full Professor) position in Turkish Politics, Bilkent University, Ankara

Candidates must demonstrate an active research agenda and depending on seniority, a strong record of publication. They are also expected to offer high-quality teaching and training in political theory and introductory level political science at undergraduate and graduate levels.

Deadline for applications: 30 September 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/msnxbk4r

 

 

 

 

 

23. Editor-in-Chief and Section Editors for the New “Journal of Islamism Studies (JIS)”, Turkey

JIS is an international, peer-reviewed, and interdisciplinary journal that will be published annually in both English and Turkish. We are currently preparing for our inaugural issue, scheduled for release in 2027. Our journal seeks to move beyond the narrow confines of merely defending or criticizing Islam-ism, positioning itself in a “post” phase that elevates this intellectual discourse from local debates to a robust international academic platform.

Information: https://tinyurl.com/mwuf2ud7

 

1. Séminaire « L’Afghanistan à travers les âges » – 6e séance mercredi 6 mai 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 6 mai 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 Maria Szuppe, Cermi, pour une conférence intitulée : Histoires des familles: les Khojas Barnabadi et leurs réseaux politiques et économiques à Hérat, 16e-18e siècles.

Résumé:

Dans la tradition iranienne, y compris à l’époque moderne, l’administration provinciale était souvent confiée à des familles locales influentes, solidement implantées dans leurs régions d’origine. Cependant, d’une manière générale, leur histoire reste encore très peu connue. Dans cette communication, je retracerai les grandes lignes de l’histoire d’une famille particulière de la province de Hérat (Afghanistan) entre fin XVe – fin XVIIIe siècle, connue sous le nom des Khwājas de Barnābād, en m’intéressant notamment aux stratégies employées par les membres de cette famille au cours de générations pour asseoir leur statut, leur richesse et leur influence. D’une part, il s’agissait de contrôler plusieurs activités économiques et professionnelles clés, d’autre part de s’imposer au sein de la société locale, notamment grâce à la diversification des alliances matrimoniales, mais également à travers leurs activités de mécénat social, culturel et religieux.

Cette communication s’appuie principalement sur des copies de documents familiaux conservés dans le « Taẕkera-ye Barnābādi », une histoire familiale rédigée au début du XIXe siècle. L’un des trois manuscrits répertoriés (ms C-402 conservé à l’Institut des manuscrits orientaux de St. Petersbourg, a été publié par N.N. Tumanovich en 1984).

Orientations bibliographiques:

1. Source (édition en facsimilé):

Muḥammad Riżā Barnābādī, Taẕkire (“Pamjatnye zapiski”), facsimile edition [of Ms. C-402], translation from Persian, introduction and notes by N. N. Tumanovich, Moscow: Nauka, 1984.

2. Références générales (choisies):

Aube, Sandra, & Maria Szuppe, (eds.), with the collaboration of A.T. Quickel, Channels of Transmission: Family and Professional Lineages in the Early Modern Middle East, special issue of Eurasian Studies 15/2 (2017).

Doumani, Beshara, (ed.), Family History in the Middle East. Household, Property, and Gender, Albany: SUNY Press, 2003.

Mayeur-Jaouen, Catherine, & Alexandre Papas, (eds.), Family Portraits with Saints: Hagiography, Sanctity, and Family in the Muslim World, Berlin: Klaus Schwarz Verlag, 2013.

2. Quelques travaux (choisis):

Māyil Haravī, Najīb, [Mayel Herawy], Mīrzāyan-i Barnābād / Mirzas of Barnabad. Biography and literary works of an artist family in Poshang (9th century H. – 13th century H.), Kabul, 1969.

Noelle-Karimi, Christine, The Pearl in its Midst. Herat and the Mapping of Khurāsān from the 15th to the 19th Centuries, Vienna: ÖAW, 2013.

Szuppe, Maria, « Les familles d’administrateurs civils à l’époque safavide : Les Khwājas de Barnābād », Dyntran Working Papers, n° 30, Nov. 2017, available at https://dyntran.hypotheses.org/2056

Szuppe, Maria, « Biens familiaux en division : Un témoignage sur la propriété foncière des khwājas Barnābādī au début du XVIIIe siècle », in Purnaqchéband, Nader, & Saalfeld, Florian, (eds.), Aus den Tiefenschichten der Texte. Beiträge zur turko-iranischen Welt von der Islamisierung bis zur Gegenwart, Wiesbaden: Reichert, 2019: 179-190.

Tumanovich, Natalia N., Gerat v XVI-XVIII vekakh, Moscow: Nauka, 1989.

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

Vous trouverez également ici le lien de connexion: https://zoom.us/j/96136711428?pwd=jqZ3lotYx6re8bpoU4uAYPl9GRM1CF.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Lecture – “Middle East Cultural Heritage at Risk in Armed Conflict,” Virtual Islamic Art History Seminar Series, April 28

Middle East Cultural Heritage at Risk in Armed Conflict is a project initiated in March 2026 by the Society of Iranian Archaeology (SIA) in collaboration with the Center of Ancient Middle Eastern Landscapes (CAMEL). It serves as a geographically grounded database of heritage sites and historic landmarks damaged during recent armed conflict and which remain at risk of further destruction and looting. Each site record includes location, status, threat category, cultural significance, a date of damage and description, and sourced images where available. All recorded sites will also be added to the Endangered Archaeology in the Middle East and North Africa (EAMENA) database for long-term record keeping and documentation.

This session will take a different format from our usual VIAHSS talks. Rather than a formal research presentation, it will be an informal, focused introduction to a new resource documenting the ongoing destruction of cultural heritage in Iran. We hope it will function as a space to learn about the project and its implementation, and to discuss the opportunities and challenges it faces.

You can register for this special session here:
https://wellesley.zoom.us/meeting/register/iIrHEnXvRl-jI4E6KtotYw
Upon registration, you’ll receive the link to access the session.

As always, you can find a full schedule of upcoming talks and register for our list-serv on our website at viahss.org. Although not every talk is recorded, we also have recordings of several recent talks available on the VIAHSS Vimeo page at vimeo.com/viahss. Lastly, you can follow us on Instagram at @theviahss to stay up to date on upcoming events!

Contact Information

Drs. Alexander Brey, Jaimee Comstock-Skipp, and Rachel Winter

Contact Email

winterr6@msu.edu

URL

https://viahss.org/

 

 

 

 

 

3. Journal of Contemporary Iraq & the Arab World 19.3 is out now! Special Issue
Intellect is pleased to present Journal of Contemporary Iraq & the Arab World 19.3.

Special Issue: ‘Monumental Baghdad: The Complexities of Public Art in the City of Peace’

For more information about the journal and issue click here>>

https://www.intellectbooks.com/journal-of-contemporary-iraq-the-arab-world

Aims & Scope

The Journal of Contemporary Iraq & the Arab World is a peer-reviewed journal devoted to the study of the contemporary Middle East and Arab public sphere. The journal engages arts and culture, politics, history and political economy as they confront real-world challenges across the modern states and mosaic of cultures connected to the Middle East region, with special focus on Iraq and its peoples for their significant role in the region. JCIAW aims to provide a platform for conveying prominent and emerging voices in the humanities and social sciences as well as for highlighting the relevance of evolving topics and questions of research in the scholarship of Middle Eastern and Iraqi Studies.

This title is indexed with Scopus

Issue 19.3

Editorial

Monumental Baghdad: The complexities of public art in the city of peace

NADA SHABOUT AND TIFFANY FLOYD

Articles

Ghosts of the gates of Baghdad: Monuments, colonialism and spatial transformation in early twentieth-century Iraq

ZAINAB BAHRANI

Monumental mythologies in the Baghdadi relief murals of Mohammed Ghani Hikmat

TIFFANY FLOYD

Monumental after life: Placing the unknown soldier in Baghdad’s commemorative landscape

PETER WIEN

Haifa street: Battles in a future estate

ALA YOUNIS

Baghdad, ghostlike

NABIL SALIH

 

 

 

1.The University of London is running an intensive short course on Islamic manuscripts, in person, 8-12 June.
Some three million Islamic manuscripts are thought to survive in collections around the world. Most of them are unedited and unpublished. This course offers an in-depth, hands-on introduction to the practical skills needed to unlock these resources: to consult unedited texts, collate manuscript witnesses to produce textual editions, use paratextual evidence to study scholarly networks and activities, and appreciate the materiality of manuscripts as unique cultural artefacts.
Subjects covered will include:
An overview of the history of Islamic book culture
Major bookhands of the Islamic world: Naskh, Nastaʿlīq and Maghribī
Signs of manuscript production: Collation statements, quire marks and colophons
Bibliographical data: Title pages, tables of contents, and prefaces
Ownership and provenance: Dedication statements, ownership inscriptions, and seals
Manuscript consumption: Marginalia, abbreviations, readers’ statements and teaching certificates
Non-verbal knowledge encoding: Tables, figures, numerals and illustrations
Online and print resources for the study of Islamic manuscripts
Participants will gain familiarity with manuscripts representing a wide range of periods, locations and textual genres from across the Islamic world. Although Arabic-script manuscripts in various languages will be discussed, and many of the key concepts apply across the range of Islamic manuscripts, this course will focus on Arabic-language materials.
No prior palaeographical or codicological experience is needed, but students should have at least an intermediate reading knowledge of Arabic to benefit from the course.
Course tutors: Dr Bink Hallum & Jenny Norton-Wright
More information is available here: https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpalaeography.uk%2Fstudy%2Fshort-courses-and-summer-schools%2Funlocking-the-islamic-literary-heritage-an-intensive-practical-introduction-to-arabic-manuscripts%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7C9d76e94bc96e47fc238108de9f9e932d%7C2e9f06b016694589878910a06934dc61%7C0%7C0%7C639123700597447795%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=jDYjTZiO0nTHCMU0NoRkB4MeLmjZhozPe1arChfz%2FRc%3D&reserved=0

 

 

 

 

 

2. ELIZA TASBIHI, Hidden in Plain Sight: İsmāʿīl Anḳaravī’s Commentary on ‘Book Seven’ of Rūmī’s Mathnawī. MONDAY MAJLIS ONLINE. 27th of April (Monday) 17:00-18:30

Monday Majlis Online on the 27th  of April, 17:00-18:30 (UK time)

Centre for the Study of Islam, Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter

Register please on this link:  

https://Universityofexeter.zoom.us/meeting/register/jki7T0_8SZ-fZobEEMH5RQ

 

 

 

 

 

3. Scholar of Islam, Victim of the Holocaust

The Tragic Story of Hedwig Klein

Sabine Schmidtke

De Gruyter, 2026

https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/isbn/9783111705804/html

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Zoom: 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 27 April at 12PM EST / 5PM GMT / 6PM CET.Pre-registration is essential.

https://utoronto.zoom.us/meeting/register/fqspsfMGRd2dxPgnMt4gNw#/registration

 

 

 

 

 

5. AAS-in-Asia 2026: Early Bird Registration Deadline

A quick reminder that early bird registration rates for AAS-in-Asia 2026 will remain available until April 30th 2026. After this date, standard rates will apply.

If you are planning to attend, we encourage you to register soon to take advantage of the discounted rate.

For more information and to register, please visit:
https://aasinasia2026.lums.edu.pk/
Warmly,
The South Asian Muslim Studies Association (SAMSA)
 

 

 

 

6. The Forgotten Qur’ans of the Eastern Islamic World

Manuscripts of the Ghaznavid and Ghurid Dynasties, 11th-12th Centuries CE

Alya Karame

EUP, 2026

https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-the-forgotten-qur-ans-of-the-eastern-islamic-world.html

 

 

 

 

7. Zoom: Zahra Institute:

Kemalist Colonial Modernity, the Kurdish Self, and the Notion of Tawhid

Speaker: Ramazan Aras, Professor, Ibn Haldun University
Date: Wednesday, May 6
Time: 12:00 PM Central / 1:00 PM Eastern
Register: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/gWV-Ye9aRAuNB0GEsxJrLQ

www.zahrainstitute.org

 

 

 

 

8. Zoom: Translating Oman: A Conversation with Authors and Translators

Monday, April 27, 2026

12 pm New York | 5 pm London | 7 pm Cairo | 8 pm Muscat

https://syracuseuniversity.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_FsyhZHbwSsSMNivZcn_1mw#/registration

 

 

 

 

 

9. Online seminar announcement: MONSTERS, MAPS, AND THE EDGES OF THE WORLD

Entangled Histories Seminar Series

How did the medieval mind navigate the unknown?

We invite you to a journey through the “Wonders of the East” and the vast landscape of Western European and English medieval cartography. This session explores how the medieval world—from medieval English manuscripts to the Mappae Mundi—used monstrosity and geographical barriers like the Red Sea to define, reinforce, and destabilize the boundaries of civilization.

🎙️ FEATURED SESSION

“Margins, Maps, and Monsters: Negotiating Borders in the ‘Wonders of the East’”

Speaker: Dr. Elisa Ramazzina (University of Insubria)

When: Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Time: 17:00 CET (Rome) | 16:00 BST (London) | 18:00 TRT (Istanbul)

Check your local time here: https://dateful.com/time-zone-converter

Platform: Online via Zoom

🔍 SESSION HIGHLIGHTS

Integrated Analysis: Exploring Western European and English medieval maps alongside the “Wonders of the East”.

Cultural Borders: How monstrosity was used to map “the Other” and define the limits of the human.

Symbolic Geography: The role of the Red Sea as both a physical and spiritual barrier in medieval thought.

🔗 REGISTRATION & LINKS

To join the discussion and receive your Zoom link, please register through our official portal:

👉 GET YOUR TICKET HERE: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/entangledhistoriesseminarseries/2162817

🌐 OFFICIAL WEBSITE: https://sites.google.com/view/entangledhistories/home

Contact Email

entangledhistories.seminars@outlook.com

 

 

 

 

 

10. Persian Summer School Online: Beginner to Advanced Enrollment Now Open

2026 Online Persian Summer School.

The Ghand-e Parsi 2026 Summer School is a seasonal program designed to offer a rich, structured, and immersive experience of the Persian language and Persianate culture to students from all backgrounds. With carefully designed courses at the elementary, intermediate, and advanced levels, the Summer School provides a comprehensive learning pathway to build foundational communication skills for deep engagement with historical, literary, artistic, and mystical Persian texts.

In addition to the core language levels, the program includes a diverse selection of new courses that open interdisciplinary perspectives. The Summer 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 summer:

Foundation Courses

• Elementary Persian
• Intermediate Persian 

Supplementary Courses

• Persian Language and Culture through Iranian Cinema 
• Bridging Arabic & Persian: Learn Faster, Remember Better 
• Persian through Short Stories
• Persian through News Websites
• Persian for Heritage Speakers
• Digital Humanities and Persianate Studies 
• Persian for Everyday Conversation 

Poetry Courses 

• Rumi and Hafez: An Introduction to Persian Mystical Poetry
• Forugh Farrokhzad’s Life and Works: A Deep Dive into Her Feminist Poetry
• How to Read Persian Poetry: From Iranian Epic Cycles and Omar Khayyam to Safavid and Indo-Persian Poets 

Thematic and Text-Based Courses

• Persian through Mystical and Sufi Texts 
• Persian through Persian Codicologies
• Persian through Safavid Texts
• Persian through History of Art Texts
• Persian through Central Asian texts
• Persian through South Asian Persian Texts 
• Persian through Autobiographies
• Persian through Travelogues
• Persian through Ethnographies

Heritage in Danger: Special Gratis Course 

• Half of the World: History and Culture of Esfahan City in Persian

🔗 Learn more about all courses:

https://www.ghandeparsi.com/summerschool

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

📝 Register here:

https://forms.gle/UmAoENTqAymRKVS59

 

 

 

 

 

11. HYBRID Book Talk “Boricua Muslims – Everyday Cosmopolitanism among Puerto Rican Converts to Islam” by Ken Chitwood, University of Erfurt, 27 April 2026, 16:15 – 17:45 (CET)

Drawing on years of ethnographic research and more than a hundred interviews, Ken Chitwood tells the story of Puerto Rican Muslims as they construct a shared sense of peoplehood through everyday practices. Borícua Muslims thus provides a study of cosmopolitanism not as a political ideal but as a mundane social reality – a reality that complicates scholarly and public conversations about race, eth-nicity, and religion in the Americas.

Information and Webex link: https://www-tinyurl.com/fdfcbbfa

 

 

 

 

 

12. ONLINE Webinar “The Middle East Cultural Heritage at Risk in Armed Conflict” by Mehrnoush Soroush & Sepideh Maziar, Virtual Islamic Art History Seminar Series, 28 April 2026, 18:00 CET

This session is part of the series “Middle East Cultural Heritage at Risk in Armed Conflict”. It will be an informal, focused introduction to a new resource documenting the ongoing destruction of cultural herit-age in Iran. We hope it will function as a space to learn about the project and its implementation, and to discuss the opportunities and challenges it faces.

Information and registration: https://tinyurl.com/4tmk5u5z

 

 

 

 

 

13. ONLINE Launch of the Website “Academic Freedom Initiative (AFI)” of MESA, 4 May 2026, 18:00 CET

The website will produce analysis and resources for MESA members and the wider public to support academic freedom and to challenge repression on North American campuses. Speakers will discuss how the website’s resources can be useful to you on your campuses and in defending academic free-dom.

Information and registration: https://tinyurl.com/3tbr3n8c

 

 

 

 

 

14. International Conference “New Perspectives on South-Asian and Middle Eastern Connections in the 20th Century”, Organized by Antoinette Ferrand (Ifao) & Simon Conrad (OIB), French Institute of Oriental Archaeology in Cairo, 9-10 May 2026

Program: https://tinyurl.com/yfkvc6yu

 

 

 

 

 

15. HYBRID Conférence internationale d’études iraniennes “Reframing the Constitutional Revolution: Gender, Law, and the Iranian Press”, Université de Genève et en ligne, 20-21 mai 2026

En abordant l’art, la culture, l’histoire et les mutations sociales de cette période fondatrice, cette confé-rence s’inscrit parmi les rares événements académiques consacrés à l’étude de la Révolution consti-tutionnelle iranienne dans toute sa richesse et sa complexité.

Information, programme et inscription : https://tinyurl.com/y2n9fzjx

 

 

 

 

 

16. 16th Conference of the European Association for Modern Arabic Literature (EUROMAL): “Catastrophe and Beyond: Representations of Violence and Trauma in Modern Arabic Literature”, University of St Andrews, Scotland, 22-26 June 2026

The contributions are exploring how modern Arabic literature engages with the traumatic experiences of violence in modern and contemporary times, from the struggle for independence to Gaza and be-yond. Papers draw their critical and theoretical approaches from disciplines such as trauma studies, minority studies, cultural memory studies, feminism, postcolonial studies, affect studies and gender studies.

Information and program: https://euramal2026.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/

 

 

 

 

 

17. Conference “‘Vassals and Lords: Christians, Muslims, and Jews in the Western Mediterranean (13th – 15th Centuries)”, Madrid, 26-28 October 2026

The conference will focus on a period in which seigneurial systems reached full maturity and produced diverse forms of authority that was exercised over Christian, Jewish, and Muslim populations. We wel-come proposals from different disciplines (political history, history of art, literary criticism, cultural stud-ies, diplomatics, archaeology, and others) that explore the dynamics of seigneurial power across the Iberian kingdoms and its Mediterranean territories.

Deadline for abstracts: 30 June 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/3b8uua4p

 

 

 

 

 

18. Post-doc Position (12 Months +) for Research in the Project “Mapping Occult Sciences Across Islamicate Cultures”, University of Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium

Qualifications: PhD in Islamic Studies, in Middle Eastern Studies, or related fields. – Excellent com-]mand of Classical Arabic (the knowledge of additional languages such as Persian and Turkish is con-sidered an advantage). – Academic writing and presentation skills in English. – Ability to work both individually and as part of a team.

Deadline for applications: 10 June 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/4udw8h2r

 

 

 

 

 

19. Pre-doc Position (3 Years) in the Project “Party Systems and Social Cleavages in the Post-Ottoman Space of the MENA Region” (CLOSER), Oriental Institute, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague

Requirements: Working knowledge of at least one Middle Eastern language, namely Arabic, Turkish, or Hebrew – Fluency in English (both spoken and written). – Passive knowledge of French (or another major European language) is an advantage. – MA in Middle Eastern studies, modern and contemporary history, or historical sociology. – Relocation to Prague for the duration of the project.

Deadline for applications: 30 April 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/3rrhs9ss

 

 

 

 

 

20. Post-doc Position (3 Years) in the Project “Party Systems and Social Cleavages in the Post-Ottoman Space of the MENA Region” (CLOSER), Oriental Institute, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague

Requirements: Working knowledge of at least one Middle Eastern language, namely Arabic, Turkish, or Hebrew. – Fluency in English (both spoken and written). – Passive knowledge of French (or another major European language) is an advantage. – PhD in Middle Eastern studies, modern and contempo-rary history, or historical sociology. – Relocation to Prague for the duration of the project.

Deadline for applications: 30 April 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/3fhj9ayw

 

 

 

 

 

21. Postdoctoral Researcher (2 Years) in AI, Digital Humanities, and Arabic Studies, Center for Arab Studies and Islamic Civilizations (CASIC), American University of Sharjah

Qualification: PhD in Arabic Studies, Digital Humanities, Computational Linguistics, Linguistics, Com-puter Science (with humanities focus), or a closely related discipline. – Strong analytical and research skills with the ability to integrate humanities scholarship and computational methods. –

Excellent academic writing and communication skills in English; proficiency in Arabic required for re-search purposes.

Applications until position is filled. Information: https://tinyurl.com/4udw8h2r

 

 

 

 

 

22. Postdoctoral Researcher (2 Years) in Arabic and Islamic Studies, Center for Arab Studies and Islamic Civilizations (CASIC), American University of Sharjah

Qualification: PhD in Arabic Studies, Islamic Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, History, Literature, Cul-tural Studies, or a closely related Humanities discipline. – Demonstrated research experience in areas related to the study of the Arab world, its rich literature and intellectual history, its cultural and artistic heritage. – Proven ability to conduct independent scholarly research and collaborate within interdisci-plinary research teams.

Applications until position is filled. Information: https://tinyurl.com/24bwtc2n

 

 

 

 

 

23. Postdoctoral Researcher (2 Years) in Material Culture and Manuscript Studies, Center for Arab Studies and Islamic Civilizations (CASIC), American University of Sharjah

Qualification: PhD in Manuscript Studies, Material Culture, Islamic Studies, History, Art History, Digital Humanities, or a closely related field. – Proven record of scholarly publication or clear potential for publication. Excellent Reading knowledge of relevant languages Arabic is required. – Good reading knowledge of other Islamic languages, i.e. Persian, Ottoman Turkish, or South Asian languages highly desirable.

Applications until position is filled. Information: https://tinyurl.com/ycfecxar

 

 

 

 

 

24. Visiting Assistant Professor of Arabic (9 Months +) at Hamilton College, Clinton, New York

The candidate will be expected to offer courses in Arabic literature or cultural studies, as well as to teach Modern Standard Arabic language courses. Applicants should have native, or near-native, flu-ency in Arabic and a record of excellence in teaching Arabic language using a communicative approach that emphasizes developing students’ language skills in meaningful, real-world contexts.

Deadline for applications: 1 May 2026. Information: https://apply.interfolio.com/185105

 

 

 

 

 

25. New Book “Canon and Censorship in Islamic Intellectual History”, Edited by: Mohammad Gharaibeh, Bacem Dziri and Amir Dziri, De Gruyter, 17 March 2026, 320 Pages

Muslim scholars had always to legitimize their religious positions in a different way. Canonisation and censorship processes played a decisive role in the formation and deconstruction of religious authority. This volume therefore examines how texts, positions and the people behind them gain or lose their authority, and which structural, contextual and institutional factors contribute to the establishment or suppression, but also to the maintenance of this claim.

Information: https://tinyurl.com/3585aexb

 

 

 

 

 

26. Nouveau livre “Herméneutiques en Islam contemporain – Théologie, exégèse et philosophie”, Constance Arminjon, Rainer Brunner (eds), Bibliothèque de l’École des Hautes Études, Sciences Religieuses, vol. 212, 2026, 224 pages

L’ouvrage vise à donner un aperçu de l’exégèse coranique contemporaine, ainsi que des efforts menés pour acclimater l’herméneutique philosophique européenne dans la théologie de l’Islam. Les théolo-giens et philosophes musulmans usent librement de l’herméneutique. Les contributions réunies ex-plorent les oeuvres les plus emblématiques de l’exégèse coranique et de la théologie musulmane nour-rie par l’herméneutique philosophique européenne. Elles sont précédées par une rétrospective sur l’histoire de l’herméneutique, retracée par Marc de Launay.

Information: https://tinyurl.com/2jfhhj6b

 

 

 

 

 

27. New Book: “Gender Relations in the Qur’an: Conceptualising Space and Male-Female Interaction” by F. Redhwan Karim, Edinburgh University Press, May 2026, 272 Pages

This book challenges restrictive assumptions about relations between non-maḥram men and women in Muslim societies, arguing for a more nuanced and expansive Qur’anic vision of gendered space, roles, interaction and clothing. Engaging both classical and modern scholarship, it offers a contextual reading of contested verses and a systematic analysis of gender relations in the Qur’an.

Information: https://tinyurl.com/msbre7vh

 

1.Iran: International Law and the Protection of Cultural Heritage in Times of War

The humanitarian toll and widespread disruption of life caused by the relentless bombing campaigns in the war on Iran since February 28, 2026, are tragic. Equally significant is the destruction of monuments of profound cultural importance to Iran and Iranians.

Join us for ‘Iran: International Law and the Protection of Cultural Heritage in Times of War’ presented by Courtauld Trans-Asias in partnership with the Iran Heritage Foundation.

📆 Tuesday, 12 May 2026

⏱️ 17:30 – 19:00

📍The Courtauld Institute of Art, Vernon Square Campus, Lecture Theatre 2, 

London WC1X 9EW

🔗 Free, booking essential please click here to register

This event brings together a panel of experts on Iranian heritage, from antiquities to modern times, and an expert in international law, to offer insights and discuss the destruction of monuments and the significance and future of World Heritage as a shared global concern.

🔹 Sussan Babaie, Professor in the Arts of Iran and Islam, Courtauld Institute.

🔹 Dr John Curtis, FBA, Keeper Emeritus, Ancient Iran and Iraq, the British Museum, and former Chief Executive Officer of the Iran Heritage Foundation.

🔹 Dr Lindsay Allen, Lecturer in Greek & Near Eastern History, King’s College London.

🔹 Professor Roger O’Keefe, Professor of International Law, Department of Legal Studies, Bocconi University, Milan

🔹 Dr Peyvand Firouzeh, Islamic Art, University of Cambridge.

Organised by Sussan Babaie, Professor in the Arts of Iran and Islam, as part of the Research Cluster Courtauld Trans-Asias, in collaboration with the Iran Heritage Foundation.

 

 

 

 

2. The Forensic Archive of Iran

A citizen-led investigative archive documenting crimes against Iran’s cultural heritage.
https://www.forensicarchiveofiran.com/

And open call for our interdisciplinary publication, the Forensic Archive Dossier:
https://www.forensicarchiveofiran.com/dossier

 

 

 

 

 

3. ONLINE Webinar: ‘Peering Through the Cracks. Polish Musicians in Tehran 1942 to 1945: The Case of Irena Valdi-Gołębiowska’

with Laudan Nooshin

British Institute of Persian Studies (BIPS), 14 May, 2026,  5:00 pm UK Time
In the spring and summer of 1942, an estimated 300,000 Poles arrived in Iran, having travelled thousands of miles from recently opened-up Soviet labour camps in Siberia and elsewhere in Central Asia. Notwithstanding people’s sense of transience, a Polish cultural presence was established within a relatively short period, with schools, cultural institutions, radio stations, newspapers and cafés. And there were also musicians. This talk reports on a project exploring the cultural and musical lives of Polish exile-refugees in Iran during World War 2. I focus on the singer Irena Valdi-Gołębiowska (1891-1979) who lived in Tehran between 1942 and 1945 and whose collection of photographs, programme notes, concert invitations and letters becomes a lens through which to understand something of the geography of the Polish presence in Tehran at this time. More broadly, I examine how legacies of migrant stories are formed and narrated, and how we recover individual stories against narratives of collective migratory experiences (Image credit: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum).

Information and registration: 

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/2617763476100/WN_5Ea95C7fS6qPif1-8DjQjQ#/registration

 

 

 

 

 

4. Birds, Wings, and Diadems: Zoroastrian Symbols in Parthian and Sasanian Art
with Vesta Sarkhosh Curtis
30 April 2026, 6PM GMT
Khalili Lecture Theatre, SOAS

 

 

 

 

5. Zoom: Alwaleed Centre, University of Edinburgh

Seminar: Secularism, Hegemony and the Paradoxes of State Recognition

Wednesday 29 April, 1pm to 2pm BST

Venue: Seminar room, 2 Hope Park Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9NW

Join Dr A. Sophie Lauwers (IASH-Alwaleed Postdoctoral Fellow, 2025-26) on 29 April at 1pm BST for a seminar on ‘Secularism, Hegemony and the Paradoxes of State Recognition’. The first half of the seminar examines patterns of secular and Christian hegemony, and how these can feed into the marginalisation of (often racialized) religious minorities. The second half looks at a possible solution often proposed in policy circles: extending state recognition to religious minorities. Can state-religion dialogue forums like the Islam Conference (in Germany), or state funding for Catholic, Protestant and Jewish schools (as in Flandres) deliver the equality and inclusion they promise, or do they (also) reinforce hegemonic norms?

 

 

 

 

 

6. The Uninvited Guest 

Histories of Persian Theatre in the Qajar Period
by
Duman Riyazi

ISBN: 978-1-997503-35-4

Iran’s performance traditions were vibrant and deeply rooted long before the Qajar monarchs travelled to Europe. Yet during their journeys, Naser al-Din Shah and Mozaffar al-Din Shah attended opera houses, theatres, concerts, and musical spectacles that became part of a complex cultural encounter whose full scope has remained largely unexplored.

The published royal diaries offer only brief references to these experiences. The broader record, however, lay scattered across European cities and archives.

For the first time, Duman Riyazi meticulously reconstructs and documents the Shahs’ European itineraries step by step, travelling city by city, following their routes, and uncovering forgotten documents that reconstruct what they truly witnessed. Through extensive archival research across Europe, this book brings to light a hidden dimension of Iran’s theatrical modernization, revealing a layered dialogue between traditions rather than a simple process of importing or adopting European models.

To purchase via Amazon:
https://a.co/d/0117KAR7

To purchase via Lulu:
https://www.lulu.com/shop/duman-riyazi/the-uninvited-guest-histories-of-persian-theatre-in-the-qajar-period/paperback/product-2mdjkkn.html?page=1&pageSize=4

To learn more:
https://asemanabooks.ca/uninvited-guest/

 

 

 

 

 

7. ONLINE Webinar “Historical-cultural Portrait of the Mamluk-Ottoman Transition” by Rachida Chin (CNRS), Orient-Institute Beirut & University of Bamberg & University of Göttingen, 22 April 2026, 18:00 – 19:30 CET

This presentation will focus on the historical context that allowed for the emergence of scholarly circles within which a rich historiographical culture developed, alongside an intense engagement with hadīth studies, large-scale works of synthesis, and the deep embedding of Sufism within learned culture. Fi-nally, we will examine the international circulation of this knowledge in the early modern period, marked by the growth of major Arab cities and the expansion of pilgrimage routes.

Information and registration: https://tinyurl.com/2h59v388

 

 

 

 

 

8. ONLINE Webinar “Race, Power, and Politics: Antisemitism and Islamophobia, Past and Present” by Sahar Aziz and Santiago Slabodsky, Herbert D. Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies, University of Pennsylvania, 23 April 2026, 18:00 – 19:00 CET

This lecture takes a distinctive comparative approach, examining antisemitism and Islamophobia not as isolated phenomena but as entangled histories that reveal fundamental patterns in how societies construct and target minorities. By bringing these two forms of prejudice into conversation, we aim to uncover what their similarities and differences teach us about the architecture of discrimination itself – and how we might better dismantle it.

Information and registration: https://tinyurl.com/3aajja54

 

 

 

 

 

9. International Conference “In the Name of Sultan, Emperor, and King: Grand Viziers, Chief Ministers, and Structures of Delegated Power in Early Modern Eurasia”, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, 27-29 May 2026

How did sultans, emperors, and kings in early modern Eurasia delegate power to their grand viziers, chief ministers, chancellors, and other “second persons” in their courts? How did ideas about kinship and nobility, levels of social mobility, and religious, political, and intellectual debates shape – and re-shape – these systems?

Information, program and registration: https://tinyurl.com/3anu2nrx

 

 

 

 

 

10. ONLINE Interdisciplinary Webinar Series & Edited Volume “American Islam at 250: Commu-nity, Authority, and Futurity in the American Muslim Experience”, Florida International Univer-sity & East-West Foundation, July – December 2026

As the USA marks its 250th anniversary, the American Muslim community stands at a pivotal juncture. This webinar series convenes historians, political scientists, religious studies scholars, sociologists, anthropologists, legal scholars, theologians, and public intellectuals for a rigorous, eight-episode ex-amination of the American Muslim community as it is today and as it might become.

Deadline for abstracts: 1 May 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/4m54whdp

 

 

 

 

 

11. PhD Student Position (3 Years) in Arabic Philosophy and Its Hebrew and Latin Reception, University of Cologne

Candidates must hold a Master’s degree or an equivalent qualification in a relevant discipline. A high level of proficiency in Arabic or Hebrew or Latin is required, as is a strong command of English, which serves as the project’s primary language of publication. Knowledge of Greek is considered an ad-vantage but is not a prerequisite for application

Deadline for applications: 15 May 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/dp33cjzm

 

 

 

12. Summer School “Terms and Turns of Empire. Interconnecting Concepts and Methods (Fo-cus Ottoman Empire)” University of Freiburg, 7-12 September 2026

Organized by the research Graduate School “Empires. Dynamic Change, Temporality and Post-Impe-rial Orders”, this summer school offers an intensive interdisciplinary methodological forum for critical engagement with the relationship between methods and concepts of ‘empire’ across academic fields and historical periods.

Deadline for applications: 31 May 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/2zn54a6z

 

 

 

 

 

 

13. Contributions to New Book Series ” Islam, Science and Ethics of Emerging Technologies” Edited by Hureyre Kam, University of Innsbruck

This interdisciplinary series explores the dynamic engagement of Islamic intellectual traditions with contemporary science and emerging technologies. It brings classical and contemporary resources from kalām, ḥikma, fiqh, akhlāq, and taṣawwuf into critical dialogue with fields such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, neuroscience, digital religions, religious education in the digital age, environmental sci-ence, and transhumanist thought.

Information: https://tinyurl.com/839vxtdb

 

 

 

 

14. ONLINE Collection of Articles on “Anthropology of Iran” in the Special Issue of “Curated Collection”, 10 March 2026

This collection of 11 articles features authors who draw on their fieldwork and expertise to illuminate how individuals and communities navigate, resist, and reshape the forces impacting their lives. They engage with contemporary debates not only as scholars but as public intellectuals committed to ac-countability, justice, and praxis within and beyond the academy.

Download: https://tinyurl.com/mr437yu8

 

 

 

15. New Book: “The Forgotten Khayr al-Din al-Tunsi’s Islamic Social Contract: Governance, Pub-lic Welfare and Justice” by Deina Ali Abdelkader, Edinburgh University Press, April 2026, 200 Pages

This book challenges the entrenched marginalisation of Muslim contributions to political theory, expos-ing the epistemological biases that have privileged Western traditions while silencing rich intellectual legacies from the Islamic world. Centering on the 19th-century reformer Khayr al-Din al-Tunsi, it offers the first comprehensive analysis and translation of his political writings through the lens of Islamic ju-risprudence.

Information: https://tinyurl.com/yda7ckye

 

 

 

 

 

16. New Book: “Egyptian Male Film Stars in the Nasser Era: Envisioning a National Identity” by Samar Abdel-Rahman, AUC Press, 7 April 2026, 260 Pages

The author illuminates how the three key stars Omar Sharif, Ismail Yassin, and Farid Shawqi promoted a civic identity that aligned with the regime’s ambitions, and how each of them – through melodrama, comedy, and action – negotiated a different facet of masculine identity that spoke to the ambivalent constructions of hegemonic masculinity during this critical post-colonial period.

Information: https://tinyurl.com/5n7h5865

 

 

 

17. New Book: “Post-Ottoman Transitions – Rethinking Nation-State Trajectories in the Arab and Turkish Contexts” Edited by Soumaya Louhichi & Jamal Barout, Ergon, April 2026, 233 Pages

This volume examines post-imperial state formation in former Ottoman provinces, shifting the focus from a presumed rupture after 1918 to the enduring administrative, legal, and political continuities of the Ottoman Empire. Through case studies – drawing on examples such as Syria, Iraq, Egypt, and Turkey – it analyzes border disputes, foreign policy strategies, and competing visions of regional order in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Information: https://tinyurl.com/yc8dpdbr

 

1. HYBRID World Policy Forum: “What is Sharia Law, and is it a Threat to Our Democracy?”,

Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID), Washington DC, 22 April 2026, 16:00 – 17:30 CET

Bringing together leading scholars of Islamic law, theology, and constitutional law, the discussion will address widespread misconceptions about Sharia and provide a grounded understanding of its principles, sources, and diverse interpretations. Panelists will engage key questions related to free-dom of religion, freedom of expression, and the relationship between religious legal traditions and modern democratic systems.

Information and registration: https://tinyurl.com/mvrwuayh

 

 

 

 

 

2. HYBRID Lecture “New Excavations at Nessana, Negev: Late Antique Pilgrimage Hub on the Desert Fringe” by Yana Tchekhanovets (Ben-Gurion University of the Negev), W. F. Al-bright Institute of Archaeological Research, Jerusalem, 29 April 2026, 18:30 CET

The ancient settlement of Nessana, located in the southwestern Negev, on the modern Israeli-Egyp-tian border, is a key site for the study of early Christian pilgrimage. Serving as the main caravan hub on the Christian pilgrimage road from the Holy Land to Sinai, Nessana enjoys all the economic benefits of the sacred route and develops into a flourishing urbanized village with caravanserais and numerous churches.

Information and registration: https://tinyurl.com/3z2ayuh2

 

 

 

 

 

3. Postdoctoral Research Fellow Position (12 Months) in Arabic and Islamic Studies / History of Islamic Law, Institut de recherche et d’histoire des textes, Aubervilliers, France

Skills: PhD in Islamic Studies. – Ability to work with legal sources in Arabic. – Ability to read and interpret Arabic manuscript scripts. – Excellent command of historical and philological methodolo-gies. – Excellent knowledge of the intellectual history of the Muslim West, particularly the develop-ment of law and theology. – Excellent command of Classical Arabic and of the terminology of the Islamic religious sciences. – Strong command of English; knowledge of Spanish would be an asset.

Deadline for applications: 24 April 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/ydfy8hem

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Post-Doc Position (30 Months) for the Critical Edition with Annotated English Translation of Musky Aromas, MOSAIC Project, UCLouvain, Belgium

Qualification: PhD in Islamic Studies, in Middle Eastern Studies, or related fields. – Excellent com-mand of Classical Arabic (the knowledge of additional languages such as Persian and Turkish is considered an advantage). – Academic writing and presentation skills in English (the working lan-guage of the project). – Ability to work both individually and as part of a team.

Deadline for applications: 10 June 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/2axtd8ufv

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Two Open Rank Faculty Positions in Islamic Ethics, Research Center for Islamic Legislation and Ethics, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar

We are seeking dynamic scholars whose work bridges the Islamic scholarly tradition with contem-porary moral challenges. We are particularly interested in candidates who can bring fresh perspec-tives to both theoretical and applied Islamic ethics across diverse disciplines.

Deadline for applications: 25 April 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/ycx3ktsp

 

 

 

 

 

6. Scholarships for the “MA in Iranian Studies”, SOAS, University of London

A number of scholarships are available for UK/EU and Overseas fee-paying SOAS students, covering the cost of tuition fees for two years.

Deadline for applications: 24 April 2026. Information: “Kamran Djam Scholarships” (https://ti-nyurl.com/yjzb6wss) & “Shapoorji Pallonji Scholarships” (https://tinyurl.com/4zdtcxhe).

 

 

 

 

 

7. Interdisciplinary Webinar Series & Edited Volume on “American Islam at 250: Community, Authority, and Futurity in the American Muslim Experience”, Florida International University & East-West Foundation, July – December 2026

This series convenes historians, political scientists, religious studies scholars, sociologists, anthropologists, legal scholars, theologians, and public intellectuals for a rigorous, eight-episode examination of the American Muslim community as it is today and as it might become. The series is organized topically, with each episode addressing a defining dimension of contemporary American Muslim life.

Deadline for abstracts: 15 May 2026. Information: https://tinyurl.com/4m54whdp

 

 

 

 

 

8. New Book: “Al-Bukhārī. The Life, Theology and Legal Thought of Islam’s Foremost Traditionist” by Belal Abu-Alabbas, Edinburgh University Press, April 2026, 328 Pages

The first comprehensive critical biography of Muhammad ibn Ismāʿīl al-Bukhārī (d. 256/870) stands as one of the most distinguished figures in Islamic intellectual history. His magnum opus, the Ṣaḥīḥ, is revered as the most authoritative collection of Prophetic traditions in Sunni Islam and is the most cited book in Islamic history.

Information: https://tinyurl.com/bdhzzpf4

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. New Book: “Le hobyot: Description grammaticale d’une langue sudarabique modern” by Ali Manoubi, Brill, Studies in Semitic Languages and Linguistics, Volume: 115, April 2026, 368 Pages

Hobyot, a Semitic language of the Modern South Arabian group, is spoken by a few thousand speak-ers in eastern Yemen and southern Oman. With no written tradition and facing imminent extinction, it remains one of the least documented languages in the region. This study offers the first compre-hensive linguistic description of Hobyot, based on dedicated field research.

Information: https://tinyurl.com/yyhywrje

 

 

 

10. New Book: “Religion and the Invisible World: Sanctity and Spiritual Transformation in Egypt from Pharaonic Times to the Present” by Fadwa El Guindi, American University in Cairo Press, 2026, 252 Pages

Drawing on historical and ethnographic material, this book shows how concepts of sacredness, sanctity and invisibility (Ghaib in Islam) have been core elements in the spiritual transformations in Egypt as embodied in the early pharaonic religion, Egyptian-Hellenistic religion, Christianity, and Islam, and how these practices of spirituality and cosmology cut across many divides of ethnicity, gender, region, religion, language, and social class.

Information: https://aucpress.com/9781649033710/

 

 

 

11. Zahedi Family Fellowship at Stanford Iranian Studies

Application deadline: May 1, 2026 

Fellowship period: fall 2026

 

The Zahedi Family Fellowship is a twelve-week residential fellowship focusing on the Zahedi Archive (which includes both diplomatic correspondence and collected photos) at Stanford University’s Hamid and Christina Moghadam Program in Iranian Studies and the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

During the fellowship period, the Zahedi Fellow is expected to pursue their independent research in residency and to hold a lecture, seminar or workshop on their research, organized by the Iranian Studies Program. The Zahedi fellow will have access to Stanford University Libraries and the Hoover Institution Library and Archives as well as a community of scholars at Stanford.

The fellowship funds international travel, health insurance, visa support, and a $15,000 stipend for living expenses.

Fluency in Persian and a terminal degree, or equivalent experience, is required. “All but dissertation” status PhD students are eligible to apply. The fellowship is open to scholars and artists working on the modern history of Iran, particularly the period of 1941 to 1979. Preference will be given to scholars who have worked on aspects of modern Iranian foreign policy, history, and culture.

 

 

 

 

 

12. Zoom: 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 15 April at 12PM EDT / 5PM BST to hear Dr Márton Vér of
Universität Hamburgspeaking on ‘The Old Uyghur Documents and a Global Microhistory of the Silk Roads’. Pre-registration is essential.

 

 

 

 

 

13. Hybrid book talk, with Daniel Majchrowicz:

‘Travel Writing and the Global Imagination in Muslim South Asia’

Friday, April 17 2:30-4:00PM EST, Library of Congress

In this book talk, Daniel Majchrowicz, will discuss his recent study of the history of travel writing in South Asia, The World in Words Travel Writing and the Global Imagination in Muslim South Asia (Cambridge University Press, 2023). Focusing particularly on writing in Urdu, this talk will show how the travelogue gave voice to a global imagination that reflected the ambition and aspiration of Indians and Pakistanis as they negotiated their place in the changing world of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Registration for the Zoom event is through the following link:

https://bit.ly/world-in-words-speaker.

 

 

 

 

14. Study Persian in Armenia

ASPIRANTUM’s 2026 Persian Language Summer School in Yerevan and would appreciate it if you could circulate this opportunity among your students and networks.
The program offers 6–10 weeks (120–200 hours) of intensive Modern Persian. Instruction is available at upper elementary and intermediate levels, focusing strongly on all core language skills in small groups.
The program also includes cultural excursions and activities across Armenia.
Full details and application:
https://aspirantum.com/courses/persian-language-summer-school
Application deadline: May 1, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

15. Brown University – Visiting Assistant Professor of Islam in South Asia

https://networks.h-net.org/jobs/69958/brown-university-visiting-assistant-professor-islam-south-asia

 

 

16. Hybrid: Annonce colloque (15-16 avril 2026) : “Pouvoir, cultures et sociétés des steppes en contexte ouest-eurasiatique (Afghanistan, Asie centrale, Iran)
Les mercredi 15 et jeudi 16 avril se tiendra le colloque « Pouvoir, cultures et sociétés des steppes en contexte ouest-eurasiatique (Afghanistan, Asie centrale, Iran) », à la Maison de la recherche de l’INaLCO, 2 rue de Lille, 75006 Paris, dans l’auditorium Georges Dumézil.

Ce colloque est organisé dans le cadre des activités de la Chaire Porfesseur Junior “Afghanistan” de l’INaLCO, avec le concours du CeRMI, du CRCAO, de la DAFA, du GIS Asie et de l’INaLCO.

Veuillez trouver le programme sur le site web du CeRMI.

L’entrée est libre dans la limite des places disponibles.

Zoom:  https://zoom.us/j/97920962767

 

 

1. The www.asmeascholars.orgAssociation for the Study of the Middle East and Africa (ASMEA) is offering Research and Travel Grant opportunities in conjunction with its Nineteenth Annual Conferencetaking place in Washington, D.C. on November 7 – 9, 2026.

The ASMEA Research Grant Program seeks to support research on topics in Middle Eastern and African studies that deserve greater attention. Applicants may submit paper proposals on any topic as long as it constitutes new and original research. Grants of $2500 will be awarded. The deadline to apply is May 1, 2026.

ASMEA is offering Travel Grants of up to $750 which can be used towards the costs associated with attending the Annual ASMEA Conference. The deadline to apply is May 1, 2026.

Grant opportunities are open to members only. For information on how to become a member and full guidelines on each program as well as our general Call for Papers and Panels, visit our website at www.asmeascholars.org.

Contact Information

Emily Lucas

Membership and Operations Director

info@asmeascholars.org

Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa (ASMEA)

Contact Email

info@asmeascholars.org

URL

https://www.asmeascholars.org/upcoming-conference

 

 

2. Masnavi.net is upgraded

The masnavi.net website has been upgraded and re-launched, After running well for ten years, it became slow and gave frequent time-out messages. Now it runs quickly and smoothly.

The website consists of matching Persian, Turkish, and English texts (with Nicholson’s own lists of corrections incorporated), plus thousands of matching audio files in Persian. The site has an excellent search function.

On a related topic, an article of mine that has been making the rounds on academia.edu is largely based on research done by Frank Lewis:  https://www.dar-al-masnavi.org/rumi.misconceptions.pdf

 

Best wishes,

 

Ibrahim Gamard

Dar-al-masnavi.org

 

End of bips

 

 

 

3. Complete Tafsir Qur’an Commentary Series

https://fonsvitae.com/product-category/islam/quran/

 

 

 

 

4. 10th HIAA Biennial Symposium 

Technologies of Making and Knowing

Hosted jointly at Getty, LACMA, and UCLA

Los Angeles, California, March 4 – 6, 2027

Beyond its modern conceptualization, technology has always informed artistic production in the Islamic world. To name but a few examples, paper production, reduction firing to produce lusterware, and sustainable architectural forms like windtowers were all rooted in technological innovation. Today’s digital tools and methods, such as imaging systems, 3D modeling, and computational analysis, extend this history rather than inaugurate it. They are also re-shaping the way that the field is studied and presented.

With this broad perspective, the Historians of Islamic Art Association (HIAA) calls for a field-wide reflection on the technologies, both longstanding and new, which have governed the production, circulation, reception, and study of Islamic art.

For the full call for papers, visit the HIAA website: https://www.historiansofislamicart.org/events-and-symposia/symposia/Technologies-of-Making-and-Knowing-2027-03-04.html

Proposals for in-person and remote contributions are due by May 15, 2026 and should be submitted using this form: https://forms.gle/yM5R6ns9b1N6PPHv7

The conference will be held in-person at the three host venues in Los Angeles. Presentations delivered by Zoom will be considered. Certain parts of the symposium may be streamed online.

URL

https://www.historiansofislamicart.org/events-and-symposia/symposia/Technologie…

 

 

 

 

5. UCLA : Hybrid – Pourdavoud Lecture Series

‘Misunderstanding in Ancient Interstate Relations

The Arsacid Princes of the Roman Empire’

Jake Nabel (Pennsylvania State University)

Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at 4:00 pm Pacific Time

Royce Hall 306 and Via Zoom

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSetRf7ShQwiIdoS0Ydjk068K5qUBm5AzD4binpchwJ5JkAYuA/viewform

 

 

 

 

 

6. Recording: Anti-Muslim Hate in the Wake of the US-Israel War on Iran, 31.3.26

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZE2b5NnO8U&t=1095s

 

 

 

 

 

7. Hybrid Lecture – Sacred Power: The Motif of the Seven Magical Signs – 16 April 2026 – SOAS, University of London

Farouk Yahya, Independent Scholar of Islamic Art and Magic and Divination

Sacred Power: The Motif of the Seven Magical Signs

Register via Eventbrite

The motif of the Seven Magical Signs is a set of seven symbols believed to represent the Most Exalted Name of God. They are discussed in texts on magic such as the Shams al­ma‘arif al-kubra and appear on amulets and various talismanic objects.

This seminar will examine the tradition of the Seven Magical Signs in Southeast Asia from the perspective of both texts and objects. In doing so it aims to investigate possible relationships between the textual tradition and material culture, which may help shed further light into the connections between theory and practice in the occult sciences within Muslim societies.

Dr Farouk Yahya’s research interests include the Southeast Asian arts of the book, as well as texts and images relating to magic and divination. He holds an MA in Islamic art and a PhD on Malay manuscripts from SOAS University of London. He is the author of Magic and Divination in Malay Illustrated Manuscripts (Brill, 2016), editor of The Arts of Southeast Asia from the SOAS Collections (Areca Books, 2017), and co-editor of Islamicate Occult Sciences in Theory and Practice (Brill, 2021).

More recent publications include: “The Maxwell Collection and Local Private Libraries in the Malay Peninsula during the Nineteenth Century”, in “Manuscript Libraries and Colonialism in Island Southeast Asia”, edited by Alan Darmawan and Mulaika Hijjas, special issue of Archipel, vol. 110 (2025): pp. 239-280; with Anna Contadini,  “Planispheric astrolabe”, “Wing-handled vases”, “Honey jar”, “Glass pitcher and vase”, in Conoscenza e Libertà: Arte Islamica al Museo Civico Medievale di Bologna, edited by Anna Contadini, Genoa: Sagep, 2024, cats. 1, 20-21, 24, 26-27; and “Talismans with the Names of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus/Aṣḥāb al-Kahf in Muslim Southeast Asia”, in Malay-Indonesian Islamic Studies: A Festschrift in Honor of Peter G. Riddell, edited by Majid Daneshgar and Ervan Nurtawab, Leiden: Brill, 2023, pp. 209–265.

 

 

 

 

 

8. Call for Contributions – The Middle East Cultural Heritage at Risk in Armed Conflict Project

The Middle East Cultural Heritage at Risk in Armed Conflict Project invites scholars, art historians, archaeologists, and other researchers to contribute short pieces on monuments and sites at risk in Iran.

This project, initiated by Dr. Mehrnoush Soroush and Dr. Kiersten Neumann at the University of Chicago’s Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC), documents and monitors cultural heritage under threat through an interactive map, updates on damaged sites and monuments, and short written contributions that highlight their historical, artistic, and personal significance.

The project welcomes submissions of short stories that reflect on a particular monument or site, especially those that speak to its meaning, history, memory, and place within broader cultural and scholarly conversations. Contributions may be academic in tone, personal in reflection, or a combination of both.

By contributing, you can help preserve the memory of these places, draw attention to their significance, and participate in an urgent collective effort to document and preserve cultural heritage at risk.

To express interest or submit a contribution, please contact Camel@uchicago.edu .

Contact email: Camel@uchicago.edu

URL: https://heritagewatch.camelab.net/stories

Contact Email

Camel@uchicago.edu

URL

https://heritagewatch.camelab.net/stories

 

 

 

 

 

9. Open Acess – New Book – Letters in Silk Pouches: Diplomatic Correspondence from the Safavid Court in the Swedish National Archives

Letters in silk pouches were sent from Persia to Sweden in the 17th century as part of diplomatic and commercial contacts. In the book “Letters in Silk Pouches. Diplomatic Correspondence from the Safavid Court in the Swedish National Archives”, authors Stanisław Adam Jaśkowski and Anna Jolly analyse the letters and silk pouches in their historical context.

In the 17th century, the Swedish crown sent three embassies to the Safavid court in Isfahan to negotiate a trade agreement for the export of Iranian raw silk to Stockholm. The diplomat Ludvig Fabritius led the Swedish delegations on their journeys and extended sojourns at the Persian court. After each embassy, a letter from the Shah of Persia to the King of Sweden was brought back to Stockholm.

These documents are today kept in the Swedish National Archives. Their composition and content reflect the formalised writing style of the Safavid chancellery. For transport the royal letters were folded and slipped into precious textile pouches which have also been preserved and were first published by the Swedish scholars Agnes Geijer and Carl Johan Lamm in 1944. The fabrics from which the pouches were made count among the most luxurious silk textiles produced in Safavid Iran. This monograph offers a detailed study of these Persian letters and silk pouches in their historical context and presents them as tangible evidence of two highly developed arts practised at the Iranian court, both conveying the splendour of their sovereign: the art of writing and the art of silk weaving.

Authors
Stanisław Adam Jaśkowski is assistant professor at the Department of Iranian Studies, Faculty of Asian and African Cultures, University of Warsaw, Poland.
Anna Jolly is curator of textiles from 1500 to 1800 at the Abegg-Stiftung in Riggisberg, Switzerland.

Book info
ISBN: 978-91-88763-71-6
ISBN: (PDF) 978-91-88763-72-3
ISSN: 0083-6761
176 pages
Published: 2026
Dutch bind (flexibound)
Series: Antikvariska serien 61
Price: 380 SEK

The volume is also available open access.

Distribution via Stardist. Order or download here

 

 

 

 

10. Journal of Arabian Studies, Volume 15, Issue 2 (2025)

https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rjab20/15/2