Categories : Academic items
Shii News – Academic Items
1.Submissions Open for BRISMES Conference Student Paper Prize
Submissions are currently open for this year’s BRISMES Conference Student Paper Prize. Established in 2021, this prize aims to support BRISMES student members in the development of peer-reviewed work. If you are a student member of BRISMES and presented a paper at the conference, please do consider making a submission!
Deadline | 17:00 (UK time) on Friday, 31 October 2025
2. Lecturer (Edu) in the History of the Middle East
School of Oriental and African Studies
SOAS are looking for a one-year replacement covering the History of the Middle East for a colleague who will be on research leave during the 2025-2026 academic year. You will be expected to teach and supervise UG and PGT dissertations on the history of the Middle East and related areas. The preferred candidate will hold a PhD in History or a closely related discipline and have gained some initial teaching and supervision experience. A strong commitment to innovative approaches to teaching and research and a collegial working style will be welcome.
Deadline | 27 July 2025
More information
3. Lecturer in Islamic Studies
King’s College London
The Department of Theology and Religious Studies at King’s College London is seeking to appoint a fixed-term Lecturer in Islamic Studies for 12 months, ideally starting 1 September 2025. You will contribute to co-taught undergraduate modules including Global Philosophy, Religious Traditions and God, and to a sole-taught third-year module, Philosophy of Religious Life. You will also contribute to MA modules, possibly ‘Asian Religions in Global Context’ and ‘Religion, Spirituality and Health’.
Deadline | 31 July 2025
More information
4. Call for Papers | Ethnographic Experiments from and within the Arab World
Symposium, Doha Institute for Graduate Studies
This symposium seeks to bring together scholars working in/on/from/with the Arab world who are engaged in developing innovative ethnographic practices and critical contemplations on broader epistemological concerns within the discipline of anthropology. In particular, we seek to bring scholars whose research agenda does not only emerge from the political and existential urgencies of the present moment, but who are also grappling with the incommensurability between the ethnographic practices of the discipline’s older generation of scholars and the contemporary crises shaping this present moment.
Deadline | 10 August 2025
5. Call for Applications | Global Innovation Fellowship: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Fellowship, The British Academy
The objective of the Global Innovation Fellowships is to provide opportunities to UK-based early and mid-career researchers from across the humanities and social sciences to develop their skills, networks and careers in the creative and cultural, public, private and policy sectors to address challenges that require innovative approaches and solutions. The Academy and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace invite applications for fellowships in various areas, one of which is “Middle East and North Africa.”
Deadline | 24 September 2025
6. Call for Applications | Sir William Luce Fellowship
Fellowship, Durham University
The Sir William Luce Memorial Fund committee welcomes applications for the 2026 Sir William Luce Fellowship, 27 April – 26 June 2026. The committee seek to appoint a Fellow whose work will provide fresh perspectives on urgent regional issues in the area comprising Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen, the Gulf monarchies and Iran. Fellows are expected to engage with academic staff at Durham and with the distinctive resources available at Durham – The Sudan Archive and the extensive documentary and library collections relating to the MENA region and Gulf in particular.
Deadline | 1 October 2025
7. Book Launch: The Enduring Legacy of the Habsburg Islam Policy
The Aga Khan University Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations (AKU-ISMC) is proud to announce the publication of The Enduring Legacy of the Habsburg Islam Policy, edited by Sevgi Adak and Thomas Schmidinger. This timely volume explores how Islam was governed, represented and instrumentalised under the Habsburg Empire, and how these imperial legacies continue to shape the treatment of Muslim minorities in contemporary Central and Southeastern Europe.
Published as part of AKU-ISMC’s Governance in Muslim Contexts series, the book draws on archival and ethnographic research across multiple regions to examine the enduring impact of imperial Islam policies in shaping state–Muslim relations. Published Open Access – download your free copy here.
And join us on Thursday, 16 October 2025 for a Book Launch to celebrate with editors Sevgi Adak and Thomas Schmidinger, who will discuss the key themes and motivations behind the volume. The event will be held at the Aga Khan Centre in London and will also be streamed live via Zoom
Booking
The event is free, but booking is essential.
Register to Attend:
In-Person (Aga Khan Centre, London)
Register on Ticketsource
Online via Zoom
Register for Zoom
8. Asemana Books: The Art of Speaking and Writing by Mirza Agha Khan Kermani – Edited by M. Rezaei Tazik
Fann-e Goftan wa Neveshtan
(The Art of Speaking and Writing)
By Mirza Agha Khan Kermani
Edited by: M. Rezaei Tazik
ISBN: 9781997503071
This volume presents for the first time in book form a complete collection of articles by the influential Iranian thinker Mirza Agha Khan-e Kermani (1853/4–1896), originally published in the Akhtar newspaper of Istanbul. Kermani was one of the pioneering intellectuals of modern Iranian thought, a prominent critic of religion and autocracy, and a foundational figure in the discourse of the Iranian Constitutional Revolution.
During his stay in Istanbul, Kermani contributed to Akhtar with a series titled The Art of Speaking and Writing, spanning twelve articles. These pieces, published between August and November 1889, offer invaluable insights into Kermani’s evolving literary philosophy and intellectual vision at a formative period in his career.
🔗 Order the book:
https://www.lulu.com/shop/mirza-agha-khan-kermani-and-m-rezaei-tazik/the-art-of-speaking-and-writing/paperback/product-7kvpkjw.html
📚 Read more:
https://asemanabooks.ca/the-art-of-speaking-and-writing/
9. CFP – LAMPS Seminar Series, semester one
We are very pleased to announce the attached call for papers for the Late Antique and Medieval Postgraduate Society’s seminar series, to take place in the upcoming semester (September – December 2025). The seminar series is intended to serve as an open forum for postgraduate students from Edinburgh and beyond to present their research and gather valuable feedback and input from an interdisciplinary cohort. As such, we encourage the submission of works-in-progress and completed research alike.
We encourage the submission of abstracts on, but not limited to, the following topics:
- Late Antique Studies
- Archaeology
- Medieval Studies
- Byzantine and Islamic Studies
- Renaissance Studies
- Medieval Romance
- Neo-Medievalism
- Art History
- Reception Studies
Practicalities:
- Seminars will be held in-personon Tuesdays at 17:00, location TBA
- Submissions of a 300-word abstract and professional bio must be made to lampsedinburgh@gmail.com
- Deadline for submissions is the 29thof August, and applicants will be notified by the 1st of September
For further information and a QR code to sign up to our mailing list, see attached the poster for our CFP. For any further enquiries you can contact us at lampsedinburgh@gmail.com.
Kindest regards,
The LAMPS committee
10. New Book: “Covidocracy: Do Pandemics Defend Dictatorships and Challenge Democracies” by Nicolai Due-Gundersen (Bloomsbury Academics)
The book examines Saudi Arabia’s and other responses to Covid. For Saudi Arabia, the book focuses on government responses to previous pandemics, MBS’ rise to power and analyses speeches given by King Salman during Covid before analysing Saudi Arabia’s health diplomacy during Covid.
Information: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/covidocracy-9781350581265/
11. New Open Access Book: “Handbook of Families in the Arab Gulf States” Edited by Md Mizanur Rahman, Kaltham Al-Ghanim, Ziarat Hossain, Sharique Umar (Springer)
The book demarcates how Gulf families are experiencing many formidable challenges and undergoing profound changes due to speedy economic transformation, educational reforms, extensive use of social media, rapid urbanization, migration, women empowerment, and the intersections of popular culture from both the East and the West.
Information and online access: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-96-3412-5
12. New Book: “Islam and Pseudoscience” by Stefano Bigliardi (Cambridge University Press); Free Online 21 July – _4 August 2025
This book discusses, in critical fashion, different ideas and approaches that combine pseudoscience and Islam. It begins by historically reconstructing the debate on Islam-related pseudoscience developed by Muslim and non-Muslim critics. After a section discussing other malpractices and erroneous approaches, which do not strictly qualify as pseudoscience but accompany and foster it, the book ends with the discussion of overarching questions constituting an agenda for future discussions of Islam-related pseudoscience.
Information and online access: https://tinyurl.com/vrk8x6r8
- July 26, 2025
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – Academic Items
1. Fons Vitae Publishing is delighted to announce a new very exciting partnership with the recently launched Tokat Institute for Advanced Islamic Studies.
The Tokat Library of Islamic Classics, a translation series published in partnership with Fons Vitae.
“The Tokat Library of Islamic Classics (Fons Vitae) endeavors to present the timeless writings of the Islamic tradition to contemporary readers in robust and lively English translations.
With full awareness of the breadth and creativity of Islam’s literary achievements across languages such as Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Urdu, Punjabi, Malay, and Chinese, the Library encompasses works from a wide variety of genres, namely philosophy, mysticism, theology, scriptural commentary, legal theory, science, poetry, history, travel writing, and biography.
Each translation in the Tokat Library of Islamic Classics is of the highest quality and is undertaken by a skilled translator who is also a widely recognized expert in the text’s subject matter, thereby ensuring both readability and scholarly precision.
For more information, visit https://tokatinstitute.org
2. Studies in Iranian History and Culture
In Honor of Elton L. Daniel
M Ashtiany et al eds.,
Brill, 2025
3. Poetic Desire and Literary Thievery
Economies of Intertextuality in Arabic Literature
M J al-Musawi
CUP, 2025
4. Departmental Lecturer in Classical Arabic Literature
The University of Oxford from January 2026 to June 2027.
Deadline to apply is August 14.
Further Information: Job Details
5. ASPIRANTUM’s 2025 Persian Language Winter School (from December 01 to December 26, 2025) in Yerevan, Armenia.
For more details about the Persian Language Winter School and to apply, please visit: https://aspirantum.com/courses/persian-language-winter-school
The 2025 Persian Language Winter School will last for 4 weeks (80 hours).
The participation fee is:
$1900 – 4 weeks
We offer a special discount exclusively to PhD students.
$1200 – 4 weeks (only for PhD students).
- July 22, 2025
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – Academic Items
1.The Tokat Institute for Advanced Islamic Studies is pleased to announce its inaugural Book Completion Grant (in the amount of $3000).
See here for details: https://tokatinstitute.org/grants/book-completion-grant
2. Visualizing Egypt: European Travel, Book Publishing, and the Commercialization of the Middle East in the Nineteenth Century
P Banas,
AUC Press, 2025
https://aucpress.com/9781617976674/
3. Classical Persian through Living Books: Introduction to Persian Manuscripts
The course will take place from August 11 until August 21st (two weeks).
Designed for students with little or no prior exposure to Persian manuscripts, this intensive course offers an introduction to the Persianate manuscript tradition. Here is a short-hand list of the main manuscripts that will be discussed (links on the website):
- Kitāb al-abniya ‘an haqāiq al-adwiyya. 1056 AD
- Florence Shahnameh, 1217 AD, Florence
- Naṣr-Allāh Munšī, Kalīlah va-Dimnah (Persian MS 68), 1219 AD, Manchester
- Prince Baysunghur’s Rose Garden (Gulistan) by Sa`di (Per 119), 1427 AD
- Dawlatshāh Samarqandī (d. ca. 1494). Taẕkirat ul-Shuʻarā (Persian MS 54). Date 1749.
By the end of the course, participants will:
- Be able to read and interpret Classical Persian manuscripts
- Be familiar with key scripts, including Nasqand Nasta‘liq
- Understand Persian orthographic conventions and their development
- Gain insight into historical manuscripts from diverse regions and periods
- Explore the connection between Persianate literature and manuscript art
- Build the skills needed to work independently with Persian manuscripts
You can read more and apply via the link below.
The application deadline is August 4th.
https://ferdowsi.org/classical-persian-through-living-books-summer-2025/
Ferdowsi School of Persian Literature
Yerevan, Armenia
Website: www.ferdowsi.org
4. Four and a Half Ghazals from the time of Ferdowsi (in Early Judeo-Persian)
The manuscript presented in the post (Ms. Heb. 8333.195, probably from the first half of the 11th century, kept at the NLI) is a unique piece in that it preserves to us a small collection of 4 (and a half) poems written in Persian in Hebrew characters, which in my estimate date to the late 10th century.
This manuscript is highly important in that it can provide us with a glimpse into the earlier stages of the development of Persian literary traditions.
You are welcome to read more about it in this post:
https://ferdowsi.org/four-and-a-half-ghazals-from-the-time-of-ferdowsi-in-early-judeo-persian/
5. ‘Black Light in Akbarian and Persianate Sufism’ online lecture IIS
Please join us at 5 pm (British time) on Thursday, 24th of July, for the next session of the Islamic History and Thought Lecture Series organised by the Institute of Ismaili Studies.
Dr Dunja Rašić’s talk is titled “Behind the Veil of the Night: The Black Light in Akbarian and Persianate Sufism”, with Dr Toby Mayer as discussant.
This lecture will focus on Ibn ʿArabī’s writings on the black light of the night. We will explore Ibn ʿArabī’s notions of the night serving as the source of knowledge, power and protection for the spiritual seekers known as the Nightfolk (ahl al-layl) and identify the possible origins and parallels of these teachings in Persianate Sufism.
To join, please register for online attendance at https://www.iis.ac.uk/events/behind-the-veil-of-the-night/
6. “International Conference on Turkic Studies”, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Warsaw, 13-14 November 2025
Proposals for papers and panels are invited in the domains of language, literature, history, culture, society, and politics, and philology of the Turkic peoples.
Deadline for abstracts: 30 July 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/2rey25p7
7. Workshop “Cities and Decolonization: Anti-colonial Struggles, Urban Protest, and Global Solidarities”, University of Oxford, 19-20 March 2026
The workshop advances current approaches to anti-colonialism by rethinking the urban histories of the struggle against empire in Asia and Africa through a focused examination of actors, venues, and tensions. This approach moves beyond comparative frameworks to reveal the complex entanglements and ongoing legacies of urban anti-colonial protest, connecting historical struggles with contemporary debates over urban space and colonial heritage.
Deadline for abstracts: 30 September 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/yke5hts2
8. Conference “Istanbul: Cultural Pasts – Urban Futures” Işık University Istanbaul, 6-8 July 2026
The conference is expressly international and welcomes perspectives from across a range of fields: the humanities and the social sciences; architecture, urban planning and landscapes; heritage studies and design, and more. As such, it is open to local, regional and international discussions of art historical research, building renovation projects, digital art and heritage, anthropological study and socio-cultural critiques – past, present and future.
Deadline for abstracts: 30 July 2025. Information: https://amps-research.com/conference/istanbul-heritages/
9. Assistant, Associate or Full Professor in Middle East History, Brigham Young University, Utah
The appointment is for a scholar with expertise in Middle East history, preferably with a specialization in the period 600-1800 CE. Those with exceptional teaching and a strong research agenda are encouraged to apply. The position may be filled with visitor
Deadline for applications: 30 September 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/2k5uvun9
10. Articles on “The Arab World and Middle East in an Age of Dynamism and Change” for a Special Issue of “The Journal of Social Encounters”
The latest developments in the MENA region will be explored from the perspectives of Anthropology, Arab and/or Arabic Studies, Classics, Communication and Rhetoric, Diaspora Studies, Education, Ethnic Studies, Gender Studies, Government, History, Human Rights, International Law, International Relations, Media Studies, Mediter-ranean Studies, Middle East Studies, Peace Studies, Political Science, Religious Studies, and/or Theology.
Deadline for abstracts: 30 August 2025. Contact Dr. Mawa Mohamed at mawabagi@gmail.com
11. Articles on “Gift Giving and Economic Anthropology” for a Special Issue of the Journal “Anthropology of the Middle East”
We invite contributions to investigate gift giving, receiving, and reciprocating as they occur within complex value systems of different cultures of the Middle East and North Africa. These investigations could be within religious, social, economic, and political dimensions. Submissions may draw on data from archaeology, linguistics, and cultural anthropology to illuminate the complexities and historical depth of gift exchange.
Deadline for articles: 1 August 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/3wrhtn24
- July 19, 2025
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – Academic Items
1. Book Launch: Language, People, and Society: Iranian Minority Languages and Literary Traditions | Aug 1 at OISE, U of T
Asemana Books, in proud collaboration with the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto, warmly invites you to the launch of a groundbreaking new volume:
🗓 Friday, August 1, 2025
🕑 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
📍 Room 11-164, OISE, 252 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON
This powerful, multilingual volume features original contributions in Persian, Kurdish, Turkish, and includes a pioneering study on Iranian Sign Language—the first of its kind in an academic collection. Drawing on the proceedings of the 2023 McGill Symposium of Language Studies, the book brings together leading voices from across Canada, Europe, and the Middle East to explore urgent questions of language, identity, resistance, and representation.
Featured Speakers:
• Dr. Shahrzad Mojab (University of Toronto)
• Dr. Amir Kalan (McGill University)
• Dr. Mahdi Ganjavi (University of Toronto)
Books will be available on-site
Event Language: English | Multilingual roots celebrated
Free & open to the public
About the Volume
Language, People, and Society is edited by Amir Kalan, Mahdi Ganjavi, Anisa Jafari, and Lale Javanshir, and showcases critical work across languages and disciplines. With chapters by:
Amir Kalan · Shahrzad Mojab · Yalda Kaveh · Sima Hasan Dokht Firooz · Sara Siavoshi · Ardavan Guity · Jafer Sheikholislami · Anisa Jafari · Vahid Rashidi · Samad Pourmousavi · Hajar Kabiri · Saqi Ghahreman · Suzan Karimi · Elmira Bahmani
The collection examines the social lives of minority languages in Iran and among the diaspora—making essential contributions to linguistic justice, cultural memory, and transnational scholarship.
Available now worldwide, including Europe, North America, and Australia.
Order your copy: Purchase the Book
Learn more: Asemana Books Website
2. The Wonder of the World Book Talk on MELA Notes YouTube Channel
We’re delighted to announce that the recent MELA Notes Book Talk on:
The Wonder of the World: Travel Journals of Hajj Sayyah in the U.S. (1874–1875)
by Mirza Mohammad-Ali Mahallati (Hajj Sayyah)
Edited, Translated, and Introduced by Ali Ferdowsi (Notre Dame de Namur University)
In conversation with Mahdi Ganjavi (MELA Notes Review Editor) is now available for streaming on the MELA Notes Journal YouTube channel.
Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJfMxR_qgc0
3. Tajikistan Learning Tour – Sept 2025
Greetings from the Hikmat International Institute,
We’re excited to share that in addition to our premier online course on Islamic Mysticism this August, we are organizing a special Learning and Exploration Tour to Tajikistan in September 2025.
If you’d like to complement your summer with a journey that blends spiritual insight, academic engagement, and cultural discovery — this tour is for you. You’ll explore one of the region’s most beautiful and untouched countries through guided visits, scholarly discussions, and breathtaking natural landscapes.
This program offers a rare opportunity to explore Tajikistan’s historical, cultural, and natural wonders through an academic lens. It’s more than a tour — it’s a carefully curated experience combining scholarship, reflection, and discovery.
🗓️ Dates: September 6 – 13, 2025
📍 Locations: Dushanbe, Hissar Fortress, Sarazm (UNESCO site), Panjakent ruins, Lake Iskandarkul
🎓 Highlights: Guided tours, cultural immersion, scenic exploration, historical and natural sightseeing
⚠️ Very limited spaces are available, so we strongly encourage you to register soon to secure your place!
https://hikmat-ins.com/tajikistan-learning-tour/
4. Join us for the 7th PMA talk in 2025 by Dr Fuchsia Hart
THE ADES COLLECTION OF CERAMICS AND ITS PROVENANCE
In 1949, Gurgan Faiences by Iranian curator Mehdi Bahrami was published in Cairo. In the work, Bahrami presents a group of 12th/13th-century ceramics which, he argues, were made and recently excavated in Gurgan, in Iran’s northeast. Many of the objects published were owned by Clement and Raymond Ades in Cairo. The V&A now holds 40 examples of these ceramics from Iran once owned by members of the Ades family, with many more in other British collections. Further objects published by Bahrami were owned by Jacques Matossian, an art and antiquities dealer also based in Cairo. In this talk, Fuchsia Hart will focus on the little-known figure of Matossian and his wider role in the lives of the ‘Gurgan faiences’ and the formation of the Ades Collection. While Bahrami’s publication provided a starting point for this research, Fuchsia will draw on documentation still held in the V&A archives to explore the collection histories of the Ades objects. Using additional archival material, the objects will also be contextualised within the wider market for art from Iran in 20th-century Egypt. While many questions remain about the provenance of the Ades Collection and the larger proposed group of ‘Gurgan faiences’, this talk will begin to explore the story of their journey from Iran to England, via Egypt.
DR FUCHSIA HART
Fuchsia Hart is a historian of the arts of the Islamic world, specialising in the arts of Iran. She has been the Sarikhani Curator for the Iranian Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London since 2022. She is currently working on a number of projects, including a display of royal dress from Saudi Arabia and an article about British ceramics at the Qajar court. She holds a PhD in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Oxford. Her PhD thesis explored the patronage of major shrines in Iran and Iraq by the second Qajar ruler of Iran, Fath ‘Ali Shah (r.1797-1834). In the past, she has held positions at the Bodleian Library (Oxford), the University of Warwick (UK), and Turquoise Mountain (Kabul).
24 July 2025, 5 – 6.30 pm UK Time
Online Lecture on Zoom
Zoom Registration Link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/m_zhmCKzTWu8qL8bVae2CQ
Kind regards,
The PMA Team
Persian Manuscripts Association
https://persianmanuscripts.org/
5. Myth and History in Ancient Persia
The Achaemenids in the Iranian Tradition
R S Zarghamee
EUP, 2025
https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-myth-and-history-in-ancient-persia.html
6. Tokat Institute for Advanced Islamic Studies
The Tokat Institute for Advanced Islamic Studies is a non-partisan academic body that is informed by a broad and robust approach to Islamic studies. Led by an internationally renowned team of specialists, it draws from the best traditions of scholarship in Islamic thought, taking in fields as diverse and interconnected as philosophy, mysticism, rational theology, science, logic, art, and literature.
- July 15, 2025
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – Academic Items
1. Socioeconomic Transformation in the Sasanian Empire
Late Antique Central Zagros
Hossein Habibi
EUP, 2023/2025
2. “International Conference on Turkic Studies”, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Warsaw, 13-14 November 2025
Proposals for papers and panels are invited in the domains of language, literature, history, culture, society, and politics, and philology of the Turkic peoples.
Deadline for abstracts: 30 July 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/2rey25p7
3. The Standing and Understanding of Scholars in Society: Arab and European Experiences
Arab-German Young Academy of Sciences and Humanities (AGYA), Tunis, 5-7 December 2025
The conference follows two main aims: a) to create a better understanding of the chances and challenges of academics “going_public_” – _be it through their contributions to media discourses, policy counselling, the conduct of blogs or other forms of science communication; b) to reflect on the involvement of stakeholders from society in research projects – _the challenges of participatory and transdisciplinary research for and with society. The ultimate goal is the publication of a peer-reviewed special issue and/or edited volume with an internationally renowned publisher. All conference-related costs will be covered by AGYA.
Deadline for abstracts: 22 July 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/3cs8jsxb
4. CFP: “Oceanic Crossroads” The Mediterranean Seminar Fall 2025 Workshop (8 & 9 December: Abu Dhabi)
Proposals are welcome from scholars of all ranks from across all disciplines of the Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, or Sciences that engage in the broadest sense with social, historical and cultural aspects of the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean. Junior scholars, graduate students, contingent faculty, scholars of under-represented communities, and those whose work engages with historiographically marginalized groups are particularly encouraged to apply.
Deadline for abstracts: 1 September 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/bdfsdv7w
5. Three Panels on the Islamic World at the “72nd Annual Meeting of the Renaissance Society of America”, San Francisco, 19-21 February 2026
Panels: Histories, Materials, Myths: Perceptions and Depictions of the Distant Past. – _Presence in Absence, Absence in Presence: Excavating Labour in the Early Modern World. – _Out of Sight: Early Modern Depictions and Narratives of the Unseen.
Deadline for abstracts: 30 July 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/456nhzcf
6. 26th Symposium of the “International Committee for Pre-Ottoman and Ottoman Studies (CIÉPO), Varna, Bulgaria, 23-27 June 2026
Themes: The Black Sea Region and Crimea in Pre-Ottoman and Ottoman Times. – _Europe, the Mediterranean World, and the Ottomans: War, Trade, and Diplomacy. – _The Nomads and the State. – _Ottoman Agriculture between Tradition and Transformation. – _Demography and Migrations. – _Governance and Corruption, Public Order and Justice. – _Ottoman Studies and Digital Humanities. Languages are English, French, German, and Turkish.
Deadline for abstracts: 31 October 2025. Information: https://ciepo26varna.weebly.com/
7. Senior Research Fellowship in Modern Languages 2026, Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, All Souls College, University of Oxford
Applicants are expected to have a correspondingly distinguished record of achievement in research. The primary duty of a Senior Research Fellow is to pursue on a full-time basis a programme of academic research in Oxford.
Deadline for applications: 19 September 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/ec9aduj3
8. Associate or Full Professor in Islamic Studies, Hartford International University for Religion and Peace, Hartford, CT
A successful candidate should demonstrate expertise in a particular area of Islamic Studies, though the research specialization is open. The person must be grounded in the Islamic tradition and able to teach in broad areas related to contemporary issues and themes.
Deadline for applications: 1 October 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/2xaedr9s
9. Faculty Member in Islamic Chaplaincy, Hartford International University for Religion and Peace, Hartford, CT
HIU seeks an engaged, dedicated practitioner-scholar to join our esteemed faculty. We invite applications for a full-time or half-time faculty position in Islamic Chaplaincy (open rank). The ideal candidate would be classically trained in the Islamic tradition, experienced as a chaplain, inter-culturally sensitive, and actively involved with local and broader Muslim chaplaincy communities.
Deadline for applications: 1 October 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/tuc4fhjt
- July 12, 2025
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – Academic Items
1.New Version of the Daiber Collection Manuscript Database Released
The Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia at The University of Tokyo is pleased to announce the release of the beta version (public test version) of the new Daiber Collection database, which provides access to approximately 520 Arabic-script manuscripts held by the institute. Nearly two decades have passed since the launch of the original database, and a comprehensive update is now underway to enable more advanced use.
This upgrade is being carried out in collaboration with the Uehiro Project for the Asian Research Library (U-PARL) and the Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, both within The University of Tokyo.
On June 30, 2025, we released the first phase of the beta version of the new database, and we warmly invite all users to participate in its testing. This initial release features manuscripts No. 1 through No. 50 from Collection I of the Daiber Collection (which consists of two parts). Additional updates will be made on a regular basis.
[Related Links]
- Beta Version of the Database: https://daiber.u-parl.lib.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/
- Project Overview: https://daiber.u-parl.lib.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/about/
- How to Use the Database: https://daiber.u-parl.lib.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/guide/
Call for Cooperation in “Cultivating” the Beta DatabaseThe beta version of the database is an open-ended archive that will grow through the active contributions of a diverse range of stakeholders. We warmly welcome feedback on metadata corrections and general impressions of the beta database. Please share your thoughts using the following form: https://u-parl.lib.u-tokyo.ac.jp/ja/contact . Kindly use “Regarding the Daiber Collection” as the subject line.
Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, The University of Tokyo
2. V&A collections are open for researchers again!
In case you haven’t heard the news, the V&A collections which were previously stored at Blythe House, and which have been inaccessible for about the last six years, are open again for study appointments! So as you make your plans for summer research trips, factor in the fact that you can finally come and study all those V&A objects you have been unable to access in recent years.
Object study appointments will now mostly take place at the fabulous V&A East Storehouse, which is a brand new visitable storage facility in Stratford, East London, part of the regeneration of the London Olympic site:
https://www.vam.ac.uk/east/storehouse/visit
No appointment is necessary to visit Storehouse itself, which is also free of charge. It has many amazing objects to discover around the public walkway in the central hall. These are all presented through the lens of the ‘working museum’, and include many objects related to Islamic art history, not least the Agra Colonnade and the Torrijos ceiling.
This is where you will also go for most study appointments, and these can now be booked through the new Order an Object service:
https://www.vam.ac.uk/info/order-an-object
You can order upto 5 objects at a time, and you can have appointments of 1 to 3 hours in length. You can book adjacent appointments with different objects and over contiguous days.
The Order an Object service will be available 7 days a week at Storehouse, and will also operate at the V&A South Kensington on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays.
You might find that some objects are not available via this service. This is probably because the object has been assessed as being too fragile for public consultation. In this case, please contact the curators as you have done in the past! We will do what we can to arrange access appointments for you.
We are looking forward to welcoming researchers back into the V&A collections!
URL
- July 08, 2025
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – Academic Items
1. The Egyptian Journal of History and Philosophy of Science (EJHPS)
EJHPS is a peer-reviewed academic journal committed to publishing high-quality research that examines the historical and philosophical dimensions of science. The journal emphasizes contributions that delve into the rich heritage of the history and philosophy of science, including Islamic science and its global influence. For further information, please visit our website: https://ejhps.journals.ekb.eg/.
In addition, EJHPS hosts a monthly online public talk via Zoom, featuring a distinguished scholar discussing a selected topic within their area of expertise. All the members of the list are welcome to give a talk, attend and to participate.
2. Hikmat International Institute
International Academic Course on Islamic Mysticism (ʿIrfān)
Intensive Online Summer School
First, we so excited to announce that registration is now open for our highly anticipated International Academic Course on Islamic Mysticism (ʿIrfān)!
In this unique and deeply enriching course, we will be joined by some of the world’s most renowned scholars to explore the profound spiritual and philosophical dimensions of Islamic Mysticism.
This is a rare opportunity to engage with essential topics such as the nature of the soul, divine love, unity, mystical nature of human and the cosmos, and much more — all within a structured academic framework.
🖥️ Live Online Sessions (August 4 – 23, 2025)
📜 Certificate upon completion
🎓 Limited number of scholarships available
We encourage you to register as soon as possible to secure your spot and, if needed, apply for a scholarship.
https://hikmat-ins.com/islamic-mysticism/
3. Invitation to Digital British Islam: Westminster Policy Seminar
Digital British Islam: Policy Seminar
Monday 7th July 2025
Committee Room 18, House of Commons
Houses of Parliament, St Margaret St, London SW1A 0AA
12:00 – 14:00
Sponsored by Ayoub Khan MP
During the event, Prof Gary R. Bunt (University of Wales Trinity Saint David) and Prof Sariya Cheruvallil-Contractor (Coventry University) will share findings and policy recommendations from the Digital British Islam project on key areas including gender, religious authority and political agency. The event will highlight important findings around digital inclusion amongst Muslim communities and elements of social justice and equality online.
The Digital British Islam project is a collaboration between the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, University of Edinburgh and Coventry University.
Places are limited and require registering in advance to attend. Please book your place on this form no later than Thursday 3rd July 2025: https://forms.office.com/e/kxsmVbFpJw
If you have any further queries, please contact laura.jones@ed.ac.uk
4. CfP – KNOW Workshop on Scholarly Practice in the Post-Formative Period (Ghent, 2–4 June 2026)
The ERC project KNOW: Polymathy and Interdisciplinarity in Premodern Islamic Epistemic Cultures (1200–1800) invites proposals for its first international workshop:
Problem Areas, Disciplinary Boundaries, and Scholarly Practice in the Post-Formative Period
Ghent University, 2–4 June 2026.
Submission deadline: 31 July 2025.
We welcome contributions that examine how scholars navigated and redefined disciplinary boundaries in Islamic intellectual traditions in the post-formative period.
For further details and submission guidelines, please visit:
5. The School of Modern Languages at the University of St Andrews invites applications for a fully funded PhD scholarship in Global Digital Humanities,
a dynamic and rapidly evolving field at the cutting edge of interdisciplinary
research.
This award supports innovative doctoral research that either employs or
critically examines digital methodologies within the context of Modern
Languages.
You will join an intellectually vibrant and internationally connected research
environment that draws on expertise from eight language areas, Arabic,
Chinese, French, German, Italian, Persian, Russian, and Spanish, and
collaborates with the School of Computer Science. This is your opportunity to
gain advanced technical and analytical skills while contributing original
research to the evolving landscape of digital scholarship in the humanities.
We welcome proposals across a wide range of topics, including, but not limited
to:
* Digital Pedagogy
* Digital Publishing and Encoding
* Digital Preservation and Archival Practice
* Digital Storytelling
* Languages and Technology
* Memory Studies in the Digital Age
* Quantitative Literary Analysis
* Transmediation through Gaming
Find the full details and application information at
https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.st-andrews.ac.uk%2Fstudy%2Ffees-and-funding%2Fscholarships%2Fscholarships-catalogue-search%2F%3Fquery%3D%2522Digital%2520Humanities%2522&data=05%7C02%7C%7C99eff596e4e743225e5208ddbadc990f%7C2e9f06b016694589878910a06934dc61%7C0%7C0%7C638872178821681494%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=D%2BGclKSzVLgIKf0N2RUgfKbiEPTkappk2eTBzCZBbpI%3D&reserved=0,
which is updated regularly.
Questions to :
Dr Orhan Elmaz
Senior Lecturer in Digital Humanities and Arabic
oe2@st-andrews.ac.uk
6. Persianate Prose and the Making of Malay Muslim Literature
Text, Translation and Commentary of the Durr al-Majalis
M Daneshgar,
EUP, 2025
7. Sufism and Power in the Ottoman Empire
The Writings of Ismail Hakki Bursevi (1653–1725)
K N Atanasova,
EUP, 2025
8. Afghanistan: Volume 8, Issue 1.
Following a successful Subscribe to Open campaign, volume 8 of Afghanistan is entirely Open Access! Explore the latest issue for articles on the Afghan Jamiat-i Islami party, the ethnocultural alienation of Hazaras in Afghanistan, the latest books relating to Afghanistan and more.
– Browse the issue: https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fddlnk.net%2Fc%2FAQjSfRDG5JYHGPmorJQFIN61yKYB-aanNJDXWPw9IcNzuPn8j00EB295tfN-
9. CFP Workshop: Beyond Eurocentrism and Arabocentrism, 12–13 September 2025, University of Aberdeen, UK
The workshop is co-organized by Florian Zemmin, Nicola Carpentieri, Nile Green, Jakub Zbrzeżny, and myself, and will be hosted by the School of Divinity, History, Philosophy, and Art History at the University of Aberdeen, UK.
The workshop will cover travel and accommodation expenses for participants whose papers are accepted. The deadline is 30 July 2025.
The workshop hopes to foster a more nuanced and inclusive understanding of the Arabo-Islamic intellectual tradition, one that recognises its pluralistic foundations and the dynamic interplay of race, ethnicity, religion and language in shaping premodern knowledge production. We hope to inspire a richer, more inclusive understanding of the pluralistic foundations of Arabo-Islamic scholarship and its lasting impact on modern identity and historiography. The workshop invites contributions from the humanities and the social sciences on the nature of diversity throughout premodern Arabo-Islamic history to the modern times. Each paper should present a clear case study that effectively highlights its historical and cultural contexts.
Those interested in presenting papers are invited to submit an abstract (500 words, including references) and a short biography (150 words) through the digital portal on the full CFP on AGYA’s website:
Full information at:
https://agya.info/publications/calls/beyond-eurocentrism-and-arabocentrism
10. ‘The Ottomans and Diplomacy’, Newnham College Cambridge, 10-12 July.
Information, programme and registration:
https://newn.cam.ac.uk/research/skilliter-centre-ottoman-studies/conferences-and-workshops
11. International Conference “Minority Law in Arab States: Governing Religious Diversity”, Arab-German Young Academy of Sciences and Humanities (AGYA) & Centre of Expertise for the Law of Arab and Islamic Countries, Hamburg, 14-15 July 2025
The conference foregrounds the complex interplay between legal autonomy and the governance of religious diversity. It brings together scholars from law, anthropology, political science, history and Middle Eastern studies as well as legal practitioners. The conference examines the complex interplay between legal pluralism, minority-state relations, gender and inter-religious relations. It analyzes the impact of colonial policies, regional conflicts, and reform movements on the development of minority law.
Deadline for registration: 7 July 2025. Programme: https://tinyurl.com/3xyfx948
12. Colloque: Diversité(s) en islam. Fondements et implications d’une pluralité complexe, Strasbourg, 8-9 septembre 2025
Information et programme : https://tinyurl.com/5cyz6uw7
13. Symposium “Ethnographic Experiments from and with the Arab World”, Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, Qatar, 15-16 December 2025
This symposium seeks to critically engage with classical epistemological debates in anthropology by locating them within the diverse intellectual traditions shaping the Arab world and its shifting geopolitical realities. These debates include, but are not limited to, questions of scale and distance, ethnographic excess, critique, ethnographic refusal and the limits and possibilities of comparison in anthropology.
Deadline for abstracts: 10 August 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/mrxfr7xp
14. 28 Fellowships (10 Months) of the “French Institutes for Advanced Study Fellowship Programme” at Seven Institutes of the Aix-Marseille, Cergy, Loire Valley (Orléans-Tours), Lyon, Montpellier, Nantes and Paris, 2026-2027
The Programme is open to all disciplines in the Social Sciences and the Humanities (SSH) and to all other research fields interfacing with the SSH. FIAS awards fellowships to outstanding researchers of all career levels, from postdoctoral researchers to senior scientists. The minimum requirement is a PhD + 2 years of research experience at the time of the application.
Deadline for applications: 16 July 2025. Information: https://www.fias-fp.eu/fellowships/faq
15. New “MA in Politics of Energy, Infrastructure and Environment”, Institute for Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter
This MA offers a multidisciplinary exploration of energy use, the transition to sustainable sources, and the environmental impacts of infrastructure and energy. Integrating perspectives from the humanities and social sciences, the course examines these critical issues with a particular focus on the Middle East, a region with paradigmatic struggles around environmental preservation and fossil fuel use.
Rolling deadline – _applications at any time.
Information: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/courses/politics/energy-infrastructure-environment/
16. Hybrid Lecture Series: “Humanity, Sufi Thought, and Healing II” Lecture Series, Üsküdar University, Istanbul, 23-27 July 2025
The Institute intends for the lecture series to be a safe space wherein participants can ask the difficult ethical and theological questions and receive fulfilling answers from renowned scholars who have brought back pearls of wisdom from Sufi figures. Simultaneous English-Turkish translation will be provided.
Deadline for applications: 17 July 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/yma42wcr
17. Articles on “A Sociolinguistics of Islam: Exploring Multilingualism & Meaning in Faith” for a Special Issue of the “Journal of Multilingual & Multicultural Development”
This special issue seeks to foreground the theoretical and empirical orientation of Sociolinguistics of Islam by attending to how Islam, as faith, worldview, and cultural practice, shapes – _and is shaped by – _linguistic practices at various social, cultural, and political sub-strata.
Deadline for abstracts: 22 August 2025.
Information: https://ibrarspace.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/call-for-papers-1.pdf
- July 05, 2025
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – Academic Items
1.Arab World English Journal for Translation and Literary Studies welcomes the submission of papers for the August Issue 2025. Due to requests from many colleagues, the submission deadline has beenextended until July 10, 2025.
The issue publication date is August 2025
We ask you kindly to submit your paper according to the Manuscript Guidelines for AWEJTLS at our website https://awej-tls.org/paper-submission/
Please send your paper and a brief bio (four lines for each author) by e-mail to: TLS@awej.org
For more details, click here:
We have the pleasure of sending you the following issues:
AWEJ for Translation & Literary Studies Volume 9 Number 1. February 2025
AWEJ for Translation & Literary Studies Volume,9 Number 2. May 2025
Kind regards,
AWEJ for Translation and Literary Studies
https://awej-tls.org/
2. Muslim Student Adviser
University of Leeds
This role will be based on the university campus, with scope for it to be undertaken in a hybrid manner. As part of the Student Experience and Support Directorate, you will work with our other Muslim Student Adviser, Student Experience and Support teams, Leeds University Union, Chaplains and other colleagues to support an excellent experience for our Muslim students and contribute to promoting equality and diversity and an inclusive environment for all at the University.
Deadline | 3 July 2025
More information
3. Associate Lecturer in Islamic Law
School of Oriental and African Studies
The objective of the lectureship is to provide a development opportunity for those who have exceptional potential in teaching and research in Islamic Law. During the two-year appointment, SOAS Associate Lecturers will have the opportunity to develop their teaching experience, as well as their research trajectory. You will be expected to teach across some of the following modules of the LLB and LLM: Islamic Family Law, Islamic Legal Theory, Human Rights and Islamic Law and Human Rights and Islamic Law II.
Deadline | 13 July 2025
More information
4. Call for Submissions | Sheikh Zayed Book Award 20th Edition
The Sheikh Zayed Book Award (SZBA), one of the Arab world’s most prestigious literary prizes, is now open for submissions for its 20th anniversary edition across ten categories. The Award, organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), recognises the work of writers, translators, researchers, academics and publishers in advancing Arabic literature and culture in any field of knowledge.
Deadline | 1 September 2025
5. Call for Papers | ACRPS Conference for Arab PhD Students in Western Universities
Conference | Arab Centre for Research and Policy Studies (ACRPS) | 11-13 April 2026
The conference will provide Arab doctoral students and recent PhD graduates of the social sciences and humanities based at Western universities an open space to present papers based on their PhD theses and receive critical feedback and will give the participants an opportunity to better acquaint themselves with an Arab research agenda as well as to create collegial, professional networks within the Arab region.
Deadline | 1 September 2025
6. Call for Papers | Internment Europe: From Colonial Practices to Contemporary Control
Conference | INTERCOL | 26-28 November 2025
This interdisciplinary workshop aims to critically rethink the concept of internment in its various forms, tracing its development from colonial practices to today’s ‘detention archipelagos’ in migration regimes. The specificity of this project is that it considers the colonial experiences of Southern European countries – rather than the more well-known but more recent experiences of Northern European empires – to understand the roots and evolution of concepts and techniques of internment/confinement of groups considered ‘dangerous’ today.
Deadline | 7 September 2025
7. Third World Quarterly Special Issue | Limits of Autocratisation: Actors and Institutions of Democratic Resistance and Opposition
While authoritarianism continues to gain ground globally, the Special Issue of Third World Quarterly, titled Limits of Autocratisation: Actors and Institutions of Democratic Resistance and Opposition, challenges the idea that autocratisation is an unstoppable tide. It shifts the focus from how autocracies rise to how and where they are contested—and sometimes reversed. Read more here.
8. Persian Winter School 2025 in Yerevan – ASPIRANTUM
ASPIRANTUM’s 2025 Persian Language Winter School (from December 01 to December 26, 2025) in Yerevan, Armenia. Please share this information with anyone in your network who might be interested.
For more details about the Persian Language Winter School and to apply, please visit: https://aspirantum.com/courses/persian-language-winter-school
The 2025 Persian Language Winter School will last for 4 weeks (80 hours).
The participation fee is:
$1900 – 4 weeks
For more details, please visit: https://aspirantum.com/courses/persian-language-winter-school
You may also be interested in applying to our 2026 summer school here: https://aspirantum.com/courses/persian-language-summer-school
9. ME Studies Win ACLA (American Comparative Literature Association) Prizes
Scholars of Middle East and South Asian literature did extremely well this year at the ACLA:
Annette Lienau’s Sacred Language, Vernacular Difference: Global Arabic and Counter-Imperial Literatures, won the Harry Levin Prize. You can read the citation here. Aria Fani’s Reading across Borders: Afghans, Iranians, and Literary Nationalism has won the René Wellek Prize. Citation here.
The René Wellek Prize is awarded for the best book published in the field of comparative literature, and the Harry Levin Prize is awarded for the best first book published in the field.
Comparative Literature Studies annually publishes a prize-winning graduate student essay in honor of founder A. Owen Aldridge, recognizing excellence in comparative scholarship. This year’s recipient is:
Haider Shahbaz’s paper, “Translating Towards A Dark Commons: Toni Morrison’s Beloved in Urdu.” Citation here.
10. 20th Colloquium of the Ernst Herzfeld Society at AUC
Held for the first time in Cairo, the 20th Colloquium of the Ernst Herzfeld Society for Studies in Islamic Art and Archaeology will take place at The American University in Cairo, Tahrir Campus, from July 3–6, 2025. This four-day international gathering will bring together scholars, researchers, and cultural practitioners from all over the world to explore the theme: “Historicisms in Islamic Art: Narratives, Materials, and Perspectives.”
Co-organized by the Sheikh Hassan Abbas Sharbatly Department of Arab and Islamic Civilizations (ARIC) at AUC, the German Archaeological Institute Cairo (DAI), and the Ernst Herzfeld Society (EHG), the event will feature a keynote panel, over 30 scholarly papers, and a curated photo exhibition, Through Meinecke’s Lens: Cairenes and Cairo of the 1970s, presented in collaboration with the Museum für Islamische Kunst, Berlin.
The colloquium is free and open to the public.
For in-person participation, please register here:
https://forms.gle/79shskRoCMiCinx57
For online participation, please join us through Zoom here:
Oriental Hall sessions: https://aucegypt.zoom.us/j/96746974931
Hill House session: https://aucegypt.zoom.us/j/96763302311
11. Journal of Sakarya University Faculty of Theology (Web of Science ESCI-Indexed, e-ISSN: 1304-6535) is an international, multidisciplinary, peer-reviewed, open access journal devoted to theology and religious studies.
Journal of Sakarya University Faculty of Theology (SAUIFD) invites innovative and original contributions from academic scholars of religion, theology, education, philosophy, psychology, sociology, comparative religion, history, literature, art, health, social sciences, humanities and others interested in the multidisciplinary study of religions.
Starting from August 1, 2025, our journal will adopt a continuous submission model. The submission system will no longer be opened for short periods and then closed. This change will allow us to distribute the editorial workload more evenly over time and to more actively engage international researchers who may not be familiar with time-limited submission periods.
Please note that, depending on the volume of submissions, the journal may temporarily pause the acceptance of new manuscripts without prior announcement.
You can access the latest issue (2025/1) at the following link: https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/sakaifd/issue/92458
Our journal’s X (Twitter) account: https://x.com/sauifdergisi
- July 01, 2025
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – Academic Items
1.Call for Papers: Special Issue on Multilingualism, Translation, and Religion in the Premodern Islamic World(s)
I’m pleased to share news of a special issue I am co-editing with Prof. Ross Brann (Cornell University), tentatively titled:
Multilingualism, Translation, and Religion in the Premodern Islamic World(s): Texts, Contexts, and Crossroads.
This issue will appear in Religions, a peer-reviewed journal with a strong platform and excellent citation rankings. We are delighted to announce that, following discussions with the editorial team, all accepted papers will be published free of open-access fees.
Each submission will undergo rigorous peer review by both guest editors as well as two external reviewers, ensuring the highest scholarly standards of the whole volume.
We currently have room to accommodate two to three additional contributions. If you are interested, we invite you to review the full description via the link below and reach out to me before submitting your abstract through the journal’s system:
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/religions/special_issues/646PBX1664#editors
Due date: Dec 31, 2025
2. Intellect is pleased to present Journal of Contemporary Iraq & the Arab World 19.1.
For more information about the journal and issue click here>>
https://www.intellectbooks.com/journal-of-contemporary-iraq-the-arab-world
3. Call for: IHF Modern Iran Book Series
We are pleased to announce the second round of our call for for book proposals under the IHF Modern Iran Series, a new Open Access, peer-reviewed academic book series published by I.B. Tauris, an imprint of Bloomsbury Academic. The Iran Heritage Foundation (IHF) is supporting successful applicants with Open Access publication costs.
To submit a proposal to the series, please contact Hassan Hakimian, Series Editor, and Rory Gormley, Senior Commissioning Editor at I.B. Tauris.
The deadline for submission of the first round of proposals is August 31 2025.
The IHF Modern Iran Series publishes innovative Open Access books with a broad thematic focus on modern and contemporary Iran. The chronological scope of the series covers the late nineteenth century to the present day with thematic areas ranging from cultural and social to political and economic issues.
The full announcement can be read here.
4. Political, Cultural and Social History of Iran: Essays in Honor of Ervand Abrahamian
Edinburgh University Press, 2025
E. Chehabi, ed.,
https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-political-social-and-cultural-history-of-modern-iran.html
5. Full Professor Position in Arabic Language and Literature – UAE University
UAE University, the oldest and most prestigious public university in the country, is located in the beautiful oasis city of Al Ain, just 90 minutes from both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The campus offers a quiet, inspiring environment for teaching and research.
The university places strong emphasis on Scopus-indexed publications and values promising research trajectories aimed at high-ranking journals. Strengthening or rebuilding your Scopus h-index is a key consideration in the evaluation process.
The position offers a competitive, tax-free salary, along with a generous benefits package that includes:
- Free accommodation (with furniture allowance)
- Annual return flights for the entire family
- Comprehensive health insurance
- Schooling allowance for children
- A reduced teaching load of two courses per semester (4 per year)
Courses are taught in Arabic, and in my experience, the students are respectful, engaged, and a pleasure to teach.
Application and further details here:
https://jobs.chronicle.com/job/37847997/professor-in-arabic-language-and-literature-310130/
6. ONLINE Launch of the Arabic-English Digital Database and Website ‘News of Cairo’, Cairo, 30 June 2025, 19:00 CET
“News of Cairo” is a textual database of Arabic and Ottoman Turkish articles about Cairo’s urban development from the official Egyptian government journal, al-Waqāʾiʿ al-Miṣriyyah, between 1828 and 1914. – _”Digital Cairo” is a sub-project of “La fabrique du Caire modern” (Ifao-InVisu-Duke University), with the help of the collaborative research award from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Information and registration: https://www.ifao.egnet.net/recherche/manifestations/ma1718/
7. Conference “Arabic Language and Applied Sciences – _Empowerment and Integration”, Islamic University of Madinah, 9-10 November 2025
Themes: 1: Enhancing Digital Content for Arabic Language (Efforts and Aspirations). – _2: Artificial Intelligence and its Contributions to Arabic Language Sciences and Literature (New Developments). – _3: Interdisciplinary Studies between Arabic Language and Applied Sciences (Opportunities and Fields). – _4: Arabization of Applied Sciences (Visions, Experiences, and Challenges).
Deadline for articles: 26 July 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/yb4ehe3d
8. Full Professor of Arabic Studies, Faculty of Philological and Cultural Studies, University of Vienna
The successful candidate will be expected to represent the field of Arabic Studies with a focus on linguistics in both research and teaching. They should have an outstanding international reputation and a strong research profile, particularly in the study of spoken varieties of Arabic, encompassing both dialectological and general linguistic approaches. Complementing the existing focus on the Maghreb, a research focus on the eastern part of the Arab world is desired.
Deadline for applications: 17 September 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/2f4mtwzp
9. 28 Fellowships (10 Months) ot the “French Institutes for Advanced Study Fellowship Programme” at seven Institutes of the Aix-Marseille, Cergy, Loire Valley (Orléans-Tours), Lyon, Montpellier, Nantes and Paris, 2026-2027
The Programme is open to all disciplines in the Social Sciences and the Humanities (SSH) and to all other research fields interfacing with the SSH. FIAS awards fellowships to outstanding researchers of all career levels, from postdoctoral researchers to senior scientists. The minimum requirement is a PhD + 2 years of research experience at the time of the application.
Deadline for applications: 16 July 2025. Information: https://www.fias-fp.eu/fellowships/faq
10. Assistant, Associate or Full Professor in Anthropology, American University in Cairo
Requirements: A PhD in Cultural Anthropology or Social-Anthropology and a demonstrable record of teaching that illustrates an ability to teach courses in the BA in Anthropology and the MA in Sociology and Anthropology programs at AUC, including those with a focus on the Middle East and North Africa, as well as courses in their area of sub-disciplinary expertise.
Deadline for applications: 15 October 2025. Information: https://tinyurl.com/42rctkpf
11. “Alixa Naff Migration Studies Prize” for Studies from Any Discipline on Studies on the Middle East and North African Migrations and Diasporas, Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Award of $ 1,000 for: 1. Established Scholars: Articles or books published between 1 June 2024, and 30 May 2025. – _2. Graduate Students: Papers authored between 1 June 2024, and 30 May 2025.
Deadline for applications: 26 September 2025.
Information: https://lebanesestudies.ncsu.edu/explore/awards/alixa-naff-prize/
- June 28, 2025
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment
Shii News – Academic Items
1.Open Access Book – “Housing, Heritage and Urbanisation in the Middle East and North Africa”
This book explores the interconnection between housing, heritage and urbanisation. Bringing together architects, archaeologists, urban sociologists, urban designers, urban planners and landscape architects, this multi-authored and interdisciplinary volume presents diverse case studies from the Middle East and North Africa, shedding light on the past, present and future of residential spaces.
With its focus to traditional, modern and contemporary housing in Egypt, Iran, Morocco, Syria and Tunisia, Housing, Heritage and Urbanisation in the Middle East and North Africa explores the correlation between architecture, urban planning and society. The contributors critique the impact of rapid urbanisation and global architectural standardisation, which often goes beyond local identity. Instead, they advocate for a sustainable urban development rooted in community needs and cultural heritage.
Ultimately, this volume argues that successful urban planning must balance modernity with tradition, ensuring that housing reflects the lived experiences of its inhabitants. A crucial read for scholars and practitioners, it reaffirms that sustainable cities must be shaped by local needs, not just global trends.
Read and Download for Free: We are pleased to inform you that Housing, Heritage and Urbanisation in the Middle East and North Africa is freely available to read and download in both PDF and HTML formats. Access the full text here and explore the wealth of knowledge this publication has to offer.
Secure Your Copy: For those who prefer a tangible edition or who are interested in acquiring the book in ePub format, you can do so at https://doi.org/10.11647/OBP.0460
URL
https://www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.11647/obp.0460
2. Untold Stories: Recognizing the People Behind the Art and Archaeology of the Ancient West Asian, Ancient Egyptian, and Islamic Worlds.
The Charles K. Wilkinson Lecture Series. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. June 30. Presentations: 2:00-5:00pm. Reception: 5:00-6:00pm.
Join the Met for a series of lectures highlighting little-known stories and contributors to the fields of Egyptian, Islamic, and Ancient West Asian art and archaeology.
2pm. “Unearthing Legacies: Egyptians Who Worked on The Met’s Early Twentieth Century Excavation,” with Isabel Stünkel, Curator, Department of Egyptian Art, The Met
3pm. “The Campfire Excavation: Bedouin Stories, Memories, and Archaeological Knowledge,” with Allison Mickel, Associate Professor, Lehigh University
4pm. “Celebrating the Uncelebrated: Craftsmen and Designers in Islamic Art and Architecture,” with Bernard O’Kane, Professor, American University in Cairo
This program is made possible by the Charles K. Wilkinson Lecture Series Fund. Free with Museum admission, though advance registration is required. Please note: Space is limited; first come, first served. Priority is given to those who register.
Watch the livestream on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@metmuseum/streams (note: No registration or log in required to view the livestream).
URL
https://engage.metmuseum.org/events/education/talks/public-programs/grr/fy25/th…
3. The Idea of Persia: A Philosophical Enquiry
Ramin Jahanbegloo
Gingko, 2025
https://www.gingko.org.uk/publishing/books/the-idea-of-persia/
4. IIS: Hybrid event: ‘The abolition of the Ottoman caliphate in 1924’
London, 26.6.25, 17.00 UK time
5. IIS: In person: “But none sought out my secrets from inside”
Islamic History and Thought Lecture Series
3 July at 17.00 BST | Aga Khan Centre
Mawlana Jalal al-Din Mohammad Balkhi Rumi (d. 1273) is very often viewed among non-Muslims in isolation from his own background, largely because bestselling translations of selections of his poetry are much more widely read than any other sources for Sufism, and they provide little context. In this talk, Professor Mojaddedi examines Rumi’s writings both to situate him within the Sufi tradition and to highlight what that implies about the wider Islamic context which has too often been underappreciated
https://www.iis.ac.uk/events/ihtls-but-none-sought-out-my-secrets/
6. Call for Applications: BIRI Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
The British International Research Institutes (BIRI) – British Institute at Ankara (BIAA), British School at Athens (BSA), British Institute for Libyan and North African Studies (BILNAS), British Institute in Eastern Africa (BIEA), British School at Rome (BSR), British Institute for the Study of Iraq (BISI), British Institute of Persian Studies (BIPS), Council for British Research in the Levant (CBRL) and Egypt Exploration Society (EES) – invite applications for postdoctoral research fellowships as part of the project “Ottoman Mobilities and Interactions“. These full-time positions are funded until the end of March 2026, with the potential for this to be extended dependent on a successful internal funding bid application.
Applications must be submitted by 14 July 2025 .
More at:
https://biea.ac.uk/call-for-applications-postdoctoral-research-fellowships/
7. Ancient Civilizations of Afghanistan, From the Earliest Times to the Mongol Conquest
Warwick Ball
Reaktion Books, 2025
https://reaktionbooks.co.uk/work/ancient-civilizations-of-afghanistan
- June 24, 2025
- by Andrew Newman
- 0 Comment