Shii News – Academic Items
1. CFP: Arab Cinema (edited collection)
Essay contributions are sought for an edited collection on cinema of the Arab world that is presently under favorable consideration by the editors of an appropriate series at a major academic publisher.
Whereas the Arab world continues to be a central focus of Western media attention, relatively little scholarly work has been produced on Arab cinema. This forthcoming scholarly collection aims to explore and analyze the current state of cinematic and media production in the Arab world, drawing upon the expertise of scholars and practitioners, including but not limited to those who hail from or are based in the region itself. The volume will adopt a contemporary perspective, covering specific aspects and attributes of the Arab world as a whole and integrating an array of topics and theoretical approaches representing current developments in Arab filmmaking and studies. Recognizing the field’s interdisciplinary breadth, the collection seeks intellectual inclusiveness and welcomes essays from diverse academic and national locations. Its aim is to (re)situate Arab cinema and its scholarly pursuit, both recent and historical, on the map of international cultural studies, by soliciting critical work in areas including but not limited to:
- Political conditions of filmmaking in the Arab world / reflections on the Arab Uprisings / co-optations of revolt / the refugee crisis
- Arab(ic) filmmaking outside the region (“beur” cinema, exilic and diasporic filmmaking)
- Comparative analyses of trends or films in (specific) Arab cinemas and those from non-Arab regions
- Revision preoccupation with Islam and “terrorism”
- Films concerning Palestine/Israel, Zionism, and the Arab-Israeli struggle
- Censorship and propaganda
- Classical industry films revisited / popular cinema / genres / star system
- New directors / auteurism
- The persistence and future of national cinemas
- Animation / digital media / experimental / avant-garde
- Documentary traditions and transformations
- Commercially successful political comedies
- The relationship of literary theory and theories of visual art to film analysis
- Politics of distribution / film festivals / “world” cinema / transnational networks / collectives
- Economics of Arab filmmaking / sources of funding within and beyond the region
- Class politics / anti-colonial and postcolonial tendencies / returns to Marx
- Feminism and women’s cinema / queer theory / masculinities
- Cinema studies as a discipline in the Arab world
Deadline for electronic submission of 350-word abstracts (to include brief biographical statement and sample 5-item bibliography): March 1, 2016.
E-mail abstracts to: Terri Ginsberg, Assistant Professor of Film (The American University in Cairo) – terri.ginsberg@aucegypt.edu
AND
Chris Lippard, Associate Professor of Film & Media (University of Utah) – c.lippard@utah.edu
Commissioned papers should not exceed 5000 words (20 pages) and must be completed by January 15, 2017. While the collection will be published in English, papers submitted in Arabic are also acceptable and will be translated.
2. Opportunities – Grabar Travel Grant and Post-Doctoral Fellowship (deadline Dec. 15, 2015)
The Historians of Islamic Art Association (HIAA) has established a permanent fund in memory of Professor Oleg Grabar and in support of the annual award of Grabar Grants and Fellowships. These competitive grants and fellowships are intended to encourage and further the professional development of Ph.D. students and post-doctoral scholars in the history of Islamic art, architecture and archaeology, and are open to all nationalities.
All applicants must be HIAA members at the time of application. Membership status will be verified by the HIAA Secretary, as necessary.
Applicants from outside the United States are responsible for meeting the requirements for and obtaining any visas necessary for visits to or residence and research in the United States. Upon request, HIAA will supply documentation of the grant and/or fellowship award, the dates of the award, and financial support.
The Grabar Grants and Fellowships are administered by HIAA’s Grants and Fellowships Committee, chaired by Prof. Avinoam Shalem, Columbia University, New York.
The next deadline for the Grabar Travel Grant and Post-Doctoral Fellowship is December 15, 2015.
GRABAR TRAVEL GRANT
This competition is open to doctoral students who have been invited or accepted as participants in a scholarly conference or other professional meeting for the purpose of presenting papers, chairing sessions or moderating discussions.
The maximum amount of the award is $700 US.
GRABAR POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP
The Grabar Post-doctoral Fellowship is intended to support post-doctoral scholars at early stage of their careers in advancing their research. Fellowship funds may be used in one of two ways:
- To spend up to two months in residence as a visiting professor or fellow/research scholar at a university, museum, research institute or similar institution outside their usual country of residence or employment.
- To support additional research to aid in preparing the dissertation for publication. The Grabar Post-Doctoral Fellowship will provide up to $2000 US per month, for a maximum of two months. An additional $1000 may be requested for travel or for supplies.
Applicants should have completed their PhD within the last five years or have submitted their dissertations by the start of the fellowship. The fellowship is open to scholars of all nationalities; however, applicants are responsible for obtaining required visas for residence and research in the country specified in their application.
3. Foundation for Iranian Studies
Announcement of the Recipient of Award
For The Best Ph.D. Dissertation on a Topic of Iranian Studies, 2015
November 20, 2015
The Foundation for Iranian Studies is pleased to announce that the Committee on Selection of the Best Ph.D. Dissertation of the Year on a Topic of Iranian Studies of the Foundation for Iranian Studies has chosen Daniel Beben’s dissertation “The Legendary Biographies of Nâsir-i Khusraw: Memory and Textualization in Early Modern Persian Ismâ`îlism,” submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Indiana University, as the recipient of the Foundation’s annual Ph.D. dissertation award for the academic year 2014-2015.
In making its decision, the Committee, following the criteria established by the Foundation’s Board of Directors, noted that Daniel Beben has made an “exceptional contribution to the field of Iranian and Central Asian Studies” by, among other achievements, “stating clearly the study’s problematic… constructing an adequate and efficient theoretical framework…developing and employing successfully a rigorous methodology to bring together a significant array of primary and secondary sources in Europe and Central Asia, including critical information secured through interviews judiciously conducted in the field in Tajikistan and elsewhere to support an innovative approach to the study of Nâsir-i Khusraw’s intellectual and religious influence on the form and force of the Isma`ili da`wa… methodically connecting data, text, and speech to construct a credible framework for evaluating the effect of chanced confluence of ideas, values, socio-political tensions, and time on the evolution of Ismâ`ili organization and faith in Central Asia, the Middle East, and elsewhere and, by extension, potential applicability of the lessons derived to studies of other historically relevant events … excellent organization of the work.”
The Committee also cited Seyyed Ahmad Hashemi’s dissertation “The Question of Freedom within the Horizon of the Iranian Constitutional Movement, 1906-1921” submitted to the Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford, and Keenan Baca-Winters’ dissertation “From Rome to Iran: Identity and Xusro II” submitted to the Graduate Division of the University of California, Irvine, with honorable mention for superior scholarship, originality, clarity, and significant contribution to Iranian Studies.
Notice of the awards will appear in the Foundation’s interactive web, in Iran Nameh, MESA and ISIS journals, and in various Persian and English language academic publications.
Gholam Reza Afkhami
Chair
Ph.D. Dissertation Awards Committee
Foundation for Iranian Studies
4. Cultures of Resistance Scholarship at SOAS is open to students from war-torn areas, including countries in the Middle East, for the 2016-17 academic year.
There will be two scholarships available for students studying a range of full-time Masters’ programmes. The students will benefit from a full award which covers their tuition fees, living costs and accommodation at International Students’ House. Please see full information and criteria for the scholarship here.
The deadline for submissions is 24 February 2016 and the student must have an offer to study at SOAS in order to apply.
The Cultures of Resistance Scholarship programme has already provided opportunities for some exceptional students to study at SOAS. Here is a link to a video of one of this year’s recipients, Anmoy Chakma Kiron, speaking at a SOAS Scholars’ event about how much the award means to him.
Any further questions should be directed to:
Alice Green
Development Officer
Directorate of Development, Alumni and External Engagement
SOAS, University of London
http://www.soas.ac.uk/registry/scholarships/the-cultures-of-resistance-scholarships.html
5. Middle Eastern and/or South Asian film at the rank of Assistant Professor
The Department of Middle Eastern and South Asian Languages and Cultures
at the University of Virginia seeks to hire a scholar of Middle Eastern
and/or South Asian film at the rank of Assistant Professor. We seek a
colleague with expertise in the fictional and/or documentary cinematic
traditions of at least one Middle Eastern or South Asian region and an
interest in engaging comparatively with other cinemas of the regions.
Applicants’ scholarship should centrally address
the movement of images, techniques, and narratives across our regions,
and into other geographical areas and/or disciplinary fields. Specific
areas of cinematic focus are open, but preference will be given to
candidates whose research and teaching suggest connections among Middle
Eastern and South Asian cinemas and can complement the strengths of our
department.
This colleague will join, and foster connections among vibrant
inter-disciplinary programs at the University of Virginia in regional
studies, media studies, and film studies. Required Qualifications:
Candidates must have an ongoing program of research and publication with
a focus on a relevant regional cinema that integrates in-depth analysis
of cinematic texts with broader inter-disciplinary engagements with
issues of nation, identity, or spatial location in the modern world.
They must also have a commitment to excellence in teaching and an
ability to teach courses across the Middle East and South Asia. This
position’s start date is August 25, 2016, and applicants must hold a PhD
by the time of appointment.
Preferred Qualifications: Preference will be given to candidates who
bring training in at least one of the regions’ languages or literatures.
To apply, please submit a Candidate Profile to posting # 0617740 through
Jobs@UVA (https://jobs.virginia.edu) and attach the following: CV, cover
letter describing qualifications and research trajectory, contact
information for three references, and two writing samples:
(1) an article-length sample of written work (attach to “Writing Sample
1” in Jobs@UVA), and
(2) the front matter [table of contents, acknowledgments, and
introduction] of your dissertation or, if appropriate, book (attach to
“Writing Sample 2” in Jobs@UVA).
Review of applications will begin January 15, 2016, and will continue
until the position is filled. The committee anticipates conducting
on-campus interviews in February, 2016. A letter of invitation will be
provided to candidates who are selected for an interview.
Questions regarding the application process for Jobs@UVa should be
directed to:
Cameron Clayton
Administrative Coordinator
MESALC
rcc8k@eservices.virginia.edu
For additional information contact:
Daniel Lefkowitz, Chair
MESALC Film Studies Search Committee
dl2h@virginia.edu
The University will perform background checks on all new faculty hires
prior to making a final offer of employment.
The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity/affirmative action
employer. Women, minorities, veterans and persons with disabilities are
encouraged to apply.
6. 26th Annual Conference of ASEN: “Nationalism, Migration and Population Change”, London School of Economics and Political Science, 19-21 April 2016
Applicants are asked to consider the interplay between nationalism and population changes such as migration, differences in population growth rates and urbanization. We welcome both historical and contemporary perspectives from a wide array of disciplines.
Deadline for abstracts: 5 January 2015. Information: http://asen.ac.uk/conference/call-for-papers/
7. W3-Professorship in Oriental Studies (Arabic and Islamic Studies), Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany
The successful candidate will be expected to have research and teaching expertise in the discipline of Oriental Studies, especially in the early modern and modern developments of the culture, history, and religion of the Arab and Islamic worlds, combined with experience in working with sociological and anthropological approaches to these fields. Candidates should be familiar with German to the extent that they are able to teach in that language within a year’s time. The appointment begins April 1, 2016.
Deadline for application: 2 January 2016. Information: http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm/jobs/jobDetails/34044376
8. University of Exeter
Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Social Sciences with reference to the Middle East, University of Exeter
You will hold a PhD or equivalent in Middle East Studies, Politics, Sociology, Anthropology, Gender Studies or related fields, and have an independent, internationally-recognised research programme in an active field of Social Science and Gender Studies research related or complementary to existing Exeter strengths.
Deadline for application: 6 January 2016. For information contact Prof Christine Allison at C.Allison@exeter.ac.uk.
Two Al-Qasimi Chairs in Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter
The area of specialism sought for the two chairs is broadly conceived: all areas in the study of Islam using different disciplinary approaches and interdisciplinary methods. For both chairs, excellent mastery of the uses of Arabic is expected, and proficiency in other relevant languages (Persian, Turkish, Urdu, Kurdish, Indonesian) highly desirable.
Deadline for applications: 6 January 2016. Information: https://jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecruitment/wrd/run/ETREC107GF.open?VACANCY_ID=843651DajS&WVID=3817591jNg&LANG=USA
Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Gender Studies with reference to the Middle East and Islam, University of Exeter
You will hold a PhD or equivalent in Middle East Studies, Politics, Sociology, Anthropology, Gender Studies or related fields, and have an independent, internationally-recognised research programme in an active field of Social Science and Gender Studies research related or complementary to existing Exeter strengths.
Deadline for applications: 6 January 2016. Information: https://jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecruitment/wrd/run/ETREC107GF.open?VACANCY_ID=670875DaQc&WVID=3817591jNg&LANG=USA
9. Visiting Faculty Teaching on the Arab World and the Gulf Region, Kuwait Program at the Paris School of International Affairs at Sciences Po, 2016-2017
KSP is offering one-semester teaching opportunities. Selected visiting faculty will teach one graduate course in English, during one semester. This opportunity is open to both professors and practitioners. Applications from all social sciences and the humanities are welcome. Individuals from all nationalities may apply.
Application deadline: 31 January 2016. Information
www.sciencespo.fr/psia/sites/sciencespo.fr.psia/files/KSP_Visiting_Faculty_2016-2017.pdf
10. Hartwell and Sheikh Zayed MPhil Studentship for Starting Graduate Islamic Studies in October 2016, University of Cambridge
The studentship is available for those studying Islamic Studies in the Faculty of Divinity on the MPhil in Theology and Religious Studies. The sum awarded will cover the costs of fees and maintenance at either Home or Overseas rate following University guidelines, and may be offered to students undertaking study at MPhil level.
Deadline for applications: 2 December 2015. Information: www.orinst.ox.ac.uk/administration/grants/index.html#sheikhzayed
11. Articles for Journal “Zeitschrift für Recht und Islam”, edited by GAIR; Association for Arabic and Islamic Law
The journal is covering theoretical legal debate as well as the practical application of both secular and Islamic laws. The journal gives space to a wide range of perspectives and takes regard of the historical development as well as the interaction of “secular” and Islamic laws in different contexts.
Contributions can be submitted in German and English until 29 February 2016. Information: www.gair.de/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/CfP-ZRI-2016-English.pdf.
Posted in: Academic items- November 23, 2015
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