Shii News – Academic Items
1.CfP: Oxford Middle East Review
for our upcoming issue, themed “Resistance”.
We are currently accepting submissions that reflect on the position of the MENA’s people, civil societies, organisations, and governments, within a broader context of hegemonic and subaltern powers, with a broad temporal theme (though typically the contemporary MENA world, from the mid-1800s onwards). Papers will be considered for the journal’s two sections: a policy section (shorter pieces up to 2,000 words in length) and a research section (in-depth articles from 7,500-10,000 words). We are also welcoming interest in individuals who would like to review some of the latest books on the MENA region, of which we have a selection. Students can enquire as to the book review at omerjournal@gmail.com, and can submit to editors@omerjournal.com.
Deadline for Submission: 3 January, 2025
Full Submission Guidelines: https://omerjournal.com/submit/
To submit, please email: submissions@omerjournal.com
For general queries, please email: editors@omerjournal.com
The Oxford Middle East Review (OMER), established in 2016 at St Antony’s College, Oxford, is a student-run, peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary journal for discussion and debate on issues relating to the Middle East and North Africa. Our goal is to create an engaging forum that links academic work with contemporary social and political issues. We seek to bring a sense of urgency and wider societal relevance to the work of Middle Eastern Studies’ students and researchers.
2. Intellect is pleased to present Journal of Arab & Muslim Media Research 17.2.
For more information about the journal and issue click here>>
https://www.intellectbooks.com/journal-of-arab-muslim-media-research
3. Fellowship – Library of Congress Short-term Fellowship program
Sacred Soundscapes:
Music, Poetry, and Aurality within
African and Middle Eastern Religious Cultures
Short-term Fellowship Opportunities
The African and Middle Eastern Division (AMED) of the Library of Congress invites applications for short-term postdoctoral and senior fellowships on the theme of sacred soundscapes, defined in the broadest terms. There is no limitation regarding the time period covered but projects must relate primarily to the Library’s African, Middle Eastern, Hebraic and Central Asian collections. Researchers are encouraged to propose projects that utilize new methodologies, interdisciplinary approaches, or comparative perspectives to explore religious culture manifested in sonic traditions. Topics may include but are not limited to sacred music, poetry, spoken word, chanting, performance, mysticism and spiritual practices.
The fellowships are part of the Enhancing Public Understanding of Religious Cultures initiative, which aims in part to support innovative scholarship of some of the most understudied and misunderstood parts of the world through the collections of the Library of Congress. Four fellowships will be awarded each year on different annual themes through a competitive selection process.
This program is made possible through the generous support of the Religion and Cultural Institutions Initiative at the Lilly Endowment.
Eligibility:
Fellowships will be offered to individuals with doctoral degrees in the humanities or social sciences. To qualify for a Senior Scholar Fellowship, candidates must have held a doctoral or equivalent degree for at least seven years and have a strong record of publication. For an Emerging Scholar fellowship, individuals can be up to seven years beyond their doctoral or equivalent degree.
Applicants who are not U.S. residents but who otherwise meet the above academic qualifications may also apply and be considered for a fellowship, contingent upon the applicant’s visa eligibility.
Stipend & Tenure:
All appointments must start in 2025. Senior scholars are eligible for a stipend of $5,000 for a minimum residency of two weeks.
Emerging postdoctoral scholars are eligible for a stipend of $7,000 for a minimum residency of one month.
Deadline:
All application materials must be submitted by 11:59PM EST on January 20, 2025, including 2 letters of recommendation. Successful applicants will be notified by March 15, 2025.
Application
To apply, please visit: https://www.loc.gov/research-centers/african-and-middle-eastern/about-this-research-center/fellowship-information/
For questions or clarifications, please write to Nadine Sfarjalani at African@loc.gov
Specialists in the African and Middle Eastern division are available to discuss questions about the collections. Contact them at: https://ask.loc.gov/africa-middle-east
4. ONLINE Webinar: ‘Making Music in Iran from the 15th to the Early 20th Century’
with Amir Hosein Pourjavady
British Institute of Persian Studies (BIPS), 4 December, 2024, 5:00 pm UK Time
This presentation focuses on Music Making in Iran from the 15th to the Early 20th Century, recently published by Edinburgh University Press in association with Aga Khan University Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilization and Aga Khan Music Programme. The book provides a comprehensive study of music in Iran spanning from the Timurid period in the fifteenth century to the end of the Qajar period in the early twentieth century. It delves into various aspects of music making during this era, including the centers of musical patronage, the roles of patrons, music theorists, and musical treatises.
The book is structured into two parts, each comprising three chapters. Part I explores the historical and social contexts of music in Iran, examining aspects such as the social organization of musicians and the influence of courtesan and concubine culture. Part II delves into music theories and practices, addressing topics such as modal entities, court repertoires, rhythmic structures, and the evolution of genres and forms of composition.
Moreover, the study promises to illuminate the historical connections between Persian music and neighboring regions, such as the Azeri mugam. It also introduces methodologies that could be applied to the study of other large-scale ordered repertoires in the Middle East and Central Asia, including the Iraqi maqām, Tajik-Uzbek shashmaqom, and the Uyghur on ikki muqam.
Information and registration:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_k6-_AdWKR0y_Zd9Jex4tDw#/registration
5. Applications Open for Spring 2025 in Kurdish and Critical Muslim Studies
Zahra Institute is delighted to announce the opening of applications for our M.A. and Certificate Programs in Kurdish Studies and Critical Muslim Studies. The deadline for applications for Spring semester is 15 December 2024. The online, two-year M.A. programs consist of 31 credits. We welcome full-time and part-time students.
The Master of Arts in Kurdish Studies is the first of its kind in the United States. Our courses offer insights into the lives and cultures of the Kurds, a Middle Eastern people living in Kurdistan and beyond, spread across the borders of several modern states and linguistic and cultural zones.
The M.A. Program provides excellent background preparation for a doctoral degree in any field related to the Middle East and for those interested in pursuing careers in media, government, and international organizations. Our liberal arts approach to Kurdish Studies is based on rigorous academic standards and strong commitment to scholarly freedom.
The Master of Arts in Critical Muslim Studies approaches Islam and Muslims in the context of lived experience and history. It takes Muslim life as its primary object of study and underlines the relevance of the humanities and social sciences, including sociology, anthropology, history, and comparative religion.
The M.A. Program provides a strong interdisciplinary understanding of diverse Muslim experiences in global terms. It equips students with critical knowledge and skills in demand for excellent service in politics, law, education, and public policy.
For the 2025 Spring semester courses, Zahra Institute offers the following: Kurds in the Middle East: History and Politics, Kurdish Intellectual Profiles: Ehmedê Xanî, Muslim Societies, and Kurmanji and Sorani Kurdish language courses, among others.
We also offer Kurdish language courses as electives in the M.A. programs, or as standalone courses. For application information, visit our website: www.zahrainstitute.org .
Zahra Institute, a research center and graduate school located in Chicago, intends to provide an open, collaborative environment for learning, teaching, and scholarship in the fields of Kurdish Studies and Critical Muslim Studies.
6. CALL FOR BOOK PROPOSALS; The IHF Modern Iran Series
I.B. Tauris, an imprint of Bloomsbury Academic, is seeking book proposals for a new Open Access peer reviewed academic book series: The IHF Modern Iran Series
The Iran Heritage Foundation (IHF) will support successful applicants with Open Access publication
To submit a proposal to the series, please contact Rory Gormley (rory.gormley@bloomsury.com ) and Hassan Hakimian (hh2@soas.ac.uk )
Deadline for submission of the first round of proposals is January 31 2025.
7. CfP: special issue in Middle East Critiqueon the conceptual confusion between ‘state’ and ‘regime’ in the scholarship on the modern MENA.
Information at:
8. CfP: Deadline 10 Jan 2025. Visual Arts in Arabic and Islamic Manuscripts
Fourth Abu Dhabi International Conference on Manuscripts
“Visual Arts in Arabic and Islamic Manuscripts: Artistic Heritage and Contemporary Influence.”
Wednesday 8 October – Tuesday 9 October, 2025
Location: Cultural Foundation, Abu Dhabi, UAE
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi is pleased to announce that it will host the Fourth Abu Dhabi International Conference on Manuscripts at The Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation in 2025. Organized in collaboration with McGill University in Canada, this conference invites scholars across several disciplines, including art history, Islamic and Arabic manuscripts studies, cultural preservation, and digital humanities, to engage with the theme “Visual Arts in Arabic and Islamic Manuscripts: Artistic Heritage and Contemporary Influence.”
Held in Abu Dhabi, this conference explores the aesthetic and cultural significance of Arabic and Islamic manuscripts, including their influence on contemporary art. We welcome papers that address the core themes listed below and related subjects aligned with the main theme. Proposals will be peer-reviewed, and accepted papers will be eligible for inclusion in a formally published volume of conference proceedings.
Conference Themes:
- Historical and Cultural Context of Visual Arts in Arabic and Islamic Manuscripts
Explore the evolution of visual arts across Islamic eras and the impact of Islamic art schools on manuscripts, examining the relationship between text and imagery. - East-West Cultural Exchange and its Impact on Visual Arts and Manuscripts
Analyse the mutual influences between East and West in Islamic manuscripts, tracing how they became instruments for cultural knowledge and exchange. - The Role of Visual Arts in Shaping Arabic and Islamic Manuscripts
Discuss distinctive visual arts such as calligraphy, illumination, miniatures, and examine their religious, cultural, and artistic value. - Artistic Excellence in Medical, Scientific, and Literary Manuscripts
Investigate creative elements in manuscripts across medical, astronomical, geographical, mathematical, and literary domains. - The Role of Digital Technology in Manuscript Preservation
Assess the importance of digital technology in the preservation of manuscripts and their artistic heritage, with a focus on digitisation, conservation, and archiving techniques. - Islamic Manuscripts in Contemporary Art and Future Directions
Examine how contemporary artists reinterpret Islamic manuscript art, integrating traditional elements into modern forms.
Important Dates:
- Abstract Submission Deadline: January 10th, 2025.
- Review of proposals by the Conference Committee: January 11 to February 2nd, 2025.
- Notification of Acceptance: February 3rd, 2025.
- Full Paper Submission Deadline: September 5th, 2025.
Submission Guidelines:
- Submit abstracts via conference submission form
- Abstracts should not exceed 500 words; full papers should be 4,000–6,000 words.
- Include an updated academic CV in Arabic or English.
- Papers must be original and unpublished.
- Ensure that submissions meet academic standards and offer scholarly value.
- Papers can be submitted in Arabic or English only.
Additional Notes:
- No registration fee.
- The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi will issue visas for accepted participants.
- Travel and accommodation for one author per accepted paper.
- Breakfast, lunch, and coffee breaks provided for all invited participants.
- Both in-person and virtual participation options, with online streaming and recording.
For more details and inquiries, please contact: manuscript@dctabudhabi.ae
9. CFP for the 6th International Graduate Conference in Late Antique, Islamic and Byzantine Studies, ‘Shifting Fortunes in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages’.
The deadline for submissions is 21st February, and applicants will be notified by 7th March.
Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages Edinburgh’s Centre for Late Antique, Islamic and Byzantine Studies (CLAIBS) is pleased to announce the call for papers for the 6th International Graduate Conference in Late Antique, Islamic and Byzantine Studies, to take place on 24th-25th April, 2025, at the University of Edinburgh. We invite papers which approach the theme of ‘shifting fortunes’ in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, from a global perspective.
For more information: edibyzpg@ed.ac.uk
Posted in: Academic items- November 23, 2024
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