The current online study day on Shi’ism in Europe is a unique opportunity for young and senior scholars to deliberate on each other’s concerns and research outcomes in a particular collaborative atmosphere. We are honored to contribute to this first online study day on Shi’ism in collaboration with some scholars motivated by the shared objective of mapping the research agenda on Shi’a studies in some European and Middle Eastern countries. These contributions will certainly help us understand the multiple ways in which Shi’ism evolve in the European and Middle Eastern contexts. We hope that this event will facilitate scientific exchange on the contemporary Shi’ism and introduce new research ideas and collaboration opportunities between scholars of this field of study.

The conference language is English. Each speaker will present his/her paper in 20-minutes, followed by 10 minutes Q&A.

For further information, click here.

Between the Politics of Difference and the Poetics of Similarity|

This paper studies the ritual of Ashura as performed by a group of Shia Pakistani migrants in Piraeus, Greece, inscribed in the context of the financial crisis that is currently shaking the country and its socio-political implications, notably the rise of the far-right.

Little girl prepares to have her scalp slashed open in Islamic ritual

See also Wall Street Journal (subscriber only)
The Evening Standard (UK)
Huffington Post
The Independant (UK)
[Seemingly larger amount of coverage in the Western media this year than in previous years. If others have urls of sites to be added to this list, do send them to me.-Ed.]