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News Edited Volume on Non-Islamic Sacred Sites In Muslim Territories Call for Book Chapters Sacred architecture offers valuable insights into the priorities and prerogatives of the world’s great religions, while revealing cultural and political attitudes within and between those faiths. Of particular interest in the current global political climate are the relationships between architectural forms associated with Islam and those of non-Muslim communities. Whether constructed by non-Muslims in a predominantly Muslim society or preserved in their original forms and/or functions after the arrival of Islam, it is in the structures and spaces of non-Muslims that one may find some of the most potent articulations of cultural identity. We invite papers which examine structures and spaces created by and for non-Muslims in predominantly Muslim societies from the emergence of Islam in the 7th century to the present day. Papers may focus on a single monument, a building type, a particular city or region, a faith other than Islam, or any other topic relevant to the historical presence of non-Muslim sacred architecture in Islamic cultures. The papers could clarify how the new architecture responded to the contextual issues and traditions or how the new context influenced a historically established design. They could also discuss the pre-existing monuments preserved after the arrival of Islam; religious monuments constructed in an area under the political or religious control of Muslims; and monuments constructed by non-Muslims who arrived from elsewhere in regions under Muslim control. The editors are specifically looking for papers on the following topics: 1. Temples and churches in Islamic countries in South-east Asia such
as Indonesia and Malaysia Please send your inquiries and 300-word abstracts to Mohammad
Gharipour (mohammad@gatech.edu) and Stephen Caffey
(scaffey@arch.tamu.edu) by July 20, 2011. The Journal of Religion, Identity & Politics A graduate student journal of the Joint Ph.D. program in Religious and Theological Studies at the University of Denver and Iliff School of Theology Call for Papers for The Inaugural Issue of The Journal of Religion, Identity & Politics (JRIP) The Journal of Religion, Identity & Politics (JRIP) is an online graduate student journal of the Joint Ph.D. program in Religious and Theological Studies at the University of Denver and Iliff School of Theology. JRIP accepts articles on any aspect of religion, identity, and/or politics, but especially seeks articles that foster an interdisciplinary approach. Articles may be from any field or discipline, and may use any method or perspective, but JRIP encourages articles that speak to themes, issues, theories or events that are of interest to readers from diverse locations within the academy. Graduate Journal Submission Guidelines JRIP invites graduate students to submit original articles relating to issues of religion, identity, and/or politics for review for its January 1, 2012 inaugural publication.
· The deadline for submission is July 15, 2011. · Only on-line submissions will be accepted at jrip@iliff.edu. · Include in email subject line: “JRIP submission”. · Abstract and article should be submitted as one email with two separate .doc or .docx attachments. o Abstracts should be 300-350 words with clearly stated thesis and brief summary of research. o Articles, including notes and bibliography, should be at least 2,500 words and not exceeding 8,000 words to be considered for publication. · Please follow Chicago Manual of Style Sixteenth Edition (September 2010) for formatting and in text citation guidelines. Note that only 12-point font, double-spaced, .doc and .docx formatted documents will be accepted for review. · Clearly indicate full name, university affiliation, and contact information in the email only. · As a masked review, no personal identification information may appear in the abstract or article documents. The editorial board, as well as its faculty supervisors, reserves the right to not consider any submission that does not adhere to the submission guidelines. Contact Information: Call for Papers: Mobilization, Special Issue on Middle East Protest Mobilization (http://www.mobilization.sdsu. edu), the leading scholarly journal in social movement studies, plans a special issue on Middle East Protest, to be published in December 2012 (Volume 17, Number 4). Original research articles from any discipline are welcome, with special emphasis on papers that use vernacular-language empirical material to speak to the field of social movement studies as a whole. Maximum length is 40 pages, not including figures and tables. Please submit papers to the editor of the special issue, Charles Kurzman <kurzman@unc.edu>, by January 1, 2012. Call for Papers: Special Issue: Muslims and Political Change Guest Editors: Dr. Malik Mufti (Tufts University) and Dr. Katherine Bullock (University of Toronto) The immense political, social, and economic changes in various countries of the Muslim world have given Muslims a sense of hope that their struggles for freedom from authoritarian regimes are bearing fruit. This hope trembles in the face of an uncertain future. A special issue dedicated to the theme of Muslims and political change will allow for a timely reflection on the accomplishments and challenges of these times. The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences invites: Research papers (from the various disciplines of the social sciences and humanities) that reflect on all aspects of the theme of Muslims and political change. Possible Topics: Theoretical papers examining the successes and failures of the contemporary struggles to end authoritarian rule
Regular research papers should be between seven thousand and ten thousand words. All submissions should conform to AJISS guidelines: original, unpublished research and presented as double-spaced and single-sided. Please send all contributions as an attachment in MS-Word, with a 250-word abstract and a short bio, simultaneously to: Malik.Mufti@tufts.edu and Kathy@cy-tek.com. Submission Deadline: January 16, 2012 Publication Date: July 2012 More on AJISS guidelines, please go to: http://www.amss.org/AJISS/NotestoContributors.aspx The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences (AJISS) is a double blind peer-reviewed and interdisciplinary journal published by the Association of Muslim Social Scientists of North America and the International Institute of Islamic Thought. AJISS publishes a wide variety of peer reviewed scholarly research on all facets of Islam and the Muslim world: politics, history, economic philosophy, metaphysics, psychology, religious law, and Islamic thought, employing both empirical and theoretical analysis. AJISS aims to provide a forum for high-quality original research and critical dialogue and discussion, advancing both application of social sciences to the study of Islam and the Muslim world and an analysis of the social sciences. In addition, AJISS includes insightful reviews of published books of interest to our subscribers, as well as forum articles and conference reports. Call for Papers The winter 2011 issue of Islam & Science: Journal of Islamic Perspectives on Science, Civilization and Intellectual History (JIS) will be dedicated to the remembrance of Hujjatul Islam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, who passed away in Jumada II 505/December 1111, leaving behind a formidable body of scholarship which continues to inspire, direct, and guide millions of humans beings around the world. Generally acknowledged as one of the most influential figures of Islamic tradition, al-Ghazali’s life, times, and thought remains understudied. 11th International Conference on Urban History Cities & Societies in Comparative Perspective, Prague (29 August-1 September 2012) Deadline: October 1, 2011 DEPICTION AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE “OTHER”: ISLAMIC CITIES IN THE EYES OF EUROPEAN TRAVELERS (Panel S7) The Renaissance era is often said to be a significant turning point in European history, as a period of cultural and economic reformations
that were shaping the identity of the “West.” This new identity wasbased on a revolutionary shift in knowledge about the world in this
period. Cultural discovery of the non-Western lands, triggered after the 16th century by European travelers, opened new doors for cultural
and economic exchanges. The “discovery” of new territories by the Western-eye transformed the ‘mystical’ orient into immanent
geographies to be visited, explored, recorded, and something to be depicted. The ‘voyage to the Orient’, once an exceptional adventure,
evolved into a habit of the Western intellectual. In the corresponding period of time, the civilizations in Ottoman Turkey, Safavid Persia,
and Mughal India were experiencing diverse socio-political and cultural developments. The complex layers of political, economic, and
religious struggles, alliances, and rivalries among these empires gradually impacted on the development of cities in this region. The
progress in geographic discoveries and the ascending habit of travelling led to inevitable result of the definition of the “other” The papers of this panel could address the following issues: 1. What tools were used for the depiction of urban fabric and how these depictions were interpreted in the West and also in the East? The papers can analyze the correspondences and discrepancies between visual depictions and textual accounts and compare various forms of representation of the cities. The papers could initiate new comparisons among European and Muslim cities and encourage new cross-cultural discussions on the underlying factors behind their urban design and development. Session chairs: Mohammad Gharipour, College of Architecture and Planning, Morgan State University; mohammad@gatech.edu; and Nilay Ozlu, Bogazici University; Department of History; nilay.ozlu@gmail.com. All abstracts, maximum 500 words, should be submitted by October 1, 2011. For more information, please visit the website of the conference on http://www.eauh2012.com. Call for Submission - Journal of Sufi Studies The editors are pleased to invite submissions to the newly established
Journal of Sufi Studies. A bi-annual journal published by Brill, the Journal
of Sufi Studies furnishes an international scholarly forum for research on
Sufism. Taking an expansive view of the subject, the journal brings together
all disciplinary perspectives. It publishes peer-reviewed articles and book
reviews on the historical, cultural, social, philosophical, political,
anthropological, literary, artistic and other aspects of Sufism in all times
and places. By promoting an understanding of the richly variegated Sufi
tradition in both thought and practice and in its cultural and social
contexts, the Journal of Sufi Studies makes a distinctive contribution to
current scholarship on Sufism and its integration into the broader field of Submission guideli nes and procedures may be found at www.brill.nl/jss. General queries may be addressed to the Executive Editor at ohlandee@ipfw.edu. EDITORIAL BOARD Executive Editor: Erik S. Ohlander (Indiana University-Purdue University
Fort Wayne, USA); Editors: Paul Ballanfat (Galatasaray University, Turkey);
Daphna Ephrat (The Open University of Israel); Albrecht Hofheinz (University
of Oslo, Norway); Mahmud Erol Kılıç (Marmara University, Turkey); Book 1/8/2011 History Studies: Volume 3 Issue 1 - Call for Papers ISSN: 1309 4173 (Online), 1309 - 4688 (Print) The fifth volume (Volume 3 Issue 1) of the journal of History Studies (www.historystudies.net) will be published in March 2011. The quest editor of this volume will be Prof. Dr. Dursun Ali Akbulut from Ondokuz Mayis University in Turkey. In the Journal, articles which contain political, economic, social and military issues belonging to all existing civilizations, nations and states in the history of the world will be able to be published. We are waiting for your relevant studies. Membership is required in order to send articles. Necessary information for how to send articles and membership is available on the website www.historystudies.net. The articles which have been accepted by the referees will both be published on the website and printed in small numbers to be sent to the libraries. Deadline for sending articles for March 2011 volume is on 15 March 2011. How to Submit All articles can be submitted and tracked online at www.historystudies.net A free membership to HS website is required to submit research articles for publication, In order to become a member click on the “submit manuscript” link on the main page, www.historystudies.net Select your language from the drop down menu, and then click on the new member link, Create a username (your email) and a password, Follow the guidelines and fill in your information, Once your membership is approved by the editor, you can submit your articles from the same “submit manuscript” section using your username (your email address) and password, Please feel free to submit your manuscripts for review and for possible inclusion in a future issue of the HS. Yours Sincerely Dr. Assoc. Prof. Osman KOSE 1/8/2011 Call for Papers - Special Issue of SWB January 15 The editors of Societies Without Borders: Human Rights and the Social
Sciences (SWB)‹a double-blind, peer-reviewed electronic journal
devoted to cutting-edge research on human rights and public The basic contours of the CFP are as follows: Since the advent of the public sociology initiative in 2004 and the founding of the Section on the Sociology of Human Rights of the American Sociological Association in 2008, sociologists have increasingly embraced the human rights framework in their research, teaching, and service. In the same time period, universities have increasingly prioritized service learning and civic engagement as components of undergraduate and graduate education and training. The special issue of SWB will be devoted to the relationship between the sociology of human rights‹understood as the use of sociological theories, methods, and knowledge to identify human rights abuses and promote social change‹and the growing emphasis on service learning and civic engagement in universities. The editors are particularly interested in the following questions: How should sociologists teach human rights to students? How might service learning projects contribute to students¹ understanding of human rights issues? How might sociologists contribute to the debate on civic engagement? The deadline for submissions is January 15, 2011. For the submission guidelines see: Please submit manuscripts as e-mail attachments to: Submissions will be subject to the regular review process of SWB. We do hope that you will consider submitting your work to Societies Without Borders: Human Rights and the Social Sciences. You can visit our website at http://societieswithoutborders.org/ Meanwhile, should any questions arise, do not hesitate to contact us at ubmissions@societieswithoutborders.org. David L. Brunsma, Keri E. Iyall Smith, and Mark Frezzo 12/10/2010 Islam and Education - now published. Volume II focuses on education in Eastern Europe and Muslim Asia, capturing the essential issues in each of the countries studied, and how they vary across a vast region. The impact of culture and modernization on traditional societies, as well as the ways in which westernized modes of education are introduced, and the aspirations of youth are in turn determined. 12/7/2010 Call for Paper - Journal of Arab & Muslim Media Resarch Scope: Since its launch in 2008, the Journal of Arab and Muslim Media Research (JAMMR) has been leading the debate about these emerging rapid changes in media and society in that part of the world. There is hardly any journal so far specialising in Arab and Muslim media research and its repercussion on culture and social change. Thus what distinguishes this new journal is its wider scope related to media, communication and culture in not only the ‘Middle East’, but the 22 countries of the Arab world in addition to the rest of the Muslim countries in Africa and Asia. The journal thus aims to: Audience: The journal serves a large international community of academics, researchers, students, journalists, policy makers and other members of the public in the West as well as the Arab and Muslim countries. Features: Editor: 12/7/2010 London Academy Of Iranian Studies - Islamic Perspective Journal - Number 4, 2010 http://iranianstudies.org/journals/islamic-perspective-journal-number-4-2010/ The Fourth volume of the Journal of Islamic Perspective has been published by the London Academy of Iranian Studies' Centre for Sociological Studies. The journal is comprised of 14 articles, 2 Books Reviews and one Interview in 322 pages. The Journal of Islamic Perspective is a peer reviewed publication of the Center for Humanities and Sociological Studies, affiliated to the London Academy of Iranian Studies (LAIS) and aims to create a dialogue between intellectuals, thinkers and writers from the Islamic World and academics, intellectuals, thinkers and writers from other parts of the Globe. Issues in the context of Culture, Islamic Thoughts & Civilizations, and other relevant areas of social sciences, humanities and cultural studies are of interest and we hope to create a global platform to deepen and develop these issues in the frame of a Critical Perspective. Our motto is homo sum; humani nihil a me alienum puto. Contributions to Islamic Perspective do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board or the Center for Humanities and Sociological Studies. To order a hard copy of the journal email sadreddin@iranianstudies.org. To download the electronic version of the Journal click here Contents: Interview Articles Book Reviews 11/29/2010 The Aga Khan University Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations invites you to learn more about its Master of Arts in Muslim Cultures which offers a distinctive way of understanding Muslim civilisations as they have evolved over time. Employing the tools of the humanities and social sciences as a framework for learning, the MA Programme stresses the plurality and complexity of past and present Muslim cultures, studying them as part of world cultures. Students study the arts, architecture, literature, history of science, economics and social conditions of Muslims alongside the more contemporary disciplines of jurisprudence, doctrine, religious practices and political sciences. A four-week field-based language immersion programme, co-curricular activities and field work, coupled with the development of research tools, are integral components of the MA Programme. This exciting Master¹s degree is taught by international experts and attracts a student body from around the world to its London-based campus. Application forms and details about financial assistance are available on our website: www.aku.edu/ismc/ma.shtml Deadline for applications: 31 January 2011 for September start 11/22/2010 Call for Papers Submissions are now accepted for the forth-coming issues. For more information, please visit: http://www.mathal.org/ Call for Reviewers 11/3/2010 The editors of Societies Without Borders: Human Rights and the Social Sciences (SWB)—a double-blind, peer-reviewed electronic journal devoted to cutting-edge research on human rights and public goods—invite you to submit manuscripts for a special issue on Human Rights Pedagogy, Service Learning, and Civic Engagement. The basic contours of the CFP are as follows: Since the advent of the public sociology initiative in 2004 and the founding of the Section on the Sociology of Human Rights of the American Sociological Association in 2008, sociologists have increasingly embraced the human rights framework in their research, teaching, and service. In the same time period, universities have increasingly prioritized service learning and civic engagement as components of undergraduate and graduate education and training. The special issue of SWB will be devoted to the relationship between the sociology of human rights—understood as the use of sociological theories, methods, and knowledge to identify human rights abuses and promote social change—and the growing emphasis on service learning and civic engagement in universities. The editors are particularly interested in the following questions: How should sociologists teach human rights to students? How might service learning projects contribute to students’ understanding of human rights issues? How might sociologists contribute to the debate on civic engagement? The deadline for submissions is January 15, 2011. For the submission guidelines see: http://societieswithoutborders.org/submissions/ Please submit manuscripts as e-mail attachments to: submissions@societieswithoutborders.org Submissions will be subject to the regular review process of SWB. We do hope that you will consider submitting your work to Societies Without Borders: Human Rights and the Social Sciences. You can visit our website at http://societieswithoutborders.org/ Meanwhile, should any questions arise, do not hesitate to contact us at submissions@societieswithoutborders.org Sincerely, David L. Brunsma, Keri E. Iyall Smith, and Mark Frezzo 10/29/2010 Call for Submissions: New Middle Eastern Studies (NMES), an e-Journal for Early Career Researchers and Graduate Students Developed under the Auspices of the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies (BRISMES). The Graduate Section of the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies invites submissions to its new e-journal, New Middle Eastern Studies. NMES is a peer-reviewed journal which will provide early career researchers and graduate students with a platform to showcase and share their work. We accept submissions in the following formats: - Traditional journal articles NMES will publish original work concerning the Middle East (broadly defined) in a wide range of disciplines. For further information on submission procedures, please go to our website at www.brismes.ac.uk/nmes. 10/262010 Call for Papers -
"Religion, Nationalism, and Change in Islamic Societies" 10/10/2010 Sources on Sufism - A bibliography on Sufism compiled by the members of IslamAAR listserv published in Books section. 10/01/2010 Call for Papers Workshop Organised by the Critical Political Economy Research Network of the European Sociological Association The Eurozone in Crisis: Challenges and Controversies in the European Political Economy(ies) and in Political Economy Research. Friday 18 Saturday 19 February 2011, Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany. The ongoing economic and political turmoil in the eurozone (for example, Greece's bailout, the downgrading of Spain's credit rating, Ireland's fall from grace) has highlighted the need for critical reflection on, and analysis of, developments in recent years. Accordingly, this workshop provides a forum for discussion of the European political economy(ies), plus the broader debates in critical political economy that have taken place in this period. Therefore, papers will be sought on, FIRSTLY, empirical issues linked to the challenges faced by: member states; regions within the eurozone (e.g. the so-called PIIGS); CEE countries wishing to join (e.g. issues of euroisation faced by Hungary, etc.); institutions such as the ECB; the euro as a global currency; the crisis itself (inclusive of the 2008-9 period and the current fall-out from Greece's troubles). SECONDLY, though, we are also interested in contributions which, while retaining Europe as their empirical focus, speak to broader conceptual and theoretical debates that have taken place over the past decade. To give a few examples, there have been lively discussions on: supranational governance in the light of the euro; the internationalisation of national states; the rise to prominence of inter alia the 'cultural political economy', 'everyday life' and 'neo-Poulantzian' literatures; neoliberalism; and 'models' of capitalism plus (in the European context) the notion of a social 'model'. As such, we seek contributions from scholars with an interest in political economy research, whatever their disciplinary affiliation (sociology, political science, economics, geography, anthropology, ethnology, development studies, area studies, history, etc.). Hence the workshop aims to attract a diverse range of junior and senior researchers, from postgraduate students to professors. To this end, limited funds will be availabe for assisting PhD researchers who present, especially those from Central and Eastern Europe, with their travel and accommodation costs. The workshop will be held on Friday 18 Saturday 19 February 2011 at Goethe University Frankfurt. Introducing the workshop will be Andreas Nölke, Professor of International Political Economy in the Department of Political Science and Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at Goethe University Frankfurt. This will be followed by a plenary address on global/supranational governance and the internationalisation of the state by Ulrich Brand, Professor of International Politics at the University of Vienna. There is no fee for attending and participating in the workshop. The workshop language will be English. Abstracts of no more than 250 words should be submitted to ianbruff@gmail.com by no later than Wednesday 13 October 2010. The applicants will be informed of the selection committee¹s decision by no later than Friday 22 October 2010. 9/27/2010 The Journal of Islamic Philosophy The Journal of Islamic Philosophy, a peer-reviewed journal in the field of Islamic thought, is seeking submissions for its upcoming issues. The journal is interested in receiving articles and book reviews on any aspect of Islamic theology (kalam), philosophy (falsafa), theoretical Sufism ('irfan nazari), and logic (mantiq). Interested authors may send their submissions along to me at mrustom@connect.carleton.ca. Articles are expected to be at least 3000 words in length, and written in English. Book review inquiries can be sent to Muhammad Hozien: mhozien@gmail.com Thanks, and best wishes. Dr. Mohammed Rustom 9/18/2010 Performing Islam (A new journal) Aims and scope Performing Islam is the first peer-reviewed interdisciplinary journal about Islam and performance and their related aesthetics. It focuses on socio-cultural as well as historical and political contexts of artistic practices in the Muslim world. The journal covers dance, ritual, theatre, performing arts, visual arts and cultures, and popular entertainment in Islam influenced societies and their diasporas. It promotes insightful research of performative expressions of Islam by performers and publics, and encompasses theoretical debates, empirical studies, postgraduate research, interviews with performers, research notes and queries, and reviews of books, events and performances. Call for contributions for the second issue: The journal, which is rigorously peer-reviewed, invites submissions that pursue original research in Islam in performance studies, and the study of the performativity inherent in the Islam related cultural production. Articles that encourage challenging debate on problem areas within this new field are also welcomed to the journal’s open forum, as are high quality articles usually published as peripheral items in journals from other disciplines. Proposals for special or themed issues will be considered. The sections of the journal, for the moment are as follows: 1. Fully-fledged articles (minimum length 8,000 words without any metadata, bibliographies or references) We plan two issues a year. Contact Founding Editor: Kamal Salhi (University of Leeds, UK): k.salhi@leeds.ac.uk 9/9/2010 Universal Table/Wising Up Press, Naturalized Citizenship & Constructive Acculturation - Calls for Submissions Universal Table/Wising Up Press is developing a series of projects in the coming year, both books and social conversations, focused on citizenship and constructive acculturation in order to add an engaged but also musing, exploratory voice to the current questions about immigration we face as a country. We do so with the hope of creating a more generous, nuanced and open conversation that acknowledges the genuine doubts and grievances on both sides: "No matter how long we live here, no matter what we do, you will never see us as equal." vs. "All you want are our resources, not our ideals." Our special focus is the social and psychological dynamics of naturalized citizenship, especially for women, and, in particular, the various repercussions of an intentional, personal commitment to values of individual equality and liberty that may be quite different from the values of a girl or woman's country and culture of origin. We do so with the understanding that these experiences will invite those of us who have unreflectively received citizenship as a birthright to think more deeply and clearly about what intentional commitments we need to make as citizens in a country whose essential claim to unity is the voluntary, intentional commitment to the core values of individual equality and the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness made repeatedly by different waves of immigrants in whom we each find our own progenitors. We are issuing Calls for Submissions for three anthologies that focus on groups whose perspectives we think are especially valuable in expanding different dimensions of this conversation: More specific information on each call can be found on our website under the titles below. We are looking for memoirs, essays, fiction and poetry firmly grounded in experience that combine passion, clear thinking, empathy and self-reflection. Natural Woman: Naturalized Citizen Chinese Daughters Except for the Paper, as American as You 9/9/2010 Mathal/Mashal: Journal of Islamic and Judaic Multidisciplinary Studies is a peer-reviewed, open access journal dedicated to scholarly discussion of topics present in the Islamic and Jewish traditions, cultures, and practices especially in the area where thematic and doctrinal aspects are common. The first issue will be published in 2011. Submissions are currently being accepted. 9/1/2010 The website for Iranian Studies Initiative at NYU (ISI-NYU) is now running and you can visit it at: http://www.isi-nyu.org 9/1/2010 "The Writing on the Wall: Calligraphy and Islamic Architecture" Book Project Dear Colleagues: We are in the process of launching a book project on the subject of Islamic calligraphy and rchitecture. This book will differ from most past publications on the subject in that it will focus not purely on epigraphic content but rather on the relationship between content and form. More specifically, the book will analyze textual content, calligraphic style, material, and architectural function in their mutual interactions. Please see the following for more details, including a tentative time table. The book will be in English, but contributions in other languages could be considered for translation. We currently have a significant number of pledged contributors planning to write on the Ottoman Empire, but other areas are not as well covered as of now. In particular, we would enthusiastically welcome contributions on the Persianate World, Central Asia, China and India. Whatever your specific interest, please let us know whether or not you would be interested in being part of this effort by 20 August 2010. The deadline for 300-word abstracts is September 10, 2010. If you have any questions about your potential topic or see any problems, including the time table, please let us know. Thanks and best regards, Mohammad Gharipour and Irvin Cemil Schick Emails: mohammad@gatech.edu The Writing on the Wall: Calligraphy and Islamic Architecture The advent of Islam in Arabia was a turning point in the development of architecture over large territories formerly belonging to the Byzantine and Sassanid empires. One dimension of this development was the enhanced role of writing on the built environment. To be sure, the Roman Empire had a long and distinguished history of monumental writing, but the centrality of the written text in Islamic faith and practice resulted in an innovative use of script in and on buildings. As calligraphy was established as a principal field of art in Muslim territories, it overflowed the confines of books and came to cover virtually every surface, whether of wood, metal, glass, textile, ivory, clay, or stone. The calligraphy on the interior and exterior of buildings was much more than a purely aesthetic or formal element. In specific zones of buildings, such as the entrance or the mihrab, the script often referred to issues related to construction and patronage. Carefully chosen texts contributed to establishing the sacrality of the space in which they were written, or to proclaiming or legitimating the power of the patrons who had commissioned the building. Different types of script transmitted messages about the nature of the political structure and the ruling establishment. Sometimes, albeit rarely, writing also functioned as an ornamental element that helped architects define spaces. By choosing diverse styles of calligraphy, which varied in size, density, and direction, and using different materials, architects and artists could stress centrality, verticality, or horizontality within spaces and even divide the interior into zones with different spatial qualities. Moreover, the level of abstraction and the type of material (e.g. tile, stucco, brick, and wood) determined the readability and visibility of the text and, consequently, affected the interaction between the users and the building. Above technical aspects was the spiritual role of calligraphy, which mostly captured eligious quotes from the Quran, the hadiths, and even mystical poetry. The employment of calligraphy in relation to the use of light and materials allowed architects, artists, and craftsmen to enhance the spirituality of spaces. The book chapters will explore the following topics, with special emphasis on the interrelations between form and textual content: - Typology of the calligraphy in terms of form and style (e.g. naskh, Kufi, thulth) The book chapters will focus on the use of inscriptions in buildings constructed from early Islamic age through the twentieth century in different Islamic regions from China to North Africa. Preference in the selection of papers will be given to the diversity of topics and geographical locations. The papers will be analytical and authors will be encouraged to avoid a purely descriptive language in their writings. Since there are numerous published catalogues on the architectural epigraphy of various cities or regions, authors are urged to focus not simply on the content of the inscriptions, but on their formal elements and on how their contents interact with those formal elements. Tentative Timeframe - July 2010: Personal invitations sent to selected scholars Estimated Length The book is expected to include an introduction and twelve to fourteen papers. Each paper will be 5500-6500 words (total: 75,000-95,000 words) and include 3e 3-8 images. The book will include a bibliography, contributors' biographies, and an appendix on terminology. 8/24/2010 Call for Papers for Special Issue of CyberOrient: Online Journal of the Virtual Middle East Call Description 01/08/2010 Islamic Heritage Project at Harvard Through the /Islamic Heritage Project/ (IHP), Harvard University has cataloged, conserved, and digitized hundreds of Islamic manuscripts, maps, and published texts from Harvard’s renowned library and museum collections. These rare—and frequently unique—materials are now freely available to Internet users worldwide. IHP is made possible with the generous support of *Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal* <http://islamicstudies.harvard.edu/overview/about_the_donor.php>.* For the IHP, Harvard’s Open Collections Program <http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu> (OCP) has produced digital copies of over 260 manuscripts, 270 printed texts, and 50 maps, totaling over 145,000 pages—with more items to be added in coming months. Users can search or browse online materials that date from the 13th to the 20th centuries CE and represent many regions, languages, and subjects. 6/8/2009 CFP: International Journal of Library and Information Sciences Introducing ‘‘International Journal of Library and Information Science” 1/08/09 AAR Book Awards - 2009 http://www.aarweb.org/Programs/Awards/Book_Awards/default.asp Analytical-Descriptive Studies Constructive-Reflective Studies The Euro-Islam website (www.euro-islam.info), is currently looking for
doctoral students and researchers working on Muslims in Europe and the US
for its website research team. Special focus on Muslims in Spain, Italy,
Scandinavia, Russia, and/or Bosnia is preferred. Language capabilities in Each week the researcher will forward the webmaster news stories covering current events impacting Muslims in these countries, with a short summary for each story. The researcher can also develop profiles on Islam and Muslims in these countries and their capital cities. While the Euro-Islam website cannot offer compensation, the researcher
will benefit from weekly research opportunities, networking/collaboration
opportunities through Harvard's Islam in the West Program, and access to a
large audience of scholars, politicians, and media professionals via the Please contact the webmaster Lisa Baughn at lisa@euroislam.info if
interested. Call for Articles for a new journal - Islamic Africa Islamic Africa is a new peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary journal published online by Northwestern University Press in collaboration with the Institute for the Study of Islamic Thought in Africa (ISITA) at the Program of African Studies of Northwestern University. Incorporating the journal Sudanic Africa and retaining its focus on historical sources, bibliographies, and methodology, Islamic Africa covers the field of Islam in Africa broadly understood to include the social sciences and humanities. The new journal seeks to promote the scholarly interaction among Africa-based scholars and those located institutionally outside the continent. The first issue will appear in Spring 2010. Islamic Africa invites scholars to submit essays, or short pieces, notices, and reports on research in progress to be considered for publication. Such submissions should make original contributions to knowledge. The material must not have been previously published, or be currently under review elsewhere. Submissions are welcome from any discipline in the social sciences and the humanities; the geographic focus includes the entire African continent, as well as the adjacent islands and the diaspora. Submissions should be sent electronically in both Microsoft Word and PDF formats to: Gianna Mosser, Managing Editor, Islamic Africa,islamicafrica@northwestern.edu. Gianna Mosser The Leiden University Centre for the Study of Islam and Society (LUCIS) invites you to their opening conference 'Islam, Science and Policy' on 14 October in the Academy Building. Conference partially in English and Dutch. http://www.hum.leiden.edu/news-agenda/lucis.html What is LUCIS? LUCIS is established at the beginning of 2009 by Leiden University as a collaboration of Leiden scholars from different faculties that are studying Islam and muslim societies. LUCIS' expertise is focused on the Middle East and North Africa, Southeast Asia including Indonesia, as well as the Netherlands and the West. The goal of LUCIS is to advance interdisciplinary research and education in the field of Islam and muslim societies. Also, LUCIS strives to contribute to social debate and policy-making. Concept of the conference The opening conference will try to elaborate on the connection between public opinion, policy, and scientific knowledge. In the past ten years in the Netherlands, a dichotomy has grown between politics and public opinion about Islam and muslims. Between the different camps, scientific knowledge about Islam and muslims has only played a limited part. LUCIS, together with sister organizations, sets as a goal to bring about change in this area. During the opening conference we hope to make a good start with this. The full day programme (in Dutch) can be downloaded from: Would you be so kind as to confirm your presence by sending the
downloadable form below to lucis@hum.leidenuniv.nl? For further
information you can contact Hannah Mason or Soumia Middelburg on
071-5278885/8817 or through the above e-mail address. 10/09/2009 Dr. Kecia Ali of Boston University prepared a set of Guidelines for Writing Conference Proposals and it is posted to the website as a pdf documents. 10/04/2009 Call for Papers: Fall 2009 The Sociology of Islam and Muslim Societies Newsletter Special Issue on Iran Contemporary Iran In light of the ongoing events in the aftermath of the tenth presidential election in Iran, we are exploring the idea of allocating our next issue of the Sociology of Islam and Muslim Societies Newsletter to examining the implications of this crucial development for the Islamic political thought. To that end, we are writing to solicit your reflection essays (about 1500 words or so) for this special issue. The title of this special issue is as follows: Thirty Years after the Iranian Revolution: Islam, Democracy, and the Crisis of Legitimacy. Those who would like to contribute can send us their short articles or book reviews by November 15th. Those who would like to contribute, can send their short articles or book review submissions (1500-2000 words) by November 15th to: Najm al-Din Yousefi: nyousefi@vt.edu and Tugrul Keskin: tugrulkeskin@pdx.edu 9/27/2009 CALL FOR PAPERS - “Religion, Finance & Ethics” Essays are being solicited for a special issue of the Bulletin for the Study of Religion on the timely theme of “religion, finance and ethics”. As the world recovers from the most significant financial crisis since the Great Depression, this special issue of the Bulletin will seek to explore issues of finance and economics as they relate to the academic study of the world’s religions. Of particular interest is the rise of Islamic finance, a topic much discussed by finance industry scholars and practitioners, as well as jurists, but comparatively under-analyzed in the field of religion studies. Aside from aspects of Islamic finance, topics may include, but are
certainly not limited to: religion in the age of financial capitalism;
economics and ethical debates within world religions; the ‘prosperity The CSSR Bulletin is one of the oldest North American publications in the study of religion and has one of the largest circulations of any periodical in the discipline. It has been published by the Council of Societies for the Study of Religion for 38 years. It will move to Equinox in 2010 (volume 39) – with a slight change of title to Bulletin for the Study of Religion. The Bulletin is committed to showcasing emerging scholarship and debates within the filed of religion studies and related disciplines. Essays are expected to be short and sharp, making critical contributions to the development of the academic study of religion. Articles should be 3,000 to 3,500 words long, with a minimum of endnotes and bibliographic references, and composed in Microsoft Word following The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th Edition (2003). SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE BY MARCH 31, 2010 Please e-mail and any inquiries or submissions to: Ibrahim Abraham,
University of Bristol, UK Bulletin for the Study of Religion 6/8/2009 CALL FOR PUBLICATION: Jihad in the 21st Century We would like to edit a book on the issue of the contemporary theories and practices of the Islamic tradition of jihad. The purpose is to gather a group of expertise from both the Muslim and Western Worlds who will approach this issue from various disciplines Approaches to jihad should be innovative. The aim is to discuss the issue of jihad and its relevance to the contemporary issues of: war – both domestic and international – peace, international law, international criminal law, international humanitarian law norms, domestic and international forms of terrorism. These discussions intend to explain the Islamic position on (1) the different form of the use of force in the post United Nations era by both state and non-state actors; (2) domestic and international acts of terrorism; and the international community position. Contributions can be made in any field (law, politics, social sciences, humanities and others) on the following non-exhaustive list: History of Jihad; Jihad in the Quran; Jihad in the Modern World; Jihad and International Law (self-defense for example); Jihad and Universal Human Rights; Islam and law of armed conflicts; Ethics; The Politics of Jihad; Fundamentalism; Terrorism. Any other topic not included in this list is welcome Please send an abstract (maximum 500 words) with title of the proposed chapter, affiliation and contact information as well as a resume/CV by July 1st, 2009 to Anicée Van Engeland anicee.vanengeland@mcgill.ca 1/15/09 The Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Rutgers University in New Brunswick is pleased to announce "The Iranian Revolution: Thirty Years" event. Admission is free to this conference and its related art exhibitions and documentary screenings. Admission to the Conference Dinner (Persian cuisine) and concert by Haale is by ticket only (for further information, please contact Ms Shehnaz Abdeljaber at peaceingardens@comcast.net). 1/08/09 Groups at AAR related with Islam have been added. See their members' contact information and CFPs for 2009 Conference at Islam at AAR section. 1/07/09 Syllabi for "Introduction to Islam", "Islamic History", and "Islam in the Modern World" classes taught by Dr. Anna Bigelow at North Carolina State University have been added. See list of classes at syllabi section. 12/15/08 ISIM to be closed as per 1 January 2009 - The International Institute for the Study of Islam in the Modern World (ISIM) will be closed as per 1 January 2009, due to the lack of adequate funding. ISIM was set up ten years ago by the universities of Leiden, Amsterdam, Utrecht and Nijmegen, and the Netherlands Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. more.. 12/10/08 Syllabus for "Modern Islamic Civilization" class, taught by Dr. Omid Safi at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has been added. See it here.. 12/09/08 The Department of Religious Studies at the University of Virginia, invites applications for an Assistant or Associate Professor of Religious Studies (tenure-track or tenure), with a specialization in Islam. more.. 12/08/08 Syllabus for "Islamic Heritage of Iran" class, taught by Dr. Omid Safi at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has been added. See it here.. 12/07/08 Syllabus for "Islam and Reform" class, taught by Dr. Omid Safi at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has been added. See it here.. 12/04/08 Study of Islam website has been started in December 2008. Main goal of this website's is to provide a venue for scholars of Islamic Studies to share their ideas and experiences. Please send your syllabi and other teaching material that you wish to share. You can also post related news, grants, and job openings. |
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