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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260225T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260225T180000
DTSTAMP:20260121T192614Z
CREATED:20260121T192614Z
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SUMMARY:Pourdavoud Lecture Series: Verena Lepper
DESCRIPTION:Elephantine Goes Global: Island of the Millennia\nWednesday\, February 25\, 2026\n4:00pm\nRoyce Hall 306\n  \nAlternate Live Stream on Zoom: https://ucla.zoom.us/j/94774888079\nRSVP Link: https://forms.gle/uhWcmWsk8DDH1Rdv9\n  \nOver a period of ten years a research project funded by the European Research Council (ERC) was conducted at the National Museums in Berlin entitled “Localizing 4000 years of Cultural History. Texts and Scripts from Elephantine Island in Egypt.” Elephantine is an island on the Nile River in southern Egypt. Some of the research results are the digitalization\, transcription\, and translation of more than 10\,000 texts written on papyrus or clay shards in ten different languages and scripts\, including hieroglyphics\, Hieratic\, Aramaic\, Coptic\, and Arabic. Following this research\, an exhibition was carried out on Berlin’s Museum Island\, entitled: “Elephantine. Island of the Millennia.” The online version of this exhibition has been made available very recently and will be discussed here. The entire exhibition is trilingual\, carried out in Arabic\, English\, and German\, and was put together in close collaboration with the Egyptian Ministry for Tourism and Antiquities. Museums and research can function as soft power. The exhibition and this talk showcase the relevance of 4\,000 years of cultural history across several different ancient ethnic groups\, including contemporary art. Thus “Elephantine Goes Global” now. \n  \nVerena Lepper is the Head of the Department of Antiquities at the Getty Villa and joined the J. Paul Getty Museum in October 2025. A distinguished Egyptologist and curator\, she served for eighteen years as Curator of Egyptian and Oriental Papyri at the Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection\, Berlin (National Museums Berlin). Lepper has led major international exhibitions and research projects in Germany and abroad\, including in Doha\, Abu Dhabi\, and at Harvard University. She also directed the Institute of Ancient Near Eastern and Hellenistic Religion at Humboldt University in Berlin. Her research focuses on Egyptian and Oriental papyri\, language and religion\, as well as literary and cultural history\, and the history of science and the arts. To strengthen cultural diplomacy between Germany and the Arab world\, she founded in 2013 the Arab German Young Academy of Sciences and Humanities (AGYA)\, which she continues to lead. She serves on several committees and supervisory boards focused on cultural and science policy. She was educated at Bonn\, Oxford and Harvard University and is the author of twenty books and numerous articles for which she received several awards.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/pourdavoud-lecture-series-verena-lepper/
LOCATION:Royce 306
CATEGORIES:Iranian,NELC,Pourdavoud Institute
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2026-02-25_Lepper-web-image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260211T163000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260211T183000
DTSTAMP:20260116T225412Z
CREATED:20260116T225412Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260116T225412Z
UID:21041-1770827400-1770834600@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Chaucer’s “Ioveris maladye / Of Hereos\,” Avicenna’s Treatise on Love\, and an Arabic-Islamic Metaphysics of Love
DESCRIPTION:  \nThe CMRS Center for Early Global Studies\, the Near Eastern Languages and Cultures department\, and the Comparative Literature department are pleased to present a talk with Shazia Jagot (York University) titled Chaucer’s “Ioveris maladye / Of Hereos\,” Avicenna’s Treatise on Love\, and an Arabic-Islamic Metaphysics of Love. \nThe talk will take place on Wednesday\, February 11\, 2026 from 4:30-6:30pm in Kaplan 348. \nPlease register to attend here.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/chaucers-ioveris-maladye-of-hereos-avicennas-treatise-on-love-and-an-arabic-islamic-metaphysics-of-love/
LOCATION:Kaplan 348
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2-11-26-Shazia-Jagot-flyer.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260126T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260126T130000
DTSTAMP:20251211T191423Z
CREATED:20251211T191423Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251211T191423Z
UID:20980-1769425200-1769432400@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Bilingual Lecture Series: Ali Gheissari
DESCRIPTION:Hasan Pirnia and Constitutional Experience: Articulation of Public Law and the Prospects of Modern State in Iran\, 1905-1925\nAli Gheissari\nUniversity of San Diego\nMonday\, January 26\, 2026 \nLecture in English \nBunche Hall 10383\, 11:00am \nZoom link for hybrid online viewing both days: https://ucla.zoom.us/j/92182697630 \nThe topic of this presentation will be an assessment of the role of Hasan Pirnia (Moshir al-Dowleh) in the Iranian Constitutional Revolution and his contribution to articulating a theory of public law and the institutional requisites of the modern state in Iran. Given the limitations of time—and setting aside biographical details and the extensive accounts of the political events of the period—we shall focus specifically on two interrelated topics concerning the theoretical aspects of Pirnia’s political thought that also reflect the experience of the Constitutional Revolution in Iran. First\, the question of public law; and second\, the institutions necessary for the creation of a modern state. The Constitutional Revolution in Iran was not merely a political event but a transformation in the political mindset of Iranian society. A society that had lived for centuries under the notion of autocratic monarchy was\, at the beginning of the twentieth century\, attempting to experience the idea of a state governed by law and accountable to the nation. In this process\, there were a few statesmen—such as Hasan Pirnia—who\, under Iran’s circumstances at the time\, sought to open a challenging path between traditional structures and the creation of a modern state in Iran. \n  \n  \nAli Gheissari studied law and political science at Tehran University and history at Oxford and later taught at the University of San Diego. He has held visiting appointments at St. Antony’s College\, Oxford\, Brown University\, and the University of California\, Irvine\, and has written extensively in Persian and English on the intellectual history and politics of modern Iran and on modern philosophy and social theory. More recent publications include Iranian Studies: Selected Writings (Brill\, 2026); “Lost and found in translation: Kant in Persian Philosophical Prose” (Sophia Perennis\, Iranian Institute of Philosophy\, 2025); “Fruits of the Gardens: Ethics\, Metaphysics\, and Textual Pleasures in late Qajar Iran” (Journal of Persianate Studies\, 2024); and “Unequal Treaties and the Question of Sovereignty in Qajar and early Pahlavi Iran” (Ann Lambton Memorial Lecture\, 2023). Professor Gheissari has been the Editor-in-Chief of Iranian Studies; is on the Editorial Board of Iran Studies book series (published by Brill); and serves on the Board of Trustees of the Persian Heritage Foundation. His current research is on aspects of legal and constitutional history of modern Iran.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/bilingual-lecture-series-ali-gheissari-2/
LOCATION:10383 Bunche Hall\, 11282 Portola Plaza\, Los Angeles \, CA\, 90095\, United States
CATEGORIES:Iranian,NELC
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-01-25_Gheissari-web-image.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="UCLA Iranian Studies":MAILTO:iranianstudies@humnet.ucla.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260125T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260125T180000
DTSTAMP:20251211T191244Z
CREATED:20251211T191140Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251211T191244Z
UID:20975-1769356800-1769364000@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Bilingual Lecture Series: Ali Gheissari
DESCRIPTION:Hasan Pirnia and Constitutional Experience: Articulation of Public Law and the Prospects of Modern State in Iran\, 1905-1925\nAli Gheissari\nUniversity of San Diego\nSunday\, January 25\, 2026 \nLecture in Persian \nRoyce Hall 314\, 4:00pm \nZoom link for hybrid online viewing both days: https://ucla.zoom.us/j/92182697630 \nThe topic of this presentation will be an assessment of the role of Hasan Pirnia (Moshir al-Dowleh) in the Iranian Constitutional Revolution and his contribution to articulating a theory of public law and the institutional requisites of the modern state in Iran. Given the limitations of time—and setting aside biographical details and the extensive accounts of the political events of the period—we shall focus specifically on two interrelated topics concerning the theoretical aspects of Pirnia’s political thought that also reflect the experience of the Constitutional Revolution in Iran. First\, the question of public law; and second\, the institutions necessary for the creation of a modern state. The Constitutional Revolution in Iran was not merely a political event but a transformation in the political mindset of Iranian society. A society that had lived for centuries under the notion of autocratic monarchy was\, at the beginning of the twentieth century\, attempting to experience the idea of a state governed by law and accountable to the nation. In this process\, there were a few statesmen—such as Hasan Pirnia—who\, under Iran’s circumstances at the time\, sought to open a challenging path between traditional structures and the creation of a modern state in Iran. \n  \n  \nAli Gheissari studied law and political science at Tehran University and history at Oxford and later taught at the University of San Diego. He has held visiting appointments at St. Antony’s College\, Oxford\, Brown University\, and the University of California\, Irvine\, and has written extensively in Persian and English on the intellectual history and politics of modern Iran and on modern philosophy and social theory. More recent publications include Iranian Studies: Selected Writings (Brill\, 2026); “Lost and found in translation: Kant in Persian Philosophical Prose” (Sophia Perennis\, Iranian Institute of Philosophy\, 2025); “Fruits of the Gardens: Ethics\, Metaphysics\, and Textual Pleasures in late Qajar Iran” (Journal of Persianate Studies\, 2024); and “Unequal Treaties and the Question of Sovereignty in Qajar and early Pahlavi Iran” (Ann Lambton Memorial Lecture\, 2023). Professor Gheissari has been the Editor-in-Chief of Iranian Studies; is on the Editorial Board of Iran Studies book series (published by Brill); and serves on the Board of Trustees of the Persian Heritage Foundation. His current research is on aspects of legal and constitutional history of modern Iran.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/bilingual-lecture-series-ali-gheissari/
LOCATION:314 Royce Hall
CATEGORIES:Iranian,NELC
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-01-25_Gheissari-web-image.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="UCLA Iranian Studies":MAILTO:iranianstudies@humnet.ucla.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260112T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260112T130000
DTSTAMP:20251210T224234Z
CREATED:20251210T224234Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251210T224234Z
UID:20961-1768215600-1768222800@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Bilingual Lecture Series: Panel on Afghan Refugees in Iran
DESCRIPTION:Panel on Afghan Refugees in Iran\nJanuary 12\, 2026\n11:00am Pacific Time\nOnline via Zoom\nIn Persian and English\nRegistration Required\nRegistration Link: https://ucla.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_hcYEa8i_QB6EIvQRBb9YEw \nMunazza Ebtikar\nPANEL MODERATOR \nDr. Munazza Ebtikar recently completed her PhD (2025) in Politics\, History\, and Anthropology at the University of Oxford. She was a 2024-2025 Peace Fellow at Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs and currently serves as Co-Principal Investigator of Stanford’s Sonic Resistance Archive\, documenting Afghan cultural production. She holds an MPhil in Modern Middle Eastern Studies from Oxford and completed her undergraduate studies at UC Berkeley with degrees in Peace and Conflict\, Middle Eastern Politics\, and Near Eastern Languages and Literatures. Dr. Ebtikar is co-editing “Civil Resistance in Afghanistan” and brings multilingual research capabilities in Persian\, Arabic\, and Pashto to her work on Afghanistan’s contemporary political and cultural transformations. \n  \n  \nAshraf Haidari\nAfghan Refugees in Iran: Precarious Protection\, Forced Returns\, and Pathways Forward \nAmbassador Ashraf Haidari is a distinguished diplomat and humanitarian leader\, serving as the Founder and President of Displaced International (DI). From 2018 to 2022\, he was Afghanistan’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Director-General of the South Asia Cooperative Environment Program (SACEP)\, leading initiatives on regional security\, economic cooperation\, climate resilience\, and sustainable development. At Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs\, he held key roles\, including Director-General of Policy and Strategy and Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires at the Afghan Embassies in Delhi and Washington\, D.C. His leadership is deeply shaped by his personal journey as a former refugee. He earned a B.A. in Political Science and International Relations from Wabash College\, followed by a Master’s in Security Studies at Georgetown University and a graduate certificate in Refugees\, Migration\, and Humanitarian Emergencies. \n  \n  \nMejgan Massoumi\nLives in Transit: Afghan Cultural Producers Navigating Precarity and Policing in Iran \nMejgan Massoumi is an Assistant Professor of History at Carnegie Mellon University. Her current book project examines the history of radio in Afghanistan\, revealing how music and sound shaped politics\, culture\, and everyday life at the crossroads of Asia and the Middle East. Her research has been supported by the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS)\, the Social Science Research Council (SSRC)\, and the American Institute of Afghanistan Studies (AIAS)\, and her dissertation received the World History Association’s 2023–24 Best Dissertation Prize. Dr. Massoumi earned her PhD in History from Stanford University in 2021. She also holds degrees in Architecture (B.A.) and City Planning (M.C.P.) from the University of California\, Berkeley\, grounding her scholarship in a cross-cultural and interdisciplinary perspective. \n  \n  \nMitra Naseh\nIncreasingly Restrictive Migration Policies for Afghans in Iran \nMitra Naseh is a forced migration scholar\, currently serving as an Assistant Professor and the Founding Director of the Forced Migration Initiative (FMI) at the Brown School\, Washington University in St. Louis. Her research focuses on the multidimensional social and economic integration of forcibly displaced populations\, shaped by her interdisciplinary academic training\, lived experience as an immigrant\, and extensive fieldwork with non-governmental organizations and United Nations agencies\, particularly in the Middle East and South Asia. She is the co-author of the widely recognized book Best Practices in Social Work with Refugees and Immigrants\, published by Columbia University Press in 2019. \n  \n  \nZuzanna Olszewska\nBeyond Dorr-e Dari: The Global Literary Ripples of a Pioneering Refugee Cultural Institution in Iran \nZuzanna Olszewska is Associate Professor in the Social Anthropology of the Middle East at the University of Oxford and a fellow of St. John’s College\, Oxford. She is an anthropologist with a particular interest in the literary and cultural production among the Afghan diaspora. She is author of award-winning monograph The Pearl of Dari: Poetry and Personhood among Young Afghans in Iran (Indiana University Press\, 2015) and numerous articles. She is also a translator of Persian-language poetry from Afghanistan.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/bilingual-lecture-series-panel-on-afghan-refugees-in-iran/
LOCATION:Online Via Zoom
CATEGORIES:Humanities,Iranian,NELC
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2026-01-12_Afghan-Refugees-Panel-web-image.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="UCLA Iranian Studies":MAILTO:iranianstudies@humnet.ucla.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251203T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251203T180000
DTSTAMP:20251120T001836Z
CREATED:20251120T001651Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251120T001836Z
UID:20939-1764777600-1764784800@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Pourdavoud Lecture Series: Antigoni Zournatzi: Greek-Persian Encounters c. 550–c. 330 BCE
DESCRIPTION:Wednesday\, December 3\, 2025 \nRoyce Hall 306\, 4:00pm \nDownload Event Flyer Here \nZoom link for online attendance: https://ucla.zoom.us/j/91230760258 \nRSVP link \nGreek-Persian Encounters c. 550 – c. 330 BCE: Looking Beyond Stereotypes\nAncient Greek—and particularly Athenian—bias against the Achaemenid empire has contributed significantly to the modern perception of historical relations between the Greeks and the Persians as a quintessential example of the clash of civilizations and East-West political\, cultural\, and ideological distinctness and conflict. This presentation considers the historical circumstances which gave rise to the negative stereotypes about the Persians reflected in ancient Greek sources. Departing from the emphasis on rivalry\, it equally seeks to draw attention to written\, archaeological\, and iconographic testimonies that speak to a more nuanced picture of Greek responses to Persia and to intercultural phenomena that were promoted by the multifaceted interactions between the Greek and Persian worlds during the Late Archaic and Classical periods. \n\n\n\nAntigoni Zournatzi\nNational Hellenic Research Foundation \n\n\n\nAntigoni Zournatzi-Tsami is Director of Research at the Institute of Historical Research of the National Hellenic Research Foundation. Her main areas of research are the interconnections between the ancient Greek world and the ancient Near East\, cross-cultural phenomena in archaic and classical Cyprus\, and the Achaemenid Empire. She is currently a Guest Researcher at the Getty Villa\, engaging in research that relates to the formative input\, of which the encounters with the Achaemenid Persian empire played a crucial part\, on the Greeks’ evolving definitions of identity and ethnicity. The ongoing project\, Mapping Ancient Cultural Encounters: Greeks in Iran ca. 550 BC – ca. AD 650\, which she coordinates\, seeks to promote a holistic view of ancient Iranian and Greek interactions in Iran proper on the strength of an integrative inventory of different source materials and sites across historical periods.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/pourdavoud-lecture-series-antigoni-zournatzi-greek-persian-encounters-c-550-c-330-bce/
LOCATION:Royce 306
CATEGORIES:Humanities,Pourdavoud Institute,Yarshater Center
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025-12-3_Zournatzi-web-image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251117T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251117T130000
DTSTAMP:20251006T194335Z
CREATED:20251006T194335Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251006T194335Z
UID:20877-1763380800-1763384400@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Between Ramat Rahel and Jerusalem in the 7th Century BCE
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/between-ramat-rahel-and-jerusalem-in-the-7th-century-bce/
LOCATION:365 Kaplan Hall
CATEGORIES:NELC
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251116T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251116T180000
DTSTAMP:20251027T163900Z
CREATED:20251006T201123Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251027T163900Z
UID:20883-1763308800-1763316000@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Bilingual Lecture Series: Panel Discussion on Iran’s Current Economic\, Political\, and Environmental Situation
DESCRIPTION:Panel Discussion on Iran’s Current Economic\, Political\, and Environmental Situation\nSUNDAY\, NOVEMBER 16\, 2025\n4:00 PM PST \nNOW ONLINE ONLY\nTo watch on Zoom: https://ucla.zoom.us/j/97789716771 \nPanelists Include: \nIran’s Water Crisis: Current Realities and Preconditions for Solutions\nAmir AghaKouchak is a Chancellor’s Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth System Science at the University of California\, Irvine. He also serves as Director of UC Irvine’s Center for Hydrometeorology and Remote Sensing (CHRS)\, where his team develops innovative tools for monitoring and modeling hydrologic extremes. In addition\, he is the Lead for Water\, Climate\, and Infrastructure Risk at the United Nations University Institute for Water\, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH)\, contributing to global efforts on sustainable water management and climate resilience. His research focuses on natural hazards and climate extremes\, bridging the disciplines of hydrology\, climatology\, and remote sensing. A central theme of his work is the study of interactions among climatic and non-climatic hazards\, particularly compound and cascading events. Dr. AghaKouchak has published over 270 peer-reviewed journal articles and has received numerous honors\, including the AGU James B. Macelwane Medal\, AGU Fellow\, ASCE EWRI Fellow\, ASCE Norman Medal and ASCE Huber Research Prize. \nIran’s Perilous Political Landscape: Domestic and International Challenges\nMehrzad Boroujerdi is Vice Provost and Dean of College of Arts\, Sciences\, and Education at Missouri University of Science and Technology. Previously he was a Professor of Government and International Affairs and Director of the School of Public and International Affairs at Virginia Tech\, Professor of Political Science at Syracuse University\, and President of the Association for Iranian Studies.  Dr. Boroujerdi earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Boston University\, his master’s degree in political science from Northeastern University\, and his Ph.D. in international relations from The American University (Washington\, D.C.). He has been a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University\, a Rockefeller Foundation Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin\, a visiting scholar at UCLA\, and a non-resident scholar at the Middle East Institute (Washington\, D.C.). \nFrom Critical to Hypercritical: Economy of Iran after the Iran-Israel War\nNader Habibi is the Henry J. Leir Professor of Practice in the Economics of the Middle East at Brandeis University’s Crown Center for Middle East Studies. Before joining Brandeis University in June 2007\, he served as managing director of economic forecasting and risk analysis for Middle East and North Africa in Global Insight Ltd. Mr. Habibi has worked in academic and research institutions in Iran\, Turkey and the United States since 1987. He earned a master’s degree in systems engineering\, and a PhD in Economics from Michigan State University. His most recent research projects are a) Economic relations of Middle Eastern countries with China\, b) Economic and social conditions of Kurdish regions in Iran\, Iraq\, Syria and Turkey\, and c) Economic relations of Turkey with Iran and Arab countries. Habibi served as director of Islamic and Middle East Studies at Brandeis University (August 2014-August 2019). Links to his publications are available at https://naderhabibi.blogspot.com/. \n  \nEvent in Persian\, moderated by Nayereh Tohidi (California State University\, Northridge)\n  \nThis event is made possible with the co-sponsorship of the UCLA Program of Iranian Studies and the UCLA Center for Near Eastern Studies\, as well as with the major support of the Amuzegar Chair in Iranian and the Musa Sabi Term Chair of Iranian Studies.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/panel-discussion-on-irans-current-economic-political-and-environmental-situation/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Humanities,Iranian,NELC
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-11-16_Economics-Panel-web-image.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="UCLA Iranian Studies":MAILTO:iranianstudies@humnet.ucla.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251105T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251105T180000
DTSTAMP:20251006T202234Z
CREATED:20251006T202023Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251006T202234Z
UID:20896-1762358400-1762365600@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Pourdavoud Lecture Series: Lucinda Dirven: Zoroastrianism in the Religious Context of the Arsacid Empire
DESCRIPTION:November 5\, 2025 \nRoyce Hall 306\, 4:00pm \nDownload Event Flyer Here \nZoom link for online attendance: https://ucla.zoom.us/j/94920554065 \nRSVP link: https://forms.gle/2BmZz73crt582bJJ8 \nZoroastrianism in the Religious Context of the Arsacid Empire\nUnlike the tendency to emphasize the multifaceted and diverse aspects of religious life in the Parthian Empire\, this talk aims to identify shared characteristics by focusing on the religious preferences of the Arsacid rulers. Although Zoroastrianism was not yet clearly defined at this time\, evidence suggests that Zoroastrian ideas influenced the ideology of Arsacid kingship. Conversely\, the ideology of the King of Kings influenced the practices of families and rulers who reigned under their suzerainty\, including those who were otherwise unaffected by Zoroastrianism. Although such practices were rare\, they still had repercussions for the religious lives of the populace in the Arsacid Empire. \n\n\n\nLucinda Dirven\nUniversity of Nijmegen \n\n\n\nLucinda Dirven is a professor of ancient religions at the University of Nijmegen in the Netherlands. She studied art history and theology (history of religions and comparative religion) at Leiden University\, where she obtained her PhD\, which was published in 1999. Following a postdoctoral fellowship in the archaeology department at the University of Amsterdam\, she taught in the history departments at the universities of Utrecht and Amsterdam. Since completing her PhD\, her research has focused on the Roman and Parthian Near East\, particularly Dura\, Hatra and Palmyra\, and the influence of these regions on the Roman West. Her research combines material culture and written sources\, primarily focusing on religion. One recent topic has been religious continuity and change in Syria and Mesopotamia\, particularly during the Roman and Parthian periods. She is currently a Getty Scholar working on a project focusing on the cult of Mithras in Dura-Europos.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/pourdavoud-lecture-series-lucinda-dirven-zoroastrianism-in-the-religious-context-of-the-arsacid-empire/
LOCATION:Royce 306
CATEGORIES:Humanities,NELC,Pourdavoud Institute
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-11-5_Dirven-web-image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251015T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251015T210000
DTSTAMP:20250904T194514Z
CREATED:20250904T194514Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250904T194514Z
UID:20798-1760551200-1760562000@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Fowler Films: The Dawn is Too Far: Stories of Iranian-American Life
DESCRIPTION:The UCLA Program of Iranian Studies is pleased to co-sponsor the following event: \nThe Dawn is Too Far: Stories of Iranian-American Life\n  \nClick here to RSVP.\n  \nThis compelling documentary highlights the untold stories of eight Iranian Americans in the San Francisco Bay Area\, weaving together personal narratives from both Iran and the United States. Co-directed by Persis Karim\, the film offers a poetic and multifaceted perspective that challenges the predominance of negative media portrayals of Iran. \nThe documentary delves into the experiences of the Bay Area Iranian diaspora\, exploring how their lives and work have been shaped by this unique region\, while also showcasing their profound contributions to its cultural and social fabric. Featuring rare archival footage\, the film presents a layered narrative that brings new depth to our understanding of this community\, especially at a time when Iran is regularly in the news again. \nFollowing the screening\, a moderated Q&A session will be held with co-director Persis Karim and Kevan Harris\, vice chair and associate professor of sociology at UCLA and lead researcher for the UCLA Iranian Diaspora Dashboard. A reception will follow. \nPersis Karim is director emeritus of the Center for Iranian Diaspora Studies at San Francisco State University\, where she also taught in the Department of Humanities and Comparative World Literature (2015-25); previously\, she taught at San Jose State University for 17 years. She is the editor of three anthologies of Iranian diaspora literature and has published numerous articles on this subject in academic journals\, as well as poetry and essays in non-academic publications. The Dawn is Too Far: Stories of Iranian-American Life is her first film; it reflects her interest in documenting and sharing the larger history as well as personal stories of those who are part of the global Iranian diaspora. \nKevan Harris is a historical sociologist who studies social change and development in Iran and the broader Middle East. He is the author of A Social Revolution: Politics and the Welfare State in Iran\, a fieldwork-based analysis of how three decades of social policy reshaped Iran’s politics and social classes. His research examines how the Iranian state has developed over time\, how welfare programs have shaped society\, how business and government interact\, and how class mobility has changed across generations. He has directed large-scale survey research projects\, including the Iran Social Survey\, which examines patterns of social stratification\, mobility\, and political attitudes within Iran. He also conducts research on the history of the Iranian diaspora\, including Iranian Americans. \nThe screening and reception are generously presented by the Farhang Foundation\, in partnership with the UCLA Center for Near Eastern Studies\, with additional support from the UCLA Program of Iranian Studies and the UCLA Program on Central Asia. \n\n\n\n\n  \nImage courtesy of Persis Karim
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/fowler-films-the-dawn-is-too-far-stories-of-iranian-american-life/
LOCATION:UCLA Fowler Museum
CATEGORIES:Iranian,NELC
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/10-15-iranian2.webp
ORGANIZER;CN="UCLA Iranian Studies":MAILTO:iranianstudies@humnet.ucla.edu
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251008T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20251008T180000
DTSTAMP:20250911T162632Z
CREATED:20250911T155854Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250911T162632Z
UID:20802-1759939200-1759946400@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Pourdavoud Institute and Yarshater Center 2025 Fall Welcome
DESCRIPTION:Pourdavoud Institute and Yarshater Center 2025 Fall Welcome Reception\nWednesday\, October 8\, 2025\n4:00 – 6:00 pm\nRoyce Hall 306\nRegistration Requested\nThe Pourdavoud Institute for the Study of the Iranian World and the Yarshater Center for the Study of Iranian Literary Traditions invites you to join us for a fall reception. \nIn the company of our supporters\, colleagues\, academic affiliates\, students\, and esteemed guests\, we shall be introducing the Institute and Center’s stimulating programming and research agenda for the academic year 2025–26. \nLight refreshments will be served. Parking in Lot 2 or Lot 5 is recommended. \nRSVP
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/pourdavoud-institute-and-yarshater-center-2025-fall-welcome/
LOCATION:Royce Hall Room 306\, 10745 Dickson Plaza\, Los Angeles\, CA (CALIFORNIA)\, 90095
CATEGORIES:Iranian,NELC,Pourdavoud Institute,Yarshater Center
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/pourdavoud-fall-welcome-2025.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250601T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250601T180000
DTSTAMP:20250423T161003Z
CREATED:20250417T231040Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250423T161003Z
UID:20279-1748793600-1748800800@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Bilingual Lecture Series: Nepotism in the Islamic Republic of Iran
DESCRIPTION:پدیدهٔ خویشاوند سالاری در جمهوری اسلامی ایران\nNepotism in the Islamic Republic of Iran\nSunday\, June 1\, 2025 | 4:00-6:00 PM Pacific | Royce Hall\, Room 314 \nAlternate live stream via Zoom: \nhttps://ucla.zoom.us/j/91262030653 \n(No need to register in advance\, just click the link at 4:00pm on June 1 to join.) \n \nIn 1962\, Leonard Binder\, a keen observer of Middle Eastern politics\, noted that “nepotism is a strict family obligation in Iran.” More recently\, Assef Ashraf described the Qajar state as a “familial state.” During the Pahlavi dynasty\, the dominant influence of the “thousand families” in Iranian affairs was evident. Even the massive social revolution of 1979 did not alter Binder’s astute observation about nepotism\, which persisted in the Islamic theocracy that followed. Post-revolutionary Iran’s political landscape remains significantly influenced by informal institutions and kinship ties. This talk will focus on one such primordial network: family ties. Drawing on a longitudinal study of over 2\,800 members of the political elite in the Islamic Republic\, the speaker has compiled the most extensive list of familial connections. He argues that understanding the dynamics of post-revolutionary politics in Iran requires recognizing (a) the significant role of informal politics and (b) the kinship and marital ties of officeholders\, beyond a simple focus on embedded formal institutions and political structures. \nAbout the Speakers\nDr. Mehrzad Boroujerdi is Vice Provost and Dean of College of Arts\, Sciences\, and Education at Missouri University of Science and Technology. Previously\, he was a Professor of Government and International Affairs and Director of the School of Public and International Affairs at Virginia Tech (2019-2022) and Professor of Political Science at Syracuse University (1992-2019). He is the author of Tarashidam\, Parastidam\, Shikastam: Guftarhay-i dar Siyasat va Huvyiyat-i Irani (Tehran\, 2010) and Iranian Intellectuals and the West: Tormented Triumph of Nativism (Syracuse University Press\, 1996); co-author of Post-revolutionary Iran: A Political Handbook (Syracuse University Press\, 2018); and editor of Mirror for the Muslim Prince: Islam and Theory of Statecraft (Syracuse University Press\, 2013). His articles have appeared in Comparative Studies of South Asia\, Africa and the Middle East\, Critique: Journal for Critical Studies of the Middle East\, International Third World Studies Journal and Review\, Iranian Journal of International Affairs\, Iranian Studies\, Foreign Service Journal\, Journal of Peace Research\, Middle East Economic Survey\, and Syracuse Law Review.Dr. Boroujerdi has been President of the Association for Iranian Studies\, a fellow of the American Council on Education\, a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University and a Rockefeller Foundation Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin\, a visiting scholar at UCLA\, a non-resident scholar at the Middle East Institute (Washington\, D.C.)\, and a Co-PI of Iran Data Portal. \n  \n  \nDr. Ali Akbar Mahdi will serve as a discussant following the lecture.  He is emeritus professor of Ohio Wesleyan University and currently teaches sociology at California State University\, Northridge.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/bilingual-lecture-series-nepotism-in-the-islamic-republic-of-iran/
LOCATION:314 Royce Hall
CATEGORIES:Bilingual Lecture Series,Iranian,NELC
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/BLS-Flyer-Boroujerdi-web-image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250521T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250521T180000
DTSTAMP:20250320T201530Z
CREATED:20250320T201230Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250320T201530Z
UID:20121-1747843200-1747850400@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Pourdavoud Lecture Series: Gunvor Lindström
DESCRIPTION:The Denavar Satyrs as Time Travelers: From Ancient Persia to Greece\, Rome\, and 20th Century Collections\n\nThe influence of Greco-Roman artistic traditions on the Parthian Empire (c. 250 BCE–225 CE) remains a subject of debate\, with little direct evidence attesting to their presence. One long-overlooked artifact that challenges this assumption is the recently reconstructed Denavar Vase\, a monumental stone bowl adorned with a satyr frieze in the Greek style. The reconstruction of this bowl—its fragments now dispersed across museums and collections on three continents—suggests that it once formed part of a local ruler’s palace décor\, reflecting a deep engagement with the visual language of the Roman elite. The second part of this lecture traces the biographies of these fragments since their discovery around 1914. It will follow the track of famous scholars and connoisseurs who incorporated the pieces into their collections\, and go on a varied journey through the art history and historiography of Hellenistic and Parthian art. This journey also explores 19th-century decorative arts and museum presentations\, ultimately navigating the political history from the First to the end of the Second World War. \nAbout the Speaker \n\n\nDr. Gunvor Lindström is a Classical Archaeologist with a deep engagement in neighboring disciplines. A leading expert on Hellenism in the Ancient East\, she has conducted extensive research across Central Asia\, Iran\, and Mesopotamia\, focusing on the Hellenistic and Parthian periods. Since 2004\, she has conceived and led several high-profile projects at the German Archaeological Institute’s Eurasia Department. Her work on Hellenistic and Kushan Bactria includes studies of votive practices\, notably the offerings from the famous Oxus Temple. She also discovered and excavated a Hellenistic sanctuary at Torbulok in modern Tajikistan (2013–2018)\, now a key reference point for Hellenistic Bactria. In recent years\, she has focused on Hellenistic art in Central Asia and Iran\, conducting the first systematic study of bronze and marble statues from Kale-e Chendar in Khuzestan (better known as Shami) and reconstructing a monumental bronze portrait statue of a Hellenistic ruler in the National Museum of Iran. \n\nClick here to register for this event.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/pourdavoud-lecture-series-gunvor-lindstrom/
LOCATION:Royce 306
CATEGORIES:Iranian,NELC,Pourdavoud Institute
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Pourdavoud-Lecture-Series-Lindstroem-web-image.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250518T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250518T130000
DTSTAMP:20250327T221542Z
CREATED:20250327T221542Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250327T221542Z
UID:20198-1747567800-1747573200@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Bilingual Lecture Series: Fallen in the Whirlwind: The Odyssey and Destiny of Iranian Victims of Stalinist Great Repression in the Soviet Union
DESCRIPTION:فتادگان در گردبا: گفتاری درباره سرگذشت و سرنوشت قربانیان ایرانی سرکوب‌های فراگیر استالینی در شوروی\nFallen in the Whirlwind: The Odyssey and Destiny of Iranian Victims of Stalinist Great Repression in the Soviet Union\nSunday\, May 18\, 2025 | 11:30 am – 1:30 pm \nZoom Registration: \nhttps://ucla.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rBjt0ANzRrSrmOOM7chltg \n \nThis talk introduces a new monograph that explores the lives of Iranian political activists and migrant workers who sought refuge in the Soviet Union during the 1930s\, only to become victims of the Stalinist purges. Drawing from unpublished documentary sources\, the presentation examines the roles these individuals played in the international communist movement\, as well as their contributions within industrial labor\, political activism\, and literary circles. It addresses significant gaps in the historical narratives of Stalinism\, the international communist movement\, and Iranian-Soviet relations\, offering fresh insights into this critical chapter of history. \nAbout the Speakers \nTouraj Atabaki is a Senior Researcher at the International Institute of Social History and Professor Emeritus\, holding the Chair of the Social History of the Middle East and Central Asia at Leiden University. He has coordinated several major projects\, including Practicing Modernization in Turkey and Iran and Social History of Labor in the Iranian Oil Industry\, 1908-2008. He has also contributed to the international project The Global Collaboratory on the History of Labor Relations\, 1500-2000 and participated in research on Migration and Repression in Iran and the Soviet Union as well as Soviet Political Migrants in Iran in the 1920s and 1930s. Atabaki’s extensive body of work includes numerous authored and edited volumes\, such as Azerbaijan: Ethnicity and Autonomy in 20th Century Iran; Men of Order: Authoritarian Modernization under Atatürk and Reza Shah; Iran and the First World War: Battleground of the Great Powers; The State and the Subaltern: Modernization\, Society and the State in Turkey and Iran; and Central Asia and the Caucasus: Transnationalism and Diaspora. His most recent books are Fallen in the Whirlwind: The Odyssey and Destiny of Iranian Victims of Stalinist Great Repression in the Soviet Union and Toiling for Oil: A Social History of Petroleum in Iran (Cambridge University Press). \n  \n  \n  \nLana (Svetlana) Ravandi-Fadai\, Ph.D.\, is a senior researcher and the Head of the Eastern Cultural Center at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences\, a professor at the Russian State University for the Humanities\, and a senior researcher at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow. Lana grew up in Baku\, in the Soviet Socialist Republic of Azerbaijan\, during the relatively quiet Brezhnev years of the 1970s. As it has been for centuries\, Baku was a cosmopolitan city\, a cultural crossroads of which she was very much a part\, her father having immigrated from Iran. This environment sparked her interest in the different ethnicities and religions of the Persianate world\, their syncretic culture and interaction with modernity\, in particular with ideologies such as Communism. Dr. Ravandi-Fadai’s book\, Political Parties and Organizations of Iran (2010)\, traces the formation of modern political parties in Iran from the early 20th century to the present\, and was chosen out of 700 new publications as runner-up for Best Book of the Year on Political Science and the Middle East by the Russian Academy of Sciences. She was a contributor to the quadralingual book Storied Land: Kurdish Culture Through the Eyes of Russian Scholars (2014) and co-authored The Past and Present of Religious Mentoring in Shia Islam (2017) about the institution of marja’ taqlid. Her upcoming book\, Victims of Their Faith\, co-authored with Dr. Touraj Atabaki\, traces the fates of Iranian communist revolutionaries in the first half of the 20th century.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/bilingual-lecture-series-fallen-in-the-whirlwind-the-odyssey-and-destiny-of-iranian-victims-of-stalinist-great-repression-in-the-soviet-union/
CATEGORIES:Bilingual Lecture Series,Iranian
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/BLS-Flyer-Atabaki-web-image.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250516T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250516T160000
DTSTAMP:20250509T175556Z
CREATED:20250509T175556Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250509T175556Z
UID:20351-1747411200-1747411200@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Implode / Explode: Forms of Violence in Gilgamesh and the Iliad with Sophus Helle
DESCRIPTION:The many comparative studies that have considered the relation between Gilgamesh and the Iliad\, whether looking for the influence between them or not\, have explored such similarities as the two heroes’ love (Gilgamesh’s for Enkidu and Achilles’ for Patroclus)\, shared phrases and concepts in the poems\, and echoes between their narrative arcs. This talk will instead focus on one striking dissimilarity between the two epics: the emotional reactions of the two main characters to the death of their beloveds. These reactions\, Gilgamesh’s implosion and Achilles’s explosion\, spark structurally opposite narrative trajectories\, as Gilgamesh rejects death in every conceivable way while Achilles just as comprehensively embraces it. \nDrawing on the comparative methodology developed by Johannes Haubold—which neither disallows nor necessitates a direct influence between the texts being studied—this talk will juxtapose the formal and conceptual structures of the violence unleashed by the deaths of Enkidu and Patroclus. As the talk shows\, the different paths taken by the grief and violence in each text ultimately converge on a vision of total death\, literalized by two scenes of omnicidal violence: the sack of Troy and the devastating Flood.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/implode-explode-forms-of-violence-in-gilgamesh-and-the-iliad-with-sophus-helle/
LOCATION:161 Dodd Hall\, 390 Portola Plaza\, Los Angeles\, CA\, 90095\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Sophus-Helle-Flyer.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250514T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250514T180000
DTSTAMP:20250407T205430Z
CREATED:20241210T215238Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250407T205430Z
UID:19849-1747238400-1747245600@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Pourdavoud Lecture Series: Wu Xin
DESCRIPTION:Imperial Foundations of the Silk Road: Persian Roads and Han Walls\n \nWhile the Silk Road is often celebrated as a pivotal example of early globalization\, scholarship has primarily focused on the consequences of its connectivity\, neglecting the crucial question of its formation and operational logistics. This lecture re-examines the origins and mechanisms of this trans-Eurasian network during the latter half of the first millennium BCE. It posits that the imperial ambitions of the Achaemenid Persian and Han Chinese dynasties were fundamental in establishing this communication network. Specifically\, the Persian Royal Road facilitated movement from Central Asia to the Mediterranean\, while the Han dynasty’s extensive wall systems provided security and strategic control from Chang’an to Samarkand. This analysis\, drawn on archaeological discoveries from Central Asia and wester China\, argues that the combined infrastructural investments of these geographically and temporally distinct empires laid the groundwork for the roads that ultimately interconnected the ancient Eurasian world. \nAbout the Speaker  \nWu Xin received her undergraduate and master’s training at Beijing University\, focusing on Chinese archaeology and Central Asian Buddhist Art. She earned her PhD at the University of Pennsylvania\, specializing in the art and archaeology of the ancient Near East. Her dissertation\, titled “Central Asia in the Context of the Achaemenid Persian Empire (6th to 4th Centuries B.C.)\,” reflects her interest in the interactions between Central Asia and the Achaemenid imperial power. With extensive experience in archaeological projects\, Wu Xin directed the Kyzyltepa Project in Uzbekistan and is finalizing a monograph titled Persia and the East\, which presents her renewed scholarship on the relationships between Central Asia\, the Eurasian steppe\, and the Achaemenid Empire. Previously a professor in the Department of History at Fudan University in Shanghai\, Wu Xin currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology at Bryn Mawr College. \nClick here to register for this event.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/pourdavoud-lecture-series-wu-xin-2/
LOCATION:Royce 306
CATEGORIES:Iranian,NELC,Pourdavoud Institute
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Pourdavoud-Lecture-Series-Wu-Xin-web.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250428T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250428T170000
DTSTAMP:20250225T170230Z
CREATED:20250225T165810Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250225T170230Z
UID:20064-1745848800-1745859600@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Symposium – (Mis)Using the Bible: White Evangelicalism & Christian Nationalism in America
DESCRIPTION:White Evangelicalism and Christian Nationalism has occupied an increasingly prominent position since—and in many ways before—the first Trump administration. Events such as January 6 and the second Trump presidency have highlighted the entanglement of politics and religious belief that is central to Christian Nationalism. This symposium brings together several scholars to discuss various aspects of white Evangelicalism and Christian Nationalism\, particularly as they connect to modern and contemporary American politics. The symposium serves as a forum for investigating topics such as tolerance and religious pluralism\, the use of anti-abortion protests\, and the intersection of race and Christian Nationalism. Further\, the symposium opens a discussion on how Evangelicalism and Christian Nationalism use and misuse biblical and historical material to bolster their narratives. \nSpace is limited. RSVP here for the in-person event. \nRegister here for the Zoom link here. \nSymposium Schedule: \n2pm–2:10pm: Welcome – Carol Bakhos\, Chair\, Study of Religion \n2:10pm-2:30pm: Introduction and Opening Remarks by Gina Konstantopoulos\, Symposium Moderator – “Evangelizing Antiquity: The Museum of the Bible and the Appropriation of the Past” \n2:30pm-3:00pm: Sophie Björk-James – “To Be Pro-life in an Age of Extinction: Abortion\, Christian Nationalism\, and Ecological Denial” \n3:00pm-3:20pm: Break \n3:20pm-3:50pm: Brooklyn Walker – “Counterpoint in the Heavenly Choir:  Christian Nationalism\, Anti-Christian Nationalism\, and the Multivocality of American Christianity” \n3:50pm-4:20pm: Michael R. Fisher\, Jr. – “Race\, Politics\, and Christian Nationalism in the Second Era of Trump” \n4:20pm-5pm: Discussion and Q&A \n  \nOpening Remarks: “Evangelizing Antiquity: The Museum of the Bible and the Appropriation of the Past” \nFounded in 2017 by David Green\, the Museum of the Bible stands as an impressive institution: it boasts seven floors and 430\,000 square feet of exhibition space\, all located two blocks from the National Mall in Washington DC. The museum presents a narrative wherein historical and religious evidence and artefacts are utilized to bolster an evangelical perspective. This talk discusses how the Museum of the Bible\, as well as other evangelical institutions\, utilize the past in particular in their attempt to craft—and moreover legitimize—their own\, often very specific\, narrative. \n\nGina Konstantopoulos is an associate professor in Assyriology and Cuneiform studies in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at the University of California\, Los Angeles. Her research centers on religion\, magic\, and literature in Mesopotamia\, with a focus on the role of demons and monsters. She is the author of The Divine/Demonic Seven and the Place of Demons in Mesopotamia (Brill\, 2023). She has authored articles on demons and monsters in Mesopotamia\, translations of Sumerian and Akkadian texts\, and the reception of Mesopotamia in later pre-modern and modern contexts. \n  \n“To Be Pro-life in an Age of Extinction: Abortion\, Christian Nationalism\, and Ecological Denial” \nWithin Christian Nationalism\, anti-abortion and anti-environmental politics are united. Since white evangelicals adopted an anti-abortion stance between the late 1970s and early 1980s\, they have sought to make it the most significant moral issue of our time. Abortion can then act as a moral pivot\, re-directing concern away from other problems\, especially environmental ones. Drawing on long-term research on white evangelical politics in Colorado\, this talk shows how within Christian Nationalism concern about abortion often serves to occlude care about the environment and the climate crisis. The significance of this is hard to overstate in our current era of climate crisis and species collapse. \n\nSophie Bjork-James is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Vanderbilt University. She has over ten years of experience researching both the US based Religious Right and the white nationalist movements. She is the author of The Divine Institution: White Evangelicalism’s Politics of the Family (Rutgers 2021\, winner of the Anne Bolin & Gil Herdt Book Prize) and the co-editor of Beyond Populism: Angry Politics and the Twilight of Neoliberalism (2020). She has been interviewed on the NBC Nightly News\, NPR’s All Things Considered\, BBC Radio 4’s Today\, and in the New York Times. Her work has received support the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research\, the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion\, the American Academy of Religion\, the National Science Foundation\, and the Mellon Foundation. She is currently working on a new book exploring how young people understand abortion in a state that has implemented a total abortion ban. \n  \n“Counterpoint in the Heavenly Choir:  Christian Nationalism\, Anti-Christian Nationalism\, and the Multivocality of American Christianity” \nThe Bible has been used to give voice to the concepts of rule by religious precept and ethnocentrism central to Christian nationalism. But\, in opposition to religious nationalism\, the Bible has also been used to proclaim themes of pluralism\, equality\, and liberty. Using data drawn from a survey of American Christians\, I explore the extent to which both Christian nationalist and anti-Christian nationalist ideas derived from the Bible have taken hold in the public. Among American Christians\, support for Christian nationalism and anti-Christian nationalism are positively linked. While anti-Christian nationalist ideas have the potential to improve tolerance\, feelings of threat can silence these messages supportive of religious pluralism. \n\nBrooklyn Walker is an Instructor of Political Science at Hutchinson Community College and will be joining the University of Tennessee-Knoxville as Assistant Professor in the fall of 2025. Brooklyn is interested in how people come to think of themselves as members of politicized groups and in the effects of politicized identities on intergroup relations and public opinion. Her projects have explored the intersections of Christian nationalism and religious and racial group identities. She also researches in the areas of political psychology\, racial and ethnic politics\, and gender and politics. \n  \n“Race\, Politics\, and Christian Nationalism in the Second Era of Trump” \nAlthough Christian nationalism ideology resonates across the United States\, it’s important to recognize that\, like many demographic groups\, supporters of Christian nationalism don’t universally subscribe to the same ideas. Existing research focuses almost exclusively on White Americans who qualify as Christian nationalism adherents and sympathizers (hereafter Christian nationalists) and does so through observational analysis with few exceptions. This presentation leverages observational analysis and causal inference to examine the ideological and political differences between Black\, White\, and Latine Americans who qualify as Christian nationalists. \n\nMichael R. Fisher Jr.\, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor in the political economy of race/racism in the Department of African American and African Studies and is a Faculty Affiliate at the Center for the Study of Religion at The Ohio State University. Trained as an interdisciplinary scholar\, Dr. Fisher’s areas of specialization include race\, policy\, and socio-economic inequality and race and religion. He holds research appointments at the Metropolitan Policy Center at American University\, the National Initiative of Mixed-Income Communities at Case Western Reserve University\, and the Institute for Gender Studies at the University of South Africa. He is also a 2023–25 Public Fellow with the Public Religion Research Institute and is editor of Confronting Racism and White Supremacy in the US: Twenty-First-Century Theological Perspectives (Friendship Press\, 2024). \nOrganized by Gina Konstantopoulos\nCo-sponsored by the UCLA Department of History and Near Eastern Languages and Cultures.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/symposium-misusing-the-bible-white-evangelicalism-christian-nationalism-in-america/
LOCATION:Royce Hall Room 306\, 10745 Dickson Plaza\, Los Angeles\, CA (CALIFORNIA)\, 90095
CATEGORIES:NELC
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Christian-nationalism_header.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250428T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250428T130000
DTSTAMP:20250318T232920Z
CREATED:20250318T232920Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250318T232920Z
UID:20114-1745838000-1745845200@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Bilingual Lecture Series: The Mahsa Movement and the Feminist Uprising in Iran
DESCRIPTION:The Mahsa Movement and the Feminist Uprising in Iran\nMonday\, April 28\, 2025 | 11:00 am – 1:00 pm \nZoom Registration: \nhttps://ucla.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_iPW7un5RTfySMm-7Eicfrg \n \nThis book talk will focus on a social movement that brought new characteristics to the fore\, not only in Iran\, but also in the Muslim world. It was probably the first genuine\, global\, and extensive feminist movement in Iran ever\, and perhaps in the Muslim world. This is not to deny that women have played a significant role in social movements in many Muslim countries since the nineteenth century. But within these movements\, women were not in the vanguard\, did not become the main actors\, did not express their feminist demands in clear opposition towards the powers that be\, and men did not follow them en masse. The anthropological characteristics of the Mahsa Movement (or the Movement “Woman\, Life\, Liberty”) are analyzed throughout this book in what seems to be its major characteristic\, namely rejecting the Islamic Regime’s machoistic ideology of martyrdom and proposing instead a culture of Joy and Happiness\, in which women play a central role\, notably by freeing their body from the yoke of the imposed veil. \nAbout the Speaker \nFarhad Khosrokhavar is a retired professor at École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Paris\, France. His academic interests are in social movements in Iran\, mainly after the Islamic Revolution; the Arab Revolutions of 2010–12; Jihadism in Europe with a particular focus on France; and philosophical foundations of social sciences. He has published around 40 books\, mostly written in French and English\, with translations of these works appearing in many other languages including Italian\, German\, Spanish\, Kurdish\, and Arabic. He has also authored around 100 articles in French\, English\, and Persian\, with German\, Italian\, Spanish\, Arabic translations. He was a Rockefeller Fellow (1990)\, a Yale Visiting Scholar (2008)\, and a Harvard Visiting Scholar (2009). His most recent books include: Le nouveau jihad en Occident (2018); Jihadism in Europe\, European Youth and the New Caliphate (2021); Iran\, La jeunesse démocratique contre l’Etat prédateur (2023); and Revolt Against Theocracy\, The Mahsa Movement and the Feminist Uprising in Iran(2024).
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/bilingual-lecture-series-the-mahsa-movement-and-the-feminist-uprising-in-iran-2/
CATEGORIES:Bilingual Lecture Series,Iranian,NELC
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/BLS-Flyer-Khosrokhavar-web-image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250427T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250427T133000
DTSTAMP:20250318T225944Z
CREATED:20250318T225944Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250318T225944Z
UID:20109-1745753400-1745760600@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Bilingual Lecture Series: The Mahsa Movement and the Feminist Uprising in Iran
DESCRIPTION:جنبش مهسا و قیام فمینیستی در ایران\nThe Mahsa Movement and the Feminist Uprising in Iran\nSunday\, April 27\, 2025 | 11:30 am – 1:30 pm \nZoom Registration: \nhttps://ucla.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HxPN8qGWQuSbj1Y1WO9TRQ \n \nThis book talk will focus on a social movement that brought new characteristics to the fore\, not only in Iran\, but also in the Muslim world. It was probably the first genuine\, global\, and extensive feminist movement in Iran ever\, and perhaps in the Muslim world. This is not to deny that women have played a significant role in social movements in many Muslim countries since the nineteenth century. But within these movements\, women were not in the vanguard\, did not become the main actors\, did not express their feminist demands in clear opposition towards the powers that be\, and men did not follow them en masse. The anthropological characteristics of the Mahsa Movement (or the Movement “Woman\, Life\, Liberty”) are analyzed throughout this book in what seems to be its major characteristic\, namely rejecting the Islamic Regime’s machoistic ideology of martyrdom and proposing instead a culture of Joy and Happiness\, in which women play a central role\, notably by freeing their body from the yoke of the imposed veil. \nAbout the Speaker \nFarhad Khosrokhavar is a retired professor at École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Paris\, France. His academic interests are in social movements in Iran\, mainly after the Islamic Revolution; the Arab Revolutions of 2010–12; Jihadism in Europe with a particular focus on France; and philosophical foundations of social sciences. He has published around 40 books\, mostly written in French and English\, with translations of these works appearing in many other languages including Italian\, German\, Spanish\, Kurdish\, and Arabic. He has also authored around 100 articles in French\, English\, and Persian\, with German\, Italian\, Spanish\, Arabic translations. He was a Rockefeller Fellow (1990)\, a Yale Visiting Scholar (2008)\, and a Harvard Visiting Scholar (2009). His most recent books include: Le nouveau jihad en Occident (2018); Jihadism in Europe\, European Youth and the New Caliphate (2021); Iran\, La jeunesse démocratique contre l’Etat prédateur (2023); and Revolt Against Theocracy\, The Mahsa Movement and the Feminist Uprising in Iran(2024).
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/bilingual-lecture-series-the-mahsa-movement-and-the-feminist-uprising-in-iran/
CATEGORIES:Bilingual Lecture Series,Iranian,NELC
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/BLS-Flyer-Khosrokhavar-web-image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250418T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250418T120000
DTSTAMP:20250404T205527Z
CREATED:20250404T191333Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250404T205527Z
UID:20218-1744977600-1744977600@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:God (or Re?!) Save the Queen! Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs at the Service of Modern Autocracy by Guest Speaker\, Luigi Prada
DESCRIPTION:Champollion’s decipherment of hieroglyphs in 1822 is regarded as defining the inception of Egyptology as an academic discipline. But\, his linguistic breakthrough was also bound to influence wider European social\, cultural\, and art history. Throughout the continent\, from London to Rome\, autocrats of all sorts—from kings to queens\, princes\, and even popes—started commissioning Egyptologists with the composition of novel hieroglyphic inscriptions celebrating them and their power\, in curiously ad hoc expressions of that Egyptomaniac movement which had already gripped the continent at the turn of the century\, through Napoleon’s Egyptian expedition. This lecture will present this peculiar half-scholarly half-populist phenomenon\, discuss selected case studies through analysis of the original monuments and their language\, and contextualise them within the development of early Egyptology as a form of colonial appropriation of Egypt on the part of western autocrats\, who looked at pharaonic antiquity as a golden age for absolute power. \n \n  \nAbout the Speaker \n\nDr Luigi Prada is Associate Professor of Egyptology (Dr. habil.) at Uppsala University\, Sweden. He was educated in both Egyptology and Classics\, firstly in Italy and then in Oxford. He works primarily on textual and cultural-historical studies\, with a particular focus on the later phases of Egypt’s history and language(s) / scripts. Prior to Uppsala\, he held academic positions in the UK (Oxford)\, Germany (Heidelberg)\, and Denmark (Copenhagen). He is active in the field\, both in Egypt as Assistant Director of the Oxford-Uppsala Epigraphic Project in Elkab\, and in the Sudan.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/god-or-re-save-the-queen-ancient-egyptian-hieroglyphs-at-the-service-of-modern-autocracy-by-guest-speaker-luigi-prada/
LOCATION:365 Kaplan Hall
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/04182025-Guest-Speaker-Luigi-Prada-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250407T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250407T170000
DTSTAMP:20250203T222508Z
CREATED:20250122T180848Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250203T222508Z
UID:19937-1744038000-1744045200@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Bilingual Lecture Series: Calendar and Identity: Why did the Persian solar calendar survive for 1400 years and become an important feature of Iranian identity?
DESCRIPTION:Calendar and Identity:\nWhy did the Persian solar calendar survive for 1400 years and become an important feature of Iranian identity?\nMonday\, April 7\, 2025 at 3:00pm\, Bunche Hall 10383 \nAlternate live stream on Zoom: \nhttps://ucla.zoom.us/j/95885037418 \n(No need to register in advance\, just click the link at 3:00pm on April 7 to join.) \n \n\n\n\nSince the end of the Sasanian era\, the Persian solar calendar—and the associated rite of Norouz—has endured and grown to become a significant feature of Iranian\, and to some extent the Persianate\, cultural identity. With Hijra as its starting point but based on vernal equinox\, it is a unique solar time reckoning throughout the Muslim world and beyond. This talk explores the circumstances that allowed its survival and adoption as a national calendar of Iran at the turn of the 20th century. \nAbout the Speaker \n\n\n\nAbbas Amanat is William Graham Sumner Professor of History Emeritus at Yale University. Since 1983\, he has taught history of early modern and modern Iran\, Shi’ism\, modern Middle East\, and the Persianate world at Yale. He has authored eight books\, most recently Iran: A Mod-ern History (Yale University Press\, 2017) and Ahd-e Qajar va Sowda-ye Farang in Persian (London\, 2021). He has edited and coedited thirteen volumes and published numerous articles\, encyclopedia entries\, and op eds. His forthcoming books include A Study of the Solar Calendar and Iranian Identity (2024 in Persian); A Study of Historiography and Reconstruction of National Identity in Iran (2024 in Persian and 2025 in English); A New Biography of Fatemah Zarin-Taj Baraghani Qorrat al-Ayn Tahereh (OneWorld\, 2025 in English); Companion of Qajar Studies (Cambridge University Press\, 2025); and Circle of Justice: Persian Art of Governance (Yale University Press\, 2026). Amanat served as the Chair of the Yale Council on Middle East Studies and as the Director of the Yale Program in Iranian Studies. He was the editor-in-chief of the journal of Iranian Studies and he is the editor-in-chief of the forthcoming series Sources for the Study of the Persianate World.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/bilingual-lecture-series-calendar-and-identity-why-did-the-persian-solar-calendar-survive-for-1400-years-and-become-an-important-feature-of-iranian-identity-2/
LOCATION:10383 Bunche Hall\, 11282 Portola Plaza\, Los Angeles \, CA\, 90095\, United States
CATEGORIES:Bilingual Lecture Series,Iranian
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/BLS-Flyer-Amanat-English-web-image2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250406T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250406T180000
DTSTAMP:20250203T222422Z
CREATED:20250122T180122Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250203T222422Z
UID:19939-1743955200-1743962400@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Bilingual Lecture Series: Calendar and Identity: Why did the Persian solar calendar survive for 1400 years and become an important feature of Iranian identity?
DESCRIPTION::گاهشماری و هویت\nچگونه تقویم خورشیدی ایران ۱۴۰۰ سال پایدار ماند و نماد بارزی از هویت ملی شد؟\n\nCalendar and Identity:\nWhy did the Persian solar calendar survive for 1400 years and become an important feature of Iranian identity?\nSunday\, April 6\, 2025 at 4:00pm\, Royce Hall 314 \nAlternate live stream on Zoom: \nhttps://ucla.zoom.us/j/97895439218 \n(No need to register in advance\, just click the link at 4:00pm on April 6 to join) \n  \n\nSince the end of the Sasanian era the Persian solar calendar\, and the associated rite of Nowruz\, endured as became a significant features of Iranian\, and to some extent the Persianate\, cultural identity. With Hijra as its starting point but based on vernal equinox\, it is a unique solar time reckoning throughout the Muslim world and beyond. This talk explores the circumstances that allowed the survival and its adoption as a national calendar of Iran at the turn of the 20th century. A book of the same title is in the press.  \n\n\n\n\nAbout the Speaker \n\n\n\nAbbas Amanat is William Graham Sumner Professor of History Emeritus at Yale University. Since 1983\, he has taught history of early modern and modern Iran\, Shi’ism\, modern Middle East\, and the Persianate world at Yale. He has authored eight books\, most recently Iran: A Mod-ern History (Yale University Press\, 2017) and Ahd-e Qajar va Sowda-ye Farang in Persian (London\, 2021). He has edited and coedited thirteen volumes and published numerous articles\, encyclopedia entries\, and op eds. His forthcoming books include A Study of the Solar Calendar and Iranian Identity (2024 in Persian); A Study of Historiography and Reconstruction of National Identity in Iran (2024 in Persian and 2025 in English); A New Biography of Fatemah Zarin-Taj Baraghani Qorrat al-Ayn Tahereh (OneWorld\, 2025 in English); Companion of Qajar Studies (Cambridge University Press\, 2025); and Circle of Justice: Persian Art of Governance (Yale University Press\, 2026). Amanat served as the Chair of the Yale Council on Middle East Studies and as the Director of the Yale Program in Iranian Studies. He was the editor-in-chief of the journal of Iranian Studies and he is the editor-in-chief of the forthcoming series Sources for the Study of the Persianate World.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/bilingual-lecture-series-calendar-and-identity-why-did-the-persian-solar-calendar-survive-for-1400-years-and-become-an-important-feature-of-iranian-identity/
LOCATION:314 Royce Hall
CATEGORIES:Bilingual Lecture Series,Iranian
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/BLS-Flyer-Amanat-Persian-web-image2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250310T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250310T163000
DTSTAMP:20250128T010237Z
CREATED:20250128T000057Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250128T010237Z
UID:19980-1741618800-1741624200@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Bilingual Lecture Series: Women’s Rights and the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran
DESCRIPTION:Women’s Rights and the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran\nMonday\, March 10\, 2025 | 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm \nZoom Registration: \nhttps://ucla.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_JkEcn_S1Rvqmdvgfwe68Fw \n\n\n\n \nThe Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran\, ratified after the 1979 Islamic Revolution\, stands as the country’s foundational legal framework\, requiring all subsequent laws to align with its principles. The revolution itself was propelled by widespread calls for social and political reform\, with significant factions advocating for democracy\, human rights\, and gender equality. Iranian women played a prominent role in this movement\, underscoring the aspirations for a more inclusive and equitable society. While the constitution reflects these revolutionary demands by enumerating freedoms and rights modeled after Western constitutions\, it also incorporates elements of Islamic jurisprudence. This duality emerged from the influence of conservative religious factions\, who\, after helping to overthrow the monarchy\, swiftly consolidated power post-revolution. In this talk\, I will examine the provisions within Iran’s constitution that pertain to women’s rights\, focusing on how these provisions intersect with religious and secular legal systems. I will also explore the real-world impact on women’s personal and professional lives\, highlighting the challenges of extreme gender-based oppression under the current system. Finally\, I will discuss pathways for reform and envision how future constitutional efforts can avoid the missteps that have perpetuated inequality for over forty years. \nAbout the Speaker \n\n\n\nPegah Banihashemi is currently a JSD candidate at the University of Chicago Law School\, where she also completed an LL.M. in 2022. Pegah is currently working on the history of the formation of the Iranian Constitution both before and after the Islamic Revolution of 1979. In this project\, she will explore the problems of implementing the constitution in Iran. Part of Pegah’s project is dedicated to the issue of comparing constitutions among different countries. Pegah began her undergraduate studies focusing on French literature in Iran where reading the works of French philosophers and thinkers piqued her interest in the field of law. She completed a second Bachelor’s of Law\, after which\, she earned a Master’s and LL.M. in International Commercial Law and Private Law at Shahid Beheshti University\, achieving a first rank and defending her thesis in international arbitration. In Britain\, she worked on human rights research\, commentary\, and advocacy\, focusing on death sentences\, immigration law\, and women’s and children’s rights in Middle Eastern and Sharia Law. She has worked extensively in the analysis of international law and international human rights and is a regular expert legal analyst with many global media outlets and non-profits. She has also taught several legal courses on topics including women\, economics\, and the law\, human rights advocacy\, and students’ and teachers’ rights.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/bilingual-lecture-series-womens-rights-and-the-constitution-of-the-islamic-republic-of-iran-2/
CATEGORIES:Bilingual Lecture Series,Iranian,NELC
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/BLS-Flyer-Banihashemi-web-image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250309T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250309T133000
DTSTAMP:20250131T233623Z
CREATED:20250127T235318Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250131T233623Z
UID:19975-1741519800-1741527000@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Bilingual Lecture Series: Women’s Rights and the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran
DESCRIPTION:زن در قانون اساسی ایران  \nWomen’s Rights and the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran\nSunday\, March 9\, 2025 | 11:30 am – 1:30 pm \nZoom Registration: \nhttps://ucla.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pM3LdrXXSriCfDMGfzVg8w \n\n\n\n \nThe Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran\, ratified after the 1979 Islamic Revolution\, stands as the country’s foundational legal framework\, requiring all subsequent laws to align with its principles. The revolution itself was propelled by widespread calls for social and political reform\, with significant factions advocating for democracy\, human rights\, and gender equality. Iranian women played a prominent role in this movement\, underscoring the aspirations for a more inclusive and equitable society. While the constitution reflects these revolutionary demands by enumerating freedoms and rights modeled after Western constitutions\, it also incorporates elements of Islamic jurisprudence. This duality emerged from the influence of conservative religious factions\, who\, after helping to overthrow the monarchy\, swiftly consolidated power post-revolution. In this talk\, I will examine the provisions within Iran’s constitution that pertain to women’s rights\, focusing on how these provisions intersect with religious and secular legal systems. I will also explore the real-world impact on women’s personal and professional lives\, highlighting the challenges of extreme gender-based oppression under the current system. Finally\, I will discuss pathways for reform and envision how future constitutional efforts can avoid the missteps that have perpetuated inequality for over forty years. \nAbout the Speaker \n\n\n\nPegah Banihashemi is currently a JSD candidate at the University of Chicago Law School\, where she also completed an LL.M. in 2022. Pegah is currently working on the history of the formation of the Iranian Constitution both before and after the Islamic Revolution of 1979. In this project\, she will explore the problems of implementing the constitution in Iran. Part of Pegah’s project is dedicated to the issue of comparing constitutions among different countries. Pegah began her undergraduate studies focusing on French literature in Iran where reading the works of French philosophers and thinkers piqued her interest in the field of law. She completed a second Bachelor’s of Law\, after which\, she earned a Master’s and LL.M. in International Commercial Law and Private Law at Shahid Beheshti University\, achieving a first rank and defending her thesis in international arbitration. In Britain\, she worked on human rights research\, commentary\, and advocacy\, focusing on death sentences\, immigration law\, and women’s and children’s rights in Middle Eastern and Sharia Law. She has worked extensively in the analysis of international law and international human rights and is a regular expert legal analyst with many global media outlets and non-profits. She has also taught several legal courses on topics including women\, economics\, and the law\, human rights advocacy\, and students’ and teachers’ rights.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/bilingual-lecture-series-womens-rights-and-the-constitution-of-the-islamic-republic-of-iran/
CATEGORIES:Bilingual Lecture Series,Iranian,NELC
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/BLS-Flyer-Banihashemi-web-image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250305T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250305T180000
DTSTAMP:20241204T233300Z
CREATED:20241204T231615Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241204T233300Z
UID:19834-1741190400-1741197600@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Yarshater Lecture Series: Cameron Cross
DESCRIPTION:Spiderweb Stories: Translations\, Adaptations\, and Connections in Persian Romance\nIn this talk\, I will explore some avenues for comparative literary study through the framework of early Persian romances. The earliest extant representatives of this genre in Persian show that it is deeply imbricated with prior and adjacent narrative traditions\, making it part of an intertextual and transregional literary network. Through these texts\, we can find evidence of direct translation and adaptation\, as well as broader signs of a shared vocabulary of narrative expectations\, typical characters and topoi\, and thematic concerns. Approaching them as “connected” texts within this broader network — with the understanding of “network” as a series of linkages with no necessary center or periphery — affords us one way of tracing the lattices of movement and exchange that inform the disciplinary premise of the (or a) “global” Middle Ages. At the same time\, this approach also allows us to better see how individual texts utilize the generic repertory of love narrative to speak to purposes and audiences highly specific to their contexts. To illustrate this\, I will offer quick sketches of three versified love stories in Persian and show how they speak to a wide range of historical events and intellectual discussions. \nAbout the Speaker \nCameron Cross is an associate professor of Iranian Studies at the University of Michigan\, Ann Arbor\, whose research interests center in the literary traditions of the “Nile to Oxus” region from about 800–1200 CE. Cross is the author of Love at a Crux: The New Persian Romance in a Global Middle Ages (University of Toronto Press\, 2023)\, which explores the emergence of ‘romance’ as a literary genre in New Persian and the idea of ‘romantic love’ as an ethical praxis within this generic tradition. \nClick here to register for this event.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/yarshater-lecture-series-cameron-cross/
LOCATION:Royce 306
CATEGORIES:Iranian,NELC,Yarshater Center
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Yarshater-Lecture-Series-Cross-flyer-for-web.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250202T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250202T180000
DTSTAMP:20250107T202917Z
CREATED:20250107T185452Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250107T202917Z
UID:19876-1738512000-1738519200@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Bilingual Lecture Series: Film Screening and Director Q&A
DESCRIPTION:Bilingual Lecture Series: Film Screening and Director Q&A with Mohammad Ehsani\nAlternate live stream on Zoom: \nhttps://ucla.zoom.us/j/95549537236 \nThe Water Will Take Us (2022)\n(Persian with English subtitles) \n \nIn the spring of 2019 Iran experienced a near apocalypse event that went by almost unnoticed by the world. Widespread flash flooding affected large parts of the country over the course of one month\, leading to major damages countrywide and leaving the already impoverished population in utter disarray.  The film is a  look at how years of mismanagement\, poor spatial planning and climate change are impacting civil society in Iran. \nLady Urmia (2013)\n(Persian with English subtitles) \n \nThe film is a poetic documentary about Lake Urmia\, in the northwest of Iran\, which is drying up completely. The environmental catastrophe will affect also neighboring countries such as Iraq and Turkey. The film is narrated in the voice of the lake itself\, crying for help and trying to gain international attention to its suffering. \nAbout the Director \nMohammad Ehsani\, an Iranian independent filmmaker and a member of the Iranian Documentary Filmmakers Association and IDA. He has made several award-winning documentary and fiction films\, such as The Lovers: The Victims\, Tabriz: Images from the Forgotten World\, Enamel Dome\, Lady Urmia\, Once Hamoun\, Karun\, When the Woodpeckers Leave\, and The Water Will Take Us. Ehsani’s films deal with historical drama and social environmental issues in Iran.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/bilingual-lecture-series-film-screening-and-director-qa-with-mohammad-ehsani/
LOCATION:314 Royce Hall
CATEGORIES:Bilingual Lecture Series,Iranian,NELC
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/BLS-Flyer-Ehsani.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250129T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250129T180000
DTSTAMP:20241112T234630Z
CREATED:20241112T234630Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241112T234630Z
UID:19679-1738166400-1738173600@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Pourdavoud Lecture Series: Carlo Cereti
DESCRIPTION:The Rise of Persian: Understanding the Evolution of Writing in the Sasanian and Early Islamic Periods\nThis talk explores the evolution of writing during the Sasanian and early Islamic periods\, shedding light on the long-term process that led to Persian becoming the lingua franca in Western and Central Asia from Iran to the borders of China. With the groundwork laid by pioneering scholars\, we now have a stronger foundation for reading and understanding Middle Persian documents in their many forms. As Bernhard of Chartres observed\, “we are but dwarves on the shoulders of giants\,” benefiting from the invaluable contributions of previous generations. \nOur understanding of Middle Persian script has progressed in many key areas ranging from 3rd century royal inscriptions to the legends found on coins and gems\, and the wider array of secular texts written in ink on various materials. These include legal and commercial texts\, letters\, ostraca\, and dipinti found on walls and stuccos. Notable examples include the dipinti from Dura Europos (3rd century CE)\, Pahlavi papyri from the Sasanian occupation of Egypt (7th century)\, and parchments from the Iranian highlands (7th century). Additional comparable texts were found in the Indian subcontintent and range from the Quilon Copper Plates (9th century)\, to Parsi inscriptions in the Kanheri caves close to Mumbai (11thcentury) and to Nestorian crosses in Chennai and Kerala. \nWhile substantial evidence exists from the early and late Sasanian periods\, a gap persists in our record from the central Sasanian centuries. This may be due to limited archaeological investigation in major Sasanian cities\, though sociolinguistic shifts—perhaps after the Mazdakite movement disrupted the social order—may also have influenced the spread of writing. This analysis aligns with the scholarly interests of Ehsan Yarshater\, who offered profound insights into Iranian National History\, and invites further interdisciplinary inquiry to fully understand Persia’s enduring impact on the Islamic world. \nAbout the Speaker \nCarlo G. Cereti joined the University of California in 2024\,  serving as Endowed Ferdowsi Chair in Zoroastrian Studies and Prof. of Classics and Religions at UCI. He has served since 2000 as Full Professor of Iranian Studies at Sapienza University of Rome\, Dept. of Ancient World Studies\, from 2009 to 2017 he acted as Cultural Counsellor at the Embassy of Italy in Tehran.. His earliest research work focused on the history of the Zoroastrian Parsi community in India\, an intellectual interest that continued throughout his academic career\, though in time his main research field shifted to Middle Iranian Languages and Literatures and more specifically to the study of Zoroastrian literature in Middle Persian. His interest in the medieval and modern history of the Zoroastrian community\, combined with an intimate knowledge of Zoroastrian Middle Persian literature and more of Sasanian and post-Sasanian written culture led him to prepare critical editions of Middle Persian texts such as the Zand ī Wahman Yasn and many chapters of the Bundahišn\, as well as a work of synthesis on the Pahlavi tradition (La Letteratura Pahlavi) From 2006 onwards he has intensively worked on epigraphic Middle Persian\, with a focus on Narseh’s Paikuli inscription and on other epigraphic texts\, including seals and sealings as well as ostraca and documents mainly dating to the late Sasanian and early Islamic periods. This line of research has led him in recent years to dedicate an increasing amount of time to analyzing the written tradition of Sasanian and early Islamic Iran\, studying all different classes of written materials to analyze the phenomenon of literacy in its entirety and complexity. \nClick here to register for the event.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/pourdavoud-lecture-series-carlo-cereti/
LOCATION:Royce 306
CATEGORIES:Iranian,NELC,Pourdavoud Institute
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Pourdavoud-Lecture-Series-Cereti-Flyer-for-web.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250112T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250112T133000
DTSTAMP:20250107T202646Z
CREATED:20241212T233013Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250107T202646Z
UID:19854-1736681400-1736688600@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Bilingual Lecture Series: A Comparative Analysis of and Proposition on the Process of Transition to Democracy in Iran
DESCRIPTION:تحلیلی مقایسھ ای و راھبردی در باره فرایند گذار به  دموکراسی در ایران\n\n\n\n\nA Comparative Analysis of and Proposition on the Process of Transition to Democracy in Iran\nSunday\, January 12\, 2025 | 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM Pacific \nZoom Registration: \nhttps://ucla.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NsgynB3eTcC5gMAFoEixAQ \n \n\n\n\n\nOver the past few decades\, democratic movements in many countries have successfully overthrown autocratic regimes and established democratic governments. In some cases\, these transformations occurred suddenly\, driven by dramatic mass uprisings and nonviolent civil resistance\, as seen in the Philippines in 1986\, Czechoslovakia in 1989\, Serbia in 2000\, and Tunisia in 2011. In other instances\, such as Portugal and Romania\, the initial change was marked by sudden and violent revolutions\, followed by a more gradual and peaceful transition to stable democracy. However\, in most cases\, democratic change has been achieved through a more gradual and incremental process\, as exemplified by Argentina\, Brazil\, South Korea\, Taiwan\, Hungary\, Chile\, Croatia\, Uruguay\, Ghana\, Guyana\, Kenya\, and others. While it is impossible to predict with certainty when and how democracy will emerge in Iran\, the experiences of other nations offer valuable lessons. Additionally\, Iran’s unique structural and historical characteristics play a crucial role in understanding its potential pathways. This talk will explore these issues\, providing a comparative analysis of the possible trajectories for Iran\, their defining characteristics\, and the challenges they may present. \nAbout the Speaker \n\n\n\n\nHadi Zamani is an economics PhD graduate from the University of London and has worked for more than thirty years in private and public sector institutions in the United Kingdom. He has participated in numerous international projects in Western and Eastern Europe\, Asia\, and Latin America for private companies\, governments of the concerned countries\, The European Union\, the development banks of Europe\, Asia and Latin America\, and the World Bank. In addition to teaching at the universities of London and Glasgow\, his work experience includes the positions of economic advisor at “Marsh McLennan” and “Halcrow”\, management of two investment funds in the UK\, and economic advisor at the British Ministry of Transport (DfT). In the case of Iran\, Hadi’s interest lies in the areas of political economy and economic development. He has published several books and articles in this field in Persian\, including Democracy and Sustainable Economic Development; The Effectiveness of Economic Sanctions; Economic Development and National Security; Opportunities and Challenges of Globalization; Obstacles to the Formation of Modern State and Economic Development in Iran; and The Curse of Oil. Hadi’s books\, articles\, and interviews in Persian are available on his website “www.hadizamani.com” and his social media pages.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/bilingual-lecture-series-a-comparative-analysis-and-proposition-on-the-process-of-transition-to-democracy-in-iran/
CATEGORIES:Bilingual Lecture Series,Iranian,NELC
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/BLS-Zamani-web-image.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20241208T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20241208T180000
DTSTAMP:20241029T210307Z
CREATED:20241029T210216Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241029T210307Z
UID:19622-1733673600-1733680800@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Bilingual Lecture Series: The Left\, Democracy\, and Authoritarianism in Iran: An Internationally Comparative Perspective
DESCRIPTION:چپ ، دموکراسی، و اقتدارگرایی در ایران: در مقایسه ای بین المللی \nThe Left\, Democracy\, and Authoritarianism in Iran: An Internationally Comparative Perspective \nSunday\, December 8\, 4:00-6:00 PM Pacific\, Royce Hall\, Room 314 \nAlternate live stream on Zoom: \nhttps://ucla.zoom.us/j/92237337565 \n(No need to register in advance\, just click the link at 4:00pm on December 8 to join.) \n \nIn this talk\, I will focus on the relationship between the Left and democracy in Iran. To understand the development of the Iranian Left over the past century\, we should first briefly outline how leftist movements after Marx evolved along three main trajectories\, how these paths ended\, and what renewal trends emerged thereafter. A relevant comparison to Iran is the experience of Latin American countries and the routes taken by the Left there. Following this introduction\, I will provide a historical overview of the different strands of the Left in Iran\, from the Constitutional Revolution (1906) to the present. Next\, I will address the successes\, setbacks\, and failures the Left has encountered along this journey. Finally\, I will discuss the problems\, challenges\, and opportunities facing the Left in Iran today. \nAbout the Speaker \nDr. Alireza Behtoui is a professor of sociology at the School of Social Sciences at Södertörn University in Stockholm\, Sweden. His research expertise includes Sociology of education\, political sociology and social movements\, sociology of elites\, race\, and ethnicity. He has published numerous scientific articles in English-language journals\, books in Swedish and popular scientific articles in Persian on these topics. He is currently on sabbatical at the University of California\, Berkeley. His latest writings have addressed the challenges against democracy building in Iran from a comparative perspective.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/bilingual-lecture-series-the-left-democracy-and-authoritarianism-in-iran-an-internationally-comparative-perspective/
LOCATION:314 Royce Hall
CATEGORIES:Bilingual Lecture Series,Humanities,Iranian,NELC
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nelc.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/BLS-Behtoui.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20241203T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20241203T153000
DTSTAMP:20241127T194639Z
CREATED:20241127T194639Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241127T194639Z
UID:19730-1733234400-1733239800@nelc.ucla.edu
SUMMARY:Who wrote the Bible? In new book\, upcoming lecture\, William Schniedewind offers bold new answers
DESCRIPTION:written by Ashna Madni \nWho really wrote the Bible? A Dec. 3 lecture by William Schniedewind will offer a bold new answer to that age-old question. \n“Although the Hebrew Bible rarely speaks of its authors\, people have been fascinated by the question of its authorship since ancient times\,” said Schniedewind\, the Sady and Ludwig Kahn Director of the UCLA Alan D. Leve Center for Jewish Studies and a professor of biblical studies and northwest Semitic languages. “But the Bible was not written by a single author\, or by a series of single authors.” \nRather\, he said\, it was written by communities of scribes. \n“It’s important to think of the Bible as an anthology of ancient Jewish communities as opposed to a singular voice\,” he said. “To understand the Bible\, you have to understand the communities that produced it.” \nSchniedewind’s lecture will be based on his latest book\, “Who Really Wrote the Bible: The Story of the Scribes” (Princeton University Press\, 2024)\, which draws from ancient inscriptions\, archaeology\, anthropology and the biblical text itself to explain how those communities worked. The lecture will also give highlights from history of those scribal communities in ancient Israel and early Judaism. \nBeginning with the earliest scribes who were affiliated with the state\, Schniedewind said\, writing spread under the globalization and urbanization of the ancient Near East that was taking place with the rise of the Assyrian empire around 720 B.C. \n“People of different professions\, including priests in Jerusalem\, peripheral priests\, merchants and soldiers\, in addition to social groups like elders of ancient Israel and women\, developed a writing practice through an apprenticeship model\,” he said. \nThe apprenticeship model of learning to read and write differs from the idea of individualistic biblical authorship. The apprenticeship learning model emphasized the need to preserve and replicate traditions of a community of practice rather than inventing and reinventing tradition. \n“In antiquity\, scribes weren’t authors\,” he said. “Writing was a skill that was part of some professions. It wasn’t until the Hellenistic period [323 to 31 B.C.] and the Roman period [27 B.C. to 486 A.D.] that ‘scribe’ became an actual occupation in Judaism.” \nTherefore\, projecting individual authorship onto the writing of the Bible would be anachronistic. Ideas about authorship were part of the reception of Bible rather than its composition. Schniedewind’s lecture will take aim at that idea of authorship and present a new approach to uncovering who really wrote the Bible. \nThe lecture is part of the Bible and the Ancient World seminar series\, a collaboration between the Leve Center and the UCLA Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures that focuses on the formation and interpretation of the Bible in the ancient world. \nThe talk will place Dec. 3 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. in Royce Hall 314. Visit the Leve Center website for more information and to RSVP.
URL:https://nelc.ucla.edu/event/who-wrote-the-bible-in-new-book-upcoming-lecture-william-schniedewind-offers-bold-new-answers/
LOCATION:314 Royce Hall
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