Call for Papers
North Range, Downing College | Below: Howard Theatre, West Range

“SYMPOSIA IRANICA IS OPEN TO POSTGRADUATES AND RECENT POST-DOCS FROM ANY DISCIPLINE.”

Michael Pye, Organiser

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stablished as the first student and early career scholar-focused forum in the field, Symposia Iranica is an unthemed, biennial international graduate conference that brings together both groups to celebrate, encourage and stimulate their interest and engagement with Iranian studies. Having inaugurated at the University of St Andrews in 2013, the Second Biennial is hosted by the University of Cambridge at Downing College, which is located in the heart of that historic city.

We welcome proposals that engage with any aspect of Iranian studies within the humanities and social sciences. These include but are not limited to ancient through to contemporary history; the history of medicine; poetry and literature; economics; political science; philosophy; archaeology; religions and theology; geography, ecology and the environment; historiography; sociology; anthropology; music; art history; architecture history; social and political theory; tangible and intangible heritage; cultural heritage; conservation and heritage management; international relations; languages and linguistics; law and legal studies; Diaspora studies; new media and communication studies; film studies; and the performing arts. Comparative themes and interdisciplinary approaches are also very welcome.

The abstract is the basis for judging a proposal for acceptance. All abstracts undergo double-blind peer review by a Committee comprising two-to-three academics for each subject area, while the Organisers will group individually submitted papers into panels, with the expectation that some sessions will be interdisciplinary.

To be considered for publication, submissions must represent original contributions to existing scholarship and an indication be made on your application that you would like to be considered. The conference will be conducted in English. Proposals should be sent using the appropriate form by 23:59 GMT on Friday 05 December 2014 to:

submissions@symposia-iranica.com

PROPOSALS ARE INVITED IN THE FOLLOWING FORMATS

Individual Papers

We consider proposals in any discipline that engages with any aspect of Iranian studies within the humanities and social sciences from the ancient through to contemporary periods. Comparative themes and interdisciplinary approaches are also very welcome.

Individually submitted papers are allocated 15 minutes each and will be grouped into panels of three or four speakers, with the expectation that some sessions may be interdisciplinary. Abstracts should not exceed 300 words and should indicate the paper’s original contribution in sufficient depth with some indication of its conclusions. Proposals should be sent by 23:59 GMT on Friday 05 December 2014 to:

submissions@symposia-iranica.com

Eligibility

Proposals are accepted from the following:

  1. Postgraduate students (Masters: currently enrolled or graduating in 2014);
  2. PhD students at any stage of their degree; and
  3. post-docs (subject to graduation within the last three years).

Note: You may only submit one proposal for consideration. Please note that you cannot participate in a pre-arranged panel and deliver an individual paper.

Application Form

To submit a proposal for an individual paper, please download the pdf. form below. You should ensure that you are using the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader to successfully fill, save and send the form.

PAPERS
Pre-arranged Panels

Pre-arranged panels are allocated 90 minutes and should consist of three or four presenters. Panel themes may be broad or narrow, however, a connective thread between the proposed papers must be evident in your submission. Proposals should include a succinct rationale for bringing the individual papers together as a panel and a brief description of how each paper fits into the theme of the panel; this should not exceed 500 words.

Only the panel’s organiser should submit an application and if successful, panel organisers are responsible for obtaining from each participant a brief biography and an abstract of 300 words for each paper by the end of January, which will be published in the conference book. No individual papers need be submitted separately at the time. Proposals should be  sent by 23:59 GMT on Friday 05 December 2014 to:

submissions@symposia-iranica.com

Eligibility

Proposals are accepted from the following:

  1. Postgraduate students (Masters: currently enrolled or graduating in 2014);
  2. PhD students at any stage of their degree; and
  3. post-docs (subject to graduation within the last three years).

Note: You may only submit one proposal for consideration. Please note that you cannot participate in a pre-arranged panel and deliver an individual paper.

Application Form

To submit a proposal for a pre-arranged panel, please download the pdf. form below. You should ensure that you are using the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader to successfully fill, save and send the form.

PANELS

EXTERNAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Your first recourse for funding should be your institution, however, these organisations also offer grants to support conference participation (this is not an exhaustive list):

Barakat Trust: 15 February 2015

British Institute of Persian Studies: 16 February 2015

Historical Geography Research Group: 1 April 2015

Royal Historical Society: 19 January 2015

BARAKAT TRUST BURSARIES

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he Oxford-based Barakat Trust has set aside 25 grant to support participants presenting on Islamic art, architecture or archaeology. These will be awarded on a competitive basis to postgraduate students matriculated at a university in the Middle East or Asia. Each bursary covers three night’s accommodation, a return ticket by rail between London and Cambridge, and registration.

Conditions: The Barakat Trust Bursaries are funded from zakat, therefore only Muslims can apply. All applicants will be considered for this award and a confirmation of eligibility will be sought from shortlisted candidates. Awards are conditional on grantees securing a visa, if required, and booking their travel. For more details, see our FAQs.

Image: Dome, Vank Cathedral, New Julfa, Isfahan.

BRITISH EPIGRAPHY SOCIETY ACCOMMODATION BURSARY

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n accommodation bursary sponsored by the British Epigraphy Society will be awarded for the proposal judged the most academically original and promising by the Review Committee. Proposals should be substantively epigraphic in nature and should involve material relating to Iran or the Persianate world in any of the ancient through to late-antique languages of this area, such as Old Persian, Middle Persian/Pahlavi, Parthian, Babylonian, Chorasmian, Elamite, Sogdian, Bactrian, and instances of Latin or Greek.

There is no nationality or other restriction for this bursary; all eligible proposals will be automatically considered. The awardee must provide a short report of up to 500 words within one month of the conference.

Image: 5th century BC trilingual inscription of Xerxes the Great in Old Persian, Babylonian, and Elamite near the Van Citadel in Turkey.

BEST PAPER PRIZES

Best Paper on Contemporary Iranian Art

£100 cash prize
Sponsored by the Magic of Persia Foundation
Two Honourable Mentions

Best Paper on International Relations

£100 of I.B.Tauris Books
Sponsored by I.B.Tauris Publishers
Two Honourable Mentions

Best Paper on Modern History

£100 of I.B.Tauris Books
Sponsored by I.B.Tauris Publishers
Two Honourable Mentions

Best Paper on Cultural Heritage or Conservation

£100 cash prize and two years Membership
Sponsored by the Global Heritage Fund
Two Honourable Mentions

Best Paper on Islamic Art

£150 of Brill Books
Sponsored by Brill Publishers
Two Honourable Mentions

Best Paper on Pre-Islamic Iran

£100 cash prize
Sponsored by the Ancient India & Iran Trust
Two Honourable Mentions