Dear Colleagues, 

Please note the following announcement of a new Doctoral Scholarship in honour of the late Professor Mohammed Arkoun. 

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The Mohammed Arkoun Doctoral Scholarship

In recognition of the late Professor Mohammed Arkoun’s contribution to the the field of Islamic Studies and allied disciplines, the Institute of Ismaili Studies has established a new scholarship entitled “The Mohammed Arkoun Doctoral Scholarship”.
http://www.iis.ac.uk/view_article.asp?ContentID=113402

Mohammed Arkoun (1928-2010), originally from Algeria, was for many years Professor of History of Islamic Thought at the Sorbonne University in Paris. He was an original voice in this field, developing a critical approach to the history of Islam as well as contemporary evaluations of the field in both theological and academic writings on the subject. In particular, he advocated joint use of historical research and concepts from modern linguistics and social sciences with the aim of creating a new discipline of an anthropological history of Islam. He saw this as a further means to a unified science of religion embracing at least all faiths of ‘Mediterranean’ origin as well as modern secular ideologies, which in his view deserved an equally critical examination.

These ideas were disseminated through his many writings, lectures and informal addresses and communication. Mohammed Arkoun was also a keen contributor to practical projects aiming at cultural and intellectual inquiry about the Muslim world. Pre-eminent among these was the Aga Khan Award for Architecture. He also taught at the Institute of Ismaili Studies in London, of which he was one of the Governors for many years, up to the time of his death.

The doctoral scholarship will be awarded once every four years for a four-year period to a graduate student pursuing research in the field of Islamic Studies, preferably in areas and on questions which are of importance to Professor Arkoun’s work. These include (but are not limited to):

-simultaneous attention to historical and modern issues in Islamic thought and society.

-harnessing the tools of the social sciences and humanities (notably, linguistics, sociology and anthropology) to the study of thought and culture in Muslim societies;

-consideration of theoretical frameworks for a critical understanding of religious thought and imaginaire in Muslims communities and other ‘Societies of the Book’.

This Scholarship will cover both tuition fees and personal expenses , up to the amount of GBP 25,000 per annum, for a maximum of 4 academic years.

Deadline for applications: 15 July 2012

Applications should be sent, in English, to Dr Omar Alí-de-Unzaga at scholarships@iis.ac.uk with the following documentation in PDF format:

– covering letter;
– doctoral research proposal (maximum 2000 words);
– applicant’s current CV;
– a writing sample (between 10-25 pages)
– letter of acceptance from the university where the applicant intends to study.

In addition, the applicant must arrange for three academic reference letters to be sent directly to the above address. Applicants who have already commenced their doctoral studies will be required to submit two academic reference letters AND a letter of good standing from the applicant’s principal academic supervisor.

INFORMATION ALSO AVAILABLE IN ARABIC, FRENCH, PERSIAN AND RUSSIAN AT www.iis.ac.uk
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Omar Alí-de-Unzaga
Academic Coordinator, Quranic Studies
The Institute of Ismaili Studies, London
oali@iis.ac.uk
qs.iis.ac.uk

New ISA Section Proposed: Religion and IR


Dear Colleagues:

I am writing to invite you to support the founding of a new ISA section on religion and international relations. This section will encourage ISA papers and panels on religion, broadly defined, without prejudice regarding methodology, region, or issue area. 

The number and quality of papers on religion and IR at ISA annual conferences is on the rise. By my count, some 3-5% of papers delivered at ISA annual conferences are on religion and the numbers are increasing. In 2010, I counted 134 papers. In 2011, I found 137. At this year’s meeting, about 145 papers touched on religion, faith, secularism and belief worldwide. This is a rough estimate (there is no easy way to identify these papers so I searched on-line programs using several religion keywords) but it indicates a widespread interest. 

The advantages of having these papers sponsored by an organized section are considerable. Scholars interested in religion have a hard time locating like-minded colleagues or panels at ISA conferences, developing common projects or furthering their interests as a sub-group. Setting up a section on religion and IR at ISA (as have scholars of security studies, ethnicity, or human rights, for example) will allow us to sponsor our own panels and expand the number of papers presented at ISA at an even faster pace. It will also afford ISA members who are interested in religion the opportunity to network at the annual reception, recognize outstanding papers and books with section awards and initiate round tables and discussion forums.

The American Political Science Association has had a religion and politics section since September 1987. It boasts close to 600 members, making it the 13th largest of the forty APSA sections. Many of our colleagues have already voiced their support for setting up a complementary section at ISA, as has the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation’s working group on Religion and IR (Notre Dame), the Program on Religion, Politics and Globalization (U.C. Berkeley), the Center for International Studies (USC), and the officers of APSA’s organized section on religion and politics.

This initiative has already attracted the required 100 signatures but I would like to ensure that this section represents as many scholars, institutions and viewpoints around the globe as possible. 

If you’d like to support this initiative, please sign the on-line petition athttp://www.ipetitions.com/petition/rir/

Please let me know by email if you would like to play a role on the executive committee of this section. And please share this invitation with any ISA colleagues who have an interest in religion.

Best,
Ron E. Hassner

Assistant Professor of Political Science
U.C. Berkeley
hassner@berkeley.edu