Features
FLAS Fellowships
Published Date: November 16, 2009
FLAS Fellowships: Workshop for Graduate Students
FLAS academic year fellowships cover tuition plus a stipend of $15,000, and summer fellowships cover full tuition and fees for an intensive langauge program, plus a stipend of $2,500.
For graduate students: December 4, 2009, • 3:00-4:00pm • 101 International Studies Building
The workshop for will feature information on FLAS (Foreign Language and Area Studies) Fellowships with presentations by the Area and International Centers FLAS coordinators: tips on how to write a successful application; what supporting documents you need; who is appropriate for a recommendation.
For more information on FLAS fellowships and requirements, see our FLAS webpage.
FLAS Scholarships
Published Date: November 16, 2009
FLAS Scholarships: Workshop for Undergraduate Students
FLAS academic year scholarships cover $10,000 towards tuition plus a stipend of $5,000, and summer scholarships cover full tuition and fees for an intensive langauge program, plus a stipend of $2,500.
For undergraduate students: December 4, 2009, • 2:00-3:00pm • 101 International Studies Building
The workshop will feature information on FLAS (Foreign Language and Area Studies) Fellowships with presentations by the Area and International Centers FLAS coordinators: tips on how to write a successful application; what supporting documents you need; who is appropriate for a recommendation.
For more information on FLAS fellowships and requirements, see our FLAS webpage.
Jalal Zolfonoon setar performance
Published Date: October 29, 2009
Master Jalal Zolfonoon & the Silk Road Ensemble
Friday, November 13 • 7:30pm • Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Museum
Join us for a setar performance by Master Jalal Zolfonoon & the Silk Road Ensemble.
Jalal Zolfonoon received his earliest musical training from his father, Habib Zolfonoon, and his older brother, Mahmoud Zolfonoon, on the tar. At the age of 13, Zolfonoon enrolled in the National School for Iranian Music to study musical theory, composition and technique under Ruhollah Khalegi and Musa Khan Maroufi. While he immediately fell in love with setar, the instrument was not taken seriously in those times. He instead decided to study the tar, while also learning the violin from his brother, Mahmoud Zolfonoon.
In 1967, Zolfonoon was accepted into the faculty of the fine arts department of Tehran University where he would further study the setar with Master Noor Ali Boroumand and Daryoush Saffat. From then on, he dedicated himself to the delicate instrument, and began combining the techniques of the older masters of setar with his own ingenuity and mystic sensitivity. For the first time, Zolfonoon introduced an ensemble of only setar players, creating the best selling album of traditional Persian music, “Golehsadbarg” (meaning "100 petal flower").
Zolfonoon also composed for the setar, and would prove one of the most expressive and technically virtuosic players of the instrument. Perhaps most notable of his contributions to this music is that he demonstrated for the first time the power and versatility of the setar as both an ensemble and solo instrument that could fully express the nuances of traditional Persian music in any setting. In fact, since the success of “Golehsadbarg,” the setar has evolved from the least to the most popular instrument in Iran.
Following the success of “Golehsadbarg,” Zolfonoon continues to record a number of other albums on which he is featured as lead soloist, composer and/or ensemble player with a number of well-known singers and musicians with whom he has also toured worldwide. Zolfonoon has also written a seminal book on "Setar Playing / Teaching Method." He lives in Iran, but tours in Europe, the US, Canada and Japan with his son, Soheil, and other musicians.
For more information, please see the pdf flyer.
Sponsored by: Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Robert E. Brown Center for World Music, Spurlock Museum, Persian Cultural Association, and Center for Global Studies
Islamic World Lecture Series
Published Date: October 22, 2009
Violence and Globalization: Women Seeking Freedom in the War Zone
A Talk and Musical Performance by Evelyne Accad
Evelyne Accad is a renowned teacher, author, musician and activist. She was born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon. Since 1974 she has taught a broad range of subjects at the University of Illinois that reflect her intense curiosity and varied areas of expertise: French, Comparative Literature, African Studies, Women Studies, and Middle Eastern Studies. Accad is the author of several books, including a memoir about her experiences facing cancer. She is also a musician and composer and has performed in both the United States and abroad.
Saturday, November 14 • 2:30pm • Lewis Auditorium of the Urbana Free Library
For more information, please see the pdf flyer.
Sponsored by: Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Urbana Free Library, Women and Gender in Global Perspectives Program
Dr. Stephen P. Cohen
Published Date: October 12, 2009
Dr. Stephen P. Cohen, Senior Fellow in Foreign Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC, will present a series of talks to the university and local community on Thursday, October 15th and Friday, October 16th, 2009.
Cohen, a former professor of Political Science and History at the University of Illinois, is an expert on security, politics, and nuclear proliferation issues in South Asia, particularly India and Pakistan. He is the author, co-author or editor of over twelve books, the most recent being "Four Crises and a Peace Process: American Engagement in South Asia" (2007) and "The Idea of Pakistan" (2004). In 2004, the World Affairs Councils of America named him one of America's five hundred most influential people in the area of foreign policy.
Thursday, October 15, 10am: Focus 580, WILL-AM 580, 10:00 - 11:00 am "Current Developments in Afghanistan and Pakistan"
Thursday, October 15, 12pm: ACDIS Special Seminar, 12:00 - 1:00pm, Illini Union General Lounge (room 210) "The Irrelevance of India's Rise as a Military Power"
Friday, October 16, 12pm: University YMCA Friday Forum, 12:00 - 1:30pm, University YMCA Latzer Hall "The Importance of Being Pakistan, and What Should the US (and India) Do About It?"
For more information, please see the pdf flyer.
Dr. Cohen's talks are free and open to the public. They are co-sponsored by the Program in Arms Control, Disarmament, and International Security (ACDIS), the University YMCA, and the Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies.
The Sacred Stones of Kabi Sacred Grove:
The Politicization of Identity and Sacred Landscapes in Sikkim
Published Date: October 7, 2009
Dr. Vibha Arora, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi
Tuesday, October 13 • 12:00pm
Dr. Vibha Arora, Assistant Professor in Sociology and Social Anthropology at the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, will present a lecture entitled, "The Sacred Stones of Kabi Sacred Grove: The Politicization of Identity and Sacred Landscapes in Sikkim."
For more information, please see the pdf flyer.
Sponsored by: Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies and Department of Landscape Architecture
Middle East Story Time: Algeria
Published Date: October 1, 2009
Middle East Story Time: Algeria
Saturday, October 17 • 2:00-3:00pm
Join Angela Williams of the Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies for a Middle East Story Time with activities, music, and stories.
For more information, please see the pdf flyer.
Sponsored by: Urbana Free Library and Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
Iranian Studies Symposium
Published Date: September 16, 2009
Iran's Politics & Policies: Presidential Election of 2009 and Iran's Nuclear Policies
October 2, 2009: Lucy Ellis Lounge (room 1080 FLB)
Panel 1: Iran's Nuclear Policies and the International Response
Panal 2: Iran's Presidential Election of 2009: What Happened?
Panel 3: Future Trends in Social and Political Change
Speakers include:
Asef Bayat, Leiden University
Kaveh Ehsani, DePaul University
Hadi Salehi Esfahani, University of Illinois U-C
Behrooz Ghamari-Tabrizi, University of Illinois U-C
Norma Moruzzi, University of Illinois at Chicago
Robert Naiman, Just Foreign Policy
Muhammad Sahimi, University of Southern California
Clifford Singer, University of Illinois U-C
To see the schedule and learn more about the event, please visit our Iranian Studies Symposium webpage.
The Iranian Studies Symposium is organized and hosted by the Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. Co-sponsors include: the Program in Arms Control, Disarmament, and International Security (ACDIS); the Center for Global Studies (CGS); the Department of History; the Department of Political Science; the Department of Sociology; the European Union Center (EUC); the Illinois Network on Islam and Muslim Societies (I-NIMS); and Parkland Reads Program (Parkland College).
The Cyprus Problem
Published Date: September 2, 2009
"The Cyprus Problem" lectures by Prof. Van Coufoudakis
Sept. 9, 6pm: "The Destruction of Cypriot Cultural Heritage"
Location: Krannert Art Museum Auditorium (500 E. Peabody Dr., Champaign)
Description: In light of the most recent (April 2009) report on this issue by the Legal Service of the US Congress, Prof. Coufoudakis will give a talk on the destruction of Cypriot cultural heritage. Further to being an advisor to the Cypriot government regarding UN negotiations for the Annan plan, Prof. Coufoudakis has dealt with the need to protect and preserve Cypriot cultural heritage in his publications and was involved in the Kanakaria mosaics case at the Federal Court in Indianapolis in the 1990's. Please see event flyer for more details.
Sept. 10, 6pm: "The EU and the European Convention of Human Rights"
Location: room 269 Everitt Hall (1406 W. Green St. Urbana)
Description: The talk is regarding the Cyprus problem in light of international and European conventions on human rights. Please see the event flyer for more details.
Sponsored by: Hellenic Students Association, the European Union Center; the Modern Greek Studies Program; the Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (CSAMES); the Russian, East-European, and Eurasian Center (REEEC); the Center for Global Studies (CGS); the Department of Political Science; the Cline Center for Democracy
Study Abroad during Winter Break
Published Date: August 26, 2009
Deadline to Apply to Study Abroad During Winter Break: September 18, 2009!
Study in Jordan, Israel, or India
Irbid, Jordan: Explore issues related to environment and sustainability through a comparative analysis of U.S. and Middle East centered approaches to resolving water and energy concerns. Examine how cultural and economic constraints impact policy in the two regions, with focus on Jordan as the case study. Learn more and apply!
Jerusalem, Israel: Discover the cultural diversity of Israel and how it is managed within educational, social, and government sectors. Learn about immigration flows into Israel and engage with community leaders and NGOs to understand the policies and practices that support immigrants' local integration. Learn more and apply!
New Delhi and Ranchi, India: Experience the impacts of globalization on India, with special focus on its diverse languages and cultures, in both urban and rural contexts. Examine the challenges that transnational cultural integration brings to the Indian identity through debates on maintenance and shift of the local traditions. Learn more and apply!
Rhythm and Raag
Published Date: August 24, 2009
An Institute for Indian Performing Arts
Rhythm and Raag, an Institute for Indian Performing Arts, is now open! This is hosted at the Channing-Murray Foundation, and they are excited to start offering classes in Classical Indian Music and Dance. Besides providing a venue for music and dance instruction, they also provide an outreach service to the greater Champaign Urbana Public Schools. They provide a resource for interactive workshops, lecture demonstrations and instruction to support teachers in the K-12 schools. This provides cross cultural exchange opportunities for all children attending public schools as well as to the larger C-U community.
Fall 2009 Classes:
Rythm and Raag offers Classical Odissi Dance, Folk Dance, Classical Hindustani Vocal, Bhajan Vocal, Tagore Songs, Nazrul Geeti, Semi-Classical Vocal, Classical Sitar, Raga (violin, guitar), Classical Tabla, and Indian Rhythm.
The session run from August 25 to November 15, 2009. Registration for classes is currently underway.
Please visit the Rhythm and Raag website for more information.
Sponsored by: Channing-Murray Foudation, and the Governor's International Exchange Program at the Illinois Arts Council
Middle East Story Time: Pakistan
Published Date: August 4, 2009
Middle East Story Time: Pakistan
Saturday, August 15 • 2:00-3:00pm
Join Angela Williams of the Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies for a Middle East Story Time with activities, music, and stories.
For more information, please see the pdf flyer.
Sponsored by: Urbana Free Library and Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
CSAMES Masters Program: South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
Published Date: July 31, 2009
Master of Arts in Asian Studies with Specializations in South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
CSAMES administers the South Asian and Middle Eastern specialization of the MA in Asian Studies. The MA program provides basic preparation in language and area training for students intending either to continue in a Ph.D. program in a related field or to enter a career not requiring a doctorate. For admissions, program, and funding information, please visit our MA webpage.
Muslim Societies Film Series
Published Date: July 2, 2009
film screening: "ARUSI: Persian Wedding"
Saturday, July 11 • 5:00pm
A compelling examination of US-Iranian relations through the personal journey of Alex and his fiancée Heather’s trip to Iran to hold a traditional Persian wedding
Dr. Hadi Salehi Esfahani, Professor of Economics & Director of CSAMES, and Kumars Salehi, Cinema Studies student, will offer commentary and answer questions about the film.
film screening: "Linda & Ali: Two Worlds Within Four Walls"
Saturday, July 25 • 5:00pm
Linda was brought up Catholic in Arizona and met Ali, a Shiite Muslim from Qatar, at college. The film shows how Linda and Ali struggle to surmount their cultural differences while raising their seven children in a lively, loving home in Qatar.
Dr. Valerie Hoffman, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, will offer commentary and answer questions about the film.
Please see the event flyer for more information.
Sponsored by: Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Center for Global Studies, and Illinois Network on Islam and Muslim Societies
Wrapped Up in Ancient Egypt
Published Date: July 2, 2009
Wrapped Up in Ancient Egypt:
a hands-on program exploring Ancient Egypt for kids ages 8–13
Sunday, August 2 • 1:00–4:00 • arrive any time
Kids can wrap up like a mummy, make Egyptian-style jewelry, handle actual mummy-making materials, and prepare a tomb for the afterlife!
Pre-registration is required and limited to 75 participants. Contact the phone number below. Each participant must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Program materials and activities are prepared only for registered participants. Cost: $3 per participant.
To register or for more information, contact Kim Sheahan at 244-3355 or ksheahan@illinois.edu. View the pdf flyer for more information.
Sponsored by: Spurlock Museum and Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
Middle East Summer Institute
Published Date: June 9, 2009
CSAMES presents: 2009 Middle East Summer Institute for Educators
Interactive Teaching Methods for Teaching about the Middle East, for K-12 Teachers
Tuesday, June 23 - Friday, June 26, 2009
Objectives: Organized by the University of Illinois Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, this intensive institute offers resources for teaching about the Arab World, Islam, and Middle Eastern culture. It introduces technology-based resources to teach about geography, religion, trade, and art in the Middle East. Films, activities, and discussion sessions will be incorporated into each session. While all are welcome, the curriculum material will be geared mainly towards middle and high school education. Resources will also be appropriate for librarians, counselors, advisors, and administrators.
To learn more, please see the Middle East Summer Institute webpage.
Sponsored by: Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
Conference on Iranian Economy
Published Date: May 8, 2009
Iranian Economy at a Crossroads: Domestic and Global Challenges
The conference is organized by the Department of Economics and the School of International Relations at the University of Southern California (USC). This Conference will be held on September 18-19, 2009 at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. The Conference focuses on the changing role of Iran in the Middle East and the global economy, and considers the evolution of the Iranian economy, the development of its various product and factor markets and the institutional framework within which these operate. In particular, it explores the interrelated issues of domestic economic development, trade, capital and labor movements, financial asset position, and the country’s opportunities and constraints to both the domestic and international levels. A wide range of issues will be covered, ranging from social policy and welfare, causes and consequences of rising inflation and unemployment, political economy of policy making and economic reforms, developments and problems in the agricultural, industrial, energy (oil, gas and nuclear) and services sectors, the role of formal and informal economic institutions (including the bazaar and bonyads), the growing trade, service and other links between Iran and the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, especially Dubai, the relevance of WTO membership, the vagaries of international oil markets, economic sanctions and their effects. It also will discuss actual and suggested alternative mechanisms for resolving international tensions among the major economic and political players in Iran and the West.
Deadline for paper submissions: June 1, 2009
For more information, please view the conference website.
Sponsored by: Center on Public Diplomacy, University of Southern California; Center for International Business Education and Research, University of Southern California; Center for International Studies, University of Southern California; Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign; Department of Economics, University of Southern California; Institute for Economic Policy Research, University of Southern California; The Quarterly Review of Economic and Finance; School of International Relations, University of Southern California
Summer Institute for the Languages of the Muslim World
Published Date: April 8, 2009
Summer Institute for the Languages of the Muslim World: June 15 - August 7
SILMW will offer intensive courses in a variety of Muslim World languages, including Arabic, Persian, Swahili, and Turkish, by experienced, trained, and highly proficient instructors. Classes will be held four hours per day over a period of eight weeks, for a total of 132 hours. Students will earn credits equivalent to one full academic year of language instruction.
SILMW provides a unique opportunity to explore the languages and cultures of the Muslim World and interact with experts in this region. In addition to classroom instruction, SILMW will offer a variety of extracurricular activities designed to enhance classroom instruction, provide additional channels for language contact and practice, and expose learners to the traditions of the Muslim World communities. These extracurricular activities include research forums, conversation hours, cooking demonstrations, music, film showings, and other cultural activities.
FLAS fellowships may be available for graduate students who attend the SILMW.
For more information, please view the SILMW website.
Sponsored by: The Department of Linguistics in collaboration with the Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, the Center for African Studies, CIBER, the Center for Global Studies, and the European Union Center
A Message from the Director
Published Date: March 25, 2009
It is with pleasure that I have joined the Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (CSAMES) as the Director. CSAMES has taken major strides over the past several years and has enhanced its contribution to research, education, and outreach on a host of issues concerning the regions of South Asia and the Middle East. In particular, thanks to the efforts of its past directors and support from CSAMES faculty, associates, and staff, over the past few years the unit has managed to attract a major Title VI grant from the Department of Education and elevate itself from a program to a National Resource Center for Middle Eastern studies. We have also successfully rejuvenated the Master’s program in both Middle Eastern Studies and South Asian Studies with our first M.A. student having graduated this past December. It is my goal to build upon these achievements and take CSAMES forward.
The University of Illinois campus at Urbana-Champaign has substantial potential for contributing to South Asian and Middle Eastern studies. A unique feature of the campus is its strength in a wide range of fields, from engineering and sciences to social sciences and humanities. The large size of the campus has also facilitated the emergence of a large number of cross-disciplinary units focusing on a variety of issues facing today's world. With help from the faculty, students, and the community, I believe CSAMES will be able to take advantage of these resources and fulfill its mission with distinction.
The current year is a critical juncture for the continued growth of CSAMES as we strive to expand its scope and resources. To this end, a task force has been appointed at the campus level to seek enhanced funding for South Asian studies and programs. This initiative is being led by Professor Rajeshwari Pandharipande of the Department of Religion. More information about this initiative can be found on the web pages dedicated for this purpose on the CSAMES website.
Our comprehensive plans to expand our scope include increasing the set of courses being offered on the Middle East, arranging new activities in support of research on the region, and augmenting the Center's outreach activities. In all these activities, CSAMES will be enhancing its collaboration with other campus units and student organizations to productively leverage its resources as much as possible. The Center will also work with other campus and community organizations to maintain the momentum of the Illinois Network on Islam and Muslim Societies (I-NIMS), which was launched last year with the help of a grant from the Social Science Research Council (SSRC). Although that grant was not renewed for the coming academic year, we plan to tap into other resources and support I-NIMS while we reapply to SSRC for future years.
One of the visible and immediate changes at CSAMES is the remake of its website, which you are now viewing. We owe this redesign to the thoughtful efforts of Ritu Saksena, Associate Director of CSAMES, Elizabeth Rogers, our Visiting Project Specialist, and the staff of ATLAS. We hope that this new design will make the site more accessible, informative, and interesting. Any suggestions for improving the website or any other aspect of CSAMES activities would be welcome and greatly appreciated.
Finally, I would like to thank the CSAMES staff—Ritu Saksena, Angela Williams, Elizabeth Rogers, Darakhshan Khan, and Stevanna Farley-Wamberg—for their dedicated work. I would also like to add, on behalf of the staff and myself, that we very much appreciate the generous support that CSAMES receives from the College of LAS and the University. And, of course, we are all thankful to the community and the faculty and students affiliated with CSAMES who assist us in various ways and make it easy for us to serve them.
I look forward to working with the faculty, staff, students, and the community to boost the contribution of our campus to the understanding of South Asian and Middle Eastern societies.
Hadi Salehi Esfahani
Director of the CSAMES and Professor of Economics