The Shi’i Studies Group at the University of Chicago, USA, is pleased to invite abstracts for the 2015 symposium, to be held April 3-4, 2015. The topic of the symposium is “The Practical Authority of the Imams and their Representatives.”
Purpose of the Symposium
The University of Chicago Shi’i Studies Symposium was initiated with the aim of strengthening the field of Shi’i Studies by regularly bringing together an inter-disciplinary group of both senior and early-career scholars to present research. At each symposium the organizers aim to address a focused set of questions with cross-cutting relevance to scholars working on various periods and from various disciplinary perspectives.
2015 Symposium
The theoretical authority of the Imam in Shi’ism has been addressed as a question of intellectual history by numerous articles and monographs over the course of the last century. Polemics over the nature of the Imamate provide rich sources for such questions, leading back to the very earliest years of Islam. However, it remains far more difficult to study the question of the practical efficacy of the Imam’s authority, and those who wielded it in his name.
This symposium seeks to draw together research that addresses both the intellectual conceptualization of authority with the question of the practical authority of the Imam and his various representatives. The organizers welcome contributions from scholars working from any relevant scholarly perspective, including social, intellectual and political history, anthropology, political science, literature, and religious studies.
A detailed call for papers is available here.
Format of the Symposium
Presenters will be requested to present for 20 minutes followed by substantial additional time for moderated discussion between panelists and audience. The pre-circulation and reading of papers within panels is encouraged.
Abstract and paper submissions
Abstracts of around 300 words must be submitted by January 5th, 2015, and March 20th, 2015 is the date by which final papers should be submitted. Send abstracts to edhayesATuchicago.edu, with the words “Practical Authority Symposium” in the subject line.