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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Program in Islamic Law
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DTSTART:20260308T070000
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260106
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260110
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20251011T002011Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T233341Z
UID:10001798-1767657600-1768003199@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:2026 Association of American Law Schools (AALS) Annual Meeting\, New Orleans\, January 6-9\, 2026
DESCRIPTION:The Association of American Law Schools (AALS) will host its Annual Meeting from January 6 to 9\, 2026\, in New Orleans. \nTheme: “Impact\, Excellence\, Resilience: The Enduring Contributions of Legal Education” \nFrom the Organizers: At the beginning of the 20th century\, representatives of 35 law schools convened to establish a new association designed to strengthen American legal education\, with the goal of producing lawyers\, judges\, and legal thought-leaders with the expertise and integrity essential for the country’s future. As we mark the Association’s 125th anniversary (and our 120th annual meeting)\, this year’s theme will look back at the enduring impact of American legal education—and the contributions of our faculty and staff colleagues—on our local communities\, our nation\, our society\, and the world. \nFor more information and to register\, please visit the official AALS Annual Meeting website.
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/2026-association-of-american-law-schools-aals-annual-meeting-new-orleans-january-6-9-2026/
CATEGORIES:conferences and workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260106
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260110
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20260104T030422Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T233341Z
UID:10001813-1767657600-1768003199@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Conference: Association of American Law Schools (AALS) Annual Meeting\, New Orleans\, LA\, January 6–9\, 2026
DESCRIPTION:From the organizers:  \nWe’re excited to return to New Orleans! Join us for the 2026 AALS Annual Meeting\, taking place in person from Tuesday\, January 6 to Friday\, January 9\, 2026\, at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside and Loews New Orleans Hotel. \nWe look forward to the energy and connection that come from gathering our community of law school faculty—through networking\, relationship-building\, and celebration in the vibrant city of New Orleans\, Louisiana. \nSee the program here. \nAbout \nThe Association of American Law Schools Annual Meeting\, held in early January each year\, is the largest gathering of law faculty in the world. More than 2\,500 law teachers\, librarians\, and law school administrators from member schools\, fee-paid schools\, and law schools of other nations attend the gathering. A keynote address and Presidential Programs are among the highlights. Most of the meeting is devoted to programs organized and presented by AALS sections. To encourage and recognize excellent legal scholarship by new law teachers\, AALS issues a call for scholarly papers by full-time faculty who have taught for five years or less. Legal scholars select for special recognition those authors whose papers have made the most substantial contribution to legal literature. Many other legal education organizations hold meetings or programs in conjunction with the AALS Annual Meeting\, and law schools hold receptions for graduates and friends. It is also an opportunity for legal educators to connect with colleagues from other law schools and countries around matters of common interest.
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/conference-association-of-american-law-schools-aals-annual-meeting-new-orleans-la-january-6-9-2026/
CATEGORIES:conferences and workshops,lectures and talks
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260109
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260110
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20251219T183615Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260109T235221Z
UID:10001809-1767916800-1768003199@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Call for applications: Lilly Scholar in Residence Short-term Fellowship for Technology & African and Middle Eastern Religious Cultures\, Library of Congress\, January 9\, 2026
DESCRIPTION:  \nPraying in a Machine World: Technology & African and Middle Eastern Religious Cultures – Lilly Scholar in Residence Short-term Fellowship \nApply here \nThe African and Middle Eastern Division (AMED) of the Library of Congress invites applications for short-term fellowships on the theme of religious culture and technology\, defined in its broadest sense from stone tools to AI. Projects must relate primarily to the Library’s African\, Middle Eastern\, Hebraic and Central Asian Collections. \nDeadline : before Midnight (EST) on January 9\, 2026.  \nWho should apply: Emerging Scholar applicants can be up to seven years beyond their doctoral or equivalent degree. Senior Scholar applicants must have held a doctoral or equivalent degree for at least seven years and have a strong record of publication.  \nEligibility: Fellowships will be offered to Applicants who are not U.S. residents but who otherwise meet the above academic qualifications may also apply and be considered for a fellowship\, contingent upon the applicant’s visa eligibility (refer to the fellowship link for more information) \nAward amounts: Senior scholars are eligible for a stipend of $4\,000 for a minimum residency of two weeks. Emerging postdoctoral scholars are eligible for a stipend of $7\,000 for a minimum residency of one month. \nDuration: There is no limitation regarding the time period covered. All appointments must start between June and December 2026\, with a preference for summer 2026.
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/call-for-applications-lilly-scholar-in-residence-short-term-fellowship-for-technology-african-and-middle-eastern-religious-cultures-library-of-congress-january-9-2026/
CATEGORIES:Due dates,Fellowships,Opportunities
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260120
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260121
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20260110T203404Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260120T233404Z
UID:10001816-1768867200-1768953599@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Call for Proposals: 2026 Sponsored Event Program\, American Society of Comparative Law\, January 20\, 2026
DESCRIPTION:The American Society of Comparative Law (ASCL) is pleased to issue a Call for Proposals for its 2026 Sponsored Event Program. The Program will provide a $3\,000 grant to a U.S.-based Member School in support of comparative law programming during the spring or summer of 2026. The grant is intended to support a high-quality comparative law event at the selected Member School. Qualifying events can be on any topic relevant to comparative law as an intellectual discipline. They can also be in any format\, including a conference\, a workshop\, a law review symposium or panel\, or a keynote lecture by a prominent comparatist. The selected Member School is expected to list the ASCL as a co-sponsor on all program advertising and marketing\, and to provide the ASCL with a short post-event blog post for potential publication on the ASCL website. \nWe regret that tax and administrative issues mean that this funding opportunity is only available to U.S.-based Member Schools. \nMember Schools that wish to apply for Sponsored Event Program funding should send a short (roughly 250-word) proposal to the ASCL’s Program Committee Chair\, Professor Jason Yackee (jyackee@wisc.edu)\, no later than January 20\, 2026.Member Schools should submit no more than one proposal per school. Final decisions will be communicated by February 1\, 2026. \nProposals should adequately describe the proposed event (i.e. topic\, format\, proposed speakers\, audience\, timing\, chief organizer/sponsor) and provide a brief indication of how ASCL funding will help to contribute to the program’s success. Given the timing of this Call and our interest in funding programming that will take place during the spring or summer of 2026\, we are—in extraordinary cases—willing to consider funding qualifying events that Member Schools have already planned and scheduled. In that case\, we hope that ASCL funding will allow the Member School to improve the quality or scope of the planned event. \nThank you for your interest in this funding opportunity\, and for your support of the Society.
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/call-for-proposals-2026-sponsored-event-program-american-society-of-comparative-law-january-20-2026/
CATEGORIES:Due dates,Opportunities
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260121T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260121T200000
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20260110T210519Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260121T231926Z
UID:10001818-1769022000-1769025600@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Book Talk: How Commerce Became Legal: Merchants and Market Governance in Nineteenth-Century Egypt by Omar Youssef Cheta (Syracuse University)\, January 21\, 2026 @ 7:00pm
DESCRIPTION:From the American Society for Legal History: \nPlease join us for the next Making Connections: New Works in Legal History series event on Wednesday\, January 21\, 6-7pm Central Time. Omar Youssef Cheta will discuss his book\, How Commerce Became Legal: Merchants and Market Governance in Nineteenth-Century Egypt (Stanford University Press\, 2025) with interlocutor Nurfadzilah Yahaya. \nAbout the Book:\nEgypt was the site of an aggressive modern state-building project during the nineteenth century. Later in that century\, it became a domain of the British Empire. How Commerce Became Legal is an original exploration of the decades that separated these two historical realities (1840’s – 1870’s). Based on hitherto unexplored archives\, it excavates Egypt’s evolving legal regime in the mid-nineteenth century\, linking its Ottoman roots of its future under British rule. The book also reconstructs the trajectories of merchants and their legal aides as they navigated\, reinterpreted and used the laws that governed the market during an era of free trade and extraterritorial privileges. The 1800’s were a period of legal fluidity in the Ottoman Empire. A practically autonomous province by mid-century\, Egypt was also the scene of profound legal experimentation. How Commerce Became Legal offers a methodical study of how new laws redefined the commercial sphere and shaped a new mode of market governance that would persist for long after the historical forces that created it had been forgotten. The book demonstrates the fusion of Ottoman\, French and Islamic legal concepts\, which formed the infrastructure of laws that governed commerce. It meticulously reconstructs the day-to-day practices\, business strategies and legal expertise of individuals who engaged with commercial law. \nOn the Program: \nOmar Youssef Cheta is Assistant Professor of History at Syracuse University. Nurfadzilah Yahaya is Assistant Professor of History at Yale University. The meeting’s host\, Barbara Welke\, is the Distinguished McKnight University Professor of History and Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota\, and Past-President of the ASLH. \nAs a reminder: we will meet on Zoom\, where the audience is invited to ask questions. Those who wish to attend need not have read the book in advance. Those interested in attending must RSVP; the Zoom link will be sent out to registered participants 24 hours before the event. \nIf you have questions\, please feel free to reach out to Siobhan Barco (sbarco@law.harvard.edu) or Barbara Welke (welke004@umn.edu).
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/book-talk-how-commerce-became-legal-merchants-and-market-governance-in-nineteenth-century-egypt-by-omar-youssef-cheta-syracuse-university-january-21-2026-700pm/
CATEGORIES:lectures and talks
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260126
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260127
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20251219T183616Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260126T233311Z
UID:10001810-1769385600-1769471999@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Call for applications: Keyman Modern Turkish Studies Postdoctoral Fellowship\, Northwestern University\, January 26\, 2026
DESCRIPTION:The Keyman Program offers postdoctoral fellowships as well as visiting professor and visiting scholar programs. \nCall for Applications \nNorthwestern University\, Buffett Institute for Global Affairs\nKeyman Modern Turkish Studies Postdoctoral Fellowship \n\nThe Keyman Modern Turkish Studies Program at the Buffett Institute for Global Affairs at Northwestern University invites applications for a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in the study of Turkey and its diasporas in a global or a comparative perspective. Scholars in all branches of the Social Sciences and Humanities may apply. We welcome and encourage applications from early career scholars whose work focuses on nondominant and underrepresented groups including religious\, ethnic\, and LBGTQ minorities and otherwise marginalized groups. The Keyman Fellow will be associated with the Buffett Institute for Global Affairs and the academic department in their discipline. \nThe term of the fellowship will run from September 1\, 2026\, to June 30\, 2028. The second year of the fellowship is subject to review of the fellow’s first-year performance by the University Office of Research and the fellow’s home department. Fellows are expected to teach one course\, preferably during the Fall quarter of their second year with approval from the Dean’s office. \nThe fellow is expected to be in residence in Evanston for the duration of their appointment and be an active member of the university’s intellectual community. They will devote their time to research and writing and participating in academic events at Northwestern Buffett and their home department. During the spring term of their first year\, they will present their work in a format they choose in consultation with their home department. They may choose to deliver another talk during the second year of their residence. They will write a report detailing the progress and achievements of their project a month prior to the conclusion of their appointment. \nThis is a full-time\, benefits-eligible position. The salary will be $63\,000 for the academic year. The Keyman Program will offer up to $1\,500 in moving costs. The fellow may also apply for reimbursement up to $2\,000 per year for research-related activities such as presenting a paper at a conference or the purchase of books. The fellow will be responsible for finding and paying for housing in Evanston. They will be provided office space at the Buffett Institute and have full access to the University’s library and computing resources. \nEligibility:\nApplicants must have submitted all requirements for their doctoral degree by March 31\, 2026\, and have a June 2026 graduation date at the latest. Candidates who received their Ph.D. before September 2022 are not eligible to apply. They may not hold another scholarship\, visiting or employment position during their fellowship. The fellowship cannot be deferred. \nApplication:\nThe Deadline for applications is January 26\, 2026. Review will begin immediately. Candidates are invited to contact turkishstudies@northwestern.edu with any questions or concerns. To apply\, please submit the following documents to our application portal:  \n\nCover Letter (maximum 600 words) with title and summary of proposed project.\nCurriculum vitae with a list of publications.\nResearch proposal (maximum 2000 words) including a detailed description of the project\, goals\, timetable\, bibliography\, and how much of the work has already been done.\nOne writing sample equivalent to a single journal article\, book chapter\, or dissertation chapter. The writing sample may be published or unpublished.\nA sample syllabus for an undergraduate course you would teach. Please include a course description in addition to a reading schedule.\nGraduate Transcript: A transcript from your doctoral degree-granting institution. If your doctoral program did not include formal graded classes\, submit a statement to that effect instead.\nNames of two referees and their email addresses\n\nWith the exception of official transcripts\, all documents must be in English.\n 
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/call-for-applications-keyman-modern-turkish-studies-postdoctoral-fellowship-northwestern-university-january-26-2026/
CATEGORIES:Due dates,Fellowships,Opportunities
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260130
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260131
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20251106T230413Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260130T235149Z
UID:10001804-1769731200-1769817599@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Call for Submissions: Fusayfsa’\, the Smith College student-led Middle East Studies Journal\, January 30th\, 2026
DESCRIPTION:Fusayfsa`\, Smith College’s student-led Middle East Studies Journal\, is currently accepting submissions from undergraduate students to contribute to our fifth edition! We are looking for research papers\, opinion pieces\, book/movie reviews\, poetry\, visual artwork\, or any other forms of media produced by students related to the MENA region! \nSubmit your work via this google form.  \n\nSubmitting to Fusayfsa` is open to any undergraduate level student interested in the MENA region. The deadline for submissions is January 30th. Fusayfsa` is divided into two sections: journal and magazine. There are separate guidelines for each section. \nJournal Submission \nThe journal section will be accepting research papers on any topic related to the MENA region. Papers can be varied in length (maximum 3000)\, following Chicago style for citation\, font 12\, Times New Roman and double spaced. \nMagazine Submission \nThe magazine section will be accepting anything ranging from art (with the permission of the artist\, we may use the art piece as the cover of our journal and/or integrate it into our website)\, op-eds (similar guidelines as for the research papers\, but with a maximum word limit of 1500 words)\, book reviews\, poetry\, multimedia etc. (any sort of creative work related to the MENA region is acceptable!) \nPlease email fusayfsa@smith.edu with questions!
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/call-for-submissions-fusayfsa-the-smith-college-student-led-middle-east-studies-journal-january-30th-2026/
CATEGORIES:Call for papers,Due dates,Opportunities
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260131
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260201
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20251219T183616Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260131T233551Z
UID:10001811-1769817600-1769903999@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Call for papers: 40th Annual Middle East History and Theory Conference (MEHAT)\, University of Chicago\, January 31\, 2026
DESCRIPTION:The 40th Annual Middle East History and Theory Conference (MEHAT) at The University of Chicago will take place on May 1-2\, 2026.\n \nAbout the Conference. Since its inception four decades ago\, the annual Middle East History and Theory Conference at the University of Chicago has earned a reputation as one of the premier academic gatherings in the field. Capitalizing on its setting at a university with a strong tradition in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies\, MEHAT has established itself as a major forum for emerging scholars across disciplines to share their research with peers\, receive constructive feedback\, and foster fruitful academic relationships. Participants come from North America\, Europe\, and the Middle East\, and have traditionally included researchers at every stage of their careers.\n \nCall for Papers. We are now accepting proposals for papers and pre-arranged panels from graduate students\, postdocs\, faculty\, and independent scholars. We invite historians\, linguists\, anthropologists\, literary scholars\, sociologists\, musicologists\, scholars of religion\, and political scientists whose work engages with a broad geography\, including but not limited to\, the Mediterranean\, North and West Africa\, and South and Central Asia\, from Late Antiquity and the advent of Islam to the present.\n \nWe particularly encourage (but do not limit!) submissions related to this year’s overarching theme: “Playing with the Scales: The Local\, Regional\, and Global in Middle Eastern Studies.” Drawing inspiration from economic historian Jan de Vries’s 2019 article “Playing with Scales: The Global and the Micro\, the Nano and the Nano”\, we invite you to problematize the scales of the phenomena\, contexts\, and developments our discipline and research shed light on. How do micro-scale engagements with Middle Eastern agents help us to understand global developments\, like the transformation of law and statehood and the emergence of capitalism? What role do regional configurations\, whether defined in terms of shared ecological\, economic or political contexts\, trade\, religious or intellectual networks\, play in shaping the interaction of individual\, local\, and global scales? How can our work account for these varied layers? The conference theme will also allow us to reflect this critical moment for our discipline amidst challenges that put humanistically informed area studies research at risk.\n \nThe range of topics we hope to examine with this theme include\, but are not limited to: \n●      Theoretical and methodological engagements with scales in Middle Eastern Studies\, i.e. with regard to micro and macrohistory approaches within the discipline\, studies actively problematizing the bridging of broad-scale and granular data sets\, whether qualitative or quantitative \n●      Critical approaches to studying the Middle East as a region\, as well as work situating its actors and locales in alternative geographical realms or disciplinary contexts \n●      The role of individuals\, communities\, and states of the region in shaping global developments as well as the impact of global transformations on the region and its actors\, examples for which may include but are not exhausted by colonialism and imperialism\, capitalism and neoliberalism\, climate change and other ecological alterations\, technological and infrastructural developments\, political movements and global ideologies\, scientific\, literary\, and linguistic exchanges etc. \n●      Meditations on individual and collective agency in the face of local\, regional\, and global transformations \n●      Papers that interrogate the utility of terms and concepts often employed to circumscribe the geographical foci of our field of study\, such as the Middle East\, North Africa\, the Islamicate world\, or the Global South \n●      Explorations of archives\, sources\, and data aiding our understanding of multi-scale phenomena from below \n \nKeynote Speaker. The keynote speaker of this year’s conference is Professor Chris Gratien. Chris Gratien is an associate professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of History at the University of Virginia\, where he offers courses on global environmental history and the modern Middle East. His first book\, The Unsettled Plain: An Environmental History of the Late Ottoman Frontier (Stanford University Press\, 2022)\, was awarded the Nikki Keddie Book Award by the Middle East Studies Association. He is also co-creator of the Ottoman History Podcast\, which has featured over 500 interviews with scholars of the Ottoman Empire and beyond since 2011.\n \nSubmissions. Please send submissions electronically to mehat2026@gmail.com\, no later than Saturday\, January 31\, 2026. Please include each presenter’s name\, and a brief biographical note including institutional affiliation\, program of study\, or position and attach a 250-word abstract with a tentative title. For pre-arranged panels\, please send a single email with an overall panel description plus individual paper abstracts. The best abstracts will summarize the paper’s topic\, its relationship and contribution to existing scholarship and specific conclusions. If you are unsure about the suitability of your topic\, feel free to email us at the above address. Submissions will be assessed\, and invitations extended by late February 2026. \n \nSelected papers will be grouped into panels of three or four. Participants should be prepared to deliver a maximum twenty-minute presentation and respond to questions from an assigned discussant as well as conference attendees. Written papers must be circulated to the respondent and fellow members of the panel at least two weeks before the conference. \n \nA small amount of travel support may be available for a number of presenters without access to institutional funding. Please indicate if you are interested in being considered in your email.\n \nPlease circulate widely! For questions and accessibility concerns\, please write to mehat2026@gmail.com. Additional information will be published on our website. For reference\, you can have a look at last year’s conference program here.
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/call-for-papers-40th-annual-middle-east-history-and-theory-conference-mehat-university-of-chicago-january-31-2026/
CATEGORIES:Call for papers,Due dates,Opportunities
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260131
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260201
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20260110T210520Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260131T233551Z
UID:10001819-1769817600-1769903999@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Call for Papers: Humanities of AI Workshop—Intelligence and Imitation: Mind\, Mechanism\, Mimesis\, Johns Hopkins University\, January 31\, 2026
DESCRIPTION:Intelligence and Imitation: Mind\, Mechanism\, Mimesis \nInaugural Humanities of AI Workshop \nJohns Hopkins University\, April 24-26\, 2026 \nAs a creative aspiration\, the Greek notion of mimesis (“imitation”) manifested not only in artistic works imitating reality and philosophical speculations but also in scientific theories and mechanical artifacts. Plato and Aristotle’s nous as a non-bodily principle of intelligibility underwriting cosmic order and thought; Hobbes and LaMettrie’s machine like mind and world; the Jaquet-Droz family’s musical automata; Wolfgang von Kempelen’s chess-playing Turk; Norbert Wiener’s cybernetic analogy between human\, animal\, and machine; Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori’s observation of the revulsion to imperfect verisimilitude (Bukimi no Tani: “uncanny valley”); and Soviet semiotician Yuri Lotman’s culture as collective mind\, exemplify the broad relevance of “imitations” to science\, literature\, and culture. \nDevelopments in artificial intelligence (AI) participate in the legacy of mimesis but also complicate and challenge it. In the course of AI’s research history\, AIs have variously been claimed to represent\, simulate\, assist\, improve upon\, provide a surrogate for\, or replace the functioning of human minds. Concepts such as “optimization\,” “satisficing\,” and “superintelligence” run orthogonal to the classical concept of mimesis. \nAt the same time\, developments in science and society have deeply challenged both mimesis and mindedness as concepts and ideals. Darwinian and embodied cognitive approaches challenge the primacy of abstract reasoning over embodiment; and reflections on human labor’s relation to material (re-)production\, social stratification\, and human experience from Marx\, Wallerstein\, Pasquinelli and others call into question the social “value-added” of material imitations as well asthe veracity of accounts of “intelligent” labor’s nature and origins. Deep divisions in the societal uptake of AI – exemplified in anti-AI activism\, dueling governance regimes\, and popular criticalslang like “AI slop” – exemplify and give opportunity to inform these theoretical challenges.Orientation to these developments requires approaches that scholars in the humanities may beuniquely positioned to provide. We hereby announce a three-day workshop on “Intelligence and Imitation: Mind\, Mechanism\, Mimesis” for presentation and discussion of new humanities research engaging with this theme. \nOur aim is to foster a collective critical engagement with AIs in their history\, socioeconomic context\, architecture\, and other dimensions of significance with the assistance of resources from literature\, philosophy\, history\, or other humanities fields. We invite contributions from both early-career (including graduate students) and established academic researchers\, whose work-in-progress projects straddle disciplinary boundaries to illuminate aspects of the diverse mind-machine relations exemplified in AI’s history\, current reality\, and imagined futures. \nSome possible avenues of investigation include: \n• Mimesis and mechanical imitation from antiquity to the transformer \n• Transformer architecture and the hermeneutic circle of understanding \n• Political economy and ideology of digital infrastructures sustaining LLMs \n• New histories and historical perspectives on literary cybernetics and natural language \nprocessing (NLP) \n• Hybridity and joint agency between humans and LLMs \n• Anthropomorphism and human relations with the (in)animate \n• Emotional AI as mimesis or optimization \nIn addition to presented papers\, some time at the conference will be devoted to reflection on “humanities of AI” as a research domain\, including its current state and possible futures\, disciplinary articulation\, conditions of success\, relations with natural and social sciences\, and potential impact on sociotechnical systems involving AI. \nSubmission Instructions \nSubmit a single Word or PDF file to Jiantong Liao (jliao20@jh.edu) by January 31 containing: \n(i) an abstract roughly 300 words; (ii) a short bio including your name\, institutional affiliation\, and contact email; and (iii) up to five key words. Decisions will be communicated within one month of the deadline. Authors of accepted abstracts will be asked to send up to 3000 words (a short paper or portion of a paper-in-progress) for distribution before the workshop. Questions may be directed to the address above. \nSupporting Institutions \nAlexander Grass Humanities Institute\, Johns Hopkins \nUniversity\n(https://krieger.jhu.edu/humanities-institute/) \nCenter for Equitable AI & Machine Learning Systems (CEAMLS)\, Morgan State \nUniversity\n(https://www.morgan.edu/ceamls) \nOrganizing Committee \nJiantong Liao (Chair) \nPhD Student\, German Program\, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures \njliao20@jh.edu \nKsenia Tatarchenko (Faculty Sponsor) \nFaculty\, Medicine\, Science & Humanities Program\, Johns Hopkins University \nktatarc1@jh.edu \nPhillip Honenberger (Faculty Sponsor) \nAI Ethicist & Researcher\, Center for Equitable AI & ML Systems (CEAMLS)\, Morgan State \nUniversity \njaywilliam.honenberger@morgan.edu
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/call-for-papers-humanities-of-ai-workshop-intelligence-and-imitation-mind-mechanism-mimesis-johns-hopkins-university-january-31-2026/
CATEGORIES:Call for papers,Due dates,Opportunities
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260131
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260202
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20251103T002042Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260131T233551Z
UID:10001800-1769817600-1769990399@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Call for Papers: Association for the Study of Law\, Culture\, and the Humanities Annual Conference\, Chicago\, January 31\, 2026
DESCRIPTION:From the organizers: \nEvery year\, the Association holds it annual conference\, usually a two-day affair\, as well as a graduate student workshop\, usually held the day before the annual conference. The 2026 annual meeting will be held at the DePaul University College of Law from June 17-18th. Our call for papers and submissions guidelines can be found below: \nUprooted Law: Reflecting on the Origins and Outgrowths of Law \nWhat do we follow when we follow the law? Is law what is on the books\, or what is observed\, or what should be observed? The English term “law” descends from the plural form of the Old Norse “lag\,” designating “things laid down or fixed.” Yet law must be flexible enough to adjust and respond to changes. Particularly today\, when the line between legal norms and norms rooted elsewhere has blurred\, it is difficult to determine law’s location. What is law’s function in times of technological\, political\, and societal change? Does the law have a responsibility toward itself\, and if so\, who can be trusted with its observation? Given that law borrows from other areas of culture\, from literature and rhetoric to the sciences and dramatic arts\, the humanities are in a premier position to respond to these questions. \nThis conference invites reflections on the origins of law in the broadest sense. What substantiates the rule of law in practice\, and how does law itself mediate the difference between original and copy\, present and past? How do an ensemble of methods\, disciplines\, movements\, texts\, and technologies come together to help law create the past and future? We invite reflections on these and related questions and welcome papers\, roundtables\, and work-in-progress sessions that help us understand law’s current position by looking at it through a humanistic lens. \nSubmission Guidelines \nWe encourage the submission of fully constituted panels\, as well as panels that reimagine or experiment with models for academic presentation\, such as roundtables\, “author meets reader” sessions (which may include multiple books and their authors in conversation)\, works-in-progress sessions\, workshop-format panels that focus on engaging participants in shared thinking or other kinds of productive co-creation\, multi-panel streams\, etc. Individual proposals should include a title and an abstract of no more than 250 words. \nPanels\, whether virtual or in-person\, should include three papers (or\, exceptionally\, four papers). Please specify a title and designate a chair for your panel. The panel chair may also be a panel presenter. It is not necessary to write an abstract or proposal for the panel itself. \nTo indicate your pre-constituted panel\, roundtable\, or stream\, please ensure that each individual participant provides the name of the panel and the chair in their individual submissions on the registration site. All panel\, roundtable\, or stream participants must make an individual submission on the registration site. When submitting a proposal\, we also ask that registrants identify two to three keywords to help us align sessions with each other. \nMode \nThe twenty-eighth annual conference will emphasize the LCH tradition of in-person conversation. While we encourage participants to join us in Chicago\, we recognize that in-person attendance may be prohibitive for some. To that end\, we will also accept the submission of virtual panels and papers. \nSince we will not be providing technical support for virtual participants\, panel chairs will be responsible for providing Zoom links that will be listed in the program. All plenary sessions will be available streaming online as well as in person. \nCreating a Panel: Our Program Archive and Graduate Coordinators \nWhile participants may submit individual paper proposals that the Program Committee will later combine into full panels\, we strongly encourage applicants to create full panels prior to submission. Pre-formed panels may cohere better\, and allow collaborators to craft focused scholarly exchanges. Panels comprising a diversity of institutions\, academic ranks\, disciplines\, and identities are often the most rewarding. \nIf you would like support in finding others who might be interested in forming a panel\, have a look at our archive of past conference programs\, which can be found here. Our recent programs may contain the names of scholars working in fields related to your research. Reaching out to scholars who have previously presented at LCH about creating a panel can be a good place to start. For additional assistance\, please feel free to contact our Graduate Coordinators\, Aditya Banerjee (adityabanerjee@g.harvard.edu) and Jack Quirk (john_quirk@brown.edu) with “LCH panel” in the subject line. The Graduate Coordinators will act as intermediaries\, and may be able to put you in contact with others working on related topics. Please contact them well before the submission deadline\, to allow time for follow-up. \nWe especially encourage graduate students and those new to LCH to consider reaching out to the Graduate Coordinators if they’re struggling to identify potential co-panelists. \nHow to Submit \nSubmissions should be made through the following link: \n\nSubmit a Proposal\n\n\nSubmission Deadline \nThe deadline for all conference submissions is January 31\, 2026. \nContact Information \nPlease email lch@lawculturehumanities.com with any queries.
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/call-for-papers-association-for-the-study-of-law-culture-and-the-humanities-annual-conference-chicago-january-31-2026/
CATEGORIES:Call for papers
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260202
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260203
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20251121T001847Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260202T235048Z
UID:10001808-1769990400-1770076799@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Call for Papers: Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies (MEIS) Graduate Student Virtual Symposium\, University of Alberta\, February 2\, 2026
DESCRIPTION:The MEIS Graduate Student Virtual Symposium provides a critical space for graduate scholars (MA and PhD) to explore how power\, knowledge\, and resistance intersect across Muslim and Middle Eastern contexts. \nSubmit your abstracts here. \nSubmission Guidelines \nEligibility: Graduate students (MA or PhD) from any discipline or institution worldwide. \nAbstract Length: 250–300 words. \nInclude: \no Title of paper \no Author’s name\, institutional affiliation\, and program level \no 3–5 keywords \no Short bio (max 100 words) \nPresentation Time: 15 minutes\, followed by discussion. \nImportant Dates \nAbstract Submission Deadline: February 2\, 2026 \nNotification of Acceptance: March 2\, 2026 \nFull Paper Submission (optional for competition): May 31\, 2026 \nSymposium Date: May 15\, 2026 \nParticipants may optionally submit full papers for the Graduate Paper Competition\, supported \nby the ECMC Chair in Islamic Studies: 1st Prize $500 | 2nd Prize $300
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/call-for-papers-middle-eastern-and-islamic-studies-meis-graduate-student-virtual-symposium-university-of-alberta-february-2-2026/
CATEGORIES:Due dates,Opportunities
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260204
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260306
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20260108T023748Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260204T233318Z
UID:10001815-1770163200-1772755199@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Conference: AI Methodologies and Applications in Middle Eastern and Islamic World Studies\, Kuwait University\, February 4–5\, 2026
DESCRIPTION:From the organizers: \nDate: February 4-5\, 2026\nVenue: Global Studies Centre\, Gulf University for Science and Technology\, Kuwait \nThe new age of artificial intelligence (AI) presents many opportunities and challenges to methodology in all disciplines of Social Sciences and Humanities including in Middle Eastern and Islamic World Studies. AI technologies\, such as data analysis\, machine learning\, and natural language processing\, can uncover hidden patterns\, automate repetitive tasks\, and provide deeper insights into the topic of study. \nHowever\, these benefits also come with some significant ethical challenges such as concerns about data privacy\, algorithmic bias\, and human responsibility and accountability in the use and application of AI technologies. This research conference is focused on the use and application of AI in the methodology of all disciplines of Middle Eastern and Islamic World Studies broadly defined. \nOverarching questions to be addressed include: What is the difference between the types of uses of AI: are some more acceptable than others? Are there some fields in which the use of AI presents huge opportunities and others in which it causes major issues? Can we speak of AI in terms of being a “net-good” in Middle Eastern and Islamic World Studies? \nConference themes include but are not limited to the following: \n\nOpportunities/Challenges/Ethics in incorporating AI in the methodology of the Social Sciences and Humanities disciplines including in Islamic Philosophy\, History\, Religious Studies\, Literature\, Anthropology\, Theology\, Sociology\, Communications.\nSpecific Social Sciences or Humanities research projects or applications with significant use of AI or other digital technologies in Middle Eastern and Islamic World Studies.\nAI applications in religious law\, textual commentary and prophetic traditions.\nAI applications in the cultural heritage of the Middle East and Islamic World.\n\nConfirmed Keynote Speakers \n\nDavid Wrisley\, Professor of Digital Humanities\, New York University Abu Dhabi\nShoaib Malik\, Lecturer in Science and Religion\, University of Edinburgh\n\nLimited travel funding may be available for graduate students\, post-doctoral fellows and faculty from low-income countries and institutions. We aim to publish the revised papers as articles/chapters in either a refereed special issue of a journal or as an edited volume. \nEmail questions to both Dr. Ismail Lala (Lala.I@gust.edu.kw) and Dr. Jennifer Lofkrantz (Lofkrantz.J@gust.edu.kw).
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/conference-ai-methodologies-and-applications-in-middle-eastern-and-islamic-world-studies-kuwait-university-february-4-5-2026/
CATEGORIES:conferences and workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260204T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260205T170000
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20251107T000427Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260204T233318Z
UID:10001806-1770192000-1770310800@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Conference: Faith\, Values\, and the Rule of Law—An Interdisciplinary Conference\, Seton Hall University School of Law\,  November 1\, 2025
DESCRIPTION:From the Organizers: \nThe Program on Faith\, Values\, and the Rule of Law at Seton Hall University School of Law is pleased to announce its inaugural academic conference to occur on February 4–5 at the Law School’s Newark\, New Jersey campus. \nThe American Bar Association defines the “rule of law” as a set of principles under which “no one is above the law\, everyone is treated equally under the law\, everyone is held accountable to the same laws\, there are clear and fair processes for enforcing laws\, there is an independent judiciary\, and human rights are guaranteed for all.” (ABA Rule of Law page.) In the United States and around the world these principles are now under serious threat. \nThe concept of the rule of law is often considered a product of modern liberalism.  Its historical and ethical roots\, however\, run much deeper. The world’s great religious\, theological\, and philosophical traditions have all contributed to the understanding of justice and human dignity that underpins modern rule of law principles. Indeed\, it might be that any meaningful concept of the rule of law finally implicates theistic\, or at least transcendent\, perspectives. \nPerhaps a recovery of these often-buried perspectives is what our present moment of crisis requires. At the same time\, any such recovery must proceed critically\, with proper concern for the ways in which religious traditions have also contributed to systemic injustices\, and with attention to the requirements of peaceable community in a multi-religious world. What can the traditions of various forms of Judaism\, Christianity\, Islam\, Hinduism\, and other religions and philosophies offer in response to global trends towards aggressive nationalism and authoritarianism? How can religious believers promote a rule of law framework when their institutions and communities are being swallowed by distortions and disinformation\, as is the case\, for example\, with American Christian Nationalism? Can religious communities in conflict dialogue fruitfully about rule of law principles? How might theologies and traditions develop when they have been complicit in cycles of oppression and violence? \nWe seek contributions from scholars in law\, theology\, religious studies\, philosophy\, political science\, international affairs\, history\, literature\, ethics\, and related disciplines for a robust conversation on these themes.  We are looking for broad conceptual engagement along with proposals for practical interventions. Contributions relating to legal issues surrounding religious liberty and religious establishment or non-establishment will be considered\, but interpretation of the U.S. Constitution’s religion clauses is not the focus of the conference. \nTo submit an abstract for consideration\, please use this form.  The deadline for consideration is November 1\, 2025. Limited travel funding is available and can be requested through the abstract submission form. There is no publication requirement\, although we may seek a suitable venue for publication of selected papers. If you have any questions\, please contact Brett Canaval\, Administrative Director of the Program on Faith\, Values\, and the Rule of Law\, at brett.canaval@shu.edu. \nAbout the Program on Faith\, Values and the Rule of Law (FVRoL) at\nSeton Hall University Law School \nDo law\, justice and love relate to each other?  What is a good society?  Is there something beyond what we think of as the material world – the gods\, God\, spiritual truths\, transcendent purpose\, the Good – that should shape our understanding and practice of “law?”  How do the laws\, institutions\, norms\, and political discourses of our times – in what philosopher Charles Taylor famously described as a “secular age” – relate to religious histories that are often only dimly remembered in Anglo-American and European contexts?[1]  Is it even possible to speak about the “rule of law” beyond the mere exercise of power? \nThese are pressing questions in a time when it seems basic civility and decency have been abandoned.  But they are not new questions – in fact\, they are as old as humanity itself.  The Program on Faith\, Values\, and the Rule of Law was established to provide a forum for scholars\, students\, faith communities\, and practitioners in law\, ministry\, and policy to discuss these enduring themes. \nFVRoL was founded at Seton Hall University Law School by Prof. David W. Opderbeck in collaboration with Seton Hall University’s Institute of Judaeo-Christian Studies and Center for Catholic Studies.  Trained in both law and theology\, Prof. Opderbeck is author of numerous scholarly articles and three books: Faithful Exchange: The Economy as It’s Meant to Be (Minneapolis: Fortress Press 2025); The End of the Law?  Law\, Theology\, and Neuroscience (Eugene: Wipf & Stock / Cascade 2021); and Law and Theology:  Classic Questions and Contemporary Perspectives (Minneapolis: Fortress Press 2019). \n\n\n\n\n\n[1] Charles Taylor\, A Secular Age (Cambridge: Belknap Press 2018).
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/conference-faith-values-and-the-rule-of-law-an-interdisciplinary-conference-seton-hall-university-school-of-law-november-1-2025/
CATEGORIES:conferences and workshops
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260209T181500
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260209T193000
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20260205T234916Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260209T234858Z
UID:10001833-1770660900-1770665400@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Workshop: Middle East Beyond Borders—Chris Rominger\, “Sea Changes: Trans-Mediterranean Lives and Networks at the Turn of the 20th Century\,” February 9\, 2026 @ 6:15pm
DESCRIPTION:Dr. Chris Rominger (Social Studies)\, “Sea Changes: Trans-Mediterranean Lives and Networks at the Turn of the 20th Century.” Professor Adam Mestyan (NELC) will respond. \nWe will be meeting from 6:15-7:30pm in the Finnegan Room (Barker 403) and dinner will be provided. See event flyer for more info and to RSVP. \nThe Middle East Beyond Borders (MEBB) workshop aims to foster an interdisciplinary community of scholars working on the past and present of the Middle East. It takes as its founding premise the idea that the “Middle East” as an object of inquiry must fundamentally engage notions of boundaries\, mobility\, and transformation. Our goal is to offer a platform for collaboration and discussion to all Middle East scholars at Harvard across a wide range of academic fields and disciplines. To date\, our community has welcomed scholars from NELC\, History\, Middle Eastern Studies\, Anthropology\, the Study of Religion\, Law\, Art and Architecture\, and more. During meetings\, we typically workshop a polished dissertation chapter or prospectuses from graduate students.
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/workshop-middle-east-beyond-borders-chris-rominger-sea-changes-trans-mediterranean-lives-and-networks-at-the-turn-of-the-20th-century-february-9-2026-615pm/
CATEGORIES:conferences and workshops,Harvard Events
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260210T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260210T133000
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20260129T023746Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260210T233516Z
UID:10001827-1770726600-1770730200@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Islamic Law Speaker Series: Sohaira Siddiqui (Georgetown University)\, “Islamic Law on Trial: Contesting Colonial Power in British India\,” February 10\, 2026 @ 12:30pm
DESCRIPTION:On Tuesday\, February 10\, 2026\, at 12:30-1:30PM US EST\, Dr. Sohaira Siddiqui will present her latest monograph\, Islamic Law on Trial: Contesting Colonial Power in British India\, which reexamines long-held assumptions about Islamic law under British rule. The book uncovers how colonial interventions disrupted existing legal traditions while revealing the strategies through which Muslim elites navigated\, negotiated\, and at times reshaped the new institutions imposed on them. \nRegister here. 
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/islamic-law-speakers-series-sohaira-siddiqui-georgetown-university-islamic-law-on-trial-contesting-colonial-power-in-british-india-february-10-2026-1230pm/
CATEGORIES:PIL events
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260212
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260213
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20260115T230414Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260212T224819Z
UID:10001821-1770854400-1770940799@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Call for Panels: Middle East Medievalists at MESA 2026\, February 12\, 2026 @ 8:00pm
DESCRIPTION:The call for papers for MESA 2026 (60th annual meeting\, Nov 21-24\, 2026\, at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza) is now out: https://mesana.org/annual-meeting/call-for-papers \nNote that the deadline for submissions is Feb 17 (2026) \nAs in previous MESA meetings\, Middle East Medievalists will sponsor panels in the MESA 2026 meeting. \nWe encourage all medievalists organizing panels to send us abstracts for both individual papers and the panel as a whole (as well as the names of the participants)\, by Thursday February 12th  8pm so that the board may consider them for sponsorship before the MESA deadline (Tuesday\, Feb 17th). \nEmail your materials and/or any questions to Jonathan Brack: Jonathan.brack@northwestern.edu.
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/call-for-panels-middle-east-medievalists-at-mesa-2026-february-12-2026-800pm/
CATEGORIES:Call for papers,Due dates,Opportunities
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260213
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260214
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20260104T030423Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260213T233441Z
UID:10001814-1770940800-1771027199@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Call for Applications: 2026–2027 PIL Research Fellowship\, February 13\, 2026
DESCRIPTION:PIL Research Fellowship Application\, 2026–2027\nThe Program in Islamic Law at Harvard Law School is pleased to invite applications for the 2026-2027 PIL Research Fellowship (due: February 13\, 2026). This fellowship is designed to provide an intellectual home to promising young scholars in Islamic legal studies\, to advance their research\, and to contribute to the intellectual life of the Program and the greater Harvard community. The opportunity allows the selected fellow to pursue independent research on Islamic law and history that utilizes the extensive collections of the Harvard Libraries. The PIL Research Fellowship award is a full-time residential fellowship at Harvard Law School (for nine months\, during the academic year). \nSuccessful applicants will have completed an advanced degree (JD\, PhD\, or SJD) before the start of the fellowship\, and plan to pursue a scholarly research agenda in Islamic law that engages legal history\, law and society\, or comparative law approaches. Fellows will receive a stipend for the duration of the fellowship. \nTo apply for this fellowship\, please submit the following materials via the research fellowship online application form by February 13\, 2026: \n1. a curriculum vitae\n2. a research proposal consisting of \n\na single-paragraph abstract of your proposed research\na research statement\, not to exceed 1500 words (3 single-spaced pages)\, and\na bibliography of works you have consulted that describes the proposed work during the fellowship period.\n\nThe proposal should outline research in your area of expertise or interest related to contemporary or historical issues of Islamic law that can be accomplished during the fellowship term; projects are to utilize the Harvard collections to advance a novel contribution to scholarship through research in Islamic law\, with a legal history\, comparative law\, or law and society approach.\n3. an explanation of why Harvard/PIL is the required venue for your research (e.g.\, identification of specific Harvard/PIL resources that are necessary to pursue the research project)\n4. a writing sample of no more than 25 pages in length\, in English (which can be a recent publication or unpublished work; works-in-progress are especially welcome) \n5. 3 reference letters from recommenders who are to upload letters directly at the referee link.\nA panel of scholars at Harvard will review your application materials. The panel will consider your application in relation to numerous other proposals. Evaluation criteria will include: \n\nThe significance of the contribution that the project will make to knowledge in the field\nThe quality or the promise of quality of the work\nThe quality of the conception\, definition\, organization and description of the project\nThe likelihood that the applicant will complete the project\nThe appropriateness of the research for Harvard/PIL resources\n\nPlease ensure that your references have ample time to consider and comment on your proposal. Letters of reference are more highly regarded if they address the specific proposed activity and how well the candidate is suited to undertake it\, as opposed to letters that verify character\, limit comments to previous work\, or make only general observations on the topic. \nFollowing a process of committee review\, applicants will be notified of decisions on March 1st.\nDeadline: February 13\, 2026 \n 
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/call-for-applications-2026-2027-pil-research-fellowship-february-13-2026/
CATEGORIES:Due dates,Fellowships,Opportunities
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260217
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260218
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20260115T230414Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260217T234819Z
UID:10001822-1771286400-1771372799@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Call for Papers: Middle East Studies Association Annual Meeting\, Boston\, MA\, February 17\, 2026
DESCRIPTION:MESA 2026 Call for Papers\nDeadline to submit is February 17\, 2026 (11:59 AM EST) \nThe 60th Annual Meeting of the Middle East Studies Association will be held in person in Boston\, MA\, on November 21-24\, 2026.\nMESA members are invited to propose papers and sessions for the 60th Annual Meeting of the Middle East Studies Association on November 21-24\, 2026\, related to MESA’s mission of scholarship and advocacy primarily concerning the region of the Middle East (including Southwest Asia\, the Arab world\, and North Africa) from the seventh century to today\, though not at the exclusion of earlier time periods. Other areas of Africa\, Asia\, Europe\, and the Americas—including diaspora communities—are also included as part of the study of the transnational dimensions of the societies of the Middle East in an interdisciplinary and comparative context. \nQuestions about the call for papers and the proposal submission process are always welcome.\nPlease email meeting@mesana.org. \nCategories of proposals for the 2026 MESA Annual Conference:\nThree categories of proposals may be submitted to the Program Committee for review through myMESA: \n\nPre-organized panels: Four to six papers on a common subject. Paper presentations are typically15-20 minutes long\, and based on a written paper with a title shared with fellow participants in advance. An overall panel description must be submitted by the organizer(s).\nPre-organized roundtables: Five to eight presentations on a common subject. Roundtable interventions are shorter\, typically 5-10 minutes\, and intended to start a discussion with greater audience participation and conversation among the roundtable participants. No pre-written paper is expected to be shared in advance and the roundtable room is not equipped with video presentation options. An overall roundtable description must be submitted by the organizer(s).\nIndividual paper abstracts: One abstract to be placed on a panel by the Program Committee if accepted. Selected individual abstracts will be combined with other similar proposals to create put-together panels.\n\nIn addition\, two limited categories of proposals may be submitted directly to the MESA Secretariat for initial review: \n\nSpecial sessions on urgent issues of relevance to numerous MESA members (this category is very limited)\nProfessional development workshops (limited)\n\nSee here for more information and instructions. \n 
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/call-for-papers-middle-east-studies-association-annual-meeting-boston-ma-february-17-2026/
CATEGORIES:Call for papers,Due dates,Opportunities
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260220
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260221
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20260110T203405Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260220T233415Z
UID:10001817-1771545600-1771631999@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Call for Applications: Kamel Center Senior Postgraduate Fellowship\, Yale Law School\, February 20\, 2026
DESCRIPTION:Abdallah S. Kamel Center for the Study of Islamic Law and Civilization \nYale Law School Kamel Center Senior Postgraduate Fellowship \nThe Abdallah S. Kamel Center for the Study of Islamic Law and Civilization is a scholarly center at the Yale Law School that focuses on the intellectual and social history of Islam\, Islamic legal and political theory and law in contemporary Muslim societies. The Kamel Center coordinates a diverse program of activities that serve students and scholars at Yale. The Center’s activities include: convening an annual lecture series\, as well as regular research forums and workshops; offering research fellowships for fellows in residence at YLS; hosting distinguished scholars in the field of Islamic law and civilization as visitors in residence; and providing student fellowships in support of research\, travel and training related to Islamic law and civilization. Through its activities\, the Center contributes to the fields of Islamic Law and Islamic Studies both locally and internationally. \nThe Kamel Center at Yale Law School invites applications for the position of Senior Fellow.  \nUnder the supervision of the Kamel Center faculty directors\, the Senior Fellow will be responsible for assisting with the programming and other activities of the Kamel Center; working with current and former visiting and post-graduate fellows; planning events\, including workshops and lectures\, and working with the many colleagues\, organizations\, and interested individuals with whom the Kamel Center collaborates. \nSpecific responsibilities of the Senior Fellow include the following: \n\nCoordinating the Kamel Center’s events\, including a lecture series\, workshops and other colloquia\, as well as other occasional speakers\, panels\, conferences and films as determined by the Kamel Center faculty directors;\nAdvising Yale students about opportunities in the field of Islamic Law and Islamic Studies\, including research projects\, and graduate and post-graduate opportunities;\nWorking together with the Kamel Center’s assigned administrative support staff;\nHelping to oversee public relations (web site\, social media\, press releases) for the Kamel Center;\nRepresenting the Kamel Center within the Law School and University;\nProviding some administrative oversight for Kamel Center operations;\nThe possibility of teaching or co-teaching at Yale Law School and Yale College\, by approval of the appropriate academic faculty; \nSupporting the Kamel Center’s  post-graduate fellowship program by maintaining relationships with fellows during their time at Yale; and\nCarrying out independent scholarship and other relevant research.\n\n  \nCandidates must have the following qualifications \n\nCompleted PhD with a distinguished academic record and deep scholarly engagement with Islamic Law and/or Islamic Studies  (a JD is not required but helpful\, depending on the candidate’s field of research);\nRelevant administrative and organizational experience; and\nRecord of scholarship in areas related to the Kamel Center’s work.\n\nThe Senior Fellow is expected to be in residence in the New Haven area and to begin his or her appointment by August 1\, 2026. The Senior Fellow will receive a salary (commensurate with experience) plus Yale University benefits. Initial appointment is for two years\, renewable for an appropriate term (up to five years) if renewal is agreed upon by the Senior Fellow and the Kamel Center. \nApplication materials should include the following: \n\ncover letter describing the candidate’s qualifications and including a statement of the applicant’s interests in Islamic Law and Civilization\, and particularly area of focus;\ncurriculum vitae;\ngraduate school and\, if applicable\, law school transcript;\nsample of recent scholarly writing; and\nthree letters of recommendation (to be submitted directly by the recommender).\n\nThe application materials and letters of recommendation should be sent to kamel.center@yale.edu no later than February 20\, 2026.
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/call-for-applications-kamel-center-senior-postgraduate-fellowship-yale-law-school-february-20-2026/
CATEGORIES:Due dates,Fellowships,Opportunities
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260220
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260221
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20260115T230414Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260220T233415Z
UID:10001823-1771545600-1771631999@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Call for Papers: Comparative Law Work-in-Progress Workshop\, Princeton University\, February 20\, 2026
DESCRIPTION:Annual Comparative Law Work-in-Progress Workshop\, May 7-9\, 2026 \nCo-Organized and Co-Hosted by: \n\nKim Lane Scheppele (Princeton University)\nJacques deLisle (University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School)\nJacqueline Ross (University of Illinois College of Law)\nand Co-Sponsored by the American Society of Comparative Law\n\nWe invite all interested comparative law scholars to submit a paper for the next annual Comparative Law Work-in-Progress Workshop\, which will be hosted by Princeton University held in-person in Princeton\, May 7-9\, 2026. \nAuthors should submit papers through the following Google Form: https://forms.gle/UMrqFxHwGgS5dZX38 \nPapers must be submitted by February 20\, 2026. Authors will be informed of decisions by March 20\, 2026.  \nThe annual workshop is a vibrant forum in which comparative law works in progress are discussed by colleagues in a serious and thorough manner that past participants have found valuable. A “work in progress” is scholarship that has reached a stage that is substantial enough for serious discussion and critique but has not yet appeared in print and (if it has been accepted for publication) can be substantially revised after the workshop.   Appropriate work includes law review articles\, book chapters\, and other similar genres. \nEach author may submit only one work for consideration\, and the work should be no more than 15\,000 words (including notes).   If the work is longer\, the author should indicate which 15\,000-word portion they would like to have read and discussed. \nThe objectives of the workshop are both to discuss the selected works in progress and also to provide an opportunity for comparative lawyers to gather to engage more broadly. We hope that this will foster more dialogue and an increased sense of community in the discipline. \nParticipants in the workshop will include paper authors\, designated commentators\, and scholars from the host institutions and elsewhere. The group will be small enough to gather around a single table and engage in robust discussion. Authors do not present their papers. The papers will be distributed well in advance. \nEach paper will be introduced and discussed by two commentators before opening the discussion to other workshop participants. At the end of the discussion\, the author will have an opportunity to respond and ask questions.  Authors are expected to offer comments on the other works presented at the workshop.   \nThere are no plans to publish a collection of the workshop papers. Paper authors may seek publication wherever they wish. \nThe workshop begins with an evening reception / dinner on Thursday May 7\, continues all day Friday and ends shortly after lunch on Saturday May 9.   Authors are expected to attend the entire workshop. \nThis year’s Workshop is supported by Princeton University and the American Society of Comparative Law.   The sponsors will cover the costs of accommodation and meals in Princeton and travel costs\, of up to $600 per person\, with limited flexibility to provide greater reimbursement for those travelling greater distances.
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/call-for-papers-comparative-law-work-in-progress-workshop-princeton-university-february-20-2026/
CATEGORIES:Call for papers,Due dates,Opportunities
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260223T191500
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260223T203000
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20260205T234917Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260223T233406Z
UID:10001834-1771874100-1771878600@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Workshop: Middle East Beyond Borders—Giovanni DiRusso\, “The Textual Tradition of the Arabic Apocalypse of Peter: Variance and Adaptation in a Christian Arabic Apocalypse\,” February 23\, 2026 @ 7:15pm
DESCRIPTION:Giovanni DiRusso (CSR)\, “The Textual Tradition of the Arabic Apocalypse of Peter: Variance and Adaptation in a Christian Arabic Apocalypse.” Oana Capatina (CSR) will respond. \nWe will be meeting from 7:15-8:30pm in the Finnegan Room (Barker 403) and dinner will be provided. See event flyer for more info and to RSVP. \nThe Middle East Beyond Borders (MEBB) workshop aims to foster an interdisciplinary community of scholars working on the past and present of the Middle East. It takes as its founding premise the idea that the “Middle East” as an object of inquiry must fundamentally engage notions of boundaries\, mobility\, and transformation. Our goal is to offer a platform for collaboration and discussion to all Middle East scholars at Harvard across a wide range of academic fields and disciplines. To date\, our community has welcomed scholars from NELC\, History\, Middle Eastern Studies\, Anthropology\, the Study of Religion\, Law\, Art and Architecture\, and more. During meetings\, we typically workshop a polished dissertation chapter or prospectuses from graduate students.
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/workshop-middle-east-beyond-borders-giovanni-dirusso-the-textual-tradition-of-the-arabic-apocalypse-of-peter-variance-and-adaptation-in-a-christian-arabic-apocalypse-febr/
CATEGORIES:conferences and workshops,Harvard Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260227
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260228
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20260129T031912Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260227T235106Z
UID:10001829-1772150400-1772236799@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Call for Proposals: UCLA Center for Near Eastern Studies Graduate Student Colloquium: The Visual Culture of Algeria Through Exchange\, Circulation\, and Global Networks\, February 27\, 2026
DESCRIPTION:UCLA Center for Near Eastern Studies \nCall for Proposals for a Graduate Student Colloquium: The Visual Culture of Algeria Through Exchange\, Circulation\, and Global Networks \nWe invite papers addressing a wide range of visual-material practice\, periods\, and methodological approaches that examine questions of exchange\, circulation\, and networks. The colloquium is organized by Ava Hess (Art History)\, Yubai Shi (Art History)\, and Sarp Tanridag (Architecture and Urban Design). \nThis one-day hybrid colloquium will bring together early-career scholars working on the visual culture of Algeria from the Ottoman period to the present. It focuses on the movement of artists\, artworks\, materials\, and ideas across local\, regional\, and global networks\, situating Algerian visual culture as a site of innovation\, negotiation\, and exchange. Rather than treat the French invasion of Algiers in 1830 as a definitive point of rupture\, the colloquium invites contributions that emphasize continuities and transformations in artistic production over time\, cutting across conventional precolonial/colonial/postcolonial divisions. \nA central aim of the colloquium is to rethink dominant narratives of Algerian (and broader Maghribi) modernism. The growing interest in Algerian modern art and architecture often remains limited by national or colonial temporal frameworks. While colonial histories remain central to understanding nineteenth- and twentieth-century Algeria\, recent scholarship reminds us that colonialism alone cannot account for the complexity of North African cultural production. Here\, we will investigate the circulations and exchanges that have shaped artistic practice and visual culture across beylical\, colonial\, post-independence\, and contemporary periods\, while also attending to practices and media that have been marginalized in standard accounts of modernism.\n \nWe encourage papers that propose new ways of writing Algerian art history and visual culture—for example\, moving beyond rupture-based temporal models\, colonial or nationalist canons\, and conventional medium-bound studies. We are especially interested in work that treats circulation (of objects\, materials\, techniques\, or ideas) and networks (institutional or independent\, regional or transnational) as methodological tools for rethinking periodization\, media hierarchies\, and artistic agency. \nThe colloquium is committed to fostering dialogue among graduate students and early-career scholars based in Algeria\, the United States\, and other parts of the MENA region. The event will be held in a hybrid format (in person and via Zoom) to accommodate participants facing visa constraints\, travel funding limitations\, or other access needs. We invite papers addressing a wide range of visual-material practice\, periods\, and methodological approaches that examine questions of exchange\, circulation\, and networks. Possible topics include\, but are not limited to: \n\nTransregional circulation of artists\, artworks\, or materials\nNetworks of artistic education and training (e.g. academies\, workshops\, or organizations)\nThe impact of beylical\, colonial\, and national transitions on visual and material cultures\nAlternative histories of media\, such as painting\, print\, or photography\, and practices such as miniature painting\, calligraphy\, or architecture\nTrans-Saharan\, Maghrib–Mashreq\, Mediterranean\, or Global South exchanges\nAlgeria’s role in Third Worldist\, socialist\, or non-aligned cultural networks and solidarity movements\nNon-French orientalisms and alternative imperial or post-imperial visual regimes\nForms of “popular” art\nDiasporic artistic production\nLocal or alternative archival practices\n\nThe colloquium will take place in English \nSubmission details \nPlease submit an abstract in English of no more than 300 words\, a one-line biographical statement\, and a CV via the submission link by February 27\, 2026. Applicants will be notified within one week of the deadline.\n\nTravel support \nTo support in-person participation\, limited travel reimbursement is available for up to three (3) international presenters traveling from overseas and one (1) domestic presenter. Travel support is contingent on the presenter securing a visa in time to travel (where applicable) and on the availability of funds. Presenters who are unable to attend in person due to visa or travel constraints will be fully accommodated as remote participants via Zoom. To be considered for travel support\, please indicate your need in the submission form.
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/call-for-proposals-ucla-center-for-near-eastern-studies-graduate-student-colloquium-the-visual-culture-of-algeria-through-exchange-circulation-and-global-networks-february-27-2026/
CATEGORIES:Call for papers,conferences and workshops,Due dates,Opportunities
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260301
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260302
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20260122T220617Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260301T234823Z
UID:10001824-1772323200-1772409599@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Call for Applications: Orient-Institut Beirut Residential Postdoctoral Fellowship\, March 1\, 2026
DESCRIPTION:Call for Applications: Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026-27 \nThe Orient-Institut Beirut (OIB) awards a number of fellowships-in-residence normally lasting 10 months and beginning on 1 September 2026 or shortly thereafter\, specifically designed for postdoctoral candidates engaged in outstanding research projects in the humanities and social sciences. We invite applications across disciplines\, time periods\, and geographic coverage outlined in our mission statement . Proposals are encouraged to articulate the contemporary stakes of the research project\, whether historiographical\, cultural\, religious or political dimensions. \nApplicants must hold a doctoral degree. It is essential for applicants to demonstrate how their projects will benefit from an extended stay in the region and contribute to the institute’s overall research environment. \nProficiency in written and oral English\, as well as all languages relevant to the research project\, is expected. Priority will be given to candidates with demonstrated oral proficiency in German. Fellows-in-residence are required to actively engage in the OIB’s research community\, by attending weekly colloquia\, and participating in relevant scholarly activities and events. attending weekly colloquia\, and participating in relevant scholarly activities and events. Fellows are required to present their work twice and write a research report for the OIB Annual Report and encouraged to publish a research precis in our OIB-Blog . \nFellowships include a monthly stipend of currently 1\,900 Euros and a one-time travel allowance of 600 Euros for those arriving from abroad. We also offer support for organizing an academic workshop that fits within the research profile of the OIB. Depending on availability\, the OIB may provide fellows-in-residence with office space. The OIB will not provide funding for preliminary research\, language courses\, or the composition and revision of book manuscripts. \nApplications must include: \n\nA brief cover letter indicating the preferred duration of the fellowship\nCurriculum vitae\nResearch proposal / project description (max. 2\,000 words)\nAt least one letter of recommendation\n\nThe application package should be submitted as a single PDF file (excluding letters of recommendation\, which should be submitted directly by the referee) to bewerbungen@orient-institut.org . Applicants may write in either English\, Arabic\, or German but need to demonstrate their proficiency in English so they can take part in OIB activities. The deadline for applications is 1 March 2026 . Interviews will be conducted via video call that month.
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/call-for-applications-orient-institut-beirut-residential-postdoctoral-fellowship-march-1-2026/
CATEGORIES:Due dates,Fellowships,Opportunities
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260301
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260302
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20260227T003325Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260301T234823Z
UID:10001840-1772323200-1772409599@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Call for Nominations: American Society of Comparative Law Book Prize\, March 1\, 2026
DESCRIPTION:The ASCL Book Prize recognizes outstanding scholarly achievement in the field of comparative law. The prize celebrates rigorous\, original\, and impactful research of law across jurisdictions. The prize is awarded to the author or authors of an English-language (including by translation) monograph. Eligible works include those that examine legal issues through a comparative lens\, study foreign legal systems\, engage in the comparative study of legal history\, or address aspects of private international law. Edited volumes\, reference works\, or new editions of a previously published work are not eligible. To be eligible for consideration\, a nominated work must have a copyright date of 2025 or 2026.   \nThe winner of the ASCL Book Prize will be announced at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Comparative Law and memorialized on the ASCL website. The prize encompasses a $1\,000 award and a review of the book in the American Journal of Comparative Law. The winning author will be expected to assist in the selection of the book prize for the next cycle year. The Prize Committee may\, in its discretion\, also award an Honorable Mention. \nWe are now accepting nominations for the ASCL Book Prize. To submit a nomination\, please email Margaret Woo (m.woo@northeastern.edu) with the following information by March 1\, 2026: \n\nName of the nominator\nName of the nominee\nTitle of the nominated work\nPublisher\nPublication date\n\nUpon instruction by the Committee\, either a PDF file or hard copy of a nominated work must be received by each member of the Prizes Committee by April 1. Hard copies of nominated works will not be returned.
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/call-for-nominations-american-society-of-comparative-law-book-prize-march-1-2026/
CATEGORIES:Due dates,Opportunities
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260301
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260302
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20260227T003325Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260301T234823Z
UID:10001839-1772323200-1772409599@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Call for Contributions: Middle East Medievalists Newsletter\, March 1\, 2026
DESCRIPTION:Call for Contributions: MEM Newsletter March 2026 \n\nIn order to represent the whole MEMbership as fully as possible\, we invite all MEMbers to contribute their news on a regular basis so as to facilitate and increase communication between colleagues and within fields. For the next newsletter issue\, which will be published on 15 March 2026\, please submit by 1 March 2026 any contribution you would like to share. \n\n\nContributions should respond to one or more of the relevant sections of the updated newsletter\, which are as follows: \n\n\nEvents (comprising upcoming conferences\, seminars\, summer schools\, and the like)\nPublications (monographs\, edited volumes\, themed issues\, editions\, translations\, and al-ʿUṣūr al-Wusṭā content)\nOnline research output (comprising e.g. blogs\, conference reports\, resources (databases\, digital tools)\, datasets\, and websites)\nProjects and funding (e.g. successful larger funding applications (ERC\, DFG\, ANR\, NEH\, and so forth); new project groups)\nDissertations (information on current and recently completed doctoral research\, submitted by doctoral candidates or their supervisors)\n\n\nMEM has set up a secure folder on Proton Drive to which you can directly upload your content\, formatted as Word\, PDF\, or JPG. In this folder you will find a general ReadMe as well as guidelines within the sub-folders devoted to each individual section. We encourage you to include pictures whenever possible\, such as new book covers or conference photos. The folder can be found here: https://drive.proton.me/urls/Y2GP5B9K88#gNDolIY5Gnce. \n\n\nIf you have any questions or comments at all\, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the Newsletter Editors\, Hannah-Lena Hagemann (Hamburg) and Noëmie Lucas (Beirut)\, at hannah-lena.hagemann@uni-hamburg.de and n.lucas@ifporient.org.
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/call-for-contributions-middle-east-medievalists-newsletter-march-1-2026/
CATEGORIES:Due dates,Opportunities
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260302
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260303
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20260227T010346Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260302T232143Z
UID:10001842-1772409600-1772495999@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Presentation: Lutforahman Saeed—God’s Law\, Man’s Rule: Debating Women’s Right to Health from Sacred Texts to the Taliban\, March 2\, 2026
DESCRIPTION:God’s Law\, Man’s Rule: Debating Women’s Right to Health from Sacred Texts to the Taliban \nIn this virtual talk\, Lutforahman Saeed (Visiting Scholar and Islamic Law Lecturer\, Birgham Young University Law School\, Provo) will discuss women’s right to healthcare in Islamic law\, outlining its foundations in the Qur’an\, the Prophet’s Sunnah\, and the core objectives of Sharia\, and examining how these principles compare with the Taliban’s restrictive policies on women’s access to medical education and healthcare services. \nMonday\, March 2\, 2026\n11:00 AM PST / 2:00 PM EST\nREGISTER HERE \nIn Islam\, the focus on access to healthcare services is reflected in three out of five universal objectives of Islamic Sharia: the preservation of life (hifiz al-nafs)\, the preservation of intellect (hifiz al-ʿaql)\, and the preservation of progeny (hifz al-nasl). Furthermore\, the Quran’s direct orders and the Prophet’s Sunnah provide the foundation for every human being to enjoy healthcare services in an Islamic society. Despite growing attention to the women’s right to healthcare in Muslim-majority states\, the Taliban authorities\, under the name of Islamic Sharia\, have closed all public and private medical education institutions for women. Moreover\, they have issued several directives preventing male healthcare service providers from serving women patients. This study represents the first substantive scholarly inquiry into the contemporary discourse on women’s right to healthcare within the framework of Islamic jurisprudence\, juxtaposed with the Taliban’s distinctive and exclusivist interpretations of Islamic law. It examines women’s access to healthcare services both in Islam and under the Taliban’s de facto governance\, seeking to address the central research question: What is the status of women’s right to healthcare in the primary sources of Islamic law\, the Quran and the Prophet’s Sunnah\, and to what extent do Taliban policies on women’s healthcare correspond with or diverge from the views of mainstream classical and contemporary Muslim jurists\, particularly the Hanafi school’s doctrines? The study employs a qualitative\, multi-source methodology that integrates textual\, doctrinal\, and empirical analyses. \nLutforahman Saeed is a distinguished scholar in Islamic law and human rights. He formerly served as a faculty member at the Faculty of Islamic Studies (Sharia) at Kabul University (KU)\, where he taught for over 27 years. Dr. Saeed earned his B.A. in Islamic Studies from Kabul University in 1991\, followed by an LL.M. from the University of Washington School of Law in Seattle in 2010. He completed his Ph.D. with summa cum laude honors in Islamic Law and Human Rights from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)\, Germany\, in December 2019. His doctoral dissertation received the STAEDTLER Foundation’s Award for Outstanding Dissertation in 2020. Dr. Saeed’s research mainly focuses on Islamic law\, Islamic studies\, and the intersection of custom and human rights\, with an emphasis on Afghanistan. His scholarly work includes several articles in national academic journals as well as his 2022 monograph\, Islam\, Custom\, and Human Rights in Afghanistan. He was also editor-in-chief of the Journal of Afghan Legal Studies from 2017 to 2022. His research currently focuses on women’s right to freedom of movement within Islamic law and under Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. His work advocates for a nuanced understanding of Islamic legal traditions and their contemporary implications\, especially in contexts marked by authoritarianism and ideological control. Through scholarly analysis and engagement with current legal discourse\, he aims to amplify critical perspectives on women’s rights in Afghanistan today. In addition to his academic endeavors\, Dr. Saeed has held several significant public and institutional roles. He served as a member and vice president of the Independent Commission for Overseeing the Implementation of the Constitution (ICOIC) for four years. Currently\, he is a visiting scholar at the International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS) at J. Reuben Clark Law School of Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo\, Utah\, where he teaches Islamic Law. \n 
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/presentation-lutforahman-saeed-gods-law-mans-rule-debating-womens-right-to-health-from-sacred-texts-to-the-taliban-march-2-2026/
CATEGORIES:lectures and talks
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260310T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260310T133000
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20260129T023746Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T233723Z
UID:10001828-1773145800-1773149400@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Islamic Law Speakers Series: Ihsan Yilmaz (Deakin University)\, “Sharia as Informal Law: Lived Experiences of Young Muslims in Western Societies\,” March 10\, 2026 @ 12:30pm
DESCRIPTION:On Tuesday\, March 10\, 2026\, at 12:30-1:30PM US EST\, Professor Yilmaz will be speaking on his book Sharia as Informal Law: Lived Experiences of Young Muslims in Western Societies. This book takes a comprehensive approach to investigate how Sharia influences and manifests in the everyday lives of young Muslims\, aiming to unravel the meaning and relevance of Sharia-driven laws and practices in English-speaking Western societies. By focusing on the grassroots level\, it provides a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of Muslims and their relationship with Sharia. \nRegister here.
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/islamic-law-speakers-series-ihsan-yilmaz-deakin-university-sharia-as-informal-law-lived-experiences-of-young-muslims-in-western-societies-march-10-2026-1230pm/
CATEGORIES:PIL events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260319
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260322
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20260110T210521Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260319T234902Z
UID:10001820-1773878400-1774137599@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Conference: Annual Meeting of the Medieval Academy of America\, Amherst\, MA\, March 19–21\, 2026
DESCRIPTION:Registration is now open for the 101st Annual Meeting of the Medieval Academy of America. The Meeting will take place on March 19–21\, 2026 on the campuses of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Amherst College\, and will also include events at Mt. Holyoke College and Smith College. Hosted by the Five College Consortium\, the theme of the meeting is “Consortiums and Confluences.” The program will bring together scholars from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds addressing the medieval world and critical topics in Medieval Studies. Our plenary lectures will be given by Elly Truitt (Associate Professor of History and Sociology of Science at the University of Pennsylvania)\, Peggy McCracken (President of the Medieval Academy of America and Professor of French\, Women’s Studies\, and Comparative Literature at the University of Michigan)\, and Jesús Rodríguez-Velasco (Augustus R. Street Professor of Spanish & Portuguese and Comparative Literature at Yale University). We are excited to welcome you to Amherst\, Massachusetts\, and its environs\, and look forward to meeting you\, learning from you\, and celebrating our shared commitment to Medieval Studies. \nClick here for more information and to register!
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/conference-annual-meeting-of-the-medieval-academy-of-america-amherst-ma-march-19-21-2026/
CATEGORIES:conferences and workshops
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260323T181500
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260323T193000
DTSTAMP:20260406T161457
CREATED:20260205T234918Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260320T091755Z
UID:10001835-1774289700-1774294200@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Workshop: Middle East Beyond Borders—Cem Turkoz\, “An Edifice of Super-Glosses: The Making of an Ottoman Tradition of Natural Philosophy\, 1650–1800\,” March 23\, 2026 @ 6:15pm
DESCRIPTION:Cem Turkoz (NELC)\, “An Edifice of Super-Glosses: The Making of an Ottoman Tradition of Natural Philosophy\, 1650–1800.” Carina Dreyer (NELC) will respond. \nWe will be meeting from 6:15-7:30pm in the Finnegan Room (Barker 403) and dinner will be provided. See event flyer for more info and to RSVP. \nThe Middle East Beyond Borders (MEBB) workshop aims to foster an interdisciplinary community of scholars working on the past and present of the Middle East. It takes as its founding premise the idea that the “Middle East” as an object of inquiry must fundamentally engage notions of boundaries\, mobility\, and transformation. Our goal is to offer a platform for collaboration and discussion to all Middle East scholars at Harvard across a wide range of academic fields and disciplines. To date\, our community has welcomed scholars from NELC\, History\, Middle Eastern Studies\, Anthropology\, the Study of Religion\, Law\, Art and Architecture\, and more. During meetings\, we typically workshop a polished dissertation chapter or prospectuses from graduate students.
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/workshop-middle-east-beyond-borders-cem-turkoz-an-edifice-of-super-glosses-the-making-of-an-ottoman-tradition-of-natural-philosophy-1650-1800-march-23-2026-6/
CATEGORIES:conferences and workshops,Harvard Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260401
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260402
DTSTAMP:20260406T161458
CREATED:20260205T223505Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260401T234810Z
UID:10001832-1775001600-1775087999@pil.law.harvard.edu
SUMMARY:Call for Papers: Kathryn T. Preyer Scholars Program\, American Society for Legal History\, April 1\, 2026
DESCRIPTION:From the organizers: \nCriteria: Early-career scholars who wish to present a paper on any topic in legal\, institutional and/or constitutional history\, at the annual ASLH conference. \nAmount: $500 cash + $750 reimbursement \nDeadline: April 1\, 2026 \nNamed after the late Kathryn T. Preyer\, a distinguished historian of the law of early America known for her generosity to early career legal historians\, the program of Kathryn T. Preyer Scholars is designed to help legal historians at the beginning of their careers. At the annual meeting of the Society two early career legal historians designated Kathryn T. Preyer Scholars will present what would normally be their first papers to the Society. The generosity of Professor Preyer’s friends and family has enabled the Society to offer a small honorarium to the Preyer Scholars and to reimburse\, in some measure or entirely\, their costs of attending the meeting. The competition for Preyer Scholars is organized by the Society’s Kathryn T. Preyer Memorial Committee. \nSubmissions are welcome on any topic in legal\, institutional and/or constitutional history. Early career scholars\, including those pursuing graduate or law degrees\, those who have completed their terminal degree within the previous year\, and those independent scholars at a comparable stage\, are eligible to apply. At the annual meeting of the Society two early career legal historians designated Kathryn T. Preyer Scholars will present what would normally be their first papers to the Society. While papers simultaneously submitted to the ASLH Program committee are eligible\, Preyer Award winners must present their paper as part of the Preyer panel and will be removed from any other panel. For the 2026 conference in Banff only\, a Preyer Scholar may give their presentation virtually if they are unable to attend in person due to exceptional circumstances. \nSubmissions should consist of a single MS Word document consisting of a complete curriculum vitae\, contact information\, and a complete draft of the paper to be presented. Papers should not exceed 50 pages (12-point font\, double-spaced). In past competitions\, the Committee has given preference to draft articles and essays\, though the Committee will also consider shorter conference papers\, as one of the criteria for selection will be the suitability of the paper for reduction to a twenty-minute oral presentation. \nThe two Kathryn T. Preyer Scholars will receive a $500 cash award and reimbursement of expenses up to $750 for travel\, hotels\, and meals. Each will present the paper that s/he submitted to the competition at the Society’s annual meeting. The Society’s journal\, Law and History Review\, has published several past winners of the Preyer competition\, though it is under no obligation to do so. \nPlease send submissions by the deadline to preyeraward@aslh.net.
URL:https://pil.law.harvard.edu/event/call-for-papers-kathryn-t-preyer-scholars-program-american-society-for-legal-history-april-1-2026/
CATEGORIES:Due dates,Opportunities,prizes and nominations
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR