Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies Exeter

28/05/2026

Endurance, an exhibition of works by Kurdish artists curated by Niga Salam and presented at the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies held its launch event on Wednesday May 27.

Endurance is part of REWORLDING, the MA Curation graduation programme and is a partnership between the University of Exeter and Metrography Agency, Sulaymaniyah.

The artwork engages with the enduring presence of conflict and recognises Kurdish identity as something continually formed under pressure. It brings together film, photography, sound, installation and live performance.

The launch event included the premiere of ‘Abdi’s Route’, a documentary by Ahmed Najm and an artist's talk given by the filmmaker. It also included talks by Niga Salam, Tom Trevor, MA Curation programme lead, and academics from the Centre for Kurdish Studies and IAIS.

The exhibition is open until August 1st at IAIS.

27/05/2026

Centre for the Study of Islam, Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter invites you to an online event:

Monday Majlis Online
1st of June 2026
17:00-18:30 (UK time)

TIM GREENWOOD AND LEONE PECORINI GOODALL
RARE INSIGHTS INTO THE LATE UMAYYAD ERA THROUGH A NEGLECTED ARMENIAN SOURCE: THE MARTYRDOM OF VAHAN OF GOŁT‘N

Tim Greenwood is Bishop Wardlaw Professor of History at the University of St Andrews. His research focuses on the history and culture of medieval Armenia 400-1100 CE, analysing a wide range of literary, epigraphic and material sources as well as exploring the multiple contexts within which these were generated.

Leone Pecorini Goodall is a postdoctoral researcher at Leiden University on the ERC-Starting Grant project: “Embodied Imamate: Mapping the Development of the Early Shiʿi community: 700-900” led by Dr. Edmund Hayes

The Armenian Martyrdom of Vahan of Gołt‘n, composed in 744 CE, offers a fresh perspective from which to study the Umayyad caliphate at large and the caliphal North in particular. It traces contemporary networks of power, communication, and knowledge within and beyond Armenia. As a product of the late Umayyad world, it constitutes a work of major significance, completed just before this world was convulsed by conflict and transformed.

Please register here or via the link in our bio: https://tr.ee/gW2Y2cIj-c

All welcome! You do not need to be studying at IAIS!

27/05/2026

26/05/2026

Professor Ilan Pappé, joint Director of the European Centre for Palestinian Studies at IAIS, University of Exeter has won an Asociación de Librerías de Madrid (Madrid Booksellers Association) prize.

The Spanish Capitán Swing's edition of Breve historia de del conflicto entre Israel y Palestina (A Brief History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict) has been awarded the prize for the best Spanish-language essay of 2025.

Congratulations Professor Pappé!

You can read about this year's prizes here or via the link in our bio: https://tr.ee/j-akdaQqM5

22/05/2026

Professor Maziyar Ghiabi, Director of the Centre for Persian and Iranian Studies (CPIS) at IAIS, University of Exeter was interviewed recently for The World Today on CGTN Europe.

You can watch his interview on the Iran–U.S. tensions here or via the link in our bio: https://tr.ee/gHQOykThCr

22/05/2026

✈ Student travel report ✈

Anisha Russo, a PhD student at IAIS, was a recipient of The Prince Alwaleed Award, a prestigious scholarship providing students with the unique opportunity to deepen their understanding of the Arabic-speaking world through immersive experiences. It aims to enhance students' Arabic language proficiency and cultural knowledge.

Anisha travelled to Qatar and the UAE. Here's what she said about her experience:

"Without the support of the Alwaleed funding my doctoral fieldwork to Qatar and the UAE would simply not have been possible. I was able to study the traditional dhow ship heritage for a month and had the opportunity to meet with dhow owners and builders of the Arab Gulf.

It was an amazing trip, as I visited both Qatar and the UAE during their heritage months and got to really delve into the maritime histories of each Gulf state. This grant allowed me to develop important insights into the dhow heritage and usage of the Arab Gulf and forge relationships with the local people involved in the promotion and preservation of traditional dhows.

I would not have been able to afford flights and accommodation in both Qatar and the UAE for a month without the Alwaleed grant, which would have greatly impacted my PhD progression.

This fieldwork was crucial to my research and will help me complete my PhD studies. I am so grateful I had this opportunity and grant available to me, as I wouldn’t have had the financial means to visit and study the maritime connections present within the Arab Gulf."

✈The Prince Alwaleed Award can be applied for by students of IAIS and is generously funded by Alwaleed Philanthropies.✈

21/05/2026

APOLOGIES, THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED AND WILL BE RESCHEDULED SOON.

Book launch!

The Centre for Kurdish Studies is pleased to invite you to the launch of The Palgrave Handbook of Kurdish Genocides, edited by Dr Kaziwa Salih.,

The event will include a discussion with Dr Salih and contributors Professor Michael Gunter and Dr Allan Hassaniyan.

This handbook provides a comprehensive and in-depth exploration of the historical, social, and political dimensions of the Kurdish genocide.

Through theoretical and empirical research and diverse perspectives, this handbook presents insights into the genocide's origins, complexities, and far-reaching consequences.

This resource delves into the historical context, unravelling the intricacies of the Kurdish genocide using a multidisciplinary approach. It traces the experiences of Kurdish communities, examining the profound impact of the genocide on identity, political representations, displacement, and cultural preservation.

20/05/2026

Centre for the Study of Islam presents an online event:

Monday Majlis with Nuha Alshaar:
Sicily: Fāṭimid and Kalbid Policies Towards Their Christians and Muslim Populations

Monday 25th May, 2026
Please register for the talk here or use the link in our bio: https://tr.ee/nFSysbgZk9

Nuha Alshaar is Professor of Islamic Intellectual History, Ethical and Political Thought, and Director of the Center of Arab Studies and Islamic Civilizations (CASIC) at the American University of Sharjah.

This presentation explores the intellectual, social, and political landscape of Sicily under the Arab Fāṭimid rule (909–965) and their Kalbid allies (948–1053). Building on research from Professor Alshaar's edited volume Muslim Sicily: Encounters and Legacy, it further examines Sicily’s connections with al-Andalus, Qayrawān, and Cairo.

The talk highlights the dynamic nature of Christian–Muslim relations within a broader context of interaction among diverse ethnic and religious communities over several centuries.

Drawing on recently published Arabic and Coptic texts, it also considers Fāṭimid state policies and Sicily’s role as a key player in the medieval Mediterranean.

All are welcome!

19/05/2026

✨Student work showcase!✨

Mia Bailey’s creative final assessment piece for ‘The Kurds: History and Politics’ is a podcast about Kurdish music.

Mia explains:

"The podcast is about how Kurdish music has often been at the forefront of Kurdish revolutionary movements, representing social resistance, cultural pride and mobilising calls to arms.

It maps the progression from early Kurdish folkloric songs to modern iterations blending traditional instruments with rock guitars.

One common theme is the intense desire to be heard: in places and times where Kurdish identity was and still is supressed, to unfearfully proclaim 'I am a Kurd' is a powerful statement of resilience. "

Featuring the following music:
Tu Xem Nekşîne: Siya Şevê
Peshmerga Hatin!: PeshmergaMusic
Hawar Bavo: Ayşe Şan

Some songs that Mia discusses have been shortened/removed for rights reasons.

Many thanks to Zainab Zafar for creating the video from Mia's work.

✨For information on the module “The Kurds: History and Politics”: https://tr.ee/bnoWIeXjEQ or contact Dr Farangis Ghaderi.