Second International Symposium on Diversity and Unity in Transnational Shi’a Islam

The Second International Symposium on Diversity and Unity in Transnational Shi’a Islam (May 9 - 13, 2022) builds off a landmark symposium hosted at Harvard University in 2021 by the Weatherhead Center’s Project on Shi’ism & Global Affairs that focused on bringing together interdisciplinary voices from across various interpretations of Shi'a Islam in both contemporary and historical contexts. This forthcoming weeklong symposium will host five panels with leading scholars in the field who study the diversity of Shi’a thought and communities across denominational lines including Zaydi, Ismaili, Alevi, Alawite, Bektashi, and Twelver Ja’fari Islam, and more.

Each day of the symposium will feature a single panel on a specific topic which will be held online via Zoom. The symposium is free and open to the public. View the full symposium schedule.

Welcome & Opening Remarks 
Monday, May 9th: 10:45AM – 11:00AM EDT | 7:45AM - 8:00AM PDT 
 
Keynote Speaker: Professor Devin Stewart (Emory University) 
Monday, May 9th: 11AM - 12PM EDT  | 8:00AM - 9:00AM PDT

Panel 1 | Intra-Shi’a Dialogue and Community Building in the West: Peace-Building and Civil Society
Monday, May 9th: 12:15PM – 1:45PM EDT | 9:15AM - 10:45AM PDT

Panel 2 | The Imamate across Shi’a Traditions
Tuesday, May 10th: 1:00PM – 2:30PM EDT | 10:00AM - 11:30AM PDT

Panel 3 | Ismaili Traditions in Central and South Asia
Wednesday, May 11th: 1:00PM – 2:30PM EDT | 10:00AM - 11:30AM PDT

Panel 4 | Comparative Approaches towards Shi’a Theology and Philosophy
Thursday, May 12th: 2:00PM – 3:30PM EDT | 11:00AM - 12:30AM PDT

Panel 5 | Shi’a Identities and Politics in the Modern Levant and Turkey
Friday, May 13th: 1:00PM – 2:30PM EDT | 10:00AM - 11:30AM PDT
 

To register, click here. For more information, click here.