News & Events

Six Awards in Islamic, Muslim, and Middle East Studies

Graduate students in the Faculty of Arts whose research projects are focused on socio-cultural, historical, religious, and/or political issues in Muslim contexts are encouraged to apply.

Read more

The 4th MEIS Monthly Meeting

Mediating Feeling: Muslims, Gender, and Change in the Age of Social Media | Wednesday, March 27, 2024 | 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Tory Building, Room 14-28

Read more

The 3rd MEIS Monthly Meeting

Echoes of Resilience: Stories and Poetry from Conflict Regions | Tuesday, February 27, 2024 | 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM (MST) | Zoom Webinar

Read more

The 2nd MEIS Monthly Meeting

Knowledge on Sale: The Privatization of Sociological Teaching in Iran | Monday, January 29, 2024, 4:00 PM — 6:00 PM (MST) | Tory Building, Room 12-15,

Read more

The 1st MEIS Meeting

Featuring Professor Michael Frishkopf Dr. Gabriel Ojakovo Live Music Performance by Kian Moradi When: Tuesday November 28, 4:00-6:00 PM Where: Tory Building 12-15

Read more

Calligraphy in the Islamic Tradition

Workshop on Islamic Calligraphy November 22, 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM Workshop on Islamic Illumination November 22, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Read more

Teach-In: “GAZA; Centering Palestinian Experiences”

When: Wed. October 25, 2023 — 4:30 PM- 6:00 PM (MST) Where: Zoom Webinar. 

Read more

Under Siege: Islamophobia and the 9/11 Generation

Public talk by Jasmin Zine, Professor of Sociology and Religion & Culture at Wilfrid Laurier University When: Tuesday, October 3, 2023, 6:00 PM — 8:00 PM (MST) Where: Telus Centre, Room 150, University of Alberta. Please register HERE.

Read more

One Year On: Assessing The 2022 Protest Movement in Iran

When: Friday, September 15, 2023 — 6:00 PM- 7:00 PM (MST) Where: Virtual via Zoom.

Read more

Islam and Human Rights: A 50-Year Retrospective

When: Wednesday, March 15, 2023 — 6:30 PM- 8:00 PM (MST) Where: Telus Centre, University of Alberta, Room 134

Read more

Multiple Manifestations of Being Muslim

When: Wednesday, October 19, 2022, 6:00 PM — 8:00 PM (MDT) Where: Zoom webinar.

Read more

What’s Happening in Iran?

When: Friday October 14, 2022, 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM (MST) Where: Online Zoom Webinar.

Read more

The Geostrategic Curse in the Middle East: Regional Rivalries and Western Powers

Public Talk by Fawaz A. Gerges Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics When: Monday September 26, 2022, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM (Edmonton time) Where: Online Zoom Webinar.

Read more

Graduate Student Virtual Symposium

Where: Online Seminar. For registration please CLICK HERE. When: May 31, 2022

Read more

Rethinking China, the Middle East and Asia in a ‘Multiplex World’

Ashley Esarey, Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of the interdisciplinary program in Taiwan Studies, University of Alberta When: Thursday, May 26th, 2022, 10:00 am (Edmonton Time) Where: Online Zoom Webinar.

Read more

Putin’s Invasion of Ukraine: Implications for the Middle East and the Muslim world

Read more

Upholding White Supremacy through Anti-Muslim Racism

When: Thursday, January 27, 2022, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM (Edmonton time) Where: Online Zoom Webinar.

Read more

Muslim Feminisms: In and Against the Islam/Secular Dichotomy

Public Talk by Amina Jamal Associate Professor of Sociology at Ryerson University  When: Thursday October 21, 2021 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM (Edmonton time) Where: Online Zoom Webinar.

Read more

The U.S. War on Terror: Lessons Learned Twenty Years After 9/11

When: Wednesday September 8, 2021 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM (Edmonton time) Where: Online Zoom Webinar.

Read more

Islam and the Experience of Toleration: The Past and the Future

Public Talk by Arash Naraghi, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Religion; Chair, Department of Philosophy, Moravian College, USA When: Saturday, March 27, 2021, 10 AM-12 noon  (Edmonton time) Where: Online Zoom Webinar.

Read more

A White Lie: Women’s Voices from Gaza Series

Speaker: Dr. Ghada Ageel, Department of Political Science, University of Alberta When: Monday March 8 2021, 12 noon-1:00 PM (Edmonton Time) Where: Online Zoom Webinar. For registration please CLICK HERE.

Read more

U.S. Middle East Policy in the Post-Trump Era

When: Wednesday, February 24, 2021, 6:00-7:30 PM (Edmonton time) Where: Online Zoom Webinar. For registration please CLICK HERE.

Read more

Tribute to Maestro Mohammad Reza Shajarian

Talk by Professor Rob Simms, University of York Majid Derakhshani Performance by Barbad Ensemble: Mehdi Rezania (Santur) and Abtin Ghaffari (Tombak)

Read more

Islamic Liberation Theology as Critique: Critical Islamic Political Thought in the Age of Systemic Racism and Exclusion

Public Talk by Farid Esack, Professor in the Study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa When: Saturday November 28, 2020, 1:00-2:30 PM (MST) Where: Online Zoom Webinar.

Read more

Can Islam Provide The Antidote To Racism in North America?

Public Talk by Dr. Muqtedar Khan, Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Delaware, USA When: Wednesday October 7, 2020, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM (MDT) Where: Online Zoom Webinar.

Read more

Iran’s Post-Islamist Democracy? Challenges and Opportunities

When: Thursday, 12 March 2020, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM Where: Room 1-5, Business Building, University of Alberta

Read more

Understanding Islam in an Age of Polarization and Misinformation

Public Talk by Ali S. Asani, Professor of Indo-Muslim and Islamic Religion and Cultures, Harvard University When: Thursday, 5 March 2020, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM Where: Room 1-5, Business Building, University of Alberta

Read more

David Barsamian: “End the Palestinization of Kashmir”

When: Friday November 22 — 6:00 PM Where: 150 Telus Centre – 87 Ave & 111 St. University of Alberta

Read more

Tweets and ‘Deals of the Century’: Trump & Chaos in the Middle East

When: Tuesday, November 12, 2019 — 7:00 PM (doors open at 6:30) Where: Centennial Centre for Interdisciplinary Science, room 1-430, 11335 Saskatchewan Dr NW, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2M9

Read more

Muslims Actions and Contributions to Humanity; Then and Now

Keynote address by Professor Mojtaba Mahdavi at “Islamic History Month of Edmonton Council of Muslim Communities” Place: Edmonton City Hall Date: October 22, 2019 Time: 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm

Read more

Imagining “Indigenous” and “Glocal” Democratic Socialism:

   When: Saturday and Sunday 27-28 April 2019, 8:30 AM- 5:00 PM    Where: Room 134, Telus Centre, University of Alberta

Read more

Three Minute Thesis in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies

Thursday, 28 February 2019, 6:00 PM | Room 134, Telus Centre, University of Alberta

Read more

Reading Edward Said and Saba Mahmood in Today’s Context

Thursday, 01 November 2018, 5:00 PM -7:00 PM | Room 2-5, Business Building, University of Alberta

Read more

Boustan: In a Fragrant Garden Contemporary Music of Middle Eastern and Muslim Societies

Thursday, October 18, 2018, 7:00 PM | Convocation Hall, Old Arts Building, University of Alberta

Read more

Faces of Islamic Reform: Islamic Reform and Emancipatory Politics in the Age of Extremism and Neoliberalism

Siavash Saffari, Assistant Professor of West Asian Studies, Seoul National University Mojtaba Mahdavi, ECMC Chair in Islamic Studies, Department of Political Science, University of Alberta Thursday, 8 February 2018, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM | Room 134

Read more

Arab Revolutions in Post-Islamist Times: Revolution without Revolutionaries

Public Talk by Professor Asef Bayat, Department of Sociology, University of Illinois, USA Thursday, 1 March 2018, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Room 150, Telus Centre, University of Alberta

Read more

The “Muslim Extremist” ’s Invisible Relative: How to Trace the Silent Violence that Informs Our Lives?

Public Talk by Professor Peyman Vahabzadeh, Department of Sociology, University of Victoria Thursday, 2 November 2017, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM | Room LEC 1, Humanities Center, University of Alberta

Read more

Who Are We? Populism, Citizenship, Religion

Public talk by Dr Amyn B. Sajoo | Lecturer in history and global politics at Simon Fraser University Thursday, 23 March 2017, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Room 129, Education Centre South (ED), University of Alberta

Read more

Islam, Gender and Feminist Hermeneutics

Public talk by Asma Afsaruddin, Professor of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures in the School of Global and International Studies at Indiana University, Bloomington. Friday, 3 March 2017, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Room 150, Telus Centre, University of Alberta

Read more

Muslims and the Middle East in a Post-Trump Era

Public talk by Mojtaba Mahdavi, ECMC Chair in Islamic Studies and Associate Professor of Political Science, Department of Political Science, University of Alberta Friday, 3 February 2017, 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM | Room 134, Telus Centre, University of Alberta

Read more

Creating Thriving Societies in Troubling Times

Public talk by Tariq Ramadan, Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies, Oxford University Thursday, 19 January 2017, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Room 1-430, The Centennial Centre for Interdisciplinary Science (CCIS), University of Alberta

Read more

The Promises and Perils of Shariah in the Modern Age

Public talk by Khaled Abou El Fadl , the Omar and Azmeralda Alfi Professor of Law at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Friday, 25 November 2016, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Room 325, South Academic Building (SAB), University of Alberta

Read more

Can Non-Europeans Think?

Two public talks by Hamid Dabashi, the Hagop Kevorkian Professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature at Columbia University in the City of New York.

Read more

The Future of Muslims in the West

Public talk by John Esposito, University Professor of Religion and International Affairs and of Islamic Studies at Georgetown University. Wednesday,  09 March 2016; 6:00 PM – 9:30 PM | Room 150, TELUS Centre, University of Alberta

Read more

In Defence of the Arab Spring Uprisings

Public Talk by Fawaz Gerges, Professor of International Relations at The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), UK Thursday, 3 March 2016, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM | B-45 Henry Marshall Tory Building, University of Alberta

Read more

ISIS and the Syrian Refugee Crisis: Canada’s Response

Panel Organized by Global Education- University of Alberta International, and the collaboration of MEIS Thursday, January 28, 7:00 – 9:00 pm | Telus Centre 150

Read more

Language of Rights and Language of Obligations: An Islamic Perspective

Public Talk by Abdulkarim Soroush, a leading Muslim reformist public intellectual, a Rumi scholar, and a former professor of philosophy at the University of Tehran, Iran. Wednesday, 18 November 2015, 6-8 pm | Room 150, TELUS Centre, University of Alberta

Read more

Turkey at the Crossroads: Identity Politics at Chaotic Times

Presentation by Emrah Keskin (Phd Student, Department of Political Science) Thursday, October 29th, 3:45pm | 10-04 Henry Marshall Tory Building, University of Alberta

Read more

False Security: The Radicalization of Canadian Anti-terrorism

Public lecture by Kent Roach (Professor of Law and Prichard-Wilson Chair of Law and Public Policy at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law) October 23 7:00-9:00 | Ross October 23 7:00-9:00 | Ross Hall, Faculty of Law

Read more

The fallacy of Middle East Exceptionalism

Mojtaba Mahdavi | September 22, 2015

Read more