Announcements

Co2libri - Conceptual Collaboration - Living Borderless Research Interaction

Jun 12, 2025

Kick off Workshop - Einstein Visiting Fellowship for Mohammed Bamyeh

May 26, 2025

Academic Publishing and Postdoctoral Applications

UPDATED: Academic Publishing and Postdoctoral Applications Workshop 11:00-15:00, Monday 26 May, BGSMCS Library Hosted by Esra Sözalmaz Tiryaki, convened by Drs Amaan Merali and Mohammad Magout This workshop introduces doctoral candidates to the sometimes daunting, always exciting world of academic publishing and applications for postdoctoral research posts. The workshop convenors draw on their extensive local and international experience to offer insights into early-career publishing and postdoctoral opportunities. The workshop is divided into two one-and-a-half-hour sessions, the first on academic publishing and the second on postdoctoral applications. Each session will allow participants to ask questions and share their own experiences or concerns. Participants will submit a current CV when registering to attend so the convenors can offer feedback on formatting and other particularities of the academic CV. Convenors and participants will discuss the nuts and bolts of academic publishing, including journal rankings and metrics; publishing the dissertation in part or in whole; managing peer-review feedback and the (long) revision process; components of successful postdoctoral applications; different types of funding bodies; formatting academic CVs; who your contact references should be; and criteria selection committees consider when making decisions. To register for the workshop, please send an email with your name, your dissertation title, year of programme and a current CV to Esra Sözalmaz Tiryaki ( tiryakie@student.hu-berlin.de ) by Thursday, 22 May, 17:00 . The workshop is open to second-year and above doctoral fellows affiliated with BGSMCS. Space is limited and in-person participation is required. Online attendance may be possible—please explain why you would need this in your registration email. You will receive a confirmation of your registration by Friday, 23 May at the latest. Participants will earn one credit towards their degree by attending. Tea, coffee and snacks will be provided along with a catered lunch. Esra Sözalmaz Tiryaki is a doctoral candidate at the Institute of Asian and African Studies, HU Berlin and affiliated with BGSMCS. Her PhD project focuses on higher educational institutions of Islam in Malaysia and Turkey and their respective religious discourses in the 1980s and 1990s. Dr Amaan Merali is a Thyssen Fellow in the Department of History and Cultural Studies, FU Berlin. He has published chapters and articles on modern Middle Eastern history and taught at BGSMCS, the University of British Columbia and the University of Oxford, among others. His book Imperial Rivalry and Muslim Reform: The Ottomans, the Aga Khan and the Syrian Ismailis is forthcoming with I.B. Tauris/Bloomsbury. Dr Mohammad Magout is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Islamic Studies, FU Berlin, where he runs the DFG-funded project ‘Religion in the Early Arabic Press in Beirut: An Intellectual History’. Before joining FU, he taught and conducted historical and contemporary research on Ismailism, Islam and secularity, Emir Abdelkader and the Nahda at the universities of Leipzig, Erfurt and Zürich.

May 02, 2025

Professor Bashir Bashir @ ZMO

Dear colleagues and friends of ZMO, We cordially like to invite you to our next event in the ZMO Colloquium series "Egalitarian Bi-nationalism for Israel/Palestine" with Prof. Bashir Bashir When : Thursday, 24 April 2025 / 5:00–6:30 pm (CET) Where : Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient, Kirchweg 33, 14129 Berlin / hybrid Bashir Bashir is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology, Political Science and Communication at the Open University of Israel and a Senior Research Fellow at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute. His research focuses on nationalism and citizenship studies, liberalism, democratic theory, decolonization, and the politics of reconciliation. In his lecture he proposes the concept of egalitarian bi-nationalism as a transformative alternative to dominant liberal and secessionist frameworks, regarding Israeli and Palestine. With the help of various political theories and taking decolonial perspectives into account, he outlines a model based on equality, mutual legitimacy and historical responsibility. The lecture will be held in English and followed by a Q&A. Please register your attendance in person via email at: zmo(at)zmo.de Zoom registration link: https://zfl-berlin-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/bmkF3ww3RBuZ16LhsgvfnQ#/registration We very much look forward to welcoming you – in Berlin or online – and kindly encourage you to share this invitation with anyone who might be interested. Kind regards, Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient

Apr 10, 2025

Germany turns to U.S. Playbook by Hanno Hauenstein

Objections from a top immigration official that none of the protesters were convicted of crimes were overruled amid political pressure. Link: https://theintercept.com/2025/03/31/germany-gaza-protesters-deport/ See: Hanno Hauenstein , Germany turns to U.S. Playbook: Deportation Target Gaza war protesters, in: THE INTERCEPT, March 31 2025, 6:55 p.m. (c) The Intercept About the author: Hanno Hauenstein is a Berlin-based independent journalist and author. His work has appeared in The Guardian, Haaretz, and Berliner Zeitung, among others. @hahauenstein on X.

Apr 03, 2025

A Nation in Crisis by Khaled El Mahmoud

Link: https://voelkerrechtsblog.org/special-editorial-a-nation-in-crisis/ See: Khaled El Mahmoud, Special Editorial: A Nation in Crisis: The Suppression of Academic Freedom and the Rise of Ideological Conformity, Völkerrechtsblog, 21.02.2025. About the author: Khaled is a research assistant at the Chair of European and International Law at the University of Potsdam. His research interests focus on international environmental law, the law of the sea, and procedural law of international courts and tribunals. He is a Managing Editor at Völkerrechtsblog.

Feb 20, 2025

Lecture by Florian Zemmin

"Narrative im Nahost-Konflikt - Neue Erzählungen für eine friedlichere Zukunft" in: Hörsaal - Deutschlandfunk Nova · 17.01.2025 · 52 Min (in German) Link: https://www.ardaudiothek.de/episode/hoersaal-deutschlandfunk-nova/narrative-im-nahost-konflikt-neue-erzaehlungen-fuer-eine-friedlichere-zukunft/deutschlandfunk-nova/14084271/

Jan 18, 2025

Application period is over for scholarships and places in our doctoral programme 2024

Application period is over Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies (BGSMCS) Call for Applications & Guidelines The Graduate School is a joint project by Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and the Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient (ZMO). As a part of Freie Universität Berlin’s Department of History and Cultural Studies, our offices are situated on its campus in Berlin Dahlem. Programme The BGSMCS supports doctoral candidates who develop academically well-founded and relevant answers to questions arising in various research areas under the thematical umbrella of Muslim cultures and societies. The BGSMCS also provides its fellows with access to a broad academic network. The program is ideal for highly qualified and socially engaged junior scholars with a global outlook. For further information, see: https://www.bgsmcs.fu-berlin.de. Scholarships For admission in October 2025, the BGSMCS will award two scholarships from the Gerda Henkel Foundation to projects with a historical focus. These scholarships include a monthly stipend for living expenses, as well as travel and research funds. Additionally, the BGSMCS will select eight candidates who will be guaranteed a place at the graduate school on the condition that they raise their own external funding (private funding is not permitted). A place at the graduate school will be guaranteed for two years according to the following schedule: To join the cohort 2025 that begins on 1 October 2025, external funding must be confirmed by 31 January 2026 at the latest. To join the cohort 2026 that begins on 1 October 2026, external funding must be confirmed by 31 January 2027 at the latest. The selected candidates will be supported by the BGSMCS in applying for external funding, for example from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Avicenna-Studienwerk, the Gerda Henkel Foundation, or the Elsa Neumann Foundation. Application Requirements Applications must contain the following documents: Curriculum Vitae (CV / Resume) and motivation letter Supervisors and disciplines An outline of the dissertation project., incl. time table One letter of recommendation Proof of relevant language skills Original and certified copies of degrees The attached guidelines will help you to prepare your application. The application package, complete with all documents, needs to be submitted via the application platform: https://www.drs.fu-berlin.de . (direct link: choose BGSMCS @ https://www.drs.fu-berlin.de/user/register ) The platform only accepts PDF documents as uploads. The documents must not be in read-only format. Deadline The application deadline is 1 November 2024, 12:00 noon (CET) . ****** If you have further questions that are not addressed in the guidelines or in the FAQ on our website, please write to us at the following email address: application@bgsmcs.fu-berlin.de . We look forward to receiving your application!

Sep 15, 2024

Job vacancy 1 Einstein-Postdoc!

Please find the Call in PDF-Format here

Sep 01, 2024

Application period is over for 2 Einstein-PhD Stipends

Please find the Call in PDF-Format here

Aug 28, 2024

Gaza/Israel - On Our Own Behalf

"We stand in unwavering solidarity with all those who suffer from the ongoing violence in Israel-Palestine. We do not give credence to one-sided narratives and stand against punitive measures that limit plurality of voices. We stand in solidarity with our academic colleagues, family members, and friends in Israel, Palestine, in Germany and around the world affected by the current violent events, who struggle to find their voices and make them heard. "We emphasize the urgent need for a discussion that is both pluralistic and deeply rooted in local context and history. This discussion must recognize and honor the fundamental liberties guaranteed by German Basic Law, among others, the freedom to assemble, free speech, and the inherent dignity of every individual. As fellows at BGSMCS, we draw strength from our diverse and global background, which enriches the very essence of our graduate school. We are united in condemning the violence committed by Hamas on October 7 against Israeli civilians. Nor can there be justification for the killing of civilians in Gaza and the collective punishment of Palestinian civilians by the Israeli government as well as for human rights violations against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank. In the wake of October 7th and its subsequent events, we express our deep concern for the fears and uncertainty endured by both Israelis and Palestinians in the diaspora. Additionally, we strongly condemn the rising antisemitic and racist attacks in Berlin and Germany that have followed. We resolutely stand against any forms of violence, the killing of innocent lives, collective punishment, human rights violations, antisemitism, and racism!" (35 fellows of the Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies signed this letter anonymously) ***** "At the BGSMCS we mourn the escalation of violence in the Middle East, we observe with worry its repercussions in German society, and we empathize with everyone personally affected. We hope all peoples reach a peaceful resolution to the conflict, and we wish to emphasize that, now more than ever, our diversity is our strength. We do not give credence to one-sided narratives. And we remain steadfast and true in our recognition that, although we may come from different backgrounds, we are united in the shared bonds of our humanity. The Graduate School is a scholarly institution committed to providing a forum for academic exchange, and we deeply believe in the importance of keeping this as a safe space for all members. We refrain from making political statements, even more so as our members differ in their political views, and as no statement evaluating political events could possibly represent this diversity of views, as internal discussions made clear." (Directors Professor Florian Zemmin/Professor Toral-Niehoff)

Feb 20, 2024

German Association of Social and Cultural Anthropology (GASCA) on Academic Freedom in Germany

Since the BGSMCS is a home to several social and cultural anthropologists, we draw attention to the following Statement of the Board of the German Association of Social and Cultural Anthropology (GASCA) on Academic Freedom in Germany: https://www.dgska.de/stellungnahme-des-vorstands-zur-wissenschaftsfreiheit-in-deutschland/ .

Feb 19, 2024

Award for Kai Kresse

On 1 January 2024, our PI Kai Kresse received the prize for his research work on the language, culture and society of Swahili at the Muslim University of Morogoro in Tanzania. The award ceremony and two interviews in Swahili were even broadcast on television!

Feb 08, 2024

Musik und Spiel im Museum für Islamische Kunst

BGSMCS doctoral researcher Philip Geisler co-curated the music display and concert program of the exhibition “Rhythm and Color: Music Scenes on Indian Album Paintings from the 16th to 18th Centuries” at Berlin’s Museum of Islamic Art. From April to June 2023, he will present three music interventions in the gallery around the themes of “Equilibrium,” “Entanglements,” and “Festivals and Seasons.”

Oct 15, 2023

Rain Rain Rain...

BGSMCS doctoral researcher Philip Geisler developed a cultural program to mark the 20 years that have passed since the invasion of Iraq in 2003. After a screening of short films by Bassim al-Shaker and Sarah Munaf, the Trickster Orchestra, which Philip co-directs, will present a requiem that builds on the poetry of Badr Shakir al-Sayyab, Sinan Antoon, and Anwar Shaul and incorporates the tuning systems of al-Farabi into contemporary, trans-traditional music.