Call for Papers

“Islamic Esotericism in Global Contexts”

2020 Meeting of the European Network for the Study of Islam and Esotericism (ENSIE)

24-26 September, 2020

Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain la-Neuve, Belgium

Deadline for submissions: 1 May, 2020

The European Network for the Study of Islam and Esotericism (ENSIE) invites you to submit proposals for its 2020 meeting. The theme for the meeting is “Islamic Esotericism in Global Contexts”. The aim is to consider the relationship between Islam and esotericism, and Islamic esotericism, in a global context, shifting the emphasis not only from Western perspectives, but also being more inclusive of the experience of Islam beyond the Arabo-Persian domains. We encourage proposals that give prominence to the agency of non-Western actors in negotiating and challenging social, political, and doctrinal “realities” as they manifest in the writings and activities of esoteric groups and systems. The chronological scope thus stretches from medieval to contemporary times. We encourage papers outlining suitable methods of investigation, re-evaluating accepted conceptual frameworks, formulating effective comparative research, and foraying into new textual frontiers.

We invite papers that engage with these aims, but proposals that do not relate to the 2020 meeting theme are also welcome.

There is no fee for attending the meeting and accommodation will be provided, but the cost of travel is the responsibility of individual participants.

Proposals

By 1 May 2020, please send to 2020ensie@gmail.com

• The title and abstract (250 words maximum) of your proposed paper.
• Your name, institution, academic position, a brief bio, and a short CV.

Scientific committee

The meeting is organized by

• Mark Sedgwick, Professor of Arab and Islamic Studies, Aarhus University, and Convener of ENSIE, mjrs@cas.au.dk.
• Liana Saif, Research Associate, Warburg Institute, lianasaif@hotmail.com.
• Godefroid de Callataÿ, Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Université catholique de Louvain, godefroid.decallatay@uclouvain.be.
• Michele Petrone, Postdoc, Université catholique de Louvain, michele.petrone@uclouvain.be.
• Francesco Piraino, Postdoc, IDEMEC-CNRS - Fondazione Giorgio Cini, francescopiraino84@gmail.com.

Partners

• The 2020 meeting is arranged in cooperation with the ERC project on Philosophy in al-Andalus
• (PhilAnd), and the Université catholique de Louvain.

Further information

For further information on ENSIE, see http://ensie.site/