The mission of the Farzaneh Family Center for Iranian and Persian Gulf Studies is to coordinate a variety of teaching, research, and outreach activities at the University of Oklahoma that explore the history, culture, society, and politics of Iran, the Persian Gulf, and those regions historically shaped by the Persian language. These activities include publications, lectures, conferences, workshops, film screenings and art exhibits.
The Farzaneh Family Center is a part of vibrant and growing resources in Middle East and North Africa studies at the University of Oklahoma. Visit our MENA at OU page for more information.
Panel Discussion: Syria and the United States After Assad
Thursday, December 11th, 11:00 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Zoom Webinar - Register Here
For over 13 years, the Syrian civil war raged on until Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia over the weekend. By 2018, the Assad regime appeared to have secured its survival.
In a stunning turn of events, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led by Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani, advanced from its stronghold in Idlib to seize Damascus. Although HTS is designated a terrorist organization by the U.S., Jawlani claims to embrace modern governance and reject extremism. Many Syrians are celebrating the end of Assad’s brutal rule, but the future remains uncertain.
How will the U.S. engage with the new Syrian leadership? What will happen to the growing captagon drug trade? What are the implications for Israel, Iran, and Hezbollah? What will be the fate of the roughly 900 U.S. troops and their Kurdish partners in northeastern Syria?
Join us for a panel that discusses what the end of Assad’s rule means for Syrians and the United States featuring Joshua Landis, Quincy Institute non-resident fellow and director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, Steven Simon, senior research fellow at the Quincy Institute, and Caroline Rose, director of the Strategic Blind Spots Portfolio at the New Lines Institute. Adam Weinstein, deputy director of the Middle East program at the Quincy Institute, will moderate.
Tabestan Book Club
June 7th - August 9th, 2024
Fridays, 1-3pm
Farzaneh Hall Room 319
For Zoom link contact Marjan Seirafi-Pour at marjan@ou.edu
Join us and unlock the beauty of Persian literature this summer with the Tâbestân Book Club. Embark on a journey of language and culture as we delve into the rich tapestry of Persian stories and books. Led by esteemed guides Dr. Mina Raminsabet and Marjan Seirafi-Pour, our informal gatherings provide an immersive experience for those eager to enhance their reading and comprehension skills in Persian. Whether you're a beginner, intermediate learner, or advanced enthusiast, there's a group tailored just for you. Mina Raminsabet will guide the Beginner and Intermediate levels, while Marjan Seirafi-Pour will lead the Advanced group..
The Young Turks and the Ottoman Occupation of Iran: What Did They Want?
Wednesday, April 17, 12-1 p.m.
Farzaneh Hall 145
The Farzaneh Family Center for Iranian and Persian Gulf Studies brown bag lecture series presents a talk with Kayhan Nejad, Farzaneh Family Assistant Professor of Iranian Studies.
Bring your lunch; snacks will be provided.
Thursday, April 18, 2 p.m.
Farzaneh Hall 145
Join us for a discussion of Persian and English idioms led by OU Persian language students. Idioms are a secret language within a language. Understanding idioms requires a deep familiarity with the culture, and knowing them facilitates communication. This cultural project helps us explore the use of language by native speakers.
Persian Circle
Thursdays Spring 2024, 2-3 p.m.
Kaufman Hall 230
Join us every Thursday to learn Persian!
We will enjoy Baklava cake and chai, practice conversation, prepare for upcoming exams and learn about Persian culture.
Persian Tutoring
Wednesdays & Fridays 10-11 a.m.
Farzaneh 319
Improve your Persian language skills with our free tutoring! Meet with tutor Proshat Haghighi to practice conversation, seek help on your homework, or get ready for an upcoming test. Persian tutoring is available to all students, even if not enrolled in Persian classes.
Winners of the 2024 Jafar and Shokoh Farzaneh Prize for Best Article on Persian Literature
The Farzaneh Family Center for Iranian and Persian Gulf Studies at the University of Oklahoma is proud to announce the winners for the best article on Persian literature, published during the 2022- 2023 period.
First Place - $2000 Award: Kamran Talattof
"In Search of Religion and Dantean Moments in 'The Story of Mahan'"
Kamran Talattof compares the works of Nizami and Dante to provocative and exciting effect in this book chapter. His essay challenges the notion that Nizami's poems are primarily intended to promote Islam or Sufism. He argues that Nizami's use of religious motifs serves as allegorical constructs rather than direct expressions of religiosity. While both poets share an interest in mystical love and devotion, Talattof's examination reveals more differences than similarities between their works. Notably, Nizami draws on religious themes for literary purposes, whereas Dante's 'Divine Comedy' serves a different purpose- to aid the Bible. Talattof's profound understanding of classical Persian poetry shines through, making his detailed comparison between Nizami and Dante a valuable contribution to ongoing scholarly discourse and inviting critical engagement with literature, religion, and culture.
Second Place - $1000 Award: Farshad Sonboldel
"Margins, Resistance and Transformation in Classical Persian Poetry: Yaghma Jandaqi as Precursive Kernel of the Constitutional Revolution Poetry"
Farshad Sonboldel's remarkable article delves into the understudied substrata of the revolutionary poetry of the Iranian Constitutional Revolution. Sonboldel spotlights the oeuvre of Yaghma Jandaqi as the epitome of poetry informed by the voices of the subaltern, which begins to subvert the hierarchical poetics and politics of the 19th century, paving the way for nascent innovations in Persian poetry. The article's interdisciplinary approach and scholarly rigor promise to broaden Persian literary criticism's field of vision, particularly regarding the modernization and reformulation of poetic forms.
Third Place - $500 Award: Parisa Salehi & Ghodratollah Taheri
"Introducing 'Historical Literature' as One of the Persian Literary Genres by Relying on the Histories of Bal'ami, Beyhaqi, Jahangosha, and Wasaf"
Parisa Salehi and Ghodratollah Taheri's insightful article proposes a distinct genre in Persian literature, termed 'historical literature.' By re-examining the eminent histories of Bal'ami, Beyhaqi, Jahangosha Jovini, and Wasaf, the article highlights the remarkable interplay of historiographical and literary qualities in these texts. The authors compellingly argue for recognizing 'historical literature' as distinguishable from other genres, thoroughly analyzing its defining characteristics.
Normally, the Farzaneh Family Center awards only one prize. However, this year our judges determined that two additional articles merited recognition. Their decision was based on a careful evaluation of over 50 submissions. Our immense gratitude to our Prize Committee Members
Chair: Mina Raminsabet
Visiting Scholar & Professor of Persian Language and Literature, University of Oklahoma
Vice Chair: Marjan Seirafi-Pour
Farzaneh Family Persian Language Instructor, Director of Persian Digital Library, University of Oklahoma
Past-Prize Winner: Vahid Davar
Persian Poet, Researcher in the field of Persian Literature, University of St. Andrew
The University of Oklahoma’s Farzaneh Family Center for Iranian and Persian Gulf Studies is pleased to announce a competition for the Jafar and Shokoh Farzaneh Prize for Best Article on Persian Literature.
This $2,000 prize will be awarded to the best published article on any topic relating to Persian literature. The winner will also be invited to present a public lecture at the University of Oklahoma and to serve on the award selection committee for the following year. To be eligible for consideration, articles or book chapters must have been published in English or Persian in scholarly, peer-reviewed journals or edited volumes between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2023. Publications must be on Persian literature specifically and not other related fields.
Submissions should be emailed to Marjan Seirafi-Pour at marjan@ou.edu by May 1, 2024.
Award: $2,000
Deadline: May 1, 2024
Results will be announced in summer 2024 at the 14th Biennial Iranian Studies Conference.
Award Committee:
June 07, 2024
The Farzaneh Family Center for Iranian and Persian Gulf Studies is proud to announce Maksim Zakharov as our winner for the 2024 Iranian Studies Best Paper Award with their paper, "Iranian Cinema as a Tool Against the Islamic Republic".
September 12, 2023
The Farzaneh Family Center is pleased to welcome Dr. Kayhan A. Nejad, our new assistant professor! Dr. Nejad earned his Ph.D. in History from Yale University in 2021. Before joining OU, he served as a Nizami Ganjavi Centre Visiting Fellow at the University of Oxford, and as a Senior Researcher with the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program at Sabanci University in Istanbul. His research focuses on the linkages between the greater Middle East and the former Soviet Union. Here at OU, Dr. Nejad teaches on modern Iranian history, modern European history, contemporary and historical Iran-U.S. relations, Soviet and post-Soviet nationalisms, and the global history of communism. We are so excited to have Dr. Nejad with us!
May 10, 2023
Brennan Clifton, “Show Don’t Tell: The Metaphor of Love in Iranian Cinema”
Claire Silk, “Student Power! The Iranian Student Movement in the United States During the 1960s and 1970s and the Fall of the Shah"
February 14, 2023
The issue is titled, "Parsis and Iranians in the Modern Period."
November 22, 2022
Vahid Davar is the 2022 winner for his article, "Relation to Relating: A Sketch for the New Epic." Davar is a PhD researcher in Persian Studies at the University of St. Andrews. His collection of poetry, Sefr-e Safar (The Book of Journeys), was highly commended for the 2019 Ahamad Shamlou Prize. His second book, Ahd-e Nassim (Nassim's Testament), forms part of the British Museum exhibit, "Atlas of the World", 2022.
The article is titled, , "Iran's Struggle for Democracy Has a Long History."
A marble statue of Omar Khayyam, the 11th century Persian polymath, stands outside the David L. Boren College of International Studies at Farzaneh Hall. The statue was carved by the famed sculptor Hossein Fakhimi.
The Farzaneh Family Center for Iranian and Persian Gulf Studies serves as the hub for Iranian Studies at the University of Oklahoma. Established in 2010 as an academic program within the OU David L. Boren College of International Studies, the Farzaneh Family Center for Iranian and Persian Gulf Studies expanded into a center in 2016 through a generous donation by the Farzaneh Family. An institutional member of the American Institute for Iranian Studies and the Association for Iranian Studies, the Center draws from the multidisciplinary strength and research breadth of its faculty to offer one of the premier curriculum and programming initiatives in Iranian Studies today.
Students are able to select from a growing list of course offerings in Iranian Studies at the University of Oklahoma, including language instruction in Persian at the elementary, intermediate, and advanced levels. The Center currently offers an undergraduate minor in Iranian Studies, and is working towards establishing an undergraduate major. In the coming years, the Center will also establish a graduate program in Iranian Studies.
In addition to its academic emphasis, the Center organizes an active “Iranian Studies Lecture Series” that brings scholars from the field of Iranian Studies to the University of Oklahoma campus. These lectures cover all aspects of Iranian history, culture, society, and politics. The “Iranian Studies Lecture Series” is open to the public and has been generously supported by the Farzaneh Family, the Parsa Community Foundation, and the Iran Heritage Foundation.
We invite you to explore our additional initiatives on this webpage.
The Farzaneh Family Center for Iranian and Persian Gulf Studies
is located on the third floor of Farzaneh Hall at 729 Elm Ave, Norman, OK 73019.
Joshua Landis, Director
Email: landis@ou.edu
Phone: (405) 325-3330
Marjan Seirafi-Pour, Farzaneh Family Instructor of Persian and Director of Outreach Programs
Email: marjan@ou.edu
Phone: (405) 325-5164
