Iranian Studies
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Iranian Studies or Iranistics is an interdisciplinary field dealing with the study of Iranian cultural continent. It incorporates the study of history, literature, art and culture of Persia and modern-day Iran. The terms Iranology, Iranistics, Iranian studies, Persian studies also refer to studies in culture, history, languages and other aspects of the Iranian peoples such as Persians, Kurds, Pashtuns, Ossetians, Scythians etc.
[edit] History of Iranistics in Persia
Persian poet and thinker, Ferdowsi, is known as the founder of Iranology. In his master-piece Shahnameh, he tried to extensively address Persian culture, literature, art, history and anthropology[citation needed].
In 9th century, Persian historian Jarir e Tabari made a distinct contribution to Iranology with his book entitled History of the Prophets and Kings, which covers historical events till AD 915. Tarikh-e Mas'oudi by Persian historian and author Abolfazl Beyhaghi (995-1077), is one of the most creditable sources about the Ghaznavid Empire, and his fluent prose style has made the book considerable in Persian literature too.
Persian historian Ata Malek Joveyni was the first of several brilliant representatives of Persian historiography who flourished during the period of Mongol domination in Iran (1220–1336). Joveyni's magnum opus, the Tarikh-i jehan-gusha, is one of the most important works of Persian historiography.[1]
Sharaf ad-Din 'Ali Yazdi was one of the greatest of 15th-century Persia. The work for which he is best known is the Zafernameh (The Book of Victory). It is a history of the world conqueror Timur (Tamerlane; 1370–1405) and was probably based on the history of the same name by Nizam ad-Din Shami, a work written at Timur's request.[2]
[edit] Iranistics in modern Persia (Iran)
Tehran University established several Iranology chairs, as ancient Iranian linguistics and culture, Persian literature, history and archeology. Many prominet figures hold these chairs during last century such as Abdolhossein Zarrinkoub, Zabihollah Safa, Ahmad Tafazzoli, Mehrdad Bahar, Jaleh Amouzgar and Badiozzaman Forouzanfar. Moreover Shiraz University has also chairs in Iranology and many notable figures have been conducting world class research on Iranology there (e.g. Alireza Shapour Shahbazi, the world class Achaemenid archeologist).
Early in 20th century a huge project was started by Persian linguist and historian Allameh Dehkhoda. His encyclopedic collection is the largest comprehensive Persian dictionary ever published, in 15 volumes (26000 pages).
Throughout history, there were several publications on Iranology, among them Sokhan, Yaqma, Rahnamay e Ketab and Kelk were considered the most significant. Kelk was founded by Ali Dehbashi and very soon became one of the most prestigious Iranology journal in the world. Bokhara Magazine (Kelk under a new name) is today the most most reputable Iranology journal. Ali Dehbashi and Iraj Afshar are main editors of the journal who put significant effort in promoting Iranology during last few decades.[3]
[edit] Iranistics in Europe
University of Goettingen is the pioneer of Iranology in the West. In 2003 the hundredth anniversary of Iranology Department was held at Gottingen University. Among European countries, Germany contributed most to Iranology and Persian studies.[4] and [5]
European Iranologist Society has many international meetings in its periodical conferences in different universities and scientific centers all over the world.
[edit] Iranistics in United States
Serious studies of Iranology and instruction of Persian language were launched in the United States in 1958. Iranology department were founded in numerous American universities as Stanford University and Columbia University.
Encyclopedia Iranica which is the most reputable source of Iranian culture has been initiated in Columbia University. Prominent Iranists as Richard Nelson Frye and Ehsan Yarshater have been involved in this project. In fact it is the only precise and reliable reference work on the lands, life, culture and history of all Iranian peoples and their interaction with other societies.[6]
[edit] Some western centers having advanced Iranian Studies programs
- University of Maryland
- University of Durham
- Harvard University
- Oxford, UK
- University of Texas at Austin
- Ohio State University
- ISG : Iranian Studies Group at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- CIRA:Center for Iranian Research and Analysis at Quinnipiac University
[edit] Persian (Iranian) Studies Journals
- Persian (Iranian) Studies Journal
- Iran Nameh
- Iran Shenasi
- Majallah-yi Zabanshinasi
- Farhang-i Kerman
- Abstracta Iranica
- Studia Iranica
- Acta Iranica
- Iran: Journal of the British Institute of Persian Studies
- Iran & the Caucasus
- Iranica Antiqua
- Iranistische mitteilungen
- Iran-nameh: Armenian Journal of Oriental Studies
- Iranshinakht
- Persica. Jaarboek van het Genootschap Nederland-Iran
- Rahavard
- Studia Iranica.
- Zabanshinasi
- Namah-i Farhangistan
- Iran Analysis Quarterley(ISG Journal)
[edit] Yarshater lectureship
The Yarshater lectureship is today the most prestigious honor in the field.
[edit] References
- Encyclopedia Iranica, Columbia University.
- A step toward developing Iranology researches, Khosrow Naghed.[7]
- Chelle ie Bokhara, Mehdi Jami (2005)[8]
[edit] See also
[edit] Famous Iranists
- Abbas Alizadeh
- Nasser_Takmil_Homayoun
- Richard Nelson Frye
- Ehsan Yarshater
- Zabihollah Safa
- David Stronach
- Mehrdad Bahar
- Abdolhossein Zarinkoob
- William Chittick
- Elton L. Daniel
- Edward Granville Browne
- Roman Ghirshman
- Gary Sick
- Vladimir Minorsky
- Henry Corbin
- Ali Akbar Dehkhoda
- Khosrow Naghed
- Harold Bailey
- Ali Dehbashi
- Ahmad Tafazzoli
- H. H. Schaeder
- Michael Rubin (historian)
- Shahrokh Meskoob
- Shaul Bakhash
- Dariush Shayegan
- Reynold A. Nicholson
- Alireza Shapour Shahbazi
- Majid M. Naini
- Touraj Daryaee
Or see a listing of Wikipedia articles on Iranists here.
[edit] External links
- Iranology Foundation
- The Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies
- Societas Iranologica Europea
- Sasanika
- Fravardyn
- Videvdad
- Foundation for Iranian Studies
- The American Institute of Iranian Studies
- Iranology in Canada
- International Society for Iranian Studies
- Bonyad e farhang e Iran
- Interview with Khosrow Naghed (in Persian/pdf)
- Iran and Persian language in the western world (in Persian)
- From Sa'di to Simin: Iranology in the lands of germanic people (BBC Persian)
- 70-year-old problem of understanding Persian culture in the west (in Persian)
