Category: Events

Iran at a Crossroads: Protests, Sanctions, and Political Futures

This roundtable brings together leading scholars of Iran to examine how recent protests, U.S. sanctions, and state power intersect to shape the country’s current conditions and future trajectories. Panelists will analyze the interplay between social movements, economic pressures, and geopolitical constraints, situating these dynamics within broader historical and regional contexts. The discussion will explore the implications of these forces for Iran’s future governance, its role in the region, and its relations with global powers. The roundtable offers a nuanced analysis that moves beyond headline-driven narratives.

International Conference on Islamic Perspectives on Prophecy and Revelation

The Department of Islamic Philosophy and Theology at the Al-Mahdi Institute in Birmingham, in collaboration with the Department of Religious Studies at Duke University, held an international conference on July 24–25, 2025, at Duke University. Although the event was affected by increasingly restrictive U.S. visa policies under the current U.S. administration, it was successfully held and was received well by the academic community. Organizing a conference on one of the most fundamental Islamic topics at a leading university during this challenging period in the US constitutes a significant achievement.

Islamic Perspectives on Prophecy and Revelation

The conference is crucial for fostering a nuanced understanding of how the ancient concepts of prophecy and revelation can be meaningfully integrated into modern thought and practice, helping to bridge the gap between traditional beliefs and contemporary intellectual concerns in these areas: The Nature and Function of Prophecy and Revelation in Islamic Thought; Prophecy, Revelation, and Epistemology; Prophecy, Revelation, and Philosophy of Language; Prophecy, Revelation, and Philosophy of Religion; Revelation, Unseen World, and Skeptical Theology; Prophecy, Revelation, and Comparative Abrahamic Traditions; and Contemporary Issues and Challenges to Prophecy and Revelation.