Events in UCIS

Thursday, March 11

9:00 am Workshop
Reading Safavid Occult-Scientific Miscellanies
Location:
Zoom
Sponsored by:
Asian Studies Center and Center for Russian East European and Eurasian Studies along with Consortium for Educational Resources on Islamic Studies (CERIS) and Central Eurasian Studies Society
See Details

We will examine a representative Safavid Persian miscellany of the mid-seventeenth century, MS Majlis 12575. Significant for the history of science, it comprises occult-scientific works by Iranian philosophers of various periods, including Suhravardi, Fakhr al-Din Razi and Sadr al-Din Dashtaki, as well as a lettrist work by Mahmud Dihdar Shirazi, teacher to Shaykh Baha'i in the occult sciences. Our focus will be on 'Ali Safi Kashifi's (d. 1535) Gift for the Khan (Tuhfa-yi khani), an early Safavid simplification of a Timurid Persian grimoire dealing with illusionism and conjuring, both of which we now dismiss as stage magic. Its Safavid-era expansion to include other, more serious occult sciences? alchemy, talismanry, astral magic? and the magico-political feats of eminent
Safavid philosophers will also be discussed with examples, as a window onto how Safavid philosophical culture worked in political practice.

PLEASE NOTE that registrations are limited and will be confirmed on a first-come, first-serve basis for Ph.D. students and faculty who work on Eurasia and can meet the language prerequisites specific to each topic.

PREREQUISITE
Advanced Persian

INSTRUCTOR
Matthew Melvin-Koushki
Associate Professor of Islamic History
University of South Carolina

COLLABORATORS
Aziza Shanazarova
UCIS Postdoctoral Fellow of REEES
University of Pittsburgh

REGISTER HERE: https://pitt.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYofuyhrTwjEtS-vEx0Wu98a9kr5_SMb9ry

12:00 pm Cultural Event
RICE &... Series: Risi e Bisi with the European Studies Center
Location:
Zoom
Sponsored by:
European Studies Center, Global Hub and UCIS Engagement
See Details

Join the Pitt Global Hub and European Studies Center (ESC) for another RICE &... event. The ESC will be demonstrating how to prepare risi e bisi, Italian rice and peas, while providing the history and context of this dish.

Register here: https://pitt.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0ude2upz0uHNWAXP_bL4HlFC3gFg-YnhE9

12:30 pm Lecture Series / Brown Bag
JMintheUS: EU Briefing - Orban and Merkel's European People's Party: The End of the Affair?
Location:
Zoom
Sponsored by:
European Studies Center along with Center for European Studies at the University of Florida
See Details

For some time, the membership of Hungary's nationalist ruling party, Fidesz (led by Viktor Orban), within the more mainstream European People’s Party (EPP) grouping at the European level has been a source of controversy. As Hungary shifted further away from traditional democratic norms, Fidesz membership led to tensions, conflict and criticism from other members of the EPP grouping. Many of these criticisms were directed at German Chancellor Angela Merkel whose continued support of Fidesz membership has been heavily criticized. The tension came to a head this week, when a majority of EPP members voted to adopt rules revisions facilitating expulsion of a member party. As a result, on March 3, Orban announced the ‘voluntary’ departure of Fidesz from the EPP. What does this mean? Will this mark a new chapter in EU-Hungary relations? Join the UF Center for European Studies for a EU briefing with Dr. Daniel Kelemen on the causes and consequences of this weeks’ events.

#JMintheUS

3:15 pm Cultural Event
Laber Rhabarber - German Conversation Hour
Location:
Zoom
Sponsored by:
Global Hub along with Department of German
See Details

Laber Rhabarber - More than a German conversation hour!

"... the most human thing we have is language, and we have it in order to talk." German author Theodor Fontane wrote in 1892. So, here's chance! Be human with us for an hour every week, albeit in German ;D

Everyone and every level of German welcome!

Zoom Meeting link: https://pitt.zoom.us/j/99661883076
German Dept. website: http://www.german.pitt.edu/
Follow us on Instagram/Facebook/Twitter: @UPittGerman

4:00 pm Panel Discussion
Cultura Negra no Atlantico (CULTNA) Discussion Series: Diasporas Imaginadas
Location:
Zoom
Sponsored by:
Center for Latin American Studies along with LABHOI Universidade Federal Fluminense and LABHOI/AFRIKAS UFJF
See Details

CULTNA is a new discussion series on Afro-Latin American Culture: "Cultura Negra no Atlantico." As the name implies, it will be held in Portuguese, and will bring together discussion groups based at Universidade Federal Fluminense and Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, in Brazil, and CLAS. The first meeting, on March 11th, will be a discussion of the book Diasporas Imaginadas (Imagined Diasporas), by Kim Butler (Rutgers) and Petronio Domingues (Universidade Federal do Sergipe). Both with be present at the discussion, alongside the event organizers. The event will be in Portuguese.

Registration required: https://bit.ly/3ue9Kdu

6:00 pm Panel Discussion
So Long, My Son Film Discussion with Director Wang Xiaoshuai
Location:
Online via Zoom
Sponsored by:
Asian Studies Center along with Carnegie Mellon International Film Festival
See Details

In partnership with the CMU IFF, So Long, My Son will premiere virtually in Pittsburgh from March 6-12. The film is about two families who work together in a factory until a tragic accident pulls them apart. Moving backwards and forwards from the accident through four decades of Chinese history, acclaimed director Wang Xiaoshuai carefully constructs an epic, deeply moving drama of ordinary lives and severed connections in the midst of extraordinary social change. On March 11, there will be an online discussion with the director moderated by Pitt Professor Kun Qian.

Register for the screening here.
Register for the discussion here

6:00 pm Film
Queer Horror Film Discussion with Jonathan Devine: Poltergay
Location:
Virtual - Register Online!
Sponsored by:
Global Studies Center
See Details

Join us for a discussion of French horror-comedy Poltergay (Erin Lavaine, 2006). Be prepared for all things scary, funny, and absurd! A watch party will be held via Amazon Prime on Wednesday, March 10 at 7:00 pm. If you would like to watch the film in your own time, it can be found here https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B08WH6Z393/ref=atv_wp_h_ep. The discussion will take place via Zoom on Thursday, March 11 via the zoom link above. Please indicate when registering if you are interested in an invitation to the watch party.