Lecture & Discussion with Dr. George Mürer on Kurdish Music & Culture

Monday, December 18
6:00 PM Tehran Time
Google Meet

Dr. George Mürer will first discuss his research on Kurdish music, followed by a Q&A session. We invite you to watch the three ethnographic films created by Dr. Mürer using the links below and join the discussion.

Lecture Title:

Kurdistan: Constructing Layered Musical Landscapes through Fieldwork and Documentation

“I will share from my own experience some reflections on how the variegated cultural topography of Kurdistan and tensions between often contradictory cultural, linguistic, and political demarcations have encouraged me to think in terms of multiple complementary projects and to take great interest in the work of a broad range of colleagues.”

About the Speaker:

Dr. George Mürer is a researcher and an adjunct assistant professor of music at Columbia University. His expertise lies in the intersection of music performance and cultural consciousness in Kurdistan, Khorasan, the Gulf, and the Indian Ocean regions.
His doctoral dissertation, now being developed into a monograph, explores patronage networks and cross-cultural musical intersections among Baloch communities in the cosmopolitan urban centers of the Eastern Arabian Peninsula.
He actively engages in documentary filmmaking and collaborates with musicians to bring greater visibility to their cultural expressions.

Music of the Arab People of Khuzestan

Speaker: Mahmoud Mashhudi
Friday, March 8, 2024
8:00 PM Tehran Time

The largest Arab population in Iran resides in southwestern Iran, specifically in the central, western, and southern parts of Khuzestan Province. The Khuzestani Arabs can be categorized into five groups based on their lifestyle, livelihood, and culture:
1⃣ Ḥaḍari (Urban)
2⃣ Reifi (Rural)
3⃣ Badawi (Nomadic)
4⃣ Ma’dan (Marsh Arabs)
5⃣ Jebilat (Arab-Bakhtiari)

In this session, Mahmoud Mashhudi will examine the musical traditions of the Arab people in Khuzestan, providing insight into their musical life and cultural practices.
Additionally, he will present field recordings he recently documented.

About the Speaker:

Mahmoud Mashhudi holds a Master’s degree in Ethnomusicology from the University of Art, Tehran, and is a santur player. His thesis focused on:
“The Musical Culture of the Ma’dan (Marsh Arabs) in Khuzestan.”

Turkmen Narratives: People’s Histories & the Construction of Musical Meaning

Monday, April 15, 2024
7:30 PM Tehran Time
Speaker: Arman Gohari-Nasab

Introduction to the Session:

In Turkmen society, the construction of meaning for social and cultural phenomena is always embedded in narratives and storytelling. However, the “Narratlar” (Narratives) are not merely a micro-cultural world—they represent a macro-cultural realm of musical literature, intricately connected to Iranian, Turkic, and Arab cultures.
In this session, Arman Gohari-Nasab will introduce these narrative traditions and discuss a unique approach to folk music studies.

About the Speaker:

Arman Gohari-Nasab holds a Master’s degree in Ethnomusicology and is a documentary filmmaker specializing in music.
Since 2009, he has conducted fieldwork on Turkmen musical culture.
His research has been published in English and Persian academic journals.

Persian Classical Music & the Possibility of Musical Modernity

Wednesday, December 4, 2024
7:30 PM Tehran Time
11:00 AM Eastern Time (USA)
4:00 PM London Time
Speaker: Morteza Abedini-Fard

About the Speaker:

Ph.D. in Musicology, University of Alberta, Canada
Setar player
Master’s in Philosophy of Art, University of Art, Tehran
Master’s in Philosophy, University of Alberta

Areas of Expertise:

Philosophy of Music
History of Western Music
Modernity & Its Relationship with Music

All sessions are free to attend!
Join via the provided links!

Let me know if you need any adjustments!

The post Paper Presentations (in Persian) appeared first on iranianethnonetwork.

1⃣ First Session

Date & Time: Wednesday, September 18, 2024 (28 Shahrivar 1403), 7:30 PM Tehran Time

Speakers:
1⃣ Thaïs Gheirati – PhD student in Ethnomusicology at the University of British Columbia, Canada; MA in Ethnomusicology from the University of Art, Tehran; BA in Iranian Instrumental Performance from the University of Tehran.
Talk Title: Ethical Challenges in Fieldwork with Female Singers in Eastern Khorasan, Iran

2⃣ Arman Najjar – MA student in Ethnomusicology at the University of Art, Tehran.
Talk Title: Monopolization in Field Research on Music in Eastern Khorasan

2⃣ Second Session

Date & Time: Wednesday, October 16, 2024 (25 Mehr 1403), 7:30 PM Tehran Time
Google Meet Link: [To be provided]

Speaker:
Hossein Filizadeh – MA graduate in Ethnomusicology from the University of Tehran.
Talk Title: Challenges of Field Research in Persian Rap

Abstract:
In this talk, I will discuss the challenges of conducting field research in the highly dynamic and turbulent landscape of Persian rap, highlighting its stark differences from other popular music scenes in Iran. The core argument of this session is the necessity of personalizing the field research process for high-impact genres like rap, where the rapid pace of change—driven by musicians, audiences, and media—demands a tailored approach to research methodologies.

3⃣ Third Session

Date & Time: Wednesday, November 13, 2024 (23 Aban 1403), 7:30 PM Tehran Time

Speaker:
Solmaz Bazazi – BA in Iranian Instrumental Performance (Kamancheh) from the University of Guilan; MA student in Ethnomusicology at the University of Art, Tehran.
Talk Title: Fieldwork Challenges in Central Mazandaran

Abstract:
This talk will explore the challenges of conducting field research in Central Mazandaran (from the Tajan River in the east to the Haraz River in the west). The discussion will focus on difficulties in accessing resources and establishing connections with knowledgeable individuals—not only within governmental institutions but also among local musicians and researchers.

The post Fieldwork Talk Series (in Persian) appeared first on iranianethnonetwork.

Sessions will be held biweekly and online.
Since most of the resources are in English, reading comprehension in English is essential for participation. However, discussions will naturally be conducted in Persian.

An initial reading list has been prepared and can be found in the attached file. However, please note that this list is not final and will be adjusted based on the course’s progress, discussions, and the group’s study needs.

Additionally, one of the key goals of this study circle is to analyze and discuss the works of Iranian students and researchers who have conducted studies in Persian on this topic. If you have any writings that you would like to share, please send them to us.

The post Reading Groups appeared first on iranianethnonetwork.

Application Deadline: May 15, 2023
For more information about this program, please refer to the PDF file.

The post Mentorship Programs appeared first on iranianethnonetwork.

Writing by Dr.  George Mürer

Friday, November 10, 2023 (19 Aban 1402), 7:00 PM Tehran Time
The session will be conducted in both English and Persian.

For those planning to apply in the coming weeks:
On Friday, November 10, at 7:00 PM Tehran Time, we will hold a session on SOP writing with Dr. George Mürer. If you are interested in participating, please fill out the Google Form.

Biography of Dr. George Mürer:

George Mürer is a music researcher and ethnographic filmmaker specializing in the flows of musical and poetic expression, regional identity, and popular culture across geographic circuits including Kurdistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Balochistan, Central Asia, Anatolia, Arabophone West Asia, North Africa, the Gulf, and the Indian Ocean region. He is currently working on a book project along with several articles and documentaries while teaching at Columbia University.

The post Online Workshop on Writing a Statement of Purpose (SOP) appeared first on iranianethnonetwork.

Date: November 8 (17 Aban)
Time: 6:30 PM Tehran Time

In this session, we will discuss the following topics:
Recommendations for writing effective conference abstracts
General structure of conference papers and their differences from journal articles
How to find suitable conferences
Maximizing the benefits of attending conferences

The post Workshop on Writing Conference Paper Abstracts appeared first on iranianethnonetwork.

September 2023, 6:30 PM Tehran Time

We highly recommend this session to those planning to apply for higher education in the field of music.

To participate in this workshop, please fill out the Google Form via the following link: https://forms.gle/R5hyjUM57zJyfyQWA

This session will be held on Google Meet, and the meeting link will be sent to those who complete the form.

Hamidreza Salehyar, PhD Candidate in Ethnomusicology at the University of Toronto, Canada.

The post Online Workshop on Academic CV Writing appeared first on iranianethnonetwork.