CENTER FOR IRANIAN STUDIES
    Columbia University
     
    Founded in 1967 by Prof. Ehsan Yarshater, the Center for Iranian Studies is primarily a research center with an active publication program.
    Director:  Ehsan Yarshater
    Assistant Director:  Dina Amin
     

    Research and Editorial Activities

      1.The Encyclopaedia Iranica.  The most important scholarly enterprise undertaken in the field of Iranian studies, the Encyclopaedia Iranica is envisaged to be completed in some 26 volumes.  The ninth volume and the first three fascicles of Volume X have been published and Volume X will be completed in the Spring of 2001.  This project has been supported chiefly by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

      2. Tabari Translation Project.  This concerns the translation and annotation of al-Tabari's 10th century universal History in 40 volumes.  So far 39 volumes have been published and the remaining volume, a comprehensive index, is being prepared.  This project is also supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities and was chosen by the NEH as an example of a major project in which a number of scholars have cooperated.

      3. Persian Text Series.  Earlier, 48 volumes of critical classical Persian texts were published by the Institute for Translation and Publication (BTNK) in Tehran, 1956-1979, under the general editorship of Ehsan Yarshater in a series by this name.  A new series was started by him under this title several years ago as a continuation of the work done earlier.  The first work in this new series is the definitive edition of the Shahnameh, the 10th century Persian national epic by Ferdowsi, in ten volumes (eight volumes of text, and two volumes of explanatory notes), edited by J. Khaleghi-Motlagh of the University of Hamburg.  The first five volumes are out, the sixth is being typeset.

      4. Persian Heritage Series.  Consisting of the translations of Persian classics in major Western languages and Japanese, most of these volumes are among the UNESCO Collection of Representative Works.  Prior to recent Iranian upheavals, the series was supported by UNESCO and the Institute for Translation  and Publication of Tehran.  Now it is supported by private funds.  So far, 40 volumes have been published in this series under the general editorship of Ehsan Yarshater.

      5. Modern Persian Literature Series.  This series consists of translations of contemporary (20th Century) Persian writing.  So far, nine volumes have been published in this series.

      6.Persian Studies Series.  This series is a vehicle for the publication of scholarly monographs in Iranian studies.  21 volumes have been published in this series.

      7.  Persian Art Series.  This series consists of studies on Persian art and architecture.  Two volumes have been published so far.

    Other Activities
      8.  Columbia Lectures in Iranian Studies.   This lecture series was founded in 1980.  The series consist of three to five lectures given by an established scholar in the field of Iranian studies, later elaborated and published in book form.  So far, eleven lecture series have been given and nine volumes have been published.

      9.  Grants in Aid of Publication.  Established through the efforts of Professor Yarshater in 1983, these grants are awarded annually by the Persian Heritage Foundation (administered jointly by the Center for Iranian Studies and the Society for Iranian Studies) for scholarly works in Iranian studies, or translations of works of merit from Persian into English, French or German.  So far, some twenty-five grants have been awarded.

      10.  Seminar in Iranian Studies.   One of the University Seminars, the Seminar in Iranian Studies was founded in 1987 to replace the monthly lectures that used to be organized at the Center.  Attendance is by approved membership of researchers and instructors of Iranian studies.  It is currently chaired by Dr. H. Dabashi, Prof. of Persian studies at Columbia.

      11.  The Center sponsors or arranges art exhibitions, film screenings, musical performances, and occasional lectures and debates.

      12.  The Center’s extensive and up-to-date reference library benefits researchers in various programs sponsored by the Center.

      13.  The Newsletter of the Center for Iranian Studies, which reflects the progress of its various programs, particularly the Encyclopaedia Iranica, has been published since 1989, twice a year in Spring and Fall.