Study Zoroastrianism in Rome

Zoroastrianism is a living religious tradition with historical roots in ancient Iran and Central Asia. Once the dominant religion in pre-Islamic Iran, the main contemporary Zoroastrian communities can be found in India, Iran, and a range of other countries such as Britain, Canada, the US and Sweden.

Courses on Zoroastrianism are few and far between. The University of Bergen (Norway) and the Shapoorji Pallonji Institute of Zoroastrian Studies at SOAS, University of London have joined forces to offer international students a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the study of this religion with its rich history.

The course is co-taught by well-known scholars in the field.
This year, Sarah Stewart (SOAS, author of Voices of Zoroastrian Iran) and Michael Stausberg (Bergen, co-editor of The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Zoroastrianism) will be joined by Jenny Rose (Claremont, author of Zoroastrianism: a guide for the perplexed).

This year's topic is “Zoroastrianism in modern and contemporary Iran”, where Zoroastrianism exists as a recognized religious minority. The course will address matters such as lived religious praxis, gender and community organizations, social, religious and ritual change, memory and visions of history, nationalist ideologies and minority rights.

We are offering an intensive learning experience. The course requires prior reading and class presentations. The course is held in English, so a good working knowledge of English is required. The course will be held in the beautiful surroundings of the Norwegian Institute in Rome.

The summer school is free of charge. A limited number of bursaries to cover travel and living costs will be awarded on merit. Applicants will get further information. 

Application form can be downloaded from this page (see below).

Read the course description: ZOR200