Stamps of the Fallen (Part 2) Martyrs on the Postage Stamps of the Islamic Republic of Iran Adam Gaiser and James Riggan | October 24, 2017 Libraries & Collections, Visual Culture Iran has produced a great number of martyrdom stamps, which treat martyrdom and the martyrs in different ways, from 1979 up to the present. Given the importance of the Karbala paradigm to the Iranian revolution (and its subsequent national narrative), it might be expected to dominate Iranian postage stamps. However, there are few direct references to Karbala on Iranian stamps... Read the rest of this entry
Stamps of the Fallen (Part 1) On Martyrs, Nations, and Postage Stamps Adam Gaiser and James Riggan | October 5, 2017 Libraries & Collections, Visual Culture Martyrs pervade the public discourse and landscape of contemporary Iran. Whether it is ever-present references to the Karbala narrative, the massive cemeteries honoring the memory of the fallen from the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-1988, or the provincial shrines that dot the countryside, martyrs have been woven into the fabric of Iranian national culture in a way that many non-Iranians find puzzling... Read the rest of this entry
Seeking the Muslim Martin Luther Against Calls for 'Islamic Reformation' Todd Green | September 11, 2017 Current Events This year marks the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s Reformation in Germany, a monumental event in Christian history that generated permanent divisions in the body of Christendom. As commemorations of Luther’s Reformation commence throughout the world, it’s likely that some of Islam’s most ardent critics will use the occasion to renew their calls for an “Islamic Reformation'... Read the rest of this entry