Kî ne em? Kurdish Literature and Its Studies: An Interdisciplinary Conference

Join us for the first ever conference of Kurdish Literature at Stanford!

The title question, Kî ne em?, Who are we?, could be asked in many different ways: ئێمە کێین؟ (Soranî, transliteration Ême kêyin?), Ma ka mî? (Zazakî), Ême kênmê? (Hewramî), Îme kêyî min? (Kelhurrî/Lekî), Ême kîn? (Ardalanî), Îme kîn? (Şêxbizinî). Taking our lead from this plurality of Kurdish and Kurdishes, we will hear from scholars, authors, poets, translators, and publishers to investigate the role of Kurdish cultural and literary production.

First, we will learn how scholars have defined their canon(s) of Kurdish literature and how they are studying it; we will have the pleasure to hear from authors, poets, translators, and publishers about their experiences and enjoy multiple readings both of original and translated texts; and lastly, scholars of other disciplines of Kurdish Studies will speak on their research, allowing us to collectively investigate the place of Kurdish Literature and its Studies within Kurdish Studies writ large.

The conference will consist of three sections:

Kurdish Literary Studies Creative Roundtable with Authors, Translators, and Publishers  Kurdish Studies

To conclude two intense days of talks and discussion, we will end with a musical treat, meze, and a collaborative poetry reading and translating event to foster the connection between scholars, practitioners, community members, and members of the audience. 

Organized by the Department of Comparative Literature and supported by many more centers and institutions on campus, join us in strengthening the foundation of a field still in the process of establishing itself in U.S. academia—and beyond.

Everyone is welcome!

Please →RSVP

Event Sponsors:

Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies, Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity, Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies, Dean of Humanities and Arts, Department of Anthropology, Department of Comparative Literature, Department of English, Department of History, Division of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages, Hamid and Christina Moghadam Program in Iranian Studies, Middle East and the Islamic World Working Group, Hoover Institution, PATH+, Stanford Global Studies, Stanford Humanities Center