Religion, the state and historical artifacts

Article by journalist Sabria Jawhar in the Huffington Post on state policy towards the preservation and display of pre-Islamic (and particularly religious) antiquities in Saudi Arabia

The Tiger in Asian Religions: Study Day

Asia House (the UK's leading pan-Asian organisation) is hosting a study day on "The tiger in Asian religions" to be held at 63 New Cavendish Street, London W1G 7LP on Saturday 13th November (9.45 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
The programme will explore the tiger's symbolic role in the religions and arts of Asia across the centuries.
The study day costs £35.00, or £25.00 to Friends of Asia House, including tea and coffee.
For further details, contact enquiries@asiahouse.co.uk or phone 020-7307-5454

The study day is in conjunction with Asia House's exhibition, "The tiger in Asian art: symbol of power and protection" which runs from 5th November 2010 to 12th February 2011.

Jews from Arab lands (LMEI conference)

The London Middle East Institute (SOAS) in partnership with the University College of Bahrain has announced a conference on Jews from Arab lands, to take place in the Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre on Tuesday 23rd November (9.15 a.m - 5.00 p.m) and Wednesday 24th November (9.30 a.m - 1.00 p.m).
The conference will look at the Jewish diaspora to Iraq, Egypt, Morocco and Yemen (as well as other Judeo-Arabic communities) in historical, political and cultural contexts. Speakers include Professor Saimi Zubaida (UCL), Professor Shmuel Moreh (Hebrew University of Jerusalem), Professor Tudor Parfitt (SOAS), and Professor Zvi ben Dor Benite (New York University).
The Conference costs £15.00 (£10.00 for LMEI affiliates and OAPs)
It is FREE for students.
Lunch and refreshments on both days are included.
For further information and booking, contact Louise Hosking (lh2@soas.ac.uk) or Vincenzo Pac-Delton (vp6@soas.ac.uk)
Tel: 020-7898-4330 / 4490

Japanese Buddhism: aesthetics of colour lectures

The Embassy of Japan announces a celebration of the 1300th anniversary of Nara Heijo Kyo Capital.
There will be a  series of events in London and Norwich between 15th and 18th November, consisting of lectures on the aesthetics of colours in Buddhism by Sachio Yoshioka, a textile historian, and Shomyo (chanting) by Taiin Murakami, a priest from Yakushi-ji, Nara.
Click here for more details and brief interviews with Yoshioka and Murakami, about the event.

Book review: Beyond the Qumran community

Review of John Collins' "Beyond the Qumran community: the Sectarian Movement of the Dead Sea Scrolls" by Alex Jassen (University of Minnesota) in the H-Judaic pages of H-Net Online ("an international consortium of scholars and teachers")
Collins argues in support of the theory that the Khirbet Qumran site is a sectarian settlement. Jassen states that the book "advances considerably our understanding of the origins and identities of the communities of the Dead Sea Scrolls"

Find "Beyond the Qumran community" in SOAS Library at QI296.815 / 733599 (Level C, Stacks 95-96)

Religion, tourism and development

New York Times article on Ezekiel's tomb in Kifl (Iraq) looks at the historic and religious context of the site and the "competing aims of historic preservation and modern development".
This online article includes a slide show (pictures of the shrine) and video about the plans for the restoration and development of the historic centre of Kifl, including Ezekiel's shrine

Updated research guide launched on the BLE

A fully updated version of the Study of Religions research guide (containing information on how to search full-text and bibliographic databases, internet resources in SOAS and beyond, and tips on how to keep up to date with your research and manage references and citations) has just been launched on the Information Skills: Religions site on the BLE - go to the Research Guides tab