Brown's Center for Middle East Studies invites proposals for small reading groups focused on a relevant theme or topic. We hope that these groups will encourage exploration of areas of common interest in a low stress atmosphere of informal intellectual interaction. These themes of exploration and intellectual interaction are reflected in the name of this initiative, Shahbandar, a Persian title meaning "harbor master" or "port master" that is also the name of a famous cafe and intellectual hub on Baghdad's al-Mutanabbi Street.
- at least three committed individual participants
- at least three meetings over the course of a semester
- at least one member of the group will share insights from the discussion group in a video recording for the CMES website
Reading groups can include any combination of faculty, grad students, and undergrads. Staff members can also submit proposals so long as at least one faculty or student has committed to participate. Reading groups that meet the requirements above can be reimbursed up to $300 from CMES for food and drink, books, or other costs associated with the reading group.
Submit proposals for reading groups here. Proposals for the Fall 2025 semester are due by 30 September 2025. Proposals for the Spring 2026 semester are due by 22 February 2026.