The Afrassiabi Distinguished Lectures in Persian and Iranian Studies
This lectureship was established in honor of Hooshang Afrassiabi, who passed away on February 14, 1998. By that time, Hooshang and his family had lived in Seattle for almost two decades, having moved to the U.S. after the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Mr. Afrassiabi's advanced degrees in Iran had included a focus on administration and government affairs, and he had a distinguished career in government service, including the position of Mayor of the lovely city of Shiraz. But his undergraduate education there had been in Persian literature, a love that he was to cherish for the rest of his life. In 1999 his three sons, all alumni of the UW in various fields, began the establishment of an endowment in their father's name. The endowment supports this lectureship as well as the annual student prize.
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The Farhat J. Ziadeh Distinguished Lecture in Arab and Islamic Studies Series
This annual lectureship was established in honor of Farhat J. Ziadeh, whose contributions to the fields of Islamic law, Arabic language, and Islamic studies are truly unparalleled.
The Ziadeh fund was formally endowed in 2001 and since that time, it has allowed MELC to strengthen its educational reach and showcase the most outstanding scholarship in Arab and Islamic Studies.
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Walter G. Andrews Memorial Lecture Series
The Walter G. Andrews Memorial Lecture Series honors the legacy of Walter G. Andrews (1939–2020), a beloved scholar, mentor, and foundational figure in Ottoman literature and culture nationally and internationally at the University of Washington. A founding member of the Department of Near Eastern Languages & Civilization (NELC), today Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures (MELC) for over five decades, Andrews was a pioneer in Ottoman literary studies, fostering deep connections between Turkish and global literary traditions. His warmth, generosity, and intellectual rigor continue to inspire students and colleagues alike.
Established in 2022 with support from the Turkish and Ottoman Studies Endowed Fund that relies on donations from Seattle communities, this annual lecture brings leading scholars of Ottoman and Turkish literature, history, and culture to the UW community, reflecting Andrews’ interdisciplinary spirit and dedication to bridging past and present.
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Streaming Lectures
The Persian Literature Lecture Series is available for streaming online, sponsored by the Language Learning Center. Recent lectures have included Exiled Iranian writer Shahrnush Parsipur, Dr. Shirin Ebadi, and Marjane Satrapi.