Roshangar Undergraduate Persian Studies Journal
About Roshangar
Roshangar Undergraduate Persian Studies Journal is a scholarly publication dedicated to showcasing the academic work and research achievements of undergraduate students in Persian Studies. The journal provides a platform for students to publish their essays, research papers, and creative works, ranging from literature to art and beyond. As such, it offers a unique opportunity for undergraduates to gain experience in the peer-review and publication process, fostering critical thinking and research skills. Roshangar also contributes to the dissemination of fresh perspectives and innovative ideas within academic and broader UMD communities, enriching the scholarly discourse in the field. While initially published in print in 2023 it was moved to the online format hosted by Roshan Institute for Persian Studies.
Roshan Institute for Persian Studies at the University of Maryland aspires to be the premier center for the learning, understanding, and appreciation of Persian culture in the United States. Toward this end, Roshan Institute seeks to provide outstanding course offerings and programs in Persian language, literature, history, and culture; to foster communication and community ties among people of Persian heritage and those interested in Persian studies; and to serve as a model for encouraging intercultural communication among peoples of varying backgrounds.
Since its inception, based on the above mission and with full support from Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute, Roshan Institute for Persian Studies has played a leading role in bringing Iranian art culture and civilization into focus. Since 2012, Dr. Fatemeh Keshavarz has served as the Chair of the Roshan Institute.
For inquiries about Roshangar Journal, please email roshangar.umd@gmail.com. If you have any questions about Roshan Institute or want to get involved, please email roshan@umd.edu
Roshangar Undergraduate Persian Studies Journal Team
Roshan Institute Chair
Fatemeh Keshavarz, Ph.D.
She/Her
Email: fkk@umd.edu
Fatemeh Keshavarz, born and raised in the city of Shiraz, completed her studies in Shiraz University, and University of London. She taught at Washington University in St. Louis for over twenty years where she chaired the Dept. of Asian and Near Eastern Languages and Literatures from 2004 to 2011. In 2012, Keshavarz joined the University of Maryland as the Roshan Institute Chair in Persian Language and Literature, and Director of the Roshan Institute Center for Persian Studies. Keshavarz is author of award winning books including Reading Mystical Lyric: the Case of Jalal al-Din Rumi (USC Press,1998), Recite in the Name of the Red Rose (USC Press, 2006) and a book of literary analysis and social commentary titled Jasmine and Stars: Reading more than Lolita in Tehran (UNC Press, 2007). She has also published other books and numerous journal articles. Keshavarz is a published poet in Persian and English and an activist for peace and justice. She was invited to speak at the UN General Assembly on the significance of cultural education. Her NPR show “The ecstatic faith of Rumi” brought her the Peabody Award in 2008. In the same year, she received the “Herschel Walker Peace and Justice Award.”
Editor-in-Chief
Keon Abbasi
He/His
Email:
kabasi@terpmail.umd.edu
Keon is a senior Public Health Sciences major and Persian Studies minor at the University of Maryland who is currently applying to medical school. Keon has taken advantage of opportunities at the University of Maryland to advance his speaking proficiency and literacy. He has participated in the Language House for the past 3 years and is now taking on an editorial role in the Roshangar Undergraduate Persian Studies Journal to further engage with his cultural background. Keon is passionate about teaching and learning. He has taken on the roles of peer research mentor for the FIRE program, resident assistant, and teaching assistant in the Teaching and Learning Transformation Center. He currently serves as a tutor for the Academic Success and Tutorial Services department. Through these roles, whether traveling, supporting students in the classroom, or caring for patients, Keon seeks to leverage his multilingual and multicultural background as a second-generation Iranian-American-Canadian to create inclusive spaces.. He is looking forward to bringing this approach to Roshangar to showcase the cultural diversity across the Persian-speaking world.