Conference 2007
April 28 - 29, New York University, New YorkThird Annual Conference on the Iranian Diaspora
IAAB’s now bi-annual International Conference on the Iranian Diaspora seeks to bring together scholars, students, and members of the global community to discuss the current state, accomplishments, and future of the Iranian Diaspora community. For more information regarding the speakers, panelists and topics discussed at IAAB's International Conference on the Iranian Diaspora in 2007, please see the schedule below.
Conference Schedule
Day 1: Saturday, April 28, 2007
8:30 - 9:20 Registration and Breakfast
9:30 - 10:00 Opening Remarks
10:00 - 11:30 - Panel 1 - Screen Cultures: Transforming Community Through Media
- Homa Sarshar, Journalist
Iranian Media as Cultural Opposition - Hamid Naficy, Northwestern University
Iranian Cinema of Displacement - Exilic, Diasporic, or Ethnic? - Pardis Mahdavi, Pomona College
Cyber-space and Cyber-sex in the Iranian Diaspora - Farzad Sharafi, Portland State University
Kurdish in Iran and America: New Media and the Negotiation of Hybrid Identities
11:40 - 12:40 Lunch
12:50 - 2:20 Panel 2: Growing Pains: Addressin g our Communities' Changing Needs
- Brian Oliner, Children of Persia
Civic Participation: Where the Community is and Where it Needs to Be - Shabnam Rezaei, Norooz Productions
Culture Through Entertainment: The Quest for Connecting Iran's Children to their Past - Mary Elaine Hegland, Santa Clara University
Iranian Grandparents Facing Cultural Change and Making New Lives - Abbas Zeineddin, Independent researcher
Needs Assessment of Atlanta's Iranian- American Community
- Homa Khamsi, Founder of Nima Farsi School
Beyond Speaking Farsi : An Iranian mother discusses her experience in establishing a Farsi language school in her community and the role of language study in developing awareness and pride in one's heritage.
- Mahnaz Motevalli, Children of Persia
The Strengths and Challenges of Interning in Iran : A team of young Iranians will speak about their experiences interning in Iran. Speakers include: Daniel Yousef Tehrani, Ramin Ostadhosseini, Shima and Sara Khaki, Jasmine Ainetchian, Narges Alipanah, Sarvenaz Nouri, Atieh Novin, Sarvnaz Lotfi, and Danesh Mazloomdoost.
- Pershend Sadegh-Vaziri & Simin Farkhondeh, filmmakers
Documentary Film: Caught Between Two Worlds - A documentary film that depicts the diverse lives of Iranians in the US . The film weaves in and out of segments of more than 10 peoples' lives in Los Angeles , New York , and Washington D.C.
- Persis Karim, San Jose State University
LET ME TELL YOU WHERE I'VE BEEN: New Writing by Women of the Iranian Diaspora (2006) - A reading and discussion by Persis Karim (Ed.) and contributing authors: Marjan Kamali, Amy Motlagh, Sheila Shirazi, Tarssa Yazdani, and Desiree Navab.
- Kamin Mohammadi, journalist
The Intimate Outsider: The Challenges of Representing Modern Iran to Western Media and the Iranian Diaspora
- Ahmad Kiarostami and Mishana Hosseinioun, International Convention on Human Rights
Six Degrees Of Disconnection Within The Iranian Diaspora
- Sara Sakhili, Iranian Studies Group, MIT
What Defines Iranian-Americans: Perception of Iranians of the Iranian-American Community
Day 2: Saturday, April 29, 2007
9:00 - 9:30 Coffee/Tea
9:30 - 11:00 Panel 4 - Immigrant Networks: Negotiating Cultural Complexity within Modern Nation States
- Kathryn Spellman, London Middle East Institute at SOAS, University of London
- Banafsheh Akhlaghi, National Legal Sanctuary for Community Advancement
Iranian-Americans and the Impact of Post-9/11 Policies - Kazem Vafadar i Mehrizi, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University
The Rise of the Iranian Diaspora in Japan - Meenoo Chahbazi, Iranian-American Bar Association
Iranian Racial Identity, Racial Classifications & Civil Rights
Optional session: An Open Forum: The Role of the Iranian Diaspora in Political Conflict, KC 804 & 805
12:25 - 1:00 Roya Bahrami, Santur artist
Multi-Cultural Identity Communicated via Artistic Expression, followed by recital.
1:10 - 2:40 Panel 5 - Going Home: Tales of Return and Departure
- Ali Ghezelbash, Strategic and Political Advisor, Norsk Hydro
Having the Best of Both Worlds—how returning home changed my perspective - Tahereh Sariban, Atieh Bahar Consulting
Roots and Homes: choices and responsibilities - Hushidar Mortezaie, designer
THE NEW LOOK: The New Iranian Aesthetic - Anna Fahr, filmmaker
Khaneh Ma: Documenting A Journey Home
- Kamiar Alaei, Harvard School of Public Health
Reverse Brain Drain - Nassim Assefi, physician
What is Our Duty to Our Homeland? - Yaser Kerachian, Knowledge Diffusion Network
Iranian Scientific Diaspora Networks - Alidad Mafinezam, Mosaic Institute
Diasporas and Development: The State of the Art
