2025 Hybrid Bilingual Interdisciplinary Conference: “Druze in the Levant and the Diaspora - Discourses of Tradition and Modernity”

With its rich historical heritage and unique religious identity, the Druze community has maintained a distinct presence in the Levant and across various diaspora communities. As the world rapidly modernizes, the Druze have navigated the delicate balance between preserving traditional values and embracing modernity. This conference seeks to explore the diverse experiences of the Druze in both the Levant and the diaspora, focusing on the interplay between tradition and modernity.

For this purpose, the Druze Studies Journal (https://journals.ku.edu/druze) and the Druze Studies Project at the University of Kansas (https://druze.ku.edu/) will be holding a hybrid bi-lingual event: “2025 Interdisciplinary Conference: Druze in the Levant and the Diaspora - Discourses of Tradition and Modernity,” on 16-17 October 2025. The conference will include online and in-person panels of original research on the Druze. It will also feature roundtables of experts in the Druze Studies. Arab Art and cultural offerings will be available in person (more details will be announced later).

Active participants and the audience will be invited to attend in person in Lawrence (USA), Kansas, or over the conference Zoom webinar.

We invite scholars from various disciplines to submit original and unpublished papers that focus on the Druze as a whole, a specific Druze community or communities, or a comparison between the Druze and others. Presentations can be from a discipline-specific approach or those who employ an interdisciplinary approach.

Papers will explore various topics, including but not limited to the following topics:

• Druze History and Historiography: Studies that delve into landmark events, developments, and figures in Druze history and interpret Druze history in various periods and regions, analyzing how historiographical methods have influenced our understanding of their past.
• Historical Evolution and Identity: Examine the Druze community's historical development in the Levant, uncovering change and continuity in defining and practicing their identity and focusing on how their unique history has shaped their identity in their homeland and the diaspora.
• Society and Ethos: An exploration of Druze customs, collective behaviors, and social norms, including religious practices that define the community's ethos.
• Cultural Adaptation in the Diaspora: Research on how Arab Druze communities adapt to new environments while maintaining their cultural and religious identity, both in their home countries and abroad.
• Education and Knowledge Transmission: Insights into the coexistence of traditional knowledge systems within the family and modern education within Druze communities, highlighting the ways in which knowledge is preserved and passed on to future generations.
• Political Participation and Integration: Analyses of the political engagement and integration of Druze communities in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, and the diaspora, exploring their roles in various political systems, international relations, geopolitics, and impact on broader societal dynamics.
• Comparative Studies: Comparative analyses of the Druze experience across different countries or regions, examining similarities and differences in cultural, social, and political contexts.
• Literature, Art, and Performing Arts: Investigations into how literature, visual arts, or performing arts reflect and shape Arab Druze cultural identity, emphasizing the community's creative expressions.
• Family, Social Change, and Intergenerational Dynamics: Studies exploring the tensions and synergies within Druze families, the impact of social change, and the relationships between older and younger generations in preserving traditions in a modern context.

Submission Guidelines:

• Abstract Submission: Interested participants should submit an abstract of no more than 350 words by 28 February 2025. The abstract should clearly outline the research question, methodology, and anticipated findings.
• Papers must be original and unpublished (recently published articles in 2025 will be accepted)
• We encourage submissions from established scholars in the field, with institutional affiliation or independent scholars, and emerging scholars (including doctoral students). An exceptional master’s thesis can be considered with a letter of recommendation from the student’s advisor.
• Panels and papers can be in English or Arabic. Live interpretation will be provided for some panels: English to Arabic / Arabic to English.
• Full Paper Submission: Authors of accepted abstracts will be invited to submit a complete draft by 31 August 2025.
• Presentation Format: Accepted papers will be presented in panel sessions, followed by a Q&A discussion. Each presentation should not exceed 20 minutes.

Important Dates:

• Abstract Submission Deadline: 28 February 2025
• Notification of Acceptance: 30 April 2025
• Full Paper Submission Deadline: 31 August 2025
• Conference Date: 16-17 October 2025

Submission Process:

• Please submit your abstracts here https://kusurvey.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6r0AWPSBvezCSkS .
• Organized panels can be submitted here https://kusurvey.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_26lZARvgQieHnQG . They must include 3 or 4 presenters.
• For any inquiries regarding the conference, please get in touch with Prof. Rami Zeedan at rzeedan@ku.edu or the DSJ editorial office at druzestudies@ku.edu

We look forward to your contributions to this critical dialogue on Druze Studies.

Thanks to the support of our co-sponsors at the University of Kansas, participation in the conference is free of charge for presenters and the audience.

More information about the conference's academic committee, our partners, and more will be shared on this webpage.

This event is made possible thanks to the support of our co-sponsors at the University of Kansas (list will be updated soon):