Sufis in Premodern Persianate Societies and Politics: 2026 Levi Della Vida Conference

The 2026 conference focuses on the topic of Sufis in premodern Persianate society and politics, addressing the following questions: By what processes did Sufis (or Sufi institutions) act as cultural mediators, or contribute to the Islamization of non-Muslim societies? What factors shaped Sufis’ various relationships with regional economies? What stances did Sufis take vis-à-vis political power; under what circumstances did they take these stances; and with what consequences? How did the various positions above change over time; and what factors or forces might explain those changes? Finally, to enrich our understanding both of Islamic history and of social history, how might case studies of individual Sufis or Sufi orders be placed into a larger comparative analysis?
The conference will be followed by a Persian Manuscripts Display that will take place on November 6, 2026 in the Distinctive Collections Classroom on the level A of the Young Research Library, from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm.
This is a hybrid event. Check the event site for more details and to register: https://www.international.ucla.edu/cnes/event/17738
Event image: A Sufi in Ecstasy in a Landscape. Iran, Isfahan, ca. 1650-1660. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped.