Hutton Honors College

Discussion Breakfast - Iran: Preserving Cultures
With Dr. Richard Frye, Aga Khan Professor Emeritus of Iranian Studies at Harvard University and co-founder of
its Center for Middle Eastern Studies
and Dr. Eden Naby, cultural historian

Friday, Oct. 31, 2008 * 8-9:15 a.m. * Harlos House, 1331 E. Tenth St. * SIGN-UP REQUIRED
RSVP: If you are interested in attending this breakfast, please send an e-mail to Hannah Dubina at hdubina with your name, e-mail address, phone number, major(s), and year of study. Space is limited so we will let you know by e-mail if a space was available when you replied. You may also sign up friends as long as they are IU undergraduates.

The population of the Islamic Republic of Iran, formerly known as Persia, includes Persians, Azeris, Kurds, Arabs, Jews, Assyrians, large refugee populations from Iraq and Afghanistan, and many other ethnic and religious groups. Among the countries on its borders are Kazakhstan, Russia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, and Iraq. Drs. Richard Frye and Eden Naby bring to the discussion a deep knowledge of the history of the region, the multiplicity of cultures, and the issues that divide as well as unite ethnic groups within and beyond the country's borders.

Dr. Richard Frye's interests lie mainly in the cultural legacy of the ancient Middle East. He worked for the Office of Strategic Studies in Afghanistran during World War II and actively taught at Harvard from 1948 until 1990 (he is currently Aga Khan Professor Emeritus of Iranian Studies), where he founded their Center for Middle Eastern Studies, the first in the U.S. Dr. Frye has taught at numerous universities throughout the Middle East and the world.

Dr. Eden Naby is especially interested in the modern Middle East, particularly cultural preservation in multi-ethnic countries. She served in the Peace Corps in Afghanistan, and her experiences there led her to pursue a Ph.D. in Central Asian Studies. In 2002, the Assyrian American National Federation presented Dr. Naby with its Woman of the Year Award. Dr. Naby has lectured at universities both in the United States and abroad, and both Drs. Frye and Naby have published extensively in the academic sphere.

On Friday, Oct. 31, Professor Frye will give a lecture on "Continuities in Iran: Past to Present," 5-6 p.m., in the University Club, located just down the steps from Whittenberger Auditorium in the Indiana Memorial Union. Dr. Naby will give a lecture on "Assyrians and Turkey: From World War I to Diaspora," 6-7 p.m., in the same location. The lectures are open to the public; refreshments will be served.

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