2006 Conference Summary

The Institute's latest conference was held on October 20-22, 2006 at Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis . Members of the Conference Planning Committee were Cyrus Behroozi, Mahvash Hariri, Patricia Higgins, Mohammad Kaviani, Ali Akbar Mahdi, Irene Queiro-Tajalli, Nahid Shahnavaz, and John Walbridge.

The overall theme of the conference was Bridging Cultures: Constructing Experiences of Iranians Living Abroad. In relation to this theme, the conference included a seminar and several paper presentations. There was also a Poetry Night session, which is reported in this issue. Presentations at the conference were from across the United States , Canada , and Iran . Appearing in the Spring 2007 issue of DANESH Bulletin , the presentations are summarized as follows.

The conference seminar was entitled “Who Am I? Recognizing the Hidden Diversity of Youth Who Grow Up in Many Cultures.” The seminar was led by Ruth Van Reken with a panel of Iranian youth, including Homa Hariri, Cyrus Hayat, Azin Lotfi, and Farbod Shafiei. In the context of a theoretical framework, the seminar and ensuing panel discussion explored the impact of the rapid cross-cultural experience on the youth and implications of the impact for their relationships with parents.

The first group of papers presented at the conference was related to promises and chal-lenges facing Iranian immigrants. Themes of the papers ranged from an analysis of achievements of Iranians in America to mental health and other challenges that could face them. Papers in this group included The Iranian Experience in America: Achievement and Challenges, by Mehdi Bozorgmehr; Bridging Cultures Post 9/11: Strengths, Stresses, and Coping Mechanisms of Those in the Diaspora, by Khadija Khaja, Irene Queiro-Tajalli, and Bassima Schbley; Peer-Led Intervention Model of Social Work with Asian and Iranian Immigrant Women, by Manoj Pardasani; and Mental Health and Older Adults: Challenges Faced by Iranian and Other Immigrant Families, by Taher Zandi.

The second group of papers analyzed the experience of several populations of Iranian immigrants. The central theme emerging from these papers was the significance of ethnic identity for the adjustment of such immigrants. These papers included Iranian Jews in the United States: Twenty-five Years After Immigration, by Leah R. Baer; Iranian Elders in Northern California, by Mary E. Hegland; Growing Up Iranian, American, and Female, by Patricia J. Higgins; and An Uncertain but Desired Life: Iranians in Dubai, by Ali Akbar Mahdi.

The third group of papers focused on Persian literature abroad. These papers emphasized the contribution of literature, particularly immigrant poetry, to the experience of Iranians living abroad. Included in these papers were Poetry Reading: An Iranian Contribution to the Community, by Diane Tehrani and Kazem Tehrani; Where is My Poetic Dwelling? The Vicissitudes of Diasporic Communities, by Peyman Vahabzadeh; and Persian Immigration Poetry: Rapture and Continuity in Millennium-Old Persian Poetry.

The final paper was entitled Immigration and Cultural Changes in Iran , by Taghi Azadarmaki and Mehri Bahar from the University of Tehran . This paper concluded that Iranian immigrants abroad have a close tie with their homeland and exercise a significant influence on its economic, political, and cultural conditions. Since the authors could not be present, the paper was summarized and presented by Dr. Mahdi.

Contact Us | ©2007 Danesh Institute