Please join us for an evening lecture followed by a drinks reception on Wednesday 7 March 2018 at 6.00 pm at the British Academy, 10 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AH.

BIPS’ new President, Professor Charles Melville, will talk on the history of Persian studies in Britain.

One of the consequences of Britain’s long engagement with Iran, at least since the sixteenth century, has been the interest shown in the country, and affection for it, that transcend the purely political, strategic or economic considerations associated with former imperial ambitions. This reaction to the country and her peoples is nowhere more strongly expressed than in the wealth of writing, both amateur and scholarly, devoted to the study of Persian history, literature and art. The lecture will survey the contributions of British scholars (variously defined) to the study  of Iran and examine future prospects.

Charles Melville is Professor of Persian History at the University of Cambridge, where he is also Director of the Shahnama Project and a fellow of Pembroke College. He has had long standing involvement with BIPS and was elected President of the Institute in November 2017.

The event is FREE & open to all but BOOKING BY 1 March 2018 IS ESSENTIAL. Please reserve a place by emailing  bips@britac.ac.uk