From: Persis M. Karim persis@mail.utexas.edu
English Department
University of Texas at Austin

The year 1998 will mark the twentieth anniversary of the Iranian revolution (1978-79) which ousted the Shah of Iran and ushered in a new political and social system in Iran.

The Iranian revolution led to massive social upheaval but also resulted in the mass migration of Iranians to a number of countries in the West. A signficant number of Iranians went into exile in Europe and the U.S., while many others left their country and homes voluntarily, hoping that after a time they would be able to return to Iran.

But the establishment of the Islamic Republic and the eight year Iran-Iraq war gradually made it clear that many of those Iranian expatriates and exiles would not return. Nearly one million Iranians now live in the U.S. with the largest population residing in Los Angeles.

What has become of these first and second generation Iranians and how have they come to identify themselves in the midst of the necessary adjustments to language, culture and politics? How have the children of Iranian immigrants come to think of themselves as Iranian and American?

To mark the anniversary of this migration and the establishment of an Iranian community/ethnic group in the U.S. and to represent the diverse expression of Iranian experience and identity in this country, an anthology of writing by first and second generation Iranian/Iranian-American writers will be published.

We are seeking publishable writing for a forthcoming collection that creatively addresses the diverse experiences of Iranians and Iranian-Americans born in and/or living in the U.S.

Your contribution could focus on issues relating to identity, immigration, clash of cultures, political or religious identity, gender issues, and alienation in the aftermath of the Iranian revolution of 1978-79, as well as any other aspects of living in and/or growing up in two cultures.

The scope of this anthology is to give voice to as many expressions of "Iranianness" as possible. All submissions are welcome, but poetry and fiction are particularly encouraged. In addition to poetry, fiction, essays, we are also asking for submissions of graphic arts, photography, or other reproducable artwork. Multiple submissions are encouraged, but clearly identify each submission with the author's name, address, and email if possible.

Please send a hard copy (double-spaced) of your submission for review; it must be written in or translated into English. Please include your name, address, and email address along with your submission. Do not send sumbissions via e-mail! You will be notified of the acceptance of your submission.

Deadline: March 1, 1998

Send submissions to:

Ms. Persis M. Karim persis@mail.utexas.edu
Dept of English (B5000)
University of Texas at Austin
Austin TX 78712

and

Mehdi Khorrami mmk4@is4.nyu.edu
Middle Eastern Studies
New York University
50 Washington Square South
New York, NY10012-1073