Do the Stars in Heaven Speak? Rumi, a Poet for the 21st Century

Mowlana (Mevlana) Jalal al-Din Mohammad, often referred to as Rumi, has emerged as a global figure - the mystic poet par exellance. In this presentation, the particular conditions of the present time and the specific features of his poetry that have offered him this special status will be explored. While some features of his global persona such as his relationship with religion will be discussed, the exploration will remain primarily a literary one. This presentation also aims at shedding some light on why he has emerged as a poet for the 21st century.

Fatemeh Keshavarz was born and raised in the city of Shiraz in southwest Iran. She holds a B.A. degree in Persian Language and Literature from Shiraz University, and a Masters and a Ph.D. in Near Eastern Studies from London University. Keshavarz is a published poet in her native language (Persian), writes poetry in English, and is the author of six volumes, five published by university presses. These include the following award-winning books: Reading Mystical Lyric: the Case of Jalal al-Din Rumi (1998); Recite in the Name of the Red Rose: Poetic Sacred Making in Twentieth Century Iran (2006); Jasmines and Stars: Reading more than Lolita in Tehran (2008); Lyrics of Life: Sa'di on Love, Cosmopolitanism, and Care of the Self (2015). The show "Speaking of Faith" which featured her in the hour-long episode "The Ecstatic Faith of Rumi," received the Peabody Award in April 2008. Keshavarz is currently the Director of the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at the University of Maryland while continuing to lead Roshan Institute for Persian Studies also at UMD.