The Institutional Embedding of Shi'i Imams

From 13 to 15 January 2027, Leiden will host the conference The Institutional Embedding of Shiʿi Imams: Kinship, Caliphs, Courts and Companions (700-900). The conference examines how Shiʿi imams and other candidates for the imamate were embedded within the social, political and institutional structures of the early Islamic world.

Rather than viewing the imams only as religious scholars and sources of knowledge, the conference also considers their roles as prominent members of society. Topics include their relationships with caliphs and other elites, kinship and marriage ties, property and inheritance, political networks, regional communities and the role of their companions. A central question is how the institution of the imamate developed historically and how a distinctive Imami identity and structure emerged.

The programme combines traditional academic presentations with more workshop-style discussions of historical sources and research methods. By bringing these approaches together, the conference aims to encourage new perspectives on the social and institutional history of early Shiʿism. The organisers also intend to publish selected contributions in an edited volume or special issue.