Report

The Tobunken Seminar featuring Professor Fabrizio Speziale, titled “Noah’s Grandsons and the Elephant: Functions of Persian Pseudonymous Texts in South Asia”, was held on the evening of 2 June 2025, with 16 participants attending in person and 10 joining online. Drawing on his deep erudition, Professor Speziale extended the discussion well beyond the main topic, engaging with the complexities underlying each component of the lecture’s title. His talk stimulated lively questions and comments from the audience, reflecting a range of perspectives.

Event Details

Lecture Title:
Noah’s Grandsons and the Elephant: Functions of Persian Pseudonymous Texts in South Asia (Abstract below)

Speaker:

Professor Fabrizio Speziale (École des hautes études en sciences sociales)

Profile: https://www.ehess.fr/fr/personne/fabrizio-speziale

Date:
Monday, 2 June 2025, 18:00–19:30 (JST)

Venue:
Room 305, Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia (Tōyō Bunka Kenkyūjo), University of Tokyo and online via Zoom

This lecture is co-organized by the Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, University of Tokyo (Regular Research Project W–1, "Approaches to the 'Persianate World'"), NIHU Global Mediterranean Area Studies Program at ILCAA,  and the Japan Office of the Association for the Study of Persianate Societies.