Aims and Scope

Aims and Scope

The Persian Literary Studies Journal (PLSJ) is a peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary, and comparative quarterly journal published by Shiraz University.

Mission and Geographic Scope

PLSJ is dedicated to the critical examination of the "Persianate World" in its broadest historical and cultural sense. Our scope extends beyond modern political borders to encompass the vast territory of "Cultural Iran" (Greater Iran)—including Afghanistan, Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Indian Subcontinent, and the Ottoman realms—as well as the contemporary global diaspora. We aim to serve as a leading forum for dialogue among scholars who view Persian culture not as a static heritage, but as a dynamic, transnational phenomenon.

Chronological and Thematic Breadth

The journal invites rigorous academic contributions that trace the continuity and transformation of Iranian civilization from antiquity to the present day. We welcome research that bridges the gap between pre-Islamic and Islamic eras, and between classical traditions and modern developments.

Our scope of interest comprises, but is not limited to, the following areas:

  1. Literature and Philology
  • Classical and Contemporary Literature: Critical studies of Persian poetry, prose, and rhetoric from early Islamic centuries to modern and post-modern literary movements.
  • Ancient and Middle Iranian Languages: Philological, historical, and mythological studies of Avestan, Old Persian, Pahlavi, Manichaean, and Sogdian texts.
  • Oral Traditions: Examination of folklore, oral storytelling, and intagible cultural heritage within the Persianate context.
  1. Philosophy, Religion, and Intellectual History
  • Iranian Thought: In-depth analysis of Zoroastrianism, ancient Iranian mythology, and pre-Islamic cosmology.
  • Islamic Philosophy and Mysticism: Studies on Theoretical Sufism (Irfan), philosophical schools (Peripatetic, Illuminationist, Transcendent Theosophy), and the history of theological discourse.
  1. Visual and Performing Arts

PLSJ is committed to a broader textual spectrum than the traditional concept of literature. We strongly encourage interdisciplinary submissions on:

  • Visual Arts: Persian Miniature (Negar-gari), Calligraphy, Architecture, and Art History.
  • Performing Arts: Cinema, Theater, Tazieh, and Music.
  1. Comparative and Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Comparative Literature: Research placing Persian literary texts in dialogue with World Literature, Critical Theory, and other co-existing linguistic traditions (Arabic, Turkish, Urdu, etc.).
  • Cultural Studies: Investigations into the history of civilization, historical geography, diaspora studies, and the sociopolitical contexts of literary production.

Submission Types

In addition to original research articles, PLSJ welcomes Critical Book Reviews, Translation Studies, and translations of Persian poetry and fiction that meet high academic standards.