SOAS, University of London (The School of Oriental and African Studies)

Authored Books

Sperl, Stefan and Moustafa, Ahmad (2014) The Cosmic Pen: Aesthetics in Islam and the Science of Arabic Letter-Shapes. London: Thames & Hudson. (Forthcoming)

Sperl, Stefan (1989) Mannerism in Arabic Poetry, A Structural Analysis of Selected Texts (9th - 11th Centuries AD). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (Cambridge studies in Islamic civilization)

Edited Books

Sperl, Stefan and Shackle, C., eds. (1996) Qasida Poetry in Islamic Africa and Asia (2 volumes). Leiden: Brill. (Studies in Arabic literature, v. 20)

Kreyenbroek, Philip G and Sperl, Stefan, eds. (1991) The Kurds, A Contemporary Overview. London: Routledge.

Book Chapters

Sperl, Stefan and Dedes, Yorgos (2013) '"In the Rosebower every Leaf is a Page of Delicate Meaning": An Arabic Perspective on Three Ottoman Kasides.' In: Eski Türk Edebiyatı Çalişmaları VIII. Istanbul: Turkuaz. (In Press)

Sperl, Stefan (2013) 'Islamic Spirituality and the Visual Arts.' In: Lawrence, B. and Cornell , V., (eds.), The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Islamic Spirituality. Wiley. (In Press)

Sperl, Stefan (2013) '"O City Set Up Thy Lament" - Poetic Responses to the Trauma of War.' In: Kennedy, Hugh, (ed.), War and Poetry in the Middle East. London: I.B. Taurus. (In Press)

Sperl, Stefan (2010) 'Man's "hollow core": ethics and aesthetics in hadith literature and classical Arabic adab.' In: Shah, Mustafa, (ed.), The Hadith - Critical Concepts in Islamic Studies, Volume IV, Narrative, Context and Content. London: Routledge, pp. 98-118.

Sperl, Stefan (2009) 'Islamic Kingship and Arabic Panegyric Poetry in the Early Ninth Century.' In: Stetkevych, Suzanne P., (ed.), Early Islamic Poetry and Poetics. Farnham: Ashgate Publishing, pp. 79-94.

Sperl, Stefan (2009) 'Darkness Transformed into Light: Ibn al-Mu'tazz on the Pen.' In: Allison, Christine and Joisten-Pruschke, Anke and Wendtland, Antje, (eds.), From Daēna to Dîn : Religion, Kultur und Sprache in der iranischen Welt ; Festschrift für Philip Kreyenbroek zum 60. Geburtstag. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, pp. 457-464.

Sperl, Stefan (2005) 'Empire and Magic in a Tuareg Novel: Ibrahim al-Kawni’s al-Khusuf (The Lunar Eclipse).' In: Ouyang, W. and Hart, S., (eds.), A Companion to Magical Realism. Woodbridge: Tamesis, pp. 237-246.

Sperl, Stefan (2004) 'Epic and Exile: Reflections on the Biography of the Prophet Muhammad.' In: Yousouf, G.S., (ed.), Reflections on Asian-European Epics. Kuala Lumpur: Asia-Europe Foundation.

Sperl, Stefan (2004) 'Reflections on the Biography of the Prophet Muhammad.' In: Sarwar-Youof, G, (ed.), Reflections on Asian-European Epics. Asia Europe Foundation (Thailand), pp. 100-121.

Sperl, Stefan (2000) 'In Celebration of Spring: A Poem by al-Sanawbari.' In: Hawting, R. and Mojaddedi, J.A. and Samely, A., (eds.), Studies in Islamic and Middle Eastern texts and traditions in memory of Norman Calder. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 287-296. (Journal of Semitic studies., Supplement, 12)

Sperl, Stefan (1996) 'Qasida Form and Mystic Path in 13th Century Egypt.' In: Sperl, Stefan and Shackle, C., (eds.), Qasida poetry in Islamic Asia and Africa. Leiden: Brill, pp. 65-82. (Studies in Arabic literature, v. 20)

Articles

Sperl, Stefan (2008) 'Scripture and Modernity: Editorial Preface.' Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 71 (2). pp. 179-187.

Sperl, Stefan (2007) 'Man's "Hollow Core": Ethics and Aesthetics in Hadith Literature and Classical Arabic adab.' Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 70 (3). pp. 459-486.

Sperl, Stefan (2006) ''The Lunar Eclipse': History, Myth and Magic in Ibrahim al-Kawni's First Novel.' Middle Eastern Literatures, 9 (3). pp. 237-55.

Sperl, Stefan (2006) 'Crossing Enemy Boundaries: Al-Buhturi's Ode on the Ruins of Ctesiphon Re-Read in the Light of Virgil and Wilfred Owen.' Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 69 (3). pp. 365-79.

Sperl, Stefan (2006) 'Epic and Exile: Comparative Reflections on the Biography of the Prophet Muhammad, Virgil's Aeneid, and Valmiki's Ramayana.' Comparative Studies of South Asia Africa and the Middle East, 26 (1). pp. 96-104.

Sperl, Stefan (2002) 'International refugee aid and social change in northern Mali.' Refugee Survey Quarterly, 21 (1&2). pp. 147-159.

Sperl, Stefan (2000) 'Stabat Mater - Reflections on a Theme in German-Jewish and Palestinian-Arab Poetry.' Comparative Criticism, vol. 2 . pp. 105-129.

Sperl, Stefan (1994) 'The Literary Form of Prayer: Qur’an Sura One, the Lord’s Prayer and a Babylonian Prayer to the Moon God.' Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 57 (1). pp. 213-237.

Sperl, Stefan (1977) 'Islamic Kingship and Arabic Panegyric Poetry in the Early Ninth Century.' Journal of Arabic Literature, 8 . pp. 20-35.

Monographs

Sperl, Stefan and De Vriese, Machtelt (2005) From Emergency Evacuation to Community Empowerment: Review of the Repatriation and Reintegration Programme in Sierra Leona. Geneva: Evaluation and Policy Analysis Unit. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Sperl, Stefan and Brădişteanu, I (2004) Refugee Resettlement in Developing Countries: The Experience of Benin and Burkina Faso, 1997-2003: an Independent Evaluation. Evaluation and Policy Analysis Unit. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Sperl, Stefan (2001) Evaluation of UNHCR’s policy on refugees in urban areas: A case study review of Cairo. Geneva: Evaluation and Policy Analysis Unit, UNHCR.

Sperl, Stefan (1998) Assistance to Older Refugees: Review and Case Studies from Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, Evaluation and Policy Analysis Unit. Geneva: UNHCR.

Sperl, Stefan (1998) Review of the Mali / Niger Repatriation and Reintegration Programme. Geneva: Evaluation Service, UNHCR.

Sperl, Stefan (1996) Lessons Learnt from the Rwanda and Burundi Emergencies 1993-94. Geneva: Evaluation Service, UNHCR.

Other

Sperl, Stefan (2008) 'Crown versus Muhammad Asha: Expert Report on Arabic poetry exhibits ADG/36 and ADG/67.' commissioned by the defence council of Dr. Muhammad Asha (on trial for terrorism offences in Woolwich Crown Court).