SOAS Shapoorji Pallonji Institute of Zoroastrian Studies

The Institute was launched in June 2018 thanks to the generous donation from a Parsi benefactor, Mr Shapoor Mistry, in the name of his grandfather, Mr Pallonji Shapoorji Mistry. Its purpose was to support and expand Zoroastrian studies at SOAS through the establishment of an endowed lectureship, a scholarship fund, and a fund for outreach activities.

Our aim at the Institute is to offer students and scholars from around the world, as well as the wider public, an opportunity to learn about Zoroastrian history, culture, and religious traditions. We do this on campus and online through various interlinked activities: teaching, short courses, research, events, and through our growing repository of audio and visual materials.

The institute is co-chaired by Professor Almut Hintze and Dr Sarah Stewart, who is also Director of the institute, and is administrated by Joe Turtle. The institute is advised by a Senior Advisory Panel consisting of nine members, including the donor. The institute currently has two postdoctoral researchers, Dr Nazneen Engineer and Dr Mehrbod Khanizadeh, as well as a number of doctoral and graduate students.

Meet the members

We offer a number of modules at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

• New!  The Zoroastrian Flame (UG)
• Zoroastrianism in the Ancient and Modern Worlds (UG)
• Zoroastrianism: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives (PG)
• Avestan (UG upon request), Avestan I (PG)
• Middle Persian (UG upon request), Pahlavi (PG)

These can be taken as part of the following degree programmes.