Prof. Dr. Asghar Seyed-Gohrab is a leading scholar in Persian and Iranian Studies at Utrecht University’s Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies. His academic career spans over two decades, including roles as Chairman of Persian Studies at Leiden University and Principal Investigator of the ERC-funded 'Beyond Sharia' project examining Sufism’s role in Islamic intellectual history. He holds a PhD from Leiden University and has authored over 50 monographs and edited volumes on Persian poetry, Sufism, and Iranian cultural history. Education: B.A. in English (Vrije Universiteit), M.A. in Persian Studies (Leiden University), PhD (Leiden University) Research Focus: Medieval Persian poetry’s modern political and cultural relevance, Sufi movements, and the interplay between mysticism and state power in Iran. Grants: ERC Advanced Grant (2021), NWO VIDI/VENI (2009-2014), KNAW Fellow (2023). His research highlights how classical Persian poetry shapes modern Iranian identity, including its use in the 1979 Revolution and Iran-Iraq War. He has supervised 43+ students and edited journals like Iranian Studies and Persica .
Dr. Flora Roberts is an Assistant Professor in Cultural History at the Department of History and Art History , Utrecht University. Specializing in Environmental History and the Cultural History of Iran and the Persianate World , her work examines the intersection of nature and culture in Soviet Central Asia, particularly through water management and dam construction. Research Institutes: Member of the Humanities Research Institute for History and Art History Projects: Pathways to Sustainability (Water, Climate and Future Deltas), RedGold Legend Project , Biophilia Project (2024 USO-funded) Her research integrates archival documents in Russian, Persian/Tajik, and Uzbek with oral histories from Tajikistan and the Russian Federation. She explores how Soviet-era environmental transformations shaped social inequality and how post-Soviet societies negotiate ecological legacies. Recent works analyze transboundary rivers in Eurasia, environmental satire in USSR, and neopatrimonial governance in Central Asia. Roberts co-organizes the Network for Environmental Humanities at Utrecht and serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Central Asian History .
Dr. Rolf Strootman is Associate Professor and Head of Ancient History in the Department of History and Art History at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Utrecht. A leading specialist on Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic kingdoms, particularly the Seleucid Empire, he previously worked at UCLA and Leiden University. His research focuses on Afro-Eurasian empires in the second half of the first millennium BCE, with particular attention to imperialism, globalization, and cultural interactions across ancient civilizations. Strootman's research interests span a broad range of topics including: World History and premodern Globalization Cultural interactions in the Ancient World / the Silk Roads Afro-Eurasian empires in comparative perspective Court culture and the rituals of royalty Alexander the Great and the Seleucid Empire War and Imperialism in Republican Rome The western image of the 'Orient' The history and topography of Istanbul His recent publications reveal a consistent focus on the intersection of imperialism and cultural exchange, particularly examining how Hellenistic empires integrated diverse cultural traditions while maintaining imperial control. His work frequently analyzes royal ideology, court culture, and the strategic appropriation of historical legacies by ruling powers. Strootman's research demonstrates particular expertise in the Seleucid Empire's adaptation of Persian traditions and the complex cultural dynamics of the ancient Mediterranean and Near East. His scientific recognition includes being selected as a Getty Scholar at the Getty Research Institute (2017-2018). His major publications include Courts and Elites in the Hellenistic Empires, c. 330-30 BCE (2014) and The Birdcage of the Muses: Patronage of the Arts and Sciences at the Ptolemaic Imperial Court, 305-222 BCE (2016), as well as co-edited volumes like Persianism in Antiquity (2016) and Empires of the Sea: Maritime Power Networks in World History (2019). Strootman teaches World History and Ancient History at Utrecht University, where he emphasizes broadening the conventional Mediterranean focus of Ancient History to include cultural developments across East Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and India. His current research includes a book on the relationship between war and identity in European history from the Battle of Marathon to the war in Ukraine.
