A Reflection on the Contemporary Transition Movements in the Middle Eastwith focus on Daryush Shayegan's  Book:  Le regard mutilé 1989What does it take to be modern? Is it even desirable to exit the tradition? Is it really a matter of individual choice? Why are there significant differences between modernity and tradition ( > religion)?  Are these divergences surmountable?  How does Shayegan philosophical view compare to other contemporary Middle Eastern and Iranian strategies of reform in tackling these questions? What are the chances of the modernization à la turque as compared... more >>

CaféLitt is not a place; it is a gathering of minds. We are a group of mostly Persian young students, scholars and professionals who gather every Thursday evening around 19h00 in a café to discuss various subjects and share different ideas, ranging vastly from history to science, from literature to fine arts. We started these gatherings on Jan 17th, 2006. Each week, one of us takes the responsibility of presenting a topic (in Persian, English or French) for about an hour in a subject s/he is intimately familiar with or has an expertise in... more...