Islamic Mysticism Unit

The Islamic Mysticism Group solicits paper and panel proposals for the 2026 AAR Annual Meeting. All proposals related to Islamic mysticism, as described in the Mission Statement are welcome. This Unit encourages proposals for individual papers, paper sessions, and roundtable discussions in all areas related to Islamic Mysticism on the theme of "futures" in the study of Islamic Mysticism. In light of current political and social climate and anxieties, we encourage and welcome paper topics to engage with themes of eschatology, dystopia, anxieties, especially of disentangling time (past, present, and future). 

The Unit would also welcome papers on topics of Islamic Mysticism from under-studied regions such as Central Asia and the Far East (Indonesia, Malaysia, etc.). The Unit continues to welcome papers on philosophical studies of Islamic Mysticism such as Neoplatonism, Hermeticism, and other schools of occult thought. 

Platonism and Abrahamic Religions in Honour of Kevin Corrigan
Co-sponsored with the AAR Platonism/NeoPlatonism Unit
This panel invites submissions exploring the intersections of Platonism and the Islamic Mysticism, in recognition of Kevin Corrigan’s seminal contributions to the study of Platonism and religious thought. Platonism has profoundly shaped theological, philosophical, and mystical currents within Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, influencing conceptions of the divine, the soul, cosmology, and ethical life. From Philo and early Christian thinkers to medieval Jewish, Christian, and Islamic philosophers, and onward to modern receptions, the Platonic tradition offers a rich framework for understanding how abstract metaphysical ideas inform religious belief and practice. We welcome papers that engage historical, philosophical, theological, or comparative approaches, including studies of metaphysical interpretation, mystical or contemplative traditions, scripture, and the reception of Platonic thought across different Abrahamic contexts. Interdisciplinary perspectives that illuminate Corrigan’s influence or extend his insights into new directions are particularly encouraged. 

Submissions should address how Platonism and Islamic Mysticism shapes, challenges, or illuminates Abrahamic religious thought.

Pre-arranged sessions are encouraged. Remember that pre-arranged sessions must show gender diversity on the panel. We also greatly encourage other forms of diversity, especially race, ethnicity, theoretical methods, and rank. Authors of accepted proposals are expected to attend the annual in-person meeting and will be barred from future programs if they fail to show, special and emergency circumstances aside.