The Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) is pleased to announce that the 2025 Dissertation Writing Scholarship has been awarded to two emerging scholars, Seddigheh Kardan and Rami Gargour. The Dissertation Writing Scholarship supports eligible doctoral students in Islamic Studies whose research focuses on Ismaili topics. The award provides a stipend to assist with fieldwork and dissertation writing.
Seddigheh Kardan
Seddigheh Kardan is a PhD candidate in Islamic Studies at McGill University. Her research focuses on the intellectual history and esoteric traditions of the Nizari period of Ismaili history. She holds a BA in Persian Language and Literature and an MA in Religions and Mysticism from the University of Tehran. She later completed an MA in Muslim Cultures at the Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations, Aga Khan University, London.
Doctoral research focus
Her dissertation examines the esoteric thought of the twelfth-century scholar Abu’l-Fath Taj al-Din Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-Karim Shahrastani. It analyses the formation, expression, and reception of his ideas. While earlier scholarship has recognised Shahrastani’s contribution to the Nizari Ismaili tradition, her research addresses gaps in understanding the transmission and long-term influence of his esoteric works.
Key arguments and contribution
She argues that Shahrastani developed a distinct intellectual tradition shaped by Fatimid Ismaili frameworks. This tradition introduced new theological models, including the al-Khidr narrative. Using historical-critical and textual analysis, the study explores how his interpretive approach departed from contemporary norms, including his engagement with Twelver Shi‘i debates on the Quranic codex. Reflecting on her work, Seddigheh notes that the research offers a new perspective on Shahrastani’s intellectual identity. It examines the motivations behind his esoteric interpretations and proposes a new theological model for understanding the Ismaili Imam or his hujjat. The dissertation also traces the reception of these ideas into the Safavid period, contributing to wider debates on intellectual transmission and the development of Ismaili esoteric thought.
Rami Gargour
Rami Gargour graduated in 2014 from the Secondary Teacher Education Programme (STEP) at The Institute of Ismaili Studies, London. He earned dual master’s degrees from UCL Institute of Education: an MA in Education (Muslim Societies and Civilisations), and a Master of Teaching. He is currently a doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership and Policy at the prestigious Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. His dissertation explores how school leaders at the four Aga Khan Academies understand and enact the International Baccalaureate learner profile and the concept of international mindedness. The study also examines how national and cultural contexts shape leadership practices among students and teachers.
Doctoral research focus
Rami’s qualitative research draws on the theory of Culturally Responsive School Leadership. Through this framework, he analyses points of alignment and distinction between the International Baccalaureate learner profile and the Aga Khan Curricular Strands from a school leadership perspective.
Dissertation Writing Scholarship
Since 2001, the Institute’s Dissertation Writing Scholarship has supported promising graduate and doctoral researchers in completing their dissertations. The scholarship provides a stipend of £3,000 or the local equivalent.
