Zaynali, Darius

I study Philosophy and Religious Studies at Goethe University Frankfurt am Main. My main areas of interest in philosophy are the philosophy of religion from a systematic perspective, which was the subject of my bachelor’s thesis, and political and legal philosophy, which is currently the focus of my master’s thesis. My current historical focus is Kant’s philosophy. My broader research interests also include philosophy in the Islamicate world and the reception history of Greek philosophy in the Islamicate world.

In Religious Studies, my main areas of interest are the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) and the intellectual exchange between scholars belonging to these religious traditions.

As a Student Assistant in the project Neighborhood Bibles: The Dissemination of the Tanakh/OT Text Among Muslim Authors, I contribute to research on Arabic biblical texts, the preparation of digital text corpora, manuscript transcription, the exploration of text-reuse algorithms, and the documentation and archiving of research data. I am also an associate researcher of Biblia Arabica.

I am additionally involved in the project Religious Minorities in the Desert City of Yazd (Iran) in the 19th Century – Interreligious Neighborhoods and Transnational Trade Networks, which provides an opportunity to explore the lives and histories of religious minorities in Iran.

Areas of Interest

• The lives and histories of religious minorities in Afghanistan, particularly Buddhism in Bamiyan and Judaism in Herat historically, as well as Sikhism in Kabul today
• Translation of Greek philosophical terminology into Arabic
• Linguistic connections and mutual influence between Arabic and Farsi
• Lexicology and lexicography of scientific terminology in Farsi, particularly in the humanities
• Philosophical and theological poetry in Farsi, particularly the works of Khayyam, Rumi, and Hafez; mythical and historical poetry in Farsi by Ferdowsi
• Farsi in non-Perso-Arabic writing systems, particularly Cyrillic
• Language policies in Farsi-speaking countries, particularly Afghanistan, Iran, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan

Historical Periods of Interest

• Classical Greek philosophy, particularly Plato and Aristotle
• Graeco-Arabic translation movement in Baghdad
• Formative period of philosophy in the Islamicate world
• Early modern philosophy

Positions

Education