1^st February 2024 marks the beginning of the project 'Women, Martyrdom, & Religious Drama in the Abrahamic Traditions' (WOMARD), sponsored by the Swiss National Science Foundation. Led by Professor Elisabeth Dutton, this project looks at the dramatic traditions of Judaism, Christianity and Shi’i Islam from a comparative perspective. Whilst historically independent from each other, the religious plays of these traditions share certain characteristics. Thus far it has not been possible to study these traditions together more formally as relevant scripts are unedited and in a range of languages including Persian and Yiddish. This project will first edit and translate early Jewish purimshpil and Iranian ta’ziyeh plays, and then study them alongside examples of European biblical drama with attention to three strands of enquiry: female figures, martyrdom and sacrifice, and presentation and conversion of the religious other. The project will include the staging of performances, a vital part of its research methodology.

The project will promote knowledge of the shared narratives of the three Abrahamic traditions, and, by comparing the historical development of religious drama in them, will offer new insight into religious drama’s impulses, purposes, and interactions with secular forces. Dr Lucy Deacon has begun work, bringing specialist knowledge of the Iranian ta’ziyeh tradition, and will soon be joined in this area of the project by Dr Sara Khalili. The team also look forward to welcoming Dr Sonya Yampolskaya, who will work on Yiddish and Hebrew materials. The project’s Advisory Board includes: Profs. Babak Rahimi, Daniel Boyarin, Chanita Goodblatt and Cora Dietl.