Amir Moosavi’s research and teaching interests cover modern Arabic and Persian literatures and the cultural history of Southwest Asia, with an emphasis on Iran, Iraq, the Levant and Afghanistan. With ACLS and NEH support, he is currently completing a book manuscript entitled, Dust That Never Settled: Afterlives of the Iran-Iraq War in Arabic and Persian Literatures. The book argues for the expansion of comparative literary studies across the Arabic and Persian linguistic spheres based on the common experience of the Iran-Iraq war and the various responses of writers to it since 1980. His interests in the working group are twofold. He hopes to open more opportunities for RU-N students to study the rich cultural traditions that emerge from this part of the world, help them make connections to other geographies, and develop language programs that allow them to access texts and study abroad. He also hopes to help create a richer intellectual environment for like-minded faculty members to engage with each other’s work.