The Association for Bahá’í Studies

Founded in 1975 as a result of the commitment of a diverse group of interested participants, the Association of Bahá’í Studies has, through the support and encouragement of the Bahá’í Institutions and Bahá’ís worldwide, expanded far beyond its original mandate. The Association is a cooperative effort of the National Spiritual Assemblies of Canada, the United States, and Alaska. The Centre for Bahá’í Studies, located in Ottawa, Canada, coordinates the activities of the Association in North America and serves as a centre for research, instruction, and information. Adjacent to the University of Ottawa, the Centre enjoys easy access to the university library and other university facilities. These resources, combined with the Centre's own library, offer an unparalleled facility for research on the Bahá’í Faith.

A panel of young adults at a recent conference of the Association for Bahá’í Studies discusses spiritual issues related to their respective areas of work.The Association is also engaged in developing curricula suitable for use at universities that recognize the Bahá’í Faith as an important subject for research and instruction. In addition, the Centre for Bahá’í Studies maintains a pool of speakers from a variety of disciplines who are qualified to present lectures on various aspects of Bahá’í studies. Such lectures are organized by the Association in response to invitations by universities and other academic organizations.

The Association holds annual meetings, international conferences, and special seminars and symposia. In addition, it sponsors regional conferences across North America, which provide further opportunities for scholars to present the results of their research and exchange ideas. Selected topics presented on these occasions appear in publications of the Association: The Journal of Bahá’í Studies, a quarterly publication, and Bahá’í Studies, a serial monograph.

The Association for Bahá’í Studies has 26 affiliates worldwide, and the Centre for Bahá’í Studies in Ottawa acts as the international coordinating hub for these Associations. The Centre for Bahá’í Studies produces a quarterly international newsletter, the Bulletin, which keeps members advised of the worldwide activities of the Association.

Campus organizations affiliated with the Association provide a valuable source of ideas and original research. In addition, these campus associations organize Bahá’í studies activities that complement the interests and aims of their respective institutions. The groups receive a Campus Association Newsletter periodically.

In the past several years, the Association has established professional interest groups within its membership. The areas now represented are agriculture, arts, consultation and conflict resolution, business and economics, education, environmental design, health, intercultural issues, marriage and family, science and technology, philosophy of science, study of religion, and women's studies. These groups have begun by organizing conferences in conjunction with the Association's annual conference and by issuing newsletters in their respective fields of interest.

For more information on the Association for Bahá’í Studies, please visit www.bahai-studies.ca.