Konferenzen und Veranstaltungen in den
kommenden Monaten / Conferences in the coming months:
Januar 2010 | Februar 2010 | März 2010 | April 2010 | Mai 2010 | Juni 2010 | Juli 2010 | August 2010 | September 2010 | Oktober 2010 | November 2010 | Januar 2011 | April 2011
Januar 2010
Conference: "Trading Religions", Bochum, Germany, 25 - 27 January 2010
This conference
investigates the process of formation and transformation of eastern and
western religions during the time of their emergence. In the dynamics
of this process, trade plays an important role. Different cultures and
religions are brought into contact along regional and transregional
trade routes. In this context, various ideas and religious
"commodities" are exchanged - "offered", "negotiated" and "bought".
This leads to expansion and densification as well as amalgamation of
religions.
"'Trading
Religions' aims at opening new pathways for approaching religious
dynamics by focusing on four elements or "commodities" of religious
interchange: Topology of Religious Space, Religious Symbol Systems,
Religious Knowledge, and Religious-Ethical Ways of Life.
Further
information: Dr. Volker Rabens, International Consortium for Research
in the Humanities, "Dynamics in the History of Religions between Asia
and Europe", Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Tel: +49 (0)234-3228513,
Email: volker.rabens@rub.de. Programme available here
International
Workshop: "Agents of Change in the Euro-Mediterranean Space: Politics
and Social Transformation from a Local Perspective", Berlin, 27 - 29
January 2010, Freie Universitaet Berlin
The Center for
Middle Eastern and North African Politics is holding this workshop.
Speakers include Paul Amar, Asef Bayat (tbc), Malika Bouziane, Myriam
Catûsse, Pascal Debruyne, Sharif Elmusa, Sari Hanafi, Cilja
Harders, Abdelhakim Al-Husban, Jalal Al-Husseini, Katharina Lenner,
Ghada Al-Madbouh, Christopher Parker, Aude Signole, Bassim Twissi
Conference
language: English. Registration required. Please include a statement of
interest and send your request to Bouziane@zedat.fu-berlin.de
The workshop,
convened under the aegis of RAMSES 2, a Network of Excellence on
Mediterranean Studies, looks into the local dynamics of change in the
Mediterranean space.
The majority of
past and present studies on the Middle Eastern state focuses on the
national level of regime elites aiming to identify and analyze the
origins and effects of the persistent stability of authoritarian
regimes in the MENA region. However, a closer look at the local level
reveals moment of stability as well as transformation. The increasing
number of strikes, social turmoil and riots in the Mediterranean region
like those in the Egyptian provincial town of Mahalla in April 2008 or
in the Tunisian phosphate mining area Gafsa in January 2008 are
examples for dynamic local movements and reflect the rising
dissatisfaction of people at the grassroots.
In addition,
development cooperation projects such as decentralization programmes,
which are funded by international donors like the European Union and
implemented by the agencies of the central state, often intervene quite
massively into local structures, leading to the creation of new
governance institutions and the re-spatialisation of governance.
This in turn
changes patterns of inclusion and exclusion of agents on the local
level. In spite of such dynamic developments, less attention has been
given to the intricate field of local politics and its impact on social
and political transformations from 'below'. Against this background,
the workshop intends to take a closer look at local politics in the
Mediterranean region, aiming to detect current conflicts, (relevant)
agents of change as well as local political and social transformations.
The current program as well as detailed location information are available at: http://www.polsoz.fu-berlin.de/vorderer-orient
Interreligioeses
Symposium: "Letzte Dinge - Eschatologie als Scheideweg / am
Scheideweg", Universitaet Muenster, 29.- 30. Januar 2010
Das Projekt D12
(„Vergleichende Studie zu Strategien der Pazifizierung
religiöser Geltungsansprüche“) im Rahmen des
Exzellenzclusters "Religion und Politik" der Westfälischen
Wilhelms-Universität, Münster, richtet dieses
interreligiöse Symposium aus.
Die Referenten und
Teilnehmer setzen sich mit der Frage auseinander, inwieweit
religionsinterne Dispositionen für das Gewaltförmigwerden
religiöser Traditionen verantwortlich sind. Wann bzw. inwiefern
tendiert die religiöse Verunsicherungserfahrung infrage gestellter
Gewissheit zur Gewaltförmigkeit?
Gegenstand der
Tagung sind Mechanismen in Islam und Christentum, die aus
religionsinternen Gründen eine gewaltlose Verarbeitung
religiöser Geltungsansprüche der jeweils "Anderen"
ermöglichen. Der Themenbereich Eschatologie bietet sich
exemplarisch für eine komparative Analyse interner Gewalt- und
Pazifizierungspotentiale der beiden Religionen an, da eschatologische
Vorstellungen nicht selten als Legitimationsquelle für Gewalt
fungieren.
Als Redner werden
treten auf Prof. Dr. Thomas Schärtel (Universität Augsburg),
Prof. D.r Jürgen Werbick (WWU), Prof. Dr.em. Mohammed Arkoun
(Sorbonne, Paris), Ayatollah S.A. Ghaemmaghami (Hamburg), Prof. Dr.
Martin Ebner (WWU) sowie Prof. Dr. Muhammad Sven Kalisch (WWU).
Anmeldung bis zum 18.12. 2009 und weitere Informationen: Centrum für Religiöse Studien, E-Mail: menno.preuschaft@uni-muenster.de
Februar 2010
Workshop:
"Tuerkeiforschung in Deutschland - Themen, Forschungsfelder und
Perspektiven", Asien-Afrika-Institut der Universitaet Hamburg,
25. - 26. Februar 2010
Durch den Workshop
sollen junge wie auch etablierte Türkeiforscher/innen die
Gelegenheit bekommen, ihre Projekte und Forschungsthemen vorzustellen,
mit anderen darüber zu diskutieren und gemeinsam neue
Forschungsfelder zu entwickeln. Daraus können dann beispielsweise
auch gemeinsame Projekte erwachsen.
Trotz der
wachsenden Bedeutung der Türkei, dem EU-Beitrittsprozess des
Landes und der großen türkeistämmigen
Bevölkerungsgruppe in Deutschland findet nur an wenigen
Einrichtungen eine meist punktuelle wissenschaftliche
Beschäftigung mit der Türkei statt. Gleichwohl gibt es eine
steigende Zahl, vor allem von jungen Wissenschaftlerinnen und
Wissenschaftlern ganz
unterschiedlicher
Disziplinen, die sich mit türkeibezogenen Fragestellungen
beschäftigen. Aus der Einsicht in die Notwendigkeit einer
gegenwartsbezogenen Türkeiforschung sind in jüngster Zeit
zwei Initiativen entstanden, das TürkeiEuropaZentrum Hamburg und
das Netzwerk Türkei. Während das TürkeiEuropaZentrum
Hamburg eine interdisziplinäre wissenschaftliche
Einrichtung am
Asien-Afrika-Institut der Universität Hamburg ist, in dem
verschiedene Forschungseinrichtungen kooperieren, verbindet das
Netzwerk Türkei vorwiegend junge Nachwuchsforscher mit Interesse
an der Türkei.
Die Veranstaltung
wird den Türkeiforschern an zwei Tagen die Möglichkeit geben,
sich ausgiebig über ihre Forschungsinteressen gegenseitig
auszutauschen. Zum Auftakt stellen sich beide Initiativen vor. Danach
folgen Workshops zu verschiedenen Themenbereichen, die entsprechend der
Interessengebiete der angemeldeten Forscher/innen gruppiert
werden. Einleitend sollten die Gruppenteilnehmer/innen durch ein
kurzes Referat ihr jeweiliges Projekt oder Forschungsthema vorstellen,
Impulse für die Diskussion um Forschungsfelder können aber
auch durch vorformulierte Kick-off-Referate gegeben werden.
Anmeldeschluss 29. Januar 2010.
Koordinations-Team: Prof. Dr. Raoul Motika (raoul.motika@uni-hamburg.de); Charlotte Joppien (charlottejoppien@hotmail.com), Hamburg; Martina Warning (martina.warning@gmail.com), Berlin; Christoph Mielke (christoph_mielke@hotmail.com), Berlin.
Mehr Informationen und Anmeldeformular unter http://www.netzwerk-tuerkei.org/
Tagung "Imamausbildung in Deutschland", Osnabrueck, 25.- 27. Februar 2010
Der Lehrstuhl
für Islamische Religionspädagogik und das Zentrum für
Interkulturelle Islamstudien (ZIIS) richten die Tagung mit
Unterstützung des Bundesministeriums des Innern und des
Niedersächsischen Innenministeriums aus.
Die Anmeldung
erbitten wir schriftlich - per Post, per E-Mail oder per Fax -
bis zum 11. Februar 2010. Unter dem Vorbehalt ausreichender Plätze
ist eine Anmeldung selbstverständlich auch während der Tagung
vor Ort möglich.
Die Einzelheiten zum Programm, zur Anmeldung und ggf. zur Unterkunft entnehmen Sie bitte http://www.irp.uos.de/ (Infokasten oben rechts auf der Seite)
Für Rückmeldungen stehen wir Ihnen unter der E-Mail-Adresse amehrman@uos.de gern zur Verfügung.
Workshop:
“Türkeiforschung in Deutschland – Themen,
Forschungsfelder und Perspektiven”, 25. und 26. Februar
2010, Asien-Afrika-Institut der Universität Hamburg
Durch den Workshop
sollen junge wie auch etablierte Türkeiforscher/innen die
Gelegenheit bekommen, ihre Projekte und Forschungsthemen vorzustellen,
mit anderen darüber zu diskutieren und gemeinsam neue
Forschungsfelder zu entwickeln. Daraus können dann beispielsweise
auch gemeinsame Projekte erwachsen.
Trotz der
wachsenden Bedeutung der Türkei, dem EU-Beitrittsprozess des
Landes und der großen türkeistämmigen
Bevölkerungsgruppe in Deutschland findet nur an wenigen
Einrichtungen eine meist punktuelle wissenschaftliche
Beschäftigung mit der Türkei statt. Gleichwohl gibt es eine
steigende Zahl, vorallem von jungen Wissenschaftlerinnen und
Wissenschaftlern ganz unterschiedlicher Disziplinen, die sich mit
türkeibezogenen Fragestellungen beschäftigen.
Aus der Einsicht in
die Notwendigkeit einer gegenwartsbezogenen Türkeiforschung sind
in jüngster Zeit zwei Initiativen entstanden, das
TürkeiEuropaZentrum Hamburg und das Netzwerk Türkei.
Während das TürkeiEuropaZentrum Hamburg eine
interdisziplinäre wissenschaftliche Einrichtung am
Asien-Afrika-Institut der Universität Hamburg ist, in dem
verschiedene Forschungseinrichtungen kooperieren, verbindet das Netzwerk Türkei vorwiegend junge Nachwuchsforscher mit Interesse an der Türkei.
Die Veranstaltung
wird den Türkeiforschern an zwei Tagen die Möglichkeit geben,
sich ausgiebig über ihre Forschungsinteressen gegenseitig
auszutauschen. Zum Auftakt stellen sich beide Initiativen vor. Danach
folgen Workshops zu verschiedenen Themenbereichen, die entsprechend der
Interessengebiete der angemeldeten Forscher/innen gruppiert werden, so
etwa Kultur (Kunstszene, Architektur, Musik, Literatur…),
Staat-Gesellschaft (Zivilgesellschaft, Minderheiten, Frauen,
Klassenfrage, Militär-Wehrdienst-Komplex, Status von
Homosexuellen und Transgender-Personen…), gesellschaftlicher
Wandel, Religion (Verhältnis von Staat und Religion,
Bruderschaften, Religion und Wirtschaft, Aleviten, neue Formen der
Religiosität….), internationale Fragen
(Türkei-Deutschland-EU-Nahost...), Wirtschaft
(Außenwirtschaft, Finanzwirtschaft,
Globalisierungsphänomene, Regionalentwicklung...).
Einleitend sollten
die Gruppenteilnehmer/innen durch ein kurzes Referat ihr jeweiliges
Projekt oder Forschungsthema vorstellen, Impulse für die
Diskussion um Forschungsfelder können aber auch durch
vorformulierte Kick-off-Referate gegeben werden. Für jede Gruppe
wird im Vorfeld ein/e Moderator/in festgelegt (Meldungen sind
willkommen!).
Der Workshop ist eine Kooperation des TürkeiEuropaZentrums Hamburg und dem Netzwerk Türkei. Mehr Informationen unter www.aai.uni-hamburg.de/tuerkeieuropa/ und www.netzwerk-tuerkei.org
Projektteam: Für das TürkeiEuropaZentrum Hamburg Prof. Dr. Raoul Motika (raoul.motika@uni-hamburg.de). Für das Netzwerk Türkei Charlotte Joppien (charlottejoppien@hotmail.com), Hamburg. Martina Warning (martina.warning@gmail.com), Berlin, Christoph Mielke (christoph_mielke@hotmail.com), Berlin
März 2010
Conference "Tourisme méditerranée et crise mondiale", Tunis, CERES, 9-11 March 2010
Mediterranean tourism is now confronted with the effects of global
crisis, which occurred suddenly. The risk of losing tourism revenues
and to suffer a serious increase in unemployment
is a real threat to many countries of the Mediterranean basin. In
social terms, tourism has also paradoxical effects. With vectors of
synergies and symbioses of social change, it nevertheless may have
perverse effects when it generates exposure to the other or when it is
instrumentalized to consolidate conservatism.
These are questions that researchers (economists, geographers, sociologists, and anthropologists) are invited to treat:
1. Mediterranean tourism: state of art (people and finance flows;
predominate spaces and touristic homes ; emerging touristic spaces).
2. Tourism in the Mediterranean basin: dynamics and vulnerability.
3. Old and new tourism products: risks and sustainable development.
4. The actors in tourism: economic imperatives and social demands.
5. Tourism and local societies between progress and effects.
6. Tourism and information and communications technologies.
Please visit CERES website (http://www.ceres.rnrt.tn) for further details. Deadline for proposals: 30 October 2009
Interdisciplinary
Conference: "Rethinking the Middle East? Values, Interests, and
Security Concerns in Western Policies toward Iraq and the Wider Region,
1918-2010", British Academy, London, 17-19 March 2010
Sponsored by
British Academy, British Institute for the Study of Iraq, European
Studies Research Institute/University of Salford (Greater Manchester)
Twice within the last one hundred years, Western powers have tried to
significantly alter the configuration of the Middle Eastern political
order. In analyzing the interactions of regional and outside powers,
this comparative and interdisciplinary conference will bring together
political practitioners and historians, political scientists, and
international relations scholars.
Reflecting the overall conference theme, the programme follows a
two-pronged approach. Firstly, the conference organisers are looking
for papers from political scientists and historians that deal with the
foreign policies of important external powers (nation-states as well as
inter- and transnational organisations) towards the Middle East, and
Iraq in particular, as well as the constructions and narratives
accompanying/justifying specific policies.
Secondly, in order to avoid a narrow Western perspective which would
treat Middle Eastern actors only as objects of the policies of Western
powers, the conference will examine the policies of influential
domestic Iraqi political actors and other regional powers, whose
international role has been affected by the political developments in
Iraq.
The deadline for submitting a 200 word abstract to Dr Lars Berger at l.berger@salford.ac.uk is 30 October. Acceptance of papers will be communicated by 13 November.
A limited number of bursaries covering travel, accommodation and
conference costs are available for PhD students presenting a paper.
Those wishing to apply for this bursary should add one page in which
they state why they are in need of financial assistance. They would
also need to describe the broader research context from which their PhD
originates and how attending the conference might benefit their project.
For further information see http://www.h-net.org/announce/show.cgi?ID=170755
Colloque : “Après le post-colonial : décoloniser la géographie”, Rouen, 18 et 19 mars 2010
Colloque
organisé par le Laboratoire de géographie politique et
culturelle AILLEURS à l’Université de Rouen. Date
limite, lundi 1er mars 2010. Pour plus d’informations cf.
l’annonce: http://calenda.revues.org/nouvelle15385.html
11th Session of the Mediterranean Research Meeting, near Florence, 24-27 March 2010
The Mediterranean
Programme of the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the
European University Institute of Florence (Italy) has just issued a
Call for Workshops for the eleventh session of the Mediterranean
Research Meeting, that will take place near Florence on 24-27 March
2010 .
The deadline for applications to be received is 1 March 2009.
Details are available on the Mediterranean Research Meeting web page http://www.eui.eu/RSCAS/Research/Mediterranean/mrm2010/
Internationale
Tagung: "Staatenbildung und Staatenzerfall im Nahen und Mittleren Osten
in Antike und Moderne", CNMS, Marburg, Maerz 24-27 2010
Die Tagung wird am
Centrum fuer Nah- und Mittelost-Studien der Universitaet Marburg (CNMS)
in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Fachbereich Evangelische Theologie,
Fachgebiet Altes Testament, stattfinden.
Das Programm und weitere Informationen entnehmen Sie bitte folgendem Link: http://www.uni-marburg.de/cnms/forschung/projekte/staaten
Conference:
"Middle Eastern Literatures of the 18th Century. A Departure towards
Modernity?" Lutherstadt Wittenberg, 26-28 March 2010
The Seminar for
Christian Oriental Studies and the Seminar for Arabic and Islamic
Studies as part of the Oriental Institute at
Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg are organising a
conference on Middle Eastern literatures in the Ottoman Empire in the
18th century, with special reference to a comparison of Muslim,
Christian and Jewish authors. The basic question is whether in 18th
century Middle Eastern literatures aspects of modernity are visible.
The conference aims at overcoming the disciplinary barriers between
Islamic Studies, Christian Oriental Studies and Jewish Studies in order
to get a better grasp of the whole range of literary production in the
Middle East.
The Oriental
Institute Halle thus continues to encourage interdisciplinary research
in Arabic and Islamic Studies, Christian Oriental Studies and Jewish
Studies, and also aims to strengthen cooperation with the IZEA
(Interdisciplinary Centre for European Enlightenment) in Halle as well
as the German Oriental Institute in Beyrouth and several Lebanese
Universities (St. Joseph, Balamand, Tripolis).
Papers concerning the following fields are invited:
1. 18th century Arabic Literature
2. Muslim, Christian and Jewish Scholars – Barriers and networks
3. New and established cultural and literary traditions in the 18th century
4. The European Enlightenment and the Orient in the 18th century
Papers are accepted in German, English or French.
The main goal of
the conference is to look at the development of different literary
genres, the appearance of new forms of expression and motives, and how
they mirror social changes as well as increasing European influences.
Paper titles and abstracts (up to 100 words) should be sent by email to the Organising Committee (leucorea2010@yahoo.de) until 15th May 2009.
Speakers will be
hosted by the Oriental Institute and will get their travel and
accomodation expense reimbursed. Please contact the Organising
Committee Prof. Dr. Ralf Elger and Dr. Ute Pietruschka for further
inquiries.
Wissenschaftliche Tagung: "Wer sind die Taliban? Afghanistan und Pakistan im Regionalkonflikt", Bonn, 26. - 28. Maerz 2010
In Kooperation
planen die Evangelische Akademie im Rheinland und die wissenschaftliche
Arbeitsgemeinschaft Afghanistan (AGA) diese wissenschaftliche Tagung.
Der Kampf gegen die
Taliban ist längst nicht mehr auf Afghanistan beschränkt. Mit
der Ausweitung des Krieges auf Pakistan ist der Konflikt zu einem
Regionalereignis geworden. Doch wer sind die Taliban eigentlich? Diese
Fragen stehen im Zentrum der Tagung. So soll diese Tagung den
wissenschaftlichen Austausch über die Hintergründe des
Phänomens "Taliban" fördern. So sollen in erster Linie,
historische, gesellschaftliche und ökonomische Dimensionen der
Taliban erfasst und diskutiert werden. Auch wird sich die Tagung mit
den Weltbildern, Organisationsformen und Repräsentationen der
Taliban beschäftigen, wie auch mit den Prozessen, die zu
strukturellen Veränderungen von Teilen der afghanischen und
pakistanischen Bevölkerung führten.
Wenn Sie Interesse
haben, im Rahmen dieser Thematik einen Vortrag zu halten, schicken Sie
bitte eine Kurzfassung Ihres Vortrags (Titel des Themas, max.
einseitige Zusammenfassung) bis zum 31. Dezember 2009 an Conrad Schetter (c.schetter@uni-bonn.de)
3rd International Conference on Mediterranean Studies, Athens, Greece, 31 March -3 April 2010
The Athens Institute for Education and Research (ATINER) organizes this
3rd Annual International Conference on Mediterranean Studies. The aim
of the conference is to bring together scholars, researchers and
students from all areas of Mediterranean Studies, such as history,
arts, archaeology, philosophy, culture, sociology, politics,
international relations, economics, business, sports etc. Panel
organizers are encouraged to submit their proposals by inviting other
scholars that do research in the area. Specific sessions will be
organized along country studies for both the European and the
non-European countries of the Mediterranean Basin.
Please submit an abstract (using email only to: atiner@atiner.gr) by 5 October 2009. For further information see www.atiner.gr/docs/Mediterranean.htm
10th
Annual Graduate Student Conference: "Intercultural Approaches to the
Study of the Middle East and North Africa", Tucson, Arizona, 31 March -
2 April 2010
The Middle East
North Africa Graduate Students Association (MENA) at the University of
Arizona is organising this conference. We are inviting abstracts from
graduate students who study the Middle East and North Africa. We
encourage participants from all disciplines, including linguistics,
literature, history, the social sciences, and the fine arts.
And for those
interested in publishing their research, we are accepting manuscripts
for our annual journal, Zaytoon. Visit our website www.uamena.org for
submission requirements. Sponsored by the Middle East North Africa
Graduate Student Association, the Center for Middle Eastern Studies,
and the Department of Near Eastern Studies, University of Arizona.
Please send a Word document which includes the abstract, your name, email address, and your institution to uamena@gmail.com.
Abstracts received before December 15, 2009 will receive priority;
however, we will continue to accept abstracts on a rolling basis
through January 20, 2010.
April 2010
Conference: "State of the Art: Anthropology of the Middle East and North Africa", Los Angeles, April 1-2, 2010
Co-organizers: Sherine Hafez, University of California, Riverside (sherine.hafez@ucr.edu); Susan Slyomovics, University of California, Los Angeles (ssly@anthro.ucla.edu).
The link between the ideology of power and knowledge production about
the Middle East/North Africa is a potent, generative and creative one.
Our conference aim is to tap the most recent contributions to the field
of the anthropology of the region and to highlight collaborative
research that recognizes the potential of ethnographic methodologies as
a powerful catalyst for theoretical debate. We will examine a wide
range of theoretical paradigms and methodological approaches that
emerge at the intersection of scholarship and a larger discourse of
power analytics. Suggested topics: Islam and secularism; colonialism
and postcoloniality; problems of modernity and the limits of theory;
gender and sexuality; media and globalization; nation building; war and
occupation. Abstracts are invited for 20-minute papers.
Abstracts should be 250-word max. and sent to: CNES Program Director, Amy Bruinooge at abruin@international.ucla.edu.
Those whose papers are accepted will be notified no later than December
31, 2009. CNES covers participants' travel from any location in
continental USA and Canada, accommodation for three nights (March
31-April 2, 2010), and local meal expenses within university mandated
limits and guidelines.
We plan to publish an edited volume with the papers from this
conference and therefore request that participants present an original
paper, a draft to be sent in by March 1, which we will email in advance
to conference participants.
CFP deadline: Dec 1, 2009.
Conference:
"Time for Medialisation: Integrating Media and Transcultural
Communication Research within Islamic and Area Studies", Berlin,
8-10 April 2010
Organisers:
Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies, Freie Universität
Berlin and Seminar für Geschichte und Gesellschaft Südasiens,
Institut für Asien- und
Afrikawissenschaften, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
The conference has
a twofold aim: firstly, we would like to bring together researchers who
work on media-related issues in contemporary Muslim societies and/or
non-European contexts and discuss the state of research as well as
theoretical and methodological questions.
Secondly, and in
addition to this interdisciplinary exchange, we would also like to
create a new perspective for a transdisciplinary dialogue and
cooperation between the aforementioned as well as other media
researchers who are interested in global or non-European issues of
media communication.The conference will be held in German and English
(without translation).
Proposed panels:
Panel 1: Political public sphere and transcultural communication
Panel 2: Intermediality and media convergence
Panel 3: Gender as category of transcultural communication
Panel 4: Media history as an historiografic approach
Panel 5: Translocal Internet Studies
Please send your
paper proposal of not more than 20 lines for one of the above-listed
panels to: media@bgsmcs.fu-berlin.de. The deadline for proposals is:
November 15,
2009.
Contact: Dr. des. Bettina Graef, Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies, bettina.graef@v.org
URL: http://www.bgsmcs.fu-berlin.de/events/index.html
Conference: "The Shahnameh and Persianate Identity", University of St Andrews, 9-12 avril 2010
Conférence
organisée par Institute of Iranian Studies, University of St
Andrews and the Iran Heritage Foundation. Les propositions de textes
doivent être envoyées avant le 15 novembre 2009 à
School of History, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9AL
Scotland, ou à iran@st-andrews.ac.uk
Informations, cf. http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~iranian
Symposium; "Islam, Salvation, and the Fate of Others", Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, 16-17 April 2010
Hosted by the
University of Illinois Department of Religion. The purpose of this
symposium is to present and assess views on salvation in Islamic
thought, particularly as it pertains to "Others," i.e., non-Muslims- a
topic with profound practical implications.
Details will
be posted on the conference webpage:
http://www.relst.uiuc.edu/salvation. For information, contact: Mohammad
Khalil (khalil@illinois.edu).
Conference: "Bashar al-Asad's First Decade: A Period of Transition for Syria", Lund University, Lund, 19 - 20 April 2010
This conference is
organised by the Center for Middle Eastern Studies (CMES) at Lund
University. It aims to further critical discussion between scholars
from various disciplines within the social sciences and humanities who
focus on contemporary Syria. Bashar's first decade can be seen as a
transitional phase both in terms of leadership as well as
renegotiations of the relationships between religion, society and state.
In an effort to
promote greater understanding of a country that can be clouded by
controversy and misconceptions, CMES intends to foster discussion on
this critical period between different perspectives, approaches and
paradigms by bringing together a wide range of scholars.
The panels for this
conference are structured broadly within the fields of religion,
politics and society in contemporary Syria. They include but are
not limited to the following:
-Gender
-Syrian Everyday Life
-Law and Minorities
-Political Economy
-Syrian International Relations
-The Ba'th Party and Domestic Politics
-Alternative forms of Resistance
CMES is soliciting
papers that address the relationships between religion, politics and
society during Bashar's first decade. The broad focus is intentional to
allow scholars the flexibility to submit papers on their most recent
and innovative research.
Submit a paper
abstract of no more than 400 words along with a short resume. Please
send proposals and inquiries to Jaleh Taheri by November 1st, 2009 via
e-mail:
jaleh.taheri@cme.lu.se
Interdisciplinary Conference: "Arab Popular Culture Conference", Beirut, April 20-23, 2010
The Institute for
Media Training and Research at the Lebanese American University in
Beirut is holding this interdisciplinary conference. Conference
organizers welcome contributions from scholars, journalists, musicians,
artists, graphic designers, and all those interested in the subject.
In the last 20
years, the expansion of the middle class, the exceptional growth of
pan-Arab media and particularly television, and the introduction of
Western forms of mass popular culture have all considerably challenged,
and changed the Arab World. These developments have not been
accompanied by any significant academic interest. Many Arab
intellectuals continue to look at popular culture with derision while
Western scholars have mostly focused their on the political
repercussions of the media boom.
This conference
aims to focus attention on the significant developments in popular
urban culture in such areas - but not exclusively - as music, cinema,
sports, and fashion.
We also expect that
some of the papers presented will explore the relation of media, in all
of its forms, to popular culture, and will examine the limits and
significance of the popular in the context of the international.
Those interested in
participating should send panel suggestions or an abstract of less than
250 words no later than February 5, 2010. They will be notified within
a week from receipt of their abstracts. Speakers should note that they
will have no more than 20 minutes to present their papers. However, a
full version of their paper will be made available to all participants
and posted on the LAU conference website.
There will be a
registration fee of $100, and $60 for students. It will cover, among
other things, three lunches at the university and one diner off campus.
Special
arrangements will be available to participants at a number of hotels
near the LAU campus. More information will follow soon.
All correspondence regarding the conference should be addressed to Dr. Ramez Maluf, rzmaluf@lau.edu.lb
32nd Annual Conference of MELCom International, 19-21 April 2010, Cordoba, Spain
As in the past, the sessions of our meeting will be devoted to the following topics:
1. Manuscripts, rare books and documents
2. Collection development, acquisition policies, cooperation between libraries
3. Catalogues and bibliographies
4. History of libraries and readership
5. Digitisation and other new technologies
6. Current issues of information science in Middle East area studies
7. And of course any other aspect within our fields of interest
Those wishing to
present a paper during the conference are invited to send a brief
abstract (three to four sentences) to the secretary of MELCom
International by the end of December 2009. Please note that the working
languages of MELCom International are English and French.
Further information http://www.sant.ox.ac.uk/ext/melcomintl/melconfCordob10.shtml
International Conference: “Muslims and Political Participation in Europe”, Copenhagen, 21-22 April 2010
Papers are invited
for an international conference to be jointly organized by the
EurIslam network, based at the University of Strasbourg -
http://www.eurislam.info/index_EN.html
and the Centre for European Islamic Thought (CEIT), at the University of Copenhagen - http://www.teol.ku.dk/english/dept/ceit_eng/
The conference will
focus on the following overlapping and interlocking dimensions (these
are not to be understood as exclusive of related themes):
1. The processes
and realities of Muslim participation in local and national politics:
Voting patterns and representation in local and national assemblies;
the place of Islam as an identifying factor – do candidates
highlight or marginalize their ‘Muslimness’ (and what is
‘Muslim’ in this context?); the relationship between Muslim
and ethnic identities in the political processes.
2. Internal Muslim
debates about political participation in Europe: Attitudes of Muslims
to the democratic processes; views for and against political
participation in non-Muslim society; who can/should represent Muslims,
or are there other priorities?
3. Public
discourses about Muslim participation; political participation as a
method or consequence of integration; state policies regarding Muslim
political participation; relationship between participation and
citizenship; is Muslim participation welcomed or contingent on
privatizing the faith?
Scholars wishing to
present a paper should send an abstract and a brief CV to the address
below as soon as possible and not later than 1 February 2010 to the
address below. Authors of accepted papers will have the costs of
their accommodation in Copenhagen covered but will need to cover their
own travel costs.
Paper abstracts and CVs should be sent to Prof. Jørgen S. Nielsen: jsn@teol.ku.dk
CSID's 11th Annual Conference: "U.S. Engagement with the Muslim World:One Year After Cairo", Washington DC, April 28, 2010
This conference
will assess the state of U.S.-Muslim world relations a year after the
Cairo speech. What, if anything, has changed in terms of how the United
States approaches its major policy challenges in the Muslim world? Do
we see signs that governments and other actors in the Muslim world
regard the U.S. differently since the new administration came into
office?
Paper proposals are due by December 10, 2009 and should be sent to Prof. Peter Mandaville, conference2010@islam-democracy.org
Further information https://www.csidonline.org/
International Conference: "Encounters between the Caucasus and the West: Image and Reality", Amsterdam, April 23-24, 2010
We invite you to
think of encounters in terms of images and reality, not only in the
static sense of stereotypes of Asia and the West, or between minorities
within the region, but rather in the dynamic meaning of shifting images
in particular circumstances. Think of images projected into the future:
a vision, an imagined diverse community, future scenario's. Think of
images based on different basic societal and governmental assumptions.
Contributions can
focus on various levels and domains of encounters: individual, group,
organizational, diplomatic, civil-military, environmental, energy, etc.
How do various parties and actors envision the North and/or South
Caucasus in relation to western policy? The encounters and images could
be discussed against the background of Eastern Partnership policy,
foreign policy, OSCE, NATO, NGO-donor relations, IDP's, Turkey and the
EU.
Possibility to publish papers/proceedings of the conference in Amsterdam Contributions to the Study of the Caucasus.
Abstract (500 words) expected no later than December 15, 2009 at caucasusconference@gmail.com
Further information: http://www.fsw.vu.nl/en/departments/culture-organization-and-management/staff/companjen/caucasus.asp
Mai 2010
Islam Graduate
Research School: "Islam and Muslims in a Plural World: the Local and
the Global in the Middle East, Europe and North America",
Damascus 3-14 May 2010
Organized by:
- The Danish Institute in Damascus (www.damaskus.dk)
- Centre for European Islamic Thought, University of Copenhagen (http://www.teol.ku.dk/english/dept/ceit_eng/ )
- The New Islamic Public Sphere Programme, University of Copenhagen (http://islamicpublicsphere.hum.ku.dk/)
- Department of Near and Middle East Civilizations, University of Toronto (http://www.utoronto.ca/nmc/)
Applications are invited from graduate students working on their
Masters or PhDs for up to 24 places on a research ‘master
class’. The research school will be staffed by four senior
academics, one from each of the organizing institutions. Each
participant will submit a research paper in advance, which will
normally be a draft chapter from their thesis/dissertation, plus an
overall outline of the research project identifying the topic, main
research questions, theoretical and methodological issues and a
tentative chapter outline.
The research submitted should fall within the theme indicated by the
heading and may come from any relevant discipline. This includes fields
of research such as migration and Muslim communities in Europe and
North America, Islam and pluralism (religious, legal, social,
political) in the Middle East, contemporary developments in Islamic
thinking about pluralisms whether theoretical or locally
contextualized, the routes and mechanisms by which experiences and
ideas connect localities mutually and globally, especially via
electronic media. These suggestions are not exclusive, and applicants
will need to indicate how their topics may contribute to the project
theme.
The programme will take place over two weeks and will consist of four elements:
- Four parallel workshops on sub-themes, each led by a staff member,
bringing together up to six participants. Each participant will have a
half-day (3-hour) session to present and discuss their pre-submitted
papers.
- Four plenary sessions at which each of the staff members will present current research-in-progress for open discussion.
- A series of discussion meetings with significant and interesting
local researchers and personalities of relevance to the field.
- Excursions to sites and institutions of interest within and outside Damascus.
The programme will be staffed by Prof. Todd Lawson, Toronto; Dr Hans
Christian Korsholm Nielsen, Damascus; Prof. Jørgen S. Nielsen,
Copenhagen; Prof. Jakob Skovgaard-Petersen, Copenhagen
Further information at ls@teol.ku.dk. Deadline for abstracts and papers at the latest on 1 April 2010.
25th Annual Middle East History and Theory Conference, Université de Chicago, 14-15 mai 2010
Les
résumés de 250 mots doivent être envoyés au
plus tard le 15 février à l’organisateur de la
conférence mehat2010@gmail.com
Pour informations cf. http://www.imes.ed.ac.uk/
International Conference: "Yemen from the Threshold: Identity, Regionalism and Globalization", Sana'a, Yemen, 17-19 May 2010
The Society of Arab
& Islamic Studies (University of Exeter-UK) along with the Sheba
Center for Strategic Studies, the University of Sana'a and the Center
for Gulf Studies (University of Exeter-UK) announce this
conference. Further information at www.yemen-2010.com (updates to follow soon).
Papers may be
presented in Arabic or English (working languages). Abstracts
must be submitted before 1 March 2010, each must not exceed 300 words,
submit your abstract in English through yemen2010.submission@gmail.com. We encourage pre-organized panels on related themes (contact conference coordinator).
Eighth Iranian Studies Biennial Conference, University of California in Los Angeles, 28-30 May 2010
The ISIS 2010 Conference organizers look forward to your proposals. As
the 01 May 2009 deadline approaches, our new and improved ISIS website
will facilitate the submission of your panel proposals and paper
abstracts.
To access the forms, you must have an active Membership Account for
2009. If you are a new or returning member, please go to the sign-up
page at <http://iranianstudies.com/> to become a member and
receive your username/password.
Questions about the Conference submission process should be addressed to Marta Simidchieva at 2010program@iranian-studies.com.
International
Conference. "The Contemporary Oriental City from a Linguistic and
Literary Perspective", Krakow, Poland, 20-22 May 2009
Held by the Department of Interdisciplinary Eurasiatic Research of the
Institute of Oriental Philology Jagiellonian University.
The proposed overarching theme of the conference is to serve for broad
discussion within the scope of existing knowledge on the varied aspects
of the Oriental city as well as searching for theoretical research
instruments to serve its description.
The Organizers propose a wide range of topics, including:
- The linguistic dimension of the Oriental city
- Genres of depiction of the Oriental city
- The Oriental city from the perspective of ethnology and cultural
anthropology
- The Oriental city and spirituality
- The physical space of the Oriental city
- The Oriental city from a diachronic perspective
- The Oriental city from a socio-political perspective
- The Oriental city in a comparative frame
- Coexistence of the Oriental and Western elements
Language: English. Deadline for proposals 1 May 2008. Further
information orientalcity@wp.pl
International Summer Camp in Palestine, 23 May - 8 June 2010
We are pleased to
invite you to our international voluntary workcamp "United for
Empowerment".. This project has been designed to give you the
opportunity to meet with other people from around the world to share
ideas, enhance practical skills, foster relationships, and give
assistance to the children and youth of the Palestinian community.
The international
summer camp will bring together people from around the world who are
interested in helping create a better world. We are targeting people
who are interested in youth development, the right to education, and
humanitarian issues. Palestine is a challenging but highly rewarding
environment to work in. We strongly encourage highly motivated and
serious men and women to apply.
For more information please visit: http://youth.zajel.org/summer_camps/camp2010.htm; For the info paper and application form please contact us at: youthexchange@najah.edu or zajel.camp@gmail.com
Eleventh Session of the Mediterranean Research Meeting, near Florence, Italy, 24-27 March 2010
The Mediterranean
Programme of the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the
European University Institute (Italy) has issued a Call for Papers for
the eleventh session of the Mediterranean Research Meeting.
Applications must be submitted electronically by 15 July 2009.
All relevant details are available on the Mediterranean Research Meeting web page www.eui.eu/RSCAS/Research/Mediterranean/mrm2010/
Conference: "Codicology and History of the Manuscript in Arabic Script", Madrid, 27-29 May 2010
In the course of
the centuries, the Islamic world has witnessed an intense activity of
composition of texts, which was in its turn going hand in hand with an
equally intense activity of transcription of those texts. Researches
and publications on the codicology of the manuscripts in Arabic script
have been growing over the last quarter of a century, thus allowing us
to know better their composition and peculiarities. Much still remains
to be done, but the amount of codicological data now available enables
us to get a broader view of this field of research and to start taking
into consideration the history of the book in the Islamic world. On
this last issue, although the question of the total number of Arabic
manuscripts still remains unanswered, a quantitative approach seems
under the present circumstances better qualified to lead on to
significant results.
The goal of the
present conference, which is a sequel of those which were held in
Istanbul (1986), Paris (1994) and Bologna (2000), is to open new
perspectives of research and to bring fresh contributions to the
history of the manuscript in Arabic script, a still underdeveloped
field of investigation which will contribute significantly to the
history of the book in general. The need to address these various new
questions does not mean that we consider that any effort at exploring
the technical aspects should be discontinued. The section dedicated to
codicology in the programme of the conference is as important as ever.
Similarly, papers devoted to the use of books in Islamic societies or
to the culture of the book would find their place within the frame of
this conference. Due to the close relationship between the manuscript
and the lithographed book from a technical point of view, contributions
about the latter could also take place within the programme of the
conference and help starting a discussion on the continuities between
these two kinds of books as well as on the changes introduced by
lithography.
This international
conference is intended for the specialists of codicology, history of
the book and of reading; it may also interest those who are using
Arabic manuscripts in their researches –historians, editors of
texts, for instance -, restorers or historians of the book at large.
Topics (by way of example):
1. Codicology. Manuscripts in Arabic script from the East and the West, from the High Middle Ages to Modern times.
2. Production of the book: readers, market (prices, trade, and so on), patrons, typology of books according to the contents.
3. Transmission of the book as an object.
4. Role of the libraries.
5. Relationship between manuscripts and lithographed books.
Languages of the conference: English, French and Spanish.
Deadline for abstracts of the intended papers (about 300 words) before September 30th, 2009 to the following address: cchla2010@gmail.com.
Scientific
committee: François Déroche, Maribel Fierro, Mercedes
García-Arenal, Nuria Martínez de Castilla Muñoz,
Francis Richard, María Jesús Viguera Molins, Amalia
Zomeño.
Organizing
committee: François Déroche (EPHE), Nuria Martínez
de Castilla Muñoz (CSIC), François Richard (BULAC)
5th
Annual International Workshop: "Literature and History: Middle Eastern
Perspectives", Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 31 May -
2 June 2010
By focusing on
fiction, poetry and plays written by Arab, Turkish, Iranian, and
Israeli writers (as well as by writers of other Middle Eastern
ethnicities), our annual international workshop will provide a broad
forum for practitioners coming from the distinctive vantage points of
both disciplines - literary criticism and history writing - to explore
issues of common concern in Middle Eastern scholarship: nationality,
post-colonial narratives, religion and secularism, gender and
sexuality, class, social discourse, changing sensibilities and language.
Papers should
address the complex, multifaceted relationship between literature and
history. All participants will be expected to submit in advance a
working paper to be distributed among the other participants.
Those interested in
participating in the workshop are asked to send a one-page proposal in
English, along with their C.V. by January 1, 2010.
Participants from abroad will be offered round trip airfare and lodging.
Proposals should be addressed by e-mail to:Dr. Yair Huri: yairhuri@bgu.ac.il and Dr. Ariel M. Sheetrit: arielmb@bgu.ac.il
Further information http://web2.bgu.ac.il/mideast/workshop/main.asp?page=about
Juni 2010
International
Conference: "Veiled Orient – Unveiled Occident? Stagings in
Politics, Law, Art, and Culture since the 19th Century ", University of
Zurich, 3 - 5 June 2010
When talking about Islam and in particular about Islamism and
‘Islamic fundamentalism’, Western societies tend to focus
on the imagery of the veiled woman. ‘The veiled woman’
seems to symbolise in a nutshell the threat to Western values presented
by oppression and terror. Even though today, not only scientific
publications, but also the press, broadcasting and television try to
approach the issue in more differentiated ways, such clichés
prove persistent in the debate regarding the – by Western
standard – alien religion and culture. In apprehensive arguments,
Islam and Islamism are being conflated into one and the same
phenomenon, both seem to embody a threat to democratic values, or are
read to stand for terrorism. Negative stereotypes of these kinds have
been criticised from different angles, and rightly so: it is
inappropriate to equate Islam with Islamism. When generalising Islam so
crudely, distinctions between individual Islamic countries are being
erased. Moreover, Western countries buying into the mantra of the
threat of terror posed by ‘Islamic fundamentalism’, might
serve the purpose of limiting civil rights and as sidetracking from a
society’s own crises and problems.
Criticism of such Islamic enemy stereotyping, as often encountered in
Western countries, presents a pressing but complicated issue for
feminist studies and politics alike. It is important to stress the
discrimination of women in Islamic oriented cultures, and to identify
the violations of human rights which often run along gender specific
circumstances and confines. However, Western media frequently resorts
to undifferentiated lines of argument when reporting on ‘the role
of the woman’ in the Middle East. It might be tempting to oppose
the clichéd imagery of the veiled woman illustrating the
oppression in Muslim countries with the ‘freedom oriented Western
society’; yet, such images are not suitable to call attention to
injustices. On the contrary, these images rather serve to stabilise
these injustices, as demonstrated lately by academics of different
disciplines. Also, the enemy stereotyping of ‘the misogyny of
Islam’ often works as a cover for antifeminism, political
conflicts and social injustices in our own society.
The conference wishes to approach the topic of ‘The Veil’
from a historic as well as a current socio-political perspective. The
practices and representations of veiling and unveiling in Muslim as
well as Western societies since the 19th century shall be analysed,
thereby identifying the cultural and gender specific codes employed.
One important aspect will be the relationship between modernism and
colonialism. Contributions are welcome on topics like the Western view
of the ‘mysterious harem woman’ in art, film and
literature, representations of veiling/unveiling of truth in religion,
philosophy and ideology, as well as their historic and political
semantics.
Furthermore, religious forms of veiling/unveiling in different
societies and cultures and their respective embedding in social and
political situations shall be looked into. Concepts like religious
freedom, transnational feminism, civil rights and human rights can be
discussed. Forms of veiling/unveiling in Western culture could be a
topic as well: for example the elegant city lady or the diva in art,
fashion, culture and film. Deconstructions of Western clichés of
the veiled woman in Islam, as presented in the works on violence and
migration of contemporary artists, will be looked into as well. Last
but not least, one can analyse how the image of the veiled Muslim woman
is used in Western media. The conference will explore the question of
how veiling and unveiling in Europe and the nations of the Islamic
world is being politically and juridically regulated.
Paper proposals should include title of the paper, name, affiliation,
short CV, email and a 500 word abstract. Proposals must be submitted by
November 30, 2009 to: elke.frietsch@access.uzh.ch. Publication of
selected papers is envisaged
Organiser: Gender Studies, Universität Zürich, http://www.masternebenfachgenderstudies.uzh.ch
Conference conveners: Prof. Dr. Bettina Dennerlein, Dr. Elke Frietsch, Prof. Dr. Therese Steffen
Contact: Dr. Elke Frietsch, elke.frietsch@access.uzh.ch, Tel: ++41(0)446344835
International Conference: "Children's TV in the Arab World", London, 4 June 2010
This is the 5th
Annual International Conference of the Arab Media Centre, Communication
and Media Research Institute (CAMRI), University of Westminster at the
Cavendish Campus,
Vigorous expansion
of free-to-air children's television in Arabic is something that has
happened rather recently. Spacetoon Kids' Arabic satellite channel
dates back to 2000, but MBC3 and Al-Jazeera Children's Channel (JCC)
were launched in 2004-2005. Nickelodeon Arabia started up in July 2008
and Baraem, a JCC offshoot, went on air in January 2009. A long list of
other children's channels and related initiatives emerging during this
period raises many social, cultural and economic questions about the
production and distribution of programmes for Arabic-speaking children
and about the way this output is received and used by its young viewers.
Papers are invited
for a one-day conference in London to address these issues. The morning
will feature panel debates by invited industry practitioners,
educationists and policy-makers. Afternoon sessions will be devoted to
presentation of academic research. By bringing scholars together with
executives and experts from all parts of the children's television
landscape, the conference aims to explore, among other things: whether
local creativity in children's television programming in Arabic is
helped or hindered by the volume of dubbed imports; whether public
service elements in children's TV can set precedents for the rest of
Arab television; and whether there is credible evidence that
innovations in content and interactivity are meeting children's
educational and entertainment needs.
Suggested topics for research papers include, but are not restricted to, the following:
- Programme content - underlying values and assumptions
- Channel finance - implications of public service and commercial models
- Parent power - mechanisms for voicing preferences and concerns
- Young audiences - quantitative and qualitative insights
- Online games and virtual worlds - implications for children's broadcasting
- Merchandising - applicability and impact in the Arab context
- Animation - developing local skills and innovation
- Segmentation - are some groups of children overlooked?
The deadline for
abstracts is Monday, December 7th 2009. Abstracts should be between
150-350 words and should be sent to Dr Tarik Sabry at the Arab Media
Centre at amc-office@westminster.ac.uk and to Helen Cohen, Events Administrator for the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, at journalism@westminster.ac.uk
For further information contact journalism@westminster.ac.uk
International IRM-conference on "Migration and Family", University of Basel, 10-12 June 2010
Organizers of the
conference are the Institute for Regional and Migration Research (IRM,
Trier, Germany), the Centre de Documentation sur les Migrations
Humaines (CDMH, Dudelange, Luxembourg), the Institut Integration and
Participation of the School for Social Work FHNW (IIP, Olten,
Switzerland) and the Alpen-Adria-University, Department für
Cultural Sciences, Section for Intercultural Studies (Klagenfurt,
Austria).
The cfp is available at http://www.irm-trier.de/veranstaltungen_aktuell_e.htm.
Deadline for proposals: 15th of December 2009
Information and contact: www.irm-trier.de; Tagung2010@irm-trier.de
Fifth Beirut Exchange Program, June 14-28, 2010
In an effort to
further its commitment to promoting dialogue and understanding,
Mideastwire.com is pleased to announce the Fifth Beirut Exchange
program. It will engage students from around the world in a
multifaceted discussion of some of the key issues facing the region.
The Beirut Exchange program rests on three tracks:
Academic -
Participants will attend a series of lectures and colloquia led by
leading academics and public intellectuals. Topics will include:
International law in theory and practice in the Middle East; The United
Nations as peacekeeper and mediator; Engaging political Islam; Pax
Syriana in Lebanon; Asymmetrical conflict: the July 2006 Lebanon war;
The Dubai model and its impact on the Middle East.
Language -
Participants will have the option of attending 20 hours of Arabic
language instruction at the Saifi Institute for Arabic Language in
Beirut. Modules for both colloquial and formal Arabic will be available
at different levels.
Dialogue with
Leaders - Participants will have the opportunity to meet, listen and
engage social, political and economic leaders from across the spectrum
in Lebanon - with a particular (though not exclusive) emphasis on
exposure to leading Islamist and opposition currents.
Apply before April 15, 2010: To request a downloadable application or financial aid information, please email info@mideastwire.com.
To view Cal Perry's CNN report, visit:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2009/01/21/perry.lebanon.meet.hamas.cnn?iref=videosearch
International
Conference "Food, Power & Meaning In the Middle East and the
Mediterranean", Ben-Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel,15 - 16
June 2010
This workshop will
explore the ways in which the food and foodways partake in the
production, reproduction, negotiation and subversion of power and
meaning in the Middle East and Mediterranean. Papers are invited that
approach the culinary sphere as an active arena of cultural production,
that perceive of culinary artifacts as cultural icons that define
different aspects of identity and that highlight power and power
relations as tangible social forces.
The workshop will
be held in Ben Gurion University in Beer Sheva, Israel (in the English
language). Submission of Paper Proposals: Researchers (including
postgraduates and early career researchers), theoreticians and scholars
in the fields of anthropology, sociology, gastronomy, geography,
history, cultural studies, tourism, economics and political science who
deal with aspects related to food culture in the Middle East and the
Mediterranean are invited to submit a paper proposal (abstract) of some
250 words to Mr. Rafi Grosglik (rafig@bgu.ac.il).
Deadline for submission of all abstracts:1 February 2010. For more information please contact Dr. Nir Avieli (avieli@bgu.ac.il).
The 2010 Exeter Gulf Studies Conference: "The Challenge of Identity", Exeter University, 30 June - 3 July 2010
A cutting-edge
interdisciplinary conference exploring the multifarious challenges of
'identity' at all levels - political, economic, socio-cultural, and
international - as the GCC states, Iran, Iraq and Yemen undergo
paradigm-shifting but highly contrasting changes.
Key research questions to be addressed at this conference include:
- Comparative and Transnational Perspectives:
- The Domestic Level in Iran, Iraq & Yemen
- Regional Relations:
- The Gulf in the International Environment:
- The Gulf States and the Global Climate and Energy Debates
Suggested panels:
1. The GCC States: Traditional, Post-traditional, Neo-traditional, Modern?
2.
Emerging Post-Rentierism in the GCC? The Impact of, and on,
Identities and Socio-Economic Stratification
3. (Challenges to) National Identities in the GCC
4. Gender in the GCC: identity, economics and politics
5. Shia Communities in the Gulf
6. Human Biotechnologies in the Gulf: New representations, New Uses
7. The Gulf between Iran and the Arabs: mutual perceptions of each other and the region
8. Iran: an 'Islamic Republic' still? The identities of the Iranian policy
9. Iraq: Challenges of Identity
10. Material and Cultural Heritage in the Arabian Peninsula
11. The GCC states and the world: Changing identifications in the regional and global systems
12. Yemen: Contemporary Challenges
13. Climate Change and the Arabian Peninsula: Scenarios, Perceptions and Policy
14. Popular Culture and Identities in the Gulf
Abstracts or panel proposals with abstracts must be received by 1 March 2010 http://huss.exeter.ac.uk/iais/all-events/conferences/gulf-conf/
Submission is by
electronic means only, in Word format, 1.5-spaced, 12-point, with
footnotes and bibliography, to:Prof. Gerd Nonneman (Al-Qasimi Chair of
Gulf Studies): g.nonneman@ex.ac.uk
Those planning to
attend the conference may be interested to know that the Gulf Research
Centre branch at Cambridge (GRC-C) will be holding a Gulf Research
Meeting in Cambridge, 7-10 July 2010. The two conferences have linked
their activities on the basis of shared interests in the Gulf. The
Cambridge conference follows immediately after the Exeter one, enabling
participants to travel on to Cambridge in time for that meeting.
Those attending the
2010 Exeter Gulf Studies Conference may also wish to note the EXCEPS
Conference (Exeter Centre for Ethnopolitical Studies) that immediately
precedes it, 27-30 June.
Juli 2010
Workshop
"The Impact of Migration on Gulf Development and Stability"
during Gulf Research Meeting 2010, Cambridge University, UK, 7-10
July 2010
This workshop is organised by Philippe Fargues and Nasra Shah. Deadline for papers 15 December 2009.
Further information on the workshop and Migration in the Gulf at http://grcevent.net/cambridge/pdf/workshop12_proposal.pdf
Information on the Gulf Research Meeting 2010 at http://grcevent.net/cambridge/index.php
Deuxième
Colloque international de l´Association internationale des
sociologues de langue française: "Professions et métiers
dans le monde méditerranéen", Casablanca, 8 et 9 juillet
2010
Organisé en
coopération avec L'École Hassania des Travaux Publics de
Casablanca. Date limite d'envoi des propositions de communications : 30
novembre 2009
Elles doivent
comporter le titre de la communication, un résumé de la
communication (de 20 lignes maximum plus la bibliographie), le nom de
l'auteur, son statut académique, son adresse mail et l'adresse
postale de son organisme d'appartenance. Elles sont à adresser
par fichier électronique sous format rtf ou .doc en
précisant en objet « CR 32, Casablanca, 2010 »
à l'adresse suivante : grazia.scarfo@gmail.com
Pour tout renseignement: Grazia Scarfo` Ghellab, grazia.scarfo@gmail.com, tél. (212) 537 63 81 39 ; (212) 663 36 89 49
Panel: "The
Political Economy of New Tourism Mobilities in the MENA Region", Third
Word Congress for Middle Eastern Studies (WOCMES) - Barcelona, 19-24
July 2010
Abstract: The journal Mobilities states that contemporary "mobilities
encompasse both the large-scale movements of people, objects, capital,
and information across the world, as well as more local processes of
daily transportation, movement through public space, and the travel of
material things within everyday life. Recent developments in
transportation and communications infrastructures, along with new
social and cultural practices of mobility have elicited a number of new
research initiatives for understanding the connections between these
diverse mobilities."
In the last ten years new trends and dynamics of tourism mobilities in
the MENA region have been noticed: the boom of intra-regional tourisms,
the dramatic increase in intra-regional FDI in tourism services,
neo-liberal urban restructuring of tourism places and spaces, the
establishment of various new intraregional transportation
infrastructure and so on. While numerous trends have been driven by
decisions taken at the political level, others express growing
profit-oriented investments strategies. For example the Libyan
investments in Tunisia and Egypt are seen as result of the new
political orientation of the country.
Beyond investments, the visa-issuing policies and the establishment of
new transportation infrastructures reflect new strategies of tourism
regulatory frameworks that need to be examined. For example, on the one
hand, Iranians cannot travel to Egypt and Jordan due to visa
restrictions, but they are more than welcome in the UAE, Syria and
Iraq. Turkey and Lebanon have established a no-visa regime for visitors
from GCC countries and Jordan.
Furthermore, new developments in communications have also elicited new
intraregional connections between both migrants and tourists within and
outside the MENA region. Such connections are, of course, emphatically
gendered as well as structured by different ethnic backgrounds and
shared heritages. These heritages bring to the fore the material nature
of many tourism mobilities in terms of the movement of everyday things
that become important to sustain the political economy of tourism.
This panel, thus, aims to discuss from a political economy perspective
the various new tourism mobilities in the MENA region and seeks
submissions that take up the above dimensions in order to explore the
diverse economic, communicational, material and migrational experiences
of tourism mobilities.
For participation please send a short abstract of 300 words per email to the organizers:
- Dr. Ala Al-Hamarneh - University of Mainz- Germany, a.al-hamarneh@geo.uni-mainz.de
- Professor Kevin Hannam - University of Sunderland- UK, Kevin.hannam@sunderland.ac.uk
- Professor Marcus Stephenson - Middlesex University Dubai - UAE, m.stephenson@mdx.ac
Call for Papers on "Cultural Tourism in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Countries", WOCMES, Barcelona, 19-24 July, 2010
This is a panel
session of the 3rd World Congress for Middle Eastern Studies (WOCMES).
The panel seeks to address, explore and exchange information on the
state-of-the-art of cultural tourism in the Mediterranean and Middle
Eastern countries. Also, and based on practical experience, it also
attempts to suggest achievable and balanced solutions for the
unsustainable current approaches to develop and manage cultural
touristic resources.
Key themes of interest addressed at the panel include:
- Cultural tourism national/regional policies
- Cultural tourism networks
- Cultural tourism public-private alliances
- Cultural tourism market
- Cultural tourism indicators
- World Heritage cultural sites and tourism
- Intangible heritage and cultural tourism
- Museums and cultural tourism
- Tourism management of cultural routes
- Community-based cultural tourism
- Cultural tourism and interpretation, management, planning, design, and evaluation
-
Cultural tourism best practices examples: destinations, heritage sites,
cultural landscapes, cultural routes, intangible heritage, museums,
festivals, cultural and creative industries,...
Co-ordinators:
Ya'qoob S. Al-Busaidi, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat (Sultanate of Oman)
Mohamed Berriane, Université Mohammed V-Agdal, Rabat (Moroco)
Wided Majdoub, Université de Sousse, Sousse (Tunisia)
Oumar Mohamed Sy, OTC-Mali, Spanish Agency for International Cooperation to Development -AECID, Bamako (Mali)
Mohamed Hassan Talebian, Parse-Pasargadae Research Center, Tehran (Iran)
Jordi Tresserras, Cultural Tourism Program - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona (Spain)
We hope to unite
experts, to exchange new ideas, to strengthen and to build a regional
and global network for joint research and future projects.
The working languages of the panel will be English and French.
Authors are
requested to submit an abstract of 300 words with the title, name(s),
institution, address, email and keywords. Send to ibertur@gmail.com.
Deadline is 30th October 2009, but early submissions will be gratefully
received.
Papers presented
will be considered for publication in a special issue of the Cultural
Tourism Collection published by IBERTUR and Universitat de Barcelona.
The publication of the papers will be in Arabic, Spanish, English and
French with abstracts in the working languages.
In order to register to WOCMES, please fill in the registration form in the web site: http://wocmes.iemed.org
Information: Dr. Jordi Tresserras - Co-ordinator of the Cultural Tourism Program, Universitat de Barcelona - ibertur@gmail.com
Symposium
"Re-conceptualising Gender in the Middle East", during 3rd World
Congress for Middle Eastern Studies (WOCMES), Barcelona, Spain, 19-24
July 2010
The issue of gender
identities in the Middle East is once again being instrumentalized as
part of global and Middle Eastern geo-political struggles. From US
rhetoric claiming to support Middle East women's 'empowerment' to the
rise of Islamist movements and their particular emphasis on gender
propriety, imagery of women and definitions of gender relations are
demarcating the battle lines in the so-called war against terror.
Against this
backdrop, it becomes urgent for academics to challenge this
polarization in the conceptualisation of gender identities and gender
relations within the Middle East and to draw attention to the
multiplicity and historicity of gender in the region. This
multi-disciplinary symposium will outline transformations in gender
identities and relations within a diversity of spheres from political
discourses to popular culture and in a variety of Middle Eastern
geographic locations, including diasporic spaces, over different
historical periods.
The emphasis will
be on examining the concrete political, economic and social processes
that give rise to changing conceptualisations of gender in the Middle
East, understanding gender not only in terms of women/femininities but
also in terms of men/masculinities and in recognising the
intersectionality of gender identities.
Symposium papers
will form the basis for a published edited volume/special journal
issue. Send an abstract of your proposed paper of 300-400 words and a
one-page CV/resume, by email, to: Dr Nicola Pratt, Lecturer in
Comparative Politics and International Relations, University of East
Anglia, Norwich England (n.pratt@uea.ac.uk and
nicolachristine@yahoo.com thereafter. CFP deadline for this symposium:
September 1, 2009. For information, visit:
http://www.wocmes.org/wocmes/.
Symposium
"Peace in Turkey", during 3rd World Congress for Middle Eastern Studies
(WOCMES), Barcelona, Spain, 19-24 July 2010
After a period of
reform, there are now signs that Turkey is slipping back towards the
"bad days" of the 1990s. Rising violence levels, a series of
scandals implicating the "deep" state, retrogressive reforms to the
judicial system and an apparent rise in the military's presence in
south-east Turkey may all be reasons to be pessimistic about the future.
On the other hand,
the AKP government's extraordinary popularity, coupled with its less
supine approach to staff command, its inclusion of representatives from
Turkey's traditional "out-groups" (notably Kurdish parliamentarians and
the overtly religious) and its vigorous human rights discourse, could
be construed as a basis for greater sanguinity.
This symposium will
look at these dissident groups, the organization and execution of
disorder/protest/political violence, the sociology and ideology of
active organizations and the role of external actors (neighbouring
states, European diasporas etc). It will also consider the Turkish
state's response to domestic dissent. Over the last 30 years, Ankara
has been very heavily criticized for an apparent failure to investigate
human rights abuses adequately and, in some cases, for its direct
involvement in extra-judicial violence. Successive governments have,
however, argued that they have introduced economic and political
reforms that have met most of their critics' demands.
Thus this symposium
will also look at the organization and implementation of
counter-insurgency activities, the notion of "state terrorism", the
relationship between civilian and military elements of the state in
devising policy and the influence of the "global war on terror".
Finally, it will
include a consideration of prospects of "peace" in Turkey. This might
include likely directions in the military's political role, the
prospects for further constitution reform, EU membership, greater
decentralization and local representation, the impact of continued
marketization of the public sector and the current reform of
agricultural production and changes in minority identity, religious
expression and the rise of what's been called "neo" nationalism. Submit
a 300-word (max.) abstract, to: Dr Tim Jacoby, University of Manchester
tim.jacoby@manchester.ac.uk; http://www.sed.manchester.ac.uk/downloads/WOCMES2010_callforpapers.pdf). CFP deadline for this symposium: September 25, 2009.
Panel:
"Islamism as Nationalism: The Nationalist Roots of Islamic Thought and
Islamic Movements in the Modern Arab World", during Third World
Congress for Middle Eastern Studies (WOCMES), Barcelona, 19-24 July 2010
The relationship
between Islamic thought and nationalism in the Arab world has been a
controversial one. For long, Islamism and nationalism were considered
as incompatible and as rivals in the field of political ideology. Later
studies have shown that Islamists in the late nineteenth century, and
Salafis in particular, contributed to the birth and development of
Arabism but that Arab nationalism later on developed outside of a
religious framework. Recently, Islamism and nationalism have been
featured as two movements with common roots and with a common destiny.
This panel, while
acknowledging all the contributions made to highlight the interlink
between nationalism and Islamism, seeks to analyze Islamism AS
nationalism. Islamism, as a political movement deploying a
religious discourse, is analyzed in this context neither as a precursor
to nationalism nor as a parallel movement with similar features to
nationalism but rather as one of the nationalist movements that emerged
in twentieth century Arab world.
The organizers of this panel to take place at WOCMES in Barcelona (see http://wocmes.iemed.org/en/home)
seek contributions that fit this theme and highlight the nationalist
features and characters of Islamist movements. The presentations can be
theoretical or can pertain to specific case-studies that analyze the
manifestations of Islamism as nationalism. They can be in either French
or English.
If interested, please forward abstracts to Rachid Ouaissa ouaissa@staff.uni-marburg.de. Deadline to submit abstracts is 1 October 2009.
Panel:
"Globalization of Higher Education in the Arab World - Challenges and
Chances", Third World Congress for Middle Eastern Studies (WOCMES),
Barcelona 19-24 July 2010
The economic
liberalization of social services (education, health care, pensions) in
the majority of the Arab countries has been progressing along three
tracks; privatization, internationalization and strengthening of state
supervision. The policies match the general global stance of opening
local markets for international trade and direct investments (GATS,
WTO) and cutting public expenditures, both of which are embedded in the
discourse of neo-liberal globalization. The exceptional regional
element in comparison with global trends is that the economic
liberalization is not accompanied by political liberalization,
de-centralization and deregulation. On the contrary, the first
steps towards political liberalization that were taken in the 90s have
been dismissed to a great degree in the name of security and stability.
Education has
remained one of the most state-controlled fields in the Arab World.
Nevertheless, the higher educational sector has been partially
economically liberalized to meet the demographic pressure, the
technological demands, the financial constrains and the economic
diversification strategies. The conflict between free market policies
and state control has been to a great extent resolved by implementing
special plans of liberalization of individual sectors and innovative
models of cooperation between the state, private investors and
international partners. A free economic zone of higher education
(Dubai), state owned branches of international universities (Qatar, Abu
Dhabi), restricted internationalization (Jordan, Tunisia, Syria) and
locally registered joint-ventures (Egypt) demonstrate the richness of
the modes of global cooperation and economic liberalization in the
region.The process of globalization of higher education in the Arab
world has provoked the questioning of numerous "side effects"
tendencies and dilemmas; the boom of the English language as an
instruction language; the gender (de)segregation in private and
internationalized colleges; the weakening of national identity building
in international colleges; the commercialization of higher education;
the strategies and aims of export of higher education by developed
countries, etc.
The panel aims, on
the one hand, to explore the ongoing processes of globalization in the
higher education sectors in the Arab countries in terms of models,
modes and mechanisms of internationalization and global cooperation. On
the other hand, the panel addresses various social impacts of the
existing models and forms on the students, universities, development
and economic strategies and societies in large.
Please send per
email an abstract of 300 words including name, affiliation and title no
later than the 30th of November 2009 to Dr. Ala Al-Hamarneh, CERAW,
Unversity of Mainz, a.al-hamarneh@geo.uni-mainz.de
"Urban
Spaces of Identity versus Spaces of Urban Identity in the Arab World",
World Congress for Middel Eastern Studies (WOCMES), Barcelona, 19-23
July 2010
Various urban
development projects have been changing the structures and the pictures
of the major Arab cities in the last decade. The scale and scope of the
projects vary from restoration and renovation of medieval urban
heritage (Cairo, Damascus, Marrakesh) or re-planning and
re-constructing of city centers (Beirut) to such large scale projects
and plans that develop new urbanities (New Cairo, Dubai, Abu Dhabi).
The urban re-construction processes are not predominantly products of
rulers' visions and architectural visualizations but rather are
outcomes of economical, political and social dynamics and interactions.
The question of
city/urban identity is highly addressed in all these plans and
projects; especially the notions of "modernity", "globalism", "Orient",
"progress" and "heritage" are frequently used and out-lined. The need
for urban infrastructural innovation and development is embedded in the
highly speculative economy of construction, the shifts in the political
structures, the state governance, the expansion of the GCC construction
capital, the increasing social gaps and the rising intraregional and
interregional migration. The global cultural domination of the North
American city planning and image as well as its local pioneer
modifications in Dubai, Riyadh and Kuwait City (shopping malls, gated
communities, transit and by-pass highways, commodification and
museumification of cultural heritage, ethnic segregation, privatization
of public spaces) are challenging the urban heritage and the social
fabrics of the Arab city.
Urban spaces are
supposed to present the identity of a city and to reflect the
collective identity of the city's main social groups. The up-down
practices of planning and implementing urban developments in the Arab
world generally do not include public participation and democratic
mechanisms of design making. Established and emerging social groups are
loosing their "rooted" urban spaces in favor of huge reconstructions.
The new developed urbanities are lacking the ability to deliver spaces
of alternative belonging. The cities' urban spaces are becoming more
fragmented, "exchangeable" and less authentic. In the context of
globalization and post-modernity, partially, similar phenomena may be
noticed in democratic industrialized countries. Nevertheless, the
question of scale, intensity, participation and socio-economic
standards gives the developments in the Arab world a different
character.
The panel aims to
attract papers dealing with factors and backgrounds of urban design,
governance of urban planning, spatial reflections and interactions of
identities, urban presentations and images in the Arab worlds as well
as papers dealing with theoretical aspects of spatial identities in
general.
Please submit an Abstract of 300 words by the 10th of December to Dr. Nadine Scharfenort (n.scharfenort@geo.uni-mainz.de) or Dr. Ala Al-Hamarneh (a.al-hamarneh@geo.uni-mainz.de). For information on WOCMES see http://wocmes.iemed.org/
Panel:
"Rethinking the Mediterranean: New Perspectives on Interaction between
'us' and 'them'", World Congress for Middel Eastern Studies (WOCMES),
Barcelona, 19-23 July 2010
This panel will
focus on various processes of interaction with and within the Middle
East and North Africa (MENA) region. The overarching aim is to overcome
the traditional role models that dominate the interregional discourse
in northern as much as in southern Mediterranean countries. We can
learn a lot about political realities if we analyze the logic of action
of relevant political actors within their social environment. While the
first part of the panel will address the topic from a conceptual and
theoretical perspective, the second part approaches the same issue
through empirical case studies.
The analytical
focus is on patterns of interaction between governmental institutions,
economic entrepreneurs, religious groups and other diverse groupings.
Their complex - individual and/or collective - logic of action,
determined by a multitude of interrelated parameters like political and
economic interests, norms and values, is in the center of the research.
This may also include academic discourses such as "democratic peace",
"securitization" or "neo-colonialism". Since interaction does not
happen outside time and space, social and political contexts on a
global, regional and local level have to be considered as well as
institutional and legal frameworks of interaction and the specific
rationale of organizations.
This diversified
analytical approach transcends the established perception of
interregional relations as mainly intergovernmental and as
predominantly driven by particular interests of national and/ or
regional powers. Popular notions like 'dominance' or 'partnership'
might change their meaning if interests and strategies of actors that
are neither 'north' nor 'south' are taken into account. This does not
mean that notions of power, dominance or exploitation will become
irrelevant. However, we believe that interregional relations are much
more complex and truly interdependent than the prevalent discourse with
its focus on 'south' versus 'north'.
For the first part
of the panel we ask for papers addressing this issue or certain aspects
of the issue from different theoretical perspectives. Papers for the
second part should address the issue by case studies on countries and/
or policies.
Please submit
an abstract of 300 words by 1 December to Prof. Dr. Annette Juenemann,
Institute for International Relations, Helmut-Schmidt Universitaet
Hamburg, annette.juenemann@hsuhh.de. For inormation on WOCMES see http://wocmes.iemed.org/
Panel:
"The Global Financial Crisis and the Arab World: Impact, Challenges and
Chances", World Congress for Middle Eastern Studies (WOCMES),
Barcelona, July 19th - 24th 2010
This panel is
organised by Loewe Markus and Brach Juliane, German Development
Institute and GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies.
The global
financial crisis has not spared the Arab world. It has manifold effects
on economic, social and political development. Many of these effects
will have a negative impact even on the long run adding to the
well-known structural problems under which the Arab countries already
suffer today. This WOCMES panel is meant to bring together and
discuss empirical evidence on the significance of the different effects
of the crisis as well as to discuss what the Arab states can and should
do to take the crisis as a chance rather than a challenge.
The call for papers is open until December 15, 2010.
Please register at http://forms.wocmes.org/en/paper/ with reference to this panel or send a short description of your paper (max. 400 words) directly to markus.loewe@die-gdi.de.
Panel
"The Dom: Examining the Current Research Trends Across the Middle East
and North Africa", World Congress for Middle Eastern Studies (WOCMES),
Barcelona, 19-24 July 2010.
The Dom are an
often forgotten minority who have lived in the MENA region for hundreds
of years. Across the region they have faced social, economic and
political disenfranchisement. Issues of poverty and discrimination have
combined to create barriers to greater inclusion and involvement in the
societies which they reside. In 1908 it was written that little
research had been done on the Asiatic Gypsies. This situation has
improved little in the hundred years since.
Limited research
has resulted in a lack of analysis of the social, political and
economic inter-actions of this ethnic group with the wider societies in
the region. That said, over the past ten years there has been an
increasing awareness among scholars. This panel will explore some of
the current research and research trends. The combination of these two
factors, general disenfranchisement and limited research, creates a
necessity to raise awareness about the issues faced by members of this
ethnic minority, as well as encourage greater academic research with
the Dom.
This panel
represents an opportunity for scholars to come together to share their
research of the Dom with others. It is also a chance to encourage those
with an interest in the MENA region to begin to address the issues
facing this group in earnest. The individual papers presented at this
panel can cover a wide range of disciplines, but the panel as a whole,
is aimed at raising awareness, sharing good practice and information,
and presenting the current trends in research with the Dom.
Please send your proposal to Scott Phillips at pscottphillips@hotmail.com before 15 February 2010 (please use this form: http://wocmes.iemed.org/uploads/20091020/Individual_Paper_form.rtf).
For more information on this panel visit: http://wocmes.iemed.org/en/prelim-dom
Congress Home page: http://wocmes.iemed.org/
Conference: "Seminar for Arabian Studies Conference", British Museum, London, 22-24 July 2010
The Seminar for
Arabian Studies is the only international forum which meets annually
for the presentation of the latest academic research in the humanities
on the Arabian Peninsula (including archaeology, epigraphy,
ethnography, language, history, art etc.) from the earliest times to
the present day or, in the case of political and social history, to the
end of the Ottoman Empire (1922). The Proceeding of the Seminar for
Arabian Studies is published the following year in time for the next
Seminar.
If you wish to
offer a paper, please send a 200-word abstract before 15 February 2010
for consideration to seminar.arab@durham.ac.uk. Abstracts submitted
after the deadline may be accepted, rejected or suggested as a poster
contribution at the discretion of the organizers. The abstract must
include:
1) the name(s) and full contact details (affiliation(s)) of the contributor(s)
2) the title of the proposed paper
3) set out what the paper intends to cover
4) the approach it will take
5) indicate the significance of the topic
Due to the limited
time available for the programme, and the increasing number of
abstracts we receive there is no guarantee that all papers will be
accepted. As in previous years we can normally only accept one paper
from any given project.
All abstracts
received by the February deadline will be considered by the Steering
Committee in early March and will be selected on the basis of quality,
originality, and importance of the topic. Details of the Seminar will
be posted on our website, www.arabianseminar.org.uk, soon and further information will be sent out in April once the provisional programme has been organized.
International
Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, “Quran and Islamic
Tradition in Comparative Perspective”, Tartu, Estonia, 25-29 July
2010
Suggested topics
might include, but are not limited to, biblical themes in the Quran and
Muslim literature; the relationships between Jewish, Christian, and
Muslim exegetical traditions; the various discursive expressions of
intercommunal exchange and relations, including both dialogue and
polemic; Islam in European discourse; and Muslim cultural, religious,
social, and political life in the West.
Proposals for panels or individual papers can be submitted online here.
The deadline for submission of proposals is 31 January 2010.
Further information mpregill@elon.edu
Conference: "The Alexander Romance in the East", Exeter, July 26-29, 2010
The University of
Exeter's Department of Classics and Ancient History and the Institute
of Arab and Islamic Studies will be hosting a conference at Exeter
which sets out to explore issues and growth points in the study of the
Greek Alexander Romance and its transformations in the Persian and Arab
traditions, as well as aspects of the Hebrew tradition as it impinges
on the Muslim world. For more details see our website,
http://huss.exeter.ac.uk/classics/conferences/alexander_romance_in_the_east.php
Topics will include:
-The development of the Greek tradition and its texts, from the Hellenistic to the Byzantine period
- The historical impact of Alexander on the east and Central Asia
- Mapping Alexander and the east in the medieval west
- Alexander in the Qur'an and in the Arabic romances
- Persian versions of Alexander
- Specific stories - including the Water of Life, the Flying Machine, the Diving Bell, the encounter with the Brahmans
A number of
scholars have agreed to speak, but we have room for more. To offer
a paper, or for information about attending the conference,
please contact
Richard Stoneman at
the Department of Classics and Ancient History, University of Exeter,
AmoryBuilding, Rennes Drive, Exeter EX4 4RJ, UK: richard14stoneman@btinternet.com OR R.Stoneman@exeter.ac.uk
Abstracts of proposed papers should be sent to richard14stoneman@btinternet.com by 31st January 2010.
August 2010
The
Qur’an and Tafsir Academy: "The Culture of the Qur'an and Tafsir
Studies in Ottoman Period (13th-18th Centuries)", Istanbul, 2-6 August
2010
“The Qur’an and Tafsir Academy” is funded by Ilim
Yayma Foundation aimed at providing a support for academicians who work
on the Qur’anic studies. The aim of the program is to promote PhD
candidates and also post-doctoral scholars. The applicant's doctorate
should have been completed no earlier than 2005. Twenty young
scholars will be given the opportunity to present and discuss their
current research dealing with the annual subject of the academy.
The period of study covers the beginning of Ottomans in 13th
century and ending in 18th century. Geographically, it includes the
Balkans, Anatolia, the Arab and Muslim World where was ruled by
Ottomans. Tafsir literatures written in Turkish, Arabic and Persian
will be open for discussion in this program.
The Academy invites applications of doctoral and postdoctoral
researches in Qur’anic studies, Art, Social and Cultural History,
Middle Eastern Studies and Political Science.
The language of the program is Turkish. The application should be
received no later than 31st of December 2009 and sent by email to: yazakademisi@gmail.com
Information: www.iyv.org.tr ; www.tefsir.gen.tr
Summer
School: "New Western Iranian and Early Judaeo-Persian Dialectology",
Department of Iranian Studies, University of Hamburg, Germany. 16-27
August 2010
This Summer School
addresses students, PhD candidates, etc., in Iranian Studies,
Linguistics or related subjects. The course offers an intensive
two-week instruction in New Western Iranian Dialectology and in Early
Judaeo-Persian. We would like to give students the rare opportunity of
an interesting insight into these fields, which are under-represented
in most universities. Besides, the Summer School offers background
information on the cultural aspects of the Iranian Linguistics.
The Summer School
is held in the framework of the research project "West Iranian
Dialectology and Early New Persian: the linguistic situation in Iran
during the 8th - 11th centuries", a cooperation of Dr. Thamar Gindin,
Dr. Agnes Korn and Prof. Dr. Ludwig Paul, and is generously supported
by the Minerva Foundation (Max-Planck-Gesellschaft).
The Summer School
will be hosted by the Institute of Iranian Studies at the University of
Hamburg. Participants can receive credit points, ECTS (European Credit
Transfer System).
Application is now possible. Closing date is January the 31st, 2010. For more details, see http://www.aai.uni-hamburg.de/iranschool/
Network
Meeting: "Anthropology of the Middle East and Central Eurasia (Russia,
the Caucasus, Central Asia, China)", 11th EASA Biennial
Conference, Maynooth, Ireland, 24-27th August 2010
In spite of the
difficulties of the terrain, it seems that students of the social
sciences, especially anthropologists and ethnographers, are
increasingly developing research projects and carrying out fieldwork on
different aspects of modern and contemporary societies in the Middle
East and Central Eurasia.
While in these two
areas of the world varying populations live with correspondingly
varying religious beliefs, everyday assumptions and orientations, and
political concerns, many groups also have common traditions, inherit
from common pasts, and exhibit similar behaviors.Today, people of
contemporary Middle Eastern and Eurasian societies, whether in dominant
or minority groups, can arguably be seen as constitutive of a larger
society, composed of distinct ethnicities.
In this part of the
world, the three main Abrahamic and monotheistic faiths - Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam - have been, for about 1,300 years,
historically and cosmologically intertwined, as well as in constant
communication with more local faiths and streams of tradition. It is
also the case that different regions in these two parts of the world
have long-standing and significant historical connections. However,
from 1979, particularly with onset of the Iranian Revolution (in
February) and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (in December), the
West's shift in foreign policies towards these regions has had visible
impact. The recent long wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and increasing
political, religious, and ethnic clashes in the different regions of
the Middle East and Central Eurasia, signal that more geopolitical
changes in these regions are forthcoming.
Under such present
conditions of conflict and transformation, anthropologists have plenty
of work to do, and may yet contribute to a better understanding of
complex problems and their resolution.
Given these
considerations, we regard it necessary and good to create and sustain a
network of like-minded and interested anthropologists working on a
diversity of aspects of modern and contemporary societies in the Middle
East and Central Eurasia, including those who work on minority groups,
or on religious themes. We invite you to come and participate in our
first network meeting, which will be held during the 11th EASA Biennial
Conference in Maynooth, Ireland, 24th to 27th of August 2010 (www.easaonline.org).
Those interested in
adhering to the list before this date may contact: Dr. Pedram
Khosronejad, Department of Social Anthropology, University of St.
Andrews, Email: pedram.khosronejad@st-andrews.ac.uk
September 2010
10ème
Conférence internationale sur l'histoire urbaine: "Les
Communautés migratrices et l'espace urbain dans les ports
méditerranéens, XVIIe-XIXe siècle", Gand/Belgique,
1er- 4 septembre 2010
Les propositions de papier doivent être soumises sur : www.eauh2010.ugent.be/registration entre les 1er octobre et 1er décembre 2009.
International Summer University Course "Shi'ism in the Contemporary World", Tehran, September 10-30, 2010
Imam Sadiq
University (ISU) is a Tehran-based private university with a focus on
human sciences. Offering a wide range of undergraduate and
post-graduate courses on politics, economics, management, culture and
communication, law, and Islamic theology, the ISU is ranked amongst the
first-grade universities in Iran in the field of human sciences, due to
its very professional and experienced faculty and elite students. The
ISU is also distinguished for its unique characteristic of combining
classical university programs with traditional religious studies. To
maintain this goal, the ISU uses the most modern teaching methods and
equipment, and more importantly, has a select faculty of graduates from
top Western and Iranian universities and Islamic clerical academies.
Located in
the capital of the most populous Shi'ite country in the world, the ISU
is the ideal place to explore the Shi'ite and Iranian cultures. Given
the increasing need and interest among academics, scholars, and policy
analysts from all over the world to learn about the content of Shi'ite
beliefs, the ISU summer course provides the best opportunity for those
who have a thirst to obtain first-hand and accurate knowledge about
Shi'ism in general, and on the evolution of Shi'ite thought and
practice in the modern world, in particular. The objective of the
course is to provide the theoretical foundations for the understanding
of Shi'ism in the contemporary context and promotion of Shi'ite studies
in academic areas. Scholars, researchers, and students of international
relations, political science, Middle East studies, geopolitics,
history, social sciences, theology and religious studies, philosophy,
and law are particularly encouraged to participate. The language of the
course is English. All nationalities and scholars at all levels will be
welcome.
Themes of the
course will include "Shi'ism and contemporary methods of ijtehad,"
"Shi'ite approaches to Qur'an and Hadith," "modern geopolitics of the
Shi'a," "Shi'ite political theory and thought," "Shi'ite social and
cultural history," and "Shi'ism versus globalization" (i.e. Shi'ite
understandings of modern international relations, modern economy, and
modern law). Lectures will be given by a select group of experts and
professors of the field in the total of 72 hours (course-works will be
offered during 12 days/ 6 hours a day).
The ISU summer
course participants will also have the privilege of visiting several
Iranian cities (including Qom and Isfahan) on a one-week tour organized
by the program. The ISU will also provide all summer course
participants with proper accommodations in Tehran and during the
expeditions. All costs will be included in the tuitions fee. A
certificate of participation will be awarded by ISU upon completion of
the course.
If you are
interested, or if you have any questions and queries regarding this
summer course, please contact Dr. Mahdi Ahouie, the course coordinator,
at mahdiahouie@yahoo.com or summercourse@isu.ac.ir
You will then
receive the application form and other information through email. The
deadline for sending applications is March 1st, 2010. The ISU
encourages intending applicants to apply early.
International Conference: “The Turks and Islam”, Indiana Univ., Bloomington, IN, USA, 11 Sept. 2010
The Indiana
University Ottoman and Modern Turkish Studies Chair will host this
multidisciplinary international conference which will explore the many
aspects of the Turkic-speaking peoples' interactions with Islam
throughout the centuries. Scholars, independent researchers, and
advanced graduate students of all disciplines are encouraged to send
paper proposals (approximately 200
words) along with brief CVs to Professor Kemal Silay (tsp@indiana.edu).
All papers presented at the conference will be considered for
publication in an edited volume. Deadline for proposals: May 1, 2010.
Fifth
International Conference on the Peoples of the Red Sea Region Red Sea
V: "Navigated spaces, connected places", Institute of Arab &
Islamic Studies, University of Exeter, 16-19 Sept. 2010
The MARES Project
at the Institute of Arab & Islamic Studies (IAIS), University of
Exeter, is delighted to host the tenth anniversary conference of the
Red Sea Project series, founded by the Society for Arabian Studies. The
conference will be held in the beautiful surroundings of the IAIS and
city of Exeter, and will coincide with a Dhow Exhibition to be held at
the Institute.
Interested scholars
are invited to submit abstracts of up to 500 words to the Organising
Committee on the archaeology, anthropology, ethnography, history and
language of the peoples of the Red Sea region from the earliest times
to the present day. The organisers particularly encourage papers
addressing movement, navigation and land/seascape on the Red Sea,
including:
* Maritime networks, seafaring, navigation and ports.
* Boatbuilding traditions and technologies.
* Trade and material contact across the sea.
* Sacred space and pilgrimage.
* Identity among maritime communities.
Please send all abstracts and proposals to redseav@exeter.ac.uk
before 1 March 2010. The organising committee comprises Prof Dionisius
Agius, Dr John Cooper, Dr Chiara Zazzaro, Julian Jansen van Rensburg,
Lucy Semaan and Ms Beata Faracik. For further information: http://projects.exeter.ac.uk/mares/conferences.htm
International
and Interdisciplinary Conference: "Health, Culture and the Human Body:
Epidemiology, Ethics and History of Medicine, Perspectives from Central
Europe and Turkey", Mainz, Germany, 17-19 September 2010
The face of
medicine is rapidly evolving: New developments in medicine, preventive
and therapeutic interventions are raising novel ethical questions in
societies undergoing fast demographic change at home while
participating in global interactions through travel and migration.
Throughout history, the perception of health and illness and the
ethical assessment of medical practices have often been different
between diverse value-cultures. This may affect the responses to
well-established themes in medicine, such as the control of infectious
diseases, attitudes towards a person’s death, or culturally
specific approaches to dealing with the integrity of the human body.
Consequently, these ethical considerations have given rise to complex
ethical debates resulting in different legal regulations of these
developments in different countries.
The international
conference will focus on selected cases from Turkey, Germany, and other
countries. These countries have been closely connected by substantial
migration processes for some fifty years. Historically, these countries
were linked by medical sciences and clinical practice. These
interactions will be analysed jointly from historical, epidemiological,
and ethical perspectives, paving the way for the implementation of an
interdisciplinary "medicine studies" approach in the field of
intercultural and migration medicine.
The chosen thematic
areas are: infectious diseases (e.g., plague, leprosy, cholera,
tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS) the end of life (e.g., patient autonomy vs.
family autonomy, advance directives, active and passive euthanasia,
palliative care) dealing with the human body (e.g., anatomical
research, organ donation, biomaterial in international studies)
migration and medicine.
Abstracts (max. 250
words) of proposed conference papers need to be submitted by 31 January
2010, to the attention of Ilhan Ilkilic MD PhD, E-Mail: ilkilic@uni-mainz.de
Organising institutions: Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Medical Centre (Germany) and Istanbul University (Turkey).
Further information www.healthandculture2010.de
31st
German Oriental Studies Congress and 17th International Congress of the
German Middle East Studies Association (DAVO), Marburg, 20-24 September
2010
On behalf of the
board of the Deutsche Morgenländische Gesellschaft (DMG, German
Oriental Studies Society), we kindly invite you to the 31st German
Oriental Studies Congress. The Congress is convened regularly every
three years. The event will take place in Marburg, September 20-24,
2010, after a 60-year break since the last Congress in this town. The
decision to hold the most important congress of German Oriental Studies
in Marburg has been prompted by the recent establishment of the Center
for Near and Middle Eastern Studies. Now we are happy to welcome you
back to this nice romantic town.
The 17th
International Congress of the German Middle East Studies Association
(DAVO) will be held within the frame of the German Oriental Studies
Congress. 19 sections with several related fields will be represented.
We expect up to 1000 participants who will have the opportunity to
present their research to a wide academic public. Our Motto "Mirroring
- Projection - Reflexion" emphasizes the necessity to challenge
continuously contents and methods of Oriental studies.
Deadline for the registration at a reduced fee: 1 April 2010.
Deadline for the registration of papers and panels: 1 July 2010.
The congress is
organized by the Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies of the
Philipps-Universität Marburg. The organizational team consists of
Leslie Tramontini, Stefan Weninger and Christoph Werner
Registration and further information http://www.dot2010.de/
The registration is
done by first setting up a user account. This allows you to register
for a lecture or panel even at a later time; it also facilitates
updating your personal data any time you like. We kindly ask you for
early registration to facilitate planning the program. Please consider
the scaled participation fees.
Panel: "Der Mehrwert des Literarischen", Deutscher Orientalistentag/DAVO-Kongress, 20.-24. September 2010
Literatur ist
gerade auch im Nahen und Mittleren Osten einer der wichtigsten Orte
kulturellen Gedächtnisses und kreativer Verarbeitung
zeitgenössischer Realitäten. Ihr Studium eröffnet
Einblicke in der Forschung anders kaum zugängliche Bereiche der
Erinnerung und des Erlebens, bietet Zugänge zu den
Gefühlswelten von Menschen in ihren lebensweltlichen
Zusammenhängen und ermöglicht so ein vertieftes
Verständnis von – durchaus auch handlungsbestimmenden
– Denkstrukturen, Ansichten, Emotionen.
Dennoch ist der
Nahe und Mittlere Osten weithin nach wie vor “an exclusively
sociological area where humanities never happen” (V.Holbrook),
werden literaturwissenschaftliche Befunde im Vergleich zu den
‘harten’ Fakten der Politologen, Soziologen oder Historiker
kaum ernstgenommen, und sowohl universitär als auch
außerakademisch führen nah-/mittelöstliche
Literaturwissenschaften ein Schattendasein. Akzeptiert werden sie
allenfalls als Zulieferer oder Ergänzer.
In einer derart
marginalisierten Position ist es nicht nur wichtig, die Autonomie der
Literaturwissenschaften und deren Eigenwert zu unterstreichen, sondern
diese auch explizit als Vorteil und ‘Mehrwert’ zu den
anderen Wissenschaften in Bezug zu setzen. Ebendies macht sich das
Panel zur Aufgabe. Es liefert nicht nur saubere
literaturwissenschaftliche Analysen, sondern stellt diese darüber
hinaus den Ergebnissen ‘harter’ (soziologischer,
politologischer, ...) Forschung gegenüber. Durchaus auch in
universitätspolitischer Absicht fragt es vergleichend, was genau
es ist, das man über das Lesen von Literatur besser versteht als
auf anderen Wegen, wo man etwas gewinnt, in welche Bereiche sich
ungleich besser vordringen lässt, usw.
Willkommen sind
außerdem Beiträge, die der Marginalisierung der
Literaturwissenschaften wissenschaftshistorisch nachgehen, ebenso wie
solche, die Zukunftsmodelle entwerfen.
Kontakt: Prof. Stephan Guth, IKOS, Oslo, stephan.guth@ikos.uio.no
Panel:
"Kriegs- und Krisenökonomien: Wirtschaftliche und soziale
Auswirkungen politischer Konflikte in der MENA Region", 17. DAVO
Kongress / 31. Deutscher Orientalistentag, Marburg, 20. - 24. September
2010
Beiträge
werden gesucht für Panel des DAVO-Arbeitskreises "Wirtschaft im
Vorderen Orient". Meldungen an die Organisatoren Christian Steiner
(c.steiner@geo.uni-mainz.de), Steffen Wippel
(steffen.wippel@rz.hu-berlin.de), Anja Zorob (azorob@zedat.fu-berlin.de)
Der Nahe und
Mittlere Osten und Nordafrika ist wie kaum eine andere Region auf der
Welt in ihrer post-kolonialen Geschichte gekennzeichnet durch
zahlreiche Kriege, Krisen und Konflikte. Diese reichen weit über
den scheinbar unlösbaren Konflikt zwischen Palästinensern und
Israelis hinaus. Dazu zählt das von Krieg und Kriegswirtschaft
geplagte Afghanistan ebenso wie der durch den Einmarsch der alliierten
Truppen beinahe vollständig zerstörte und
innergesellschaftlich zerrüttete Irak oder aber die Tragödie
von Darfur und der seit Jahrzehnten andauernde Konflikt um die
Westsahara, um nur einige der bekanntesten Schauplätze zu nennen.
Zu welchen
wirtschaftlichen Auswirkungen führt ein jahrelanger
Bürgerkrieg wie in Algerien? Was bedeutet eine teils über
Jahrzehnte aufrecht erhaltene Kriegs- oder Gewaltökonomie in
Afghanistan oder Somalia für das langfristige
Entwicklungspotential eines Landes und vor allem das Leben der Menschen
dort? Wie verkraften an den Irak angrenzende Staaten die durch Krieg
und Besatzung verursachten Flüchtlingsströme - oder wie
profitieren sie möglicherweise direkt oder indirekt davon? Wie
gestaltet sich die Unterstützung des Wiederaufbaus zum Beispiel im
Libanon, wer beteiligt sich daran und wie effizient werden Hilfen
eingesetzt? Wie verhält es sich mit der viel beschworenen
"arabischen Solidarität", wenn es um einen Schuldenerlass für
die betreffenden Länder oder um die Beteiligung an der
Finanzierung ihres Wiederaufbaus geht? Und schließlich wie
funktioniert wirtschaftliches und soziales Leben unter Bedingungen der
Besatzung oder der internationalen Administration, welche
Wechselwirkungen bestehen mit fragiler Staatlichkeit oder gar
Staatsversagen? Solche und ähnliche Fragen sollen in diesem Panel
aus disziplinär unterschiedlicher Perspektive mit Fokus auf die
wirtschaftlichen und sozio-ökonomischen Wirkungen inner- und
zwischenstaatlicher Konflikte untersucht und diskutiert werden.
Eighth
International Days of Studies Jean Monnet: "Health systems in
transition: the current and future regulations in the European Union
and its Mediterranean Neighborhood", Hammamet, Tunisia, 23-24 September
2010
Active structure of
the intercultural dialogue in the Mediterranean area1, the Jean Monnet
Chair in Comparative Regional Integration (University
Montesquieu-Bordeaux IV) organizes with the partnership of the
University of Sfax, in Hammamet (Tunisia) this multi-field conference.
For further information contact Bernard Yvars, Chair Jean Monnet, University Montesquieu-Bordeaux IV, http://IntegEco.u-bordeaux4.fr , yvars@u-bordeaux4.fr
Eighth
Nordic Conference on Middle Eastern Studies Conference on "Middle
Eastern Connectivities", Bergen, 24-26 September 2010
The
conference is organised by The Nordic Society for Middle Eastern
and Islamic Studies (NSM). NSM organises a Nordic and international
conferences every three years. The conferences are open to all scholars
in Middle Eastern studies in the humanities and social sciences.
With this
conference is intended a focus on the relationship between the peoples
and groups within the Middle East and the outside world. The conference
will emphasize translocal relations and its effects on social,
cultural, educational, religious and other transformations.
Furthermore, the conference will highlight issues of trans-regional
relations and exchanges to and from
the Middle East and
Africa, Asia and Europe both historically and in the present. The
conference aims to explore the cultural, political, religious and
social changes resulting from these connectivities.
Four keynote
speakers confirmed: Professor Judith Tucker (Georgetown University),
Professor Jørgen Nielsen (University of Copenhagen), Professor
Sabry Hafez (University of Qatar),
Professor Zachary Lockman (New York University).
Deadline for submission of abstracts to bergen2010@smi.uib.no: 15 January 2010. Deadline for registration: 1 March 2010.
Further information: www.uib.no/smi/en/activities/conference-middle-eastern-connectivities
Oktober 2010
Symposium: "The Risale-i Nur: Knowledge, Faith, Morality and the Future of Humanity", Istanbul, 3-5 October 2010
The Symposium is
organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Science and Culture. The
Risale-i Nur collection is a six-thousand-page commentary on the Quran
written by Bediuzzaman Said Nursi in accordance with the mentality of
the age.
Abstracts for the
papers should be submitted to the Symposium Secretariat no later than
28 February 2010. For further information see http://www.nursistudies.com/ (English) or contact symp2010@iikv.org.
2e
Colloque international : « Alter et ego » : de la
conscience de l'altérité à la construction d'une
identité dans la littérature arabe contemporaine",
Université Nancy 2, 29-30 octobre 2010
Les propositions de
communications doivent comporter : titre de la communication,
résumé de 15 à 20 lignes, 3 mots clés et
les données permettant l'identification de l'auteur. Elles
doivent être envoyer avant le 15 janvier à Laurence
Denooz, laurence.denooz@univ-nancy2.fr et Xavier Luffin, xluffin@ulb.ac.be
November 2010
Panel:
“Foreign Muslim Students and/or Scholars in the Middle East from
the 17th to 19th Centuries”, MESA Conference, San Diego, November
18-21, 2010
The panel could
address topics revolving around the pilgrimage, extended study at
religious institutions, collection of textual resources, or others
topics.
The broad issues that the organizer would like the panel to address are:
1) Why they traveled and how it affected them (socially, personally, commercially, intellectually, etc.)?
2) How were they treated/viewed by their host neighbors and colleagues?
3) What outcome did this journey produce for them upon their return to their home country?
If you are
interested in presenting a paper please contact Kristian Petersen, Near
& Middle Eastern Studies Program, University of Washington, kristian-petersen20@mac.com
The final panel submission is due on 15 February 2010
Januar 2011
International Conference: "Tropics of Travel. 4. Homes", Université de Liège, Belgium, 13-15 January 2011
Project Leaders:
Frédéric Bauden (Université de Liège),
Aboubakr Chraïbi (INALCO, Paris), Antonella Ghersetti
(Università Ca' Foscari, Venezia), Wen-Chin Ouyang (SOAS, London)
The Conference is part of a wider project that takes the form of four international symposia.
The final part of
the Project looks at the ways in which travel may revise notions of
self, community and home, and inscribe into the journey of homecoming
significance of ontological and epistemological dimensions.
.
In what ways do tourism and relatively long sojourn 'abroad' produce
divergent articulations of subject and community?
.
Is it possible to speak of 'migration' as we know it today in the
pre-modern context? How would modern knowledge gained in studies
of massive populations movements refine our understanding of travel and
homecoming in pre-modern eras?
. Is the shape of home necessarily drawn by homesickness and nostalgia?
. What role does alienation abroad play in the imaginings of home?
.
What meaning do the differing experiences of travel and residence
abroad inscribe on the journey of homecoming, therefore, home?
What becomes of home? Is return possible? What are the
possible trajectories of homecoming?
.
How is travel remembered, thought of and reinterpreted? Are there
dreams or nightmares about travel? Or are there simply
memories? How do these various forms of remembering shape travel
writing?
. When does 'home' become 'exile'?
. How does 'travel' mediate between alternative visions of community?
.
What role does travelling material culture play in individual, communal
and cultural transformations?
.
Is it possible to speak of 'cosmopolitan' culture and economy in the
pre-modern world? What impact does that have on notions of travel
and definitions of home?
Those who wish to
participate are kindly requested to send an abstract of no more than
500 words or one A4 page (double-spaced) to Frédéric
Bauden (f.bauden@ulg.ac.be) before the end of March 2010.
The official
languages of the conference will be English and French. However,
papers written in another European language will be accepted for
publication in the Proceedings of the Conference.
April 2011
12th Mediterranean Research Meeting, near Florence (Italy), 6 - 9 April 2011.
The Mediterranean
Programme of the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the
European University Institute (Italy) has issued a Call to Direct a
Workshop for this Mediterranean Research Meeting.
Applications must be submitted electronically by 1 March 2010.
All relevant details are available on the Mediterranean Research Meeting web page
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