Hamid Ali and Shahjahan Bhuiyan, both of the Department of Public Policy and Administration (PPAD), are editing a special theme issue on e-Government in Developing and Transitional Countries for The International Journal of Public Administration in the Digital Age (IJPADA). IJPADA is a peer-reviewed journal. The call has been posted online HERE.

This comes courtesy of Dr. Ann Lesch, Associate Provost for International Programs.

***

ERASMUS MUNDUS

ONE-MONTH FACULTY RESEARCH IN EUROPE

UNDER THE WELCOME & MEDASTAR ACADEMIC COOPERATION AGREEMENTS

AY 2013-2014

Please contact Ann Lesch at alesch@aucegypt.edu for details on how to apply.  There are limited openings and the AUC professor needs to establish a relationship with a professor at the host university before applying.  IPO’s Mohamed Aboul Seoud and Dina Abulmagd will help you contact the universities and file the online application.

Deadline for contacting Ann and starting correspondence with a counterpart professor:  Sunday, January 20, 2013 – but please contact Ann earlier, if possible!

Deadline for filing application: Sunday, February 3, 2013

Academic staff:    One month of research at the host university for an Egyptian citizen within that university’s research program or for an independent project, approved by a host professor and the Erasmus Mundus office in the host university.  Activities can include teaching, research, training, or following highly specialized courses.  Some visits are primarily to develop collaborative research projects for future funding.  Erasmus Mundus covers the round-trip airfare, Euro 2500 stipend, full health and accident insurance coverage, residence permit, and visa fees.  Grant holders do not pay any fees to the host university.

“WELCOME” CONSORTIUM:  http://emwelcome.polito.it/application/fields_of_study

or http://www.emwelcome.polito.it/scholarships/academic_programmes

Freie Universitat Berlin, Germany:

(1)  Work with FUB research projects:

• biology & ecology
• comparative religious/intercultural studies
• education/teacher training
• history of the arts of Africa
• Latin American history
• materials & environmental engineering (2 projects)
• modern German literature and linguistics
• modern history
• physics

 

(2)  self-initiated research:

• anthropology (political anthropology; anthropology of transnationalism/migration)
• Arabic studies (classical and modern Arabic literature)
• business studies & management science
• communication & information science
• education
• geography & geology
• humanities
• Near East and Middle Asian archaeology
• Egyptology & Egyptian archaeology
• Law
• mathematics informatics
• natural sciences
• political science/MENA
• social sciences & governance studies

 

Ghent University, Belgium:  Academic staff conduct their own research, with approval of a host university professor.

Disciplines:

• architecture
• art & design
• business studies
• chemistry & biochemistry
• communication & information sciences
• economics
• educational science & comparative education
• engineering technology
• European Union studies
• Home economics, nutrition
• Humanities
• law & criminology
• linguistics
• mathematics & informatics
• microbiology & biotechnology
• natural sciences
• psychology
• political science & international relations
• social work
• sociology
• soil & water resources

 

Instituto Superior Tecnico, Portugal:  One-month staff visits are in international relations, European studies, or area studies.

 

Lund University, Sweden:  Academic staff conduct their own research, with the approval of a host university professor.

Disciplines:

• gender studies
• gerontology (medical sciences)
• information systems
• law

 

University of Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom:  Self-initiated research within the research themes of each department and with approval of a host professor.

Disciplines:

• architecture
• computer science
• electrical, electronic, and computer engineering
• linguistics
• museum, gallery and heritage studies
• urban & regional planning & design

 

 

Politecnico di Torino, Italy:  self-initiated research, with one-month visits intended for teaching, research, or training that emphasizes establishing links for future cooperation

(1)  Engineering:

• aerospace engineering
• building engineering & territorial systems
• chemical
• control & computer engineering
• electronics, electrical
• hydraulics, transportation and civil infrastructures
• land, environment & geo-engineering
• materials science & chemical engineering
• mechanical
• production systems & business economics
• structural & geotechnical Engineering

 

(2)  Planning:

• architecture & industrial design
• housing & city
• human settlements & science & technology
• territorial studies & planning

 

(3)  Science (applied):

• Energetics
• Mathematics
• Physics

 

(4)  Administration:  International Office staff training

 

Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, Spain:  self-initiated research, approved by the host university professor.

Disciplines:

• applied linguistics
• applied mathematics
• applied physics
• applied statistics
• biotechnology
• chemistry
• engineering: aeronautical, cartographic/geodesy/photogrammetry, chemical, construction & civil, design, electrical, graphics, hydraulic & environmental, industrial, mechanical, nuclear & chemical, telecommunications, textile & paper
• music & musicology
• systems data processing & computer
• food technology

 

 

Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Sweden:  Senior researchers use 1 month stays to develop future collaboration with KTH research teams.

Research fields:

• Chemistry (3 projects)
• energy systems planning (including bioenergy)
• materials science (4 nanotechnology-related projects)
• nanophotonics

 

Sciences Po, France:

Researchers are hosted at the Center for European Studies, Center for History, Center for International Studies & Research, Center for Political Research, Center for the Sociology of Organizations, Center for Socio-Political Data, Center for Studies in Social Change, Department of Economics, or the Law School, depending on their topic, which must be agreed upon by a Sciences Po collaborator/advisor.

 

MEDASTAR consortium:   http://www.medastar.eu/academic_offer/Academic%20offer%20EU%20partners%20-%20Call%202.pdf  -  Go to the final section for the one month opportunities

Arrangements for AUC professors to conduct research at a host European university must be agreed upon with the host department and preferably with a specific member of the host faculty, and the AUC professor must receive a formal letter of invitation.    One-month agreements can be for research, lecturing, or developing collaborative research project and can be for either junior or senior professors.

 

University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy (Bulgaria):

One month faculty lecturing:

• Biotechnology
• Chemical engineering
• Environmental protection and sustainable development (engineering)
• Inorganic, organic, physico- and analytical chemistry
• Materials science, silicate materials

 

Georg-August Universitat Gottingen (Germany):

One-month research:

• Applied statistics and empirical methods
• Biology & biochemistry: developmental, neural and behavioral biology; microbiology and biochemistry
• Chemistry: Catalysis for Sustainable Synthesis
• Computer science, internet technologies & information systems
• Environmental Studies: biological diversity & ecology; biodiversity & society; environmental informatics
• Mathematics
• Psychology: neurosciences

 

 

Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (Germany):

One-month research:

• Administrative mobility: relevant administrative experience in a corresponding office – staff from the Egyptian university’s Alumni & Career Services or  International Office
• Business Information Systems
• Digital Media production for campus TV and learning materials
• Engineering: applied sciences; electrical/technology; sensor systems technology

 

Masaryk University (Czech Republic):

One-month research:

• Education, Teacher Training
• European Politics/Studies
• Geography, Geology
• Informatics, Computer Sciences
• International Relations
• Natural Sciences: Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Biochemistry
• Sociology

 

Universidad de Oviedo (Spain):

One-month research:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Economics & business
• Faculty of Commerce, Tourism and Social Sciences
• Faculty of Philosophy & Letters: Art History, Geography, History, Modern Languages
• Geology
• Higher Technical School of Mine Engineering
• I.T. Engineering School
• Law
• Psychology
• Polytechnic School of Engineering (Gijon)
• Polytechnic School (Mieres)
• Science: Mathematics, Informatics
• Teacher training and education

 

Sciences Po (France):

One-month research/lecturing:

• Center for History
• Center for International Studies and research: European affairs, international affairs, political science
• Center for Political Research: public administration
• Center for Studies in Social Change: sociology
• Department of Economics
• Law School
• Administrative staff mobility: administrative experience for an administrator from the partner Egyptian university

 

Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium):

One-month research:

• Agogic sciences
• Applied Economic Sciences
• Art Sciences and Archaeology
• Bio-engineering science
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Communication Science
• Computer science (informatics)
• Criminology & Law (Faculty of Law and Criminology)
• Engineering Sciences: including Architecture
• Geography
• History
• Linguistics
• Mathematics
• Philosophy
• Physics & Astronomy
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Sociology

Bilateral Exchange of Academics (WAP)

Deadline: November 15, 2012

The Bilateral Exchange of Academics program is primarily intended to support the implementation of mutual teaching and research projects between German and Egyptian scientists.

Applications are open to all PhD holders working at Egyptian universities or research institutions, who have a convincing and well-planned research project to be completed during the stay in Germany. The stays range from 1 to 3 months and cannot be extended.

For more details please refer to the information sheet available on the following DAAD link

http://cairo.daad.de/en/studyingresearchgermany/scholarshipforeigners/postdocsresearchers/

For inquiries please contact Ms. Heba Afifi WAP@daadcairo.org

Or call us on 02-27384127/ 2 2735 27 26

These listings come courtesy of Dr. Ann Lesch, Associate Provost for International Programs.

***

EURAMES Info Service 25/12

Dear Madame, dear Sir, dear colleague and friend,

Please find below the following announcements:

CONFERENCES

1. International Conference: “Mamluk Cairo. A Crossroad for Embassies”, Université de Liège, 6-8 September 2012

2. Graduate Workshop: “Egypt in the Arab Spring: Perspectives from Economics and Democratisation Studies”, London School of Economics, 28 September 2012

3. Workshop: “Rethinking Authorship in Islamic Literature”, Bayreuth University, Chair of Islamic Studies, 22-25 November 2012

4. Workshop: “The Arab Spring and the EU Democracy Promotion Efforts: Between Intentions and Perceptions”, 14th  Mediterranean Research Meeting,  Mersin University, Turkey, 20 – 23 March 2013

5. Workshop: “Honor in Ottoman and Contemporary Mediterranean Societies: Controversies, Continuities, and New Directions”, Budapest, 21-23 March 2013

6. Panel: “Narratives of Travel in Middle Eastern Literatures”,  44th Annual Convention of the Northeast Modern Language Association (NeMLA), Tufts University, Boston, 21-24 March 2013

7. International Graduate Conference “Symposia Iranica: 1st Biennial Graduate Conference on Iranian Studies”, University of St Andrews, 13-14 April 2013

8. Conference: “Knowledge, Exchange, Encounter: Europe and the Ottoman Empire, 1453-1718”, University of Cambridge, 8-9 July 2013

9. 35th Conference of the ARAM Society for Syro-Mesopotamian Studies: “The Decapolis: History and Archaeology”, University of Oxford, 29-31 July 2013

POSITIONS

10. PhD Research Fellow, Department of Politics and International Studies at the University of Warwick

11. Research Fellow on “Islamic Reformulations: Belief, Violence, Governance”, University of Exeter, Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies

12. Assistant Professor in the Politics of the Arab World, Georgetown University, CCAS, Washington, DC

13. Assistant Professor of Modern Middle East History, Georgia Southern University

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

14. “Master of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies” and “Master of Islam in the Modern World”, Australian National University, Canberra

If you want to distribute an announcement via EURAMES Info Service to more than 5000 scholars engaged in Middle East studies, please apply the usual format of the text with no more than 150 words and no attachment. Please send only the most important information and refer to further details with a link to the respective website or an email address.

Best regards,

Guenter Meyer
Centre for Research on the Arab World (CERAW),  University of Mainz, Germany
CONFERENCES

1. International Conference: “Mamluk Cairo. A Crossroad for Embassies”, Université de Liège, 6-8 September 2012

Organized by Frédéric Bauden and Malika Dekkiche under the aegis of the Commission Internationale de Diplomatique (Comité International des Sciences Historiques). The full programme is available at: http://www.islamo.ulg.ac.be/f3.htm. Registration is free, but those who would like to attend are requested to send a message to f.bauden@ulg.ac.be

2. Graduate Workshop: “Egypt in the Arab Spring: Perspectives from Economics and Democratisation Studies”, London School of Economics, 28 September 2012

The LSE Middle East Centre will be organising the first of two one-day graduate workshops as part of the collaborative project with the Faculty of Economics and Political Science (FEPS), Cairo University.
The workshop will discuss the causes and immediate implications of the Egyptian revolution in the context of the Arab Spring from an economic-political economy and democratisation perspective. It is structured in two sections; each section introduced by a paper from one of the members of the steering committee of the collaborative project and includes presentations from young scholars from UK universities and FEPS.

This workshop is free and open to all. Registration is essential. For further information and for the full programme and abstracts  http://www2.lse.ac.uk/middleEastCentre/research/Collaboration-Projects/collaboration-2011-2012/LSE-Collaboration-with-FEPS/LSE-FEPS-Conference.aspx

______________

3. Workshop: “Rethinking Authorship in Islamic Literature”, Bayreuth University, Chair of Islamic Studies, 22-25 November 2012

We all know that authorship in Islamic literature has meanings and functions different from authorship in European literature. However, this knowledge stays somewhat theoretical, as Islamic literature and especially hadith-literature is still analysed and treated with unreflected notions of authorship in the back of one’s mind.

In contrast to this situation the workshop will challenge current notions of authorship. What does authorship mean concerning compilations of traditions? Is their collective authorship in Islamic literature? What about anonymous types of text? How could a structuralist approach to hadith-literature look like?

Contributions are welcome not only from the realm of Islamic studies but also from neighbouring disciplines like medievalism, literary studies or philosophy. Candidates should send a very short c v and an abstract of their contribution till end of September to hans-thomas.tillschneider@uni-bayreuth.de.

Travel and accommodation costs are covered by the chair of Islamic studies (Prof. Osswald). http://www.islamwissenschaft.uni-bayreuth.de/de/index.html

_______

4. Workshop: “The Arab Spring and the EU Democracy Promotion Efforts: Between Intentions and Perceptions”, 14th  Mediterranean Research Meeting,  Mersin University, Turkey, 20 – 23 March 2013

More information on the workshop contents and objectives: http://www.eui.eu/DepartmentsAndCentres/RobertSchumanCentre/Research/InternationalTransnationalRelations/MediterraneanProgramme/MRM/MRM2013/ws05.aspx

Deadline for submitting the paper proposal: 15 September 2012. Workshop directors and contacts: Nesreen K. El Molla, (Cairo University, Egypt: nelmolla@hotmail.com)  and Dario Cristiani, (King’s College London, United Kingdom – Global Governance Institute, Belgium:dario.cristiani@kcl.ac.uk)

_____________

5. Workshop: “Honor in Ottoman and Contemporary Mediterranean Societies: Controversies, Continuities, and New Directions”, Budapest, 21-23 March 2013

The Center for Eastern Mediterranean Studies at Central European University will host this workshop. The co-organizers of the conference are soliciting participants who work on honor and related topics in Ottoman and contemporary Mediterranean societies. Deadline for abstracts 1 November 2012.

Information: http://www.h-net.org/announce/show.cgi?ID=196551

6. Panel: “Narratives of Travel in Middle Eastern Literatures”,  44th Annual Convention of the Northeast Modern Language Association (NeMLA), Tufts University, Boston, 21-24 March 2013

This panel seeks papers that address different narratives of travel (such as exile, diaspora, immigration, and colonial adventure) in Middle Eastern literatures. Deadline for abstracts 30 September 2012. Information     http://www.h-net.org/announce/show.cgi?ID=196514

_____________

7. International Graduate Conference “Symposia Iranica: 1st Biennial Graduate Conference on Iranian Studies”, University of St Andrews, 13-14 April 2013

Symposia Iranica invites proposals for individual papers, pre-arranged panels, and poster presentations that relate to any aspect of Iranian studies. These include (but are by no means limited to): literature, political science, philosophy, archaeology, religions and theology, geography, sociology, anthropology, music, history of art, architecture, international relations, education, history, linguistics, Diaspora studies, new media and communication studies, film, and the performing arts. Interdisciplinary papers are also very welcome.

Submissions are welcomed from final year undergraduates, postgraduates, doctoral candidates and post-docs who graduated within three calendar years of the submission deadline. Deadline for submissions 15 October 2012. More Information http://www.symposia-iranica.com.

______________

8. Conference: “Knowledge, Exchange, Encounter: Europe and the Ottoman Empire, 1453-1718”, University of Cambridge, 8-9 July 2013

The aim of this conference will be to further our understanding of the ways in which knowledge was exchanged between Europe and the Ottoman Empire during the period from  the conquest of Constantinople to the Treaty of Passarowitz. Information http://www.crassh.cam.ac.uk/events/2077/

______________

9. 35th Conference of the ARAM Society for Syro-Mesopotamian Studies: “The Decapolis: History and Archaeology”, University of Oxford, 29-31 July 2013

The conference aims to study the movement of nomads and their settlements in the Syrian Orient; and it will pay a special attention to the migration of Arab nomads from the Arabian Peninsula to the Fertile Crescent in the pre-Islamic period. All papers given at the conference will be considered for publication in a future edition of the ARAM Periodical, subject to editorial review. If you wish to participate in the conference, please contact aram@orinst.ox.ac.uk

POSITIONS

10. PhD Research Fellow, Department of Politics and International Studies at the University of Warwick

Fixed Term Contract from 1 October 2012 until 30 September 2016 (£27,578 – £35,938 pa). A four year PhD fellowship is available to do research on the Iraqi diaspora in Europe within the Project “Diasporas and Contested Sovereignty”. The project will be conducted under the supervision of Dr. Maria Koinova. A team of four researchers (PI, post-doc, two PhD researchers) will investigate the transnational mobilisation of conflict-generated diasporas in Europe and their impact on polities experiencing contested sovereignty in the Balkans, the Caucuses, and the Middle East.

You will possess a masters degree (awarded or near completion) or equivalent in a relevant discipline. The ability to act as an independent researcher is essential, as is evidence of a clear research agenda. You will ideally have an academic background in international relations, comparative politics, conflict studies, foreign policy analysis, transnationalism, and migration and diaspora studies. Very good linguistic skills in Arabic are essential. Prior qualitative and/or quantitative methods training is highly desirable. You will be expected to do multi-sited research both in Europe and Iraq, publish academic articles, and assist with the organisation of project-related events.

Further details www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/humanresources/jobsintro/further_particulars/71982-062.pdf. Application deadline is 14 September 2012.

_______________

11. Research Fellow on “Islamic Reformulations: Belief, Violence, Governance”, University of Exeter, Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies

The Islamic Reformulations project comprises two elements: (1) a research project examining the continuities and discontinuities between pre-modern and modern Islamic thought relating to belief, violence and governance, and (2) a wider interdisciplinary study of how religious belief and ideological commitment might constitute a “global uncertainty”, and how the relationship between belief and action might best be characterised. The Research Fellow will contribute to both of the project’s elements. This ESRC funded post is available 1/10/2012 to 30/9/2014. The successful applicant, working with Professor Gleave, will engage in independent and collaborative research on a topic related to the main element  of the Islamic reformulations project work.
Closing date 18 September 2012. Details of the Research Fellowship: http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/AFA489/research-fellow/

__________________

12. Assistant Professor in the Politics of the Arab World, Georgetown University, CCAS, Washington, DC

Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service (SFS) invites applications for a tenure-track position at the rank of assistant professor in the politics of the Arab World. Scholars with expertise in the international relations or comparative politics of the Arab world will be particularly attractive. The candidate must possess a deep knowledge of the Arab region and be proficient in Arabic. The position is based in SFS’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies (CCAS). The scholar will become a core member of CCAS and her or his primary teaching responsibilities will be geared toward meeting the requirements of the Center’s prestigious Master of Arts in Arab Studies program. We seek candidates with a strong commitment to teaching and scholarship. The teaching load is two courses per semester, at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Each application should include a curriculum vitae; a brief statement of research and teaching interests; three letters of recommendation; samples of scholarly writing; and copies of teaching evaluations, if available.

The deadline for applications is 15 October 2012. The position will commence in the fall of 2013. Information https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/1800

__________________

13. Assistant Professor of Modern Middle East History, Georgia Southern University

The successful candidate will teach the survey of World History since 1450, a core course required of all Georgia Southern University students, courses required for the major, and a variety of upper-division courses in his or her field. The position is a 9-month, tenure-track appointment, and the salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Screening of applications begins October 15, 2012.  The preferred position starting date is 1 August 2013. Information https://www.h-net.org/jobs/job_display.php?id=45054

 

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

14. “Master of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies” and “Master of Islam in the Modern World”, Australian National University, Canberra

The Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies (CAIS), at the Australian National University, offers a range of graduate degrees and applications are now open for international students interested in starting a degree in February 2013. The Centre offers several degrees, including: a ‘Master of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies’ and ‘Master of Islam in the Modern World’, both of which can be completed by coursework in one year full-time. Courses cover a range of topics on the Middle East and Central Asia and thematic issues such as politics, political economy, international relations and political Islam. Language study is available in Arabic and Persian. A sub-thesis option is also offered for the ‘Master of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies’.

Also available are a ‘Master of Philosophy’ and ‘Doctor of Philosophy’, research degrees completed by major thesis. Some scholarships are obtainable for outstanding international applicants for research degrees. For information on CAIS’s degrees, and how to apply, see http://cais.anu.edu.au/programs/postgraduate-study

This list of academic opportunities comes courtesy of Dr. Ann Lesch, Associate Provost for International Programs.

******

19th International DAVO Congress in Erlangen, 4-6 October 2012

 

Call for Papers for Pre-organized Panels

 

1)   Armed Groups and the Arab Spring: Challenges and Opportunities

2)   Processes of Transformation in Society and Politics in the Context of Web

2.0 Communication

3)   A New Nationalism? Identity and Nationalism in a Revolutionary Context

4)   The Year after Fukushima: Chances and Challenges for Sustainable Energy

Policies in the MENA-Region

5)   Religious Movements as Political Actors in the Near East

6)   Economic Development in the Middle East and North Africa

7)   “Euroislam” in Eastern Europe

8)   “Citizenship” as a Result of the Arab Spring?

9)   Islamic Economics and Islamic Finance

10) Economic Dimensions of Political Upheaval in the Arab World:

Perspectives and Consequences

11) Migration, Mobility or Movements: Ways of People, Ideas and Goods

Around the Mediterranean Sea

12) Arab Spring: Background, Targets and Obstacles

13) The Military Factor in the Economy and the Implications for the

Development in North Africa and Western Asia

14) Non-oil Economic Growth and Stability in Iraq

15) Re-thinking Geopolitics in the Post-2011-Revolutions in the Arab World

16) The Muslim Brothers: New Roles, New Historiographies

17) The Syrian Uprising – Motives, Actors and Agendas

18)  MENA and its Diasporas: Impacts on Homeland Politics

19) Conceptions of Gender in Turkey and the Turkish Diaspora

20) The Political and Economic Role of Turkey in the Near East

 

1) Armed Groups and the Arab Spring: Challenges and Opportunities

Organiser: Somdeep Sen, PhD Fellow, Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen

As the Arab Spring triggered unprecedented regional events, the majority of the subsequent intellectual and political discourse has chosen to focus on post-revolution institutional and governance issues. While such discussions are critical for ensuring the ‘success’ of the revolution, it ignores key regional (power) stakeholders, namely, armed (non-state) groups. With changing alliances, rising Islamists and fragile state institutions, this panel explores the future of armed groups in a tumultuous Middle East. The panel will specifically focus on how regional events have (or promise to) impact strategies, organizational characteristics, structures and operational logic of armed non-state groups.

Please send your abstracts until 4. June 2012 to: Somdeep Sen, somdeeps@gmail.com; or: sos@ifs.ku.dk

 

2) Gesellschaftspolitische Transformationsprozesse im Kontext von Web 2.0-Kommu-nikation

Organisatoren: Thomas Demmelhuber, Universität Hildesheim / Georg Glasze, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

Die Aufstände nach den Wahlen im Iran 2009, die als (gescheiterte) grüne „Twitter-Revolution“ bekannt wurden, sowie insbesondere die gesellschaftlichen Umbrüche in der arabischen Welt seit 2011, die teilweise als „Facebook- und Twitter-Revolutionen“ beschrieben wurde, haben vielfältige Debatten über neue Formen der Mobilisierung und Organisation politischer Interessensgruppen ausgelöst. Während in klassischen Massenmedien und der Frühphase des Internets Inhalte von wenigen Anbietern zur Verfügung gestellt wurden, wird mit den neuen technischen Möglichkeiten eine Differenzierung zwischen Produzent und Konsument in weiten Teilen obsolet. Texte, Filme, Karten, Fotos etc. können jetzt von Internetnutzern mit relativ geringen Ressourcen generiert, modifiziert, kontextualisiert und neu im Internet präsentiert werden. Die zunehmende Bedeutung dieses user generated content gilt als das zentrale Merkmal des Web 2.0 – dem „Mitmachweb“.

Während zahlreiche Autoren die neuen Kommunikationsmöglichkeiten im Web 2.0 als Form von empowerment und Grundlage für Liberalisierungs- und Demokratisierungsprozesse beurteilen, warnen andere Stimmen vor einer Netzeuphorie (vgl. Evgeny Morozov). Vor diesem Hintergrund wollen wir ein Forum für konzeptionelle und empirische Beiträge bieten, welche gesellschaftspolitische Transformationsprozesse im Kontext von Web 2.0-Kommunikation durchleuchten. Willkommen sind beispielsweise Beiträge zu

-       der Rolle von sozialen Medien im Kontext der Umbrüche in der arabischen Welt,

-       neuen Formen der Web 2.0-Kartographie wie bspw. den Krisenkarten im Kontext der Umbrüche in Libyen, Syrien, Tunesien und anderen Staaten,

-       Interaktionen zwischen Cyberaktivismus und traditionelleren Formen politischer Auseinandersetzung,

-       Fragen der Rolle von neuen Medien in Liberalisierung- und Demokratisierungsprozessen

Vortragsanmeldungen mit abstracts bitte bis zum 4. Juni 2012 an:

gg.glasze@geographie.uni-erlangen.de und thomas.demmelhuber@uni-hildesheim.de

 

 

3) A New Nationalism? Identity and Nationalism in a Revolutionary Context

Organiser: Luisa Gandolfo, University of York

As the revolution continues across the region, accepted definitions of national identity are contested and renegotiated. The fall of authoritarian leaders who once endeavoured to embody the nation has resulted in a vacuum in which the people move to reclaim and construct a new national identity. In contrast, countries once united engage in conflict that prompts a fracturing of a once united national consciousness. This panel seeks to explore the evolution of national identity in the MENA region over the course of the Arab Spring and welcomes submissions addressing all aspects of national identity.

Please send your abstracts until 4. June to: luisa.gandolfo@york.ac.uk

 

4) The Year after Fukushima: Chances and Challenges for Sustainable Energy Policies in the MENA-Region

Organiser: Dr. Beyhan Sentürk, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Berlin

The finite nature of oil and gas, increasing domestic demands and diminishing export revenues are forcing policy-makers in these natural resource rich countries of the MENA region to look for alternatives. Even though the region has, by worldwide comparison, a high potential to develop renewable energies, they are, at present, poorly (or marginally) developed. Nuclear energy programmes are being debated in many MENA-countries, but this choice remains problematic both for security and ecological reasons.

Which political options exist? How is the discrepancy between the potential and the accomplished performance explainable? Will the Arab Spring raise the chances for an “energy revolution” in the Middle East? From a socio-economic and security perspective, the panel will address the possibilities offered by establishing sustainable energy policies.

Please send your abstracts until 4. June to: Beyhan Sentürk, Beyhan.Sentuerk@fes.de

 

5) Religiöse Bewegungen als politische Akteure im Nahen Osten

Organisatoren: Peter Lintl, Christian Thuselt, Christian Wolff /Universität Erlangen

Politische Akteure mit religiöser Programmatik scheinen sich momentan in der Region des Nahen Ostens auf dem Vormarsch zu befinden. Dort haben sich insbesondere seit dem Arabischen Frühling vollkommen neue Rahmenbedingungen ergeben.

In Tunesien und Marokko haben islamisch-konservative Parteien bereits die meisten Sitze im Parlament errungen, in Ägypten wurden die Muslimbrüder stärkste Partei. Daneben politisieren sich seit den demokratischen Systemöffnungen zunehmend salafistische Bewegungen. Auch die schiitische Gemeinschaft wird im Irak wie im Libanon fast ausnahmslos von Parteien vertreten, die einer dezidiert politischen Theologie verpflichtet sind.

Aber das Auftreten religiöser Akteure in der Politik ist kein spezifisch islamisches Phänomen, sondern auch in Christen- und Judentum zu beobachten. In Israel etwa führt die rasante quantitative Zunahme der Ultraorthodoxie auch zu deren politischer Expansion und somit immer öfter zu einem Kampf um Moral und religiöse Normativität im öffentlichen Raum. Darüberhinaus stellt die bisweilen staatsfeindliche Agitation radikaler Siedler eine völlig neue Qualität dieser Auseinandersetzung dar. Im Libanon formulieren seit Jahrzehnten bedeutende Christenparteien wie die al-kata`ib die politischen Ansprüche ihrer Anhängerschaft an den Staat in religiös aufgeladenen Symbolen.

Ziel des Panels ist es, Hintergründe und Konsequenzen des politischen Erstarkens religiöser Bewegungen zu untersuchen. Im Fokus stehen dabei Fragen wie: Mit welchem normativen Anspruch treten diese im öffentlichen Raum auf? Wie wird das Gemeinwohl aus religiöser Sicht begründet?  Welche Rolle spielen sie in Bezug auf eine Demokratisierung? Warum politisieren sich nun quietistische Bewegungen wie die Salafisten?

Eine Veröffentlichung in Buchform wird angestrebt. Bitte senden Sie Ihre abstracts bis zum 4.6. an: religionnahost@gmail.com

 

6) Economic Development in the Middle East and North Africa

Organisation: Steffen Wippel and Christian Steiner

Papers are invited which are tackling economic and/or economic and social policy related issues in the MENA Region from different theoretical as well as empirical perspectives.         Please send your paper proposals with abstract until 4. June to: Steffen Wippel, steffen.wippel@rz.hu-berlin.de and Christian Steiner, Steiner@em.uni- frankfurt.de

 7) „Euroislam“ in Osteuropa

Organisiert von Swetlana Czerwonnaja, Nikolaus Kopernikus Universität (Thorn / Torun, Polen)

Eine Theorie des “Euroislams” wurde in den Kreisen der politischen Eliten und der wissenschaftlichen Intelligenz der Republik Tatarstan im 20. Jahrhundert auf der Basis des Djadidismus von Ismail Bey Gaspraly (1851-1914) und anderer fortschrittlicher, auf die Modernisierung des Lebens der Muslimischen Völker gerichteten Konzeptionen entwickelt. Die Besonderheiten dieser Theorien sowie ihre politische und kulturelle Bedeutung (insbesondere nach dem 11. September 2001) besteht darin, dass sie sich gegen radikale Tendenzen und Bewegungen in der islamischen Welt richten, den Islam vom “asiatischen” Radikalismus und Fundamentalismus befreien und ihn in die europäische Kultur und in die modernisierte post-industrielle Gesellschaft integrieren wollen. Dem Islam soll ein „europäisches Antlitz” und Europa ein menschliches, „islamisches Antlitz” gegeben werden.

Ziel des Panels ist einerseits die Vorstellung dieser Theorien, andererseits die Untersuchung, wie sie sowohl bei der muslimischen als auch der christlichen Bevölkerung in den osteuropäischen Staaten aufgenommen werden, wie die Regierungen sich zu ihnen stellen und welchen Einfluss und Bekanntheitsgrad sie über die Region hinaus haben”.

Bitte schicken Sie Vortragsanmeldungen mit abstract (300 Worte) bis zum 4. Juni 2012 an Prof. Swetlana Czerwonnaja, swetlana@umk.pl

 

“Citizenship is the Solution”: Is it the Upshot of the Arabic Spring?

Organised by Hala Kindelberger, University of Potsdam

“Citizenship is the Solution” (El-Mowatna heya el-Hall) is the new slogan in the Arabic world after the Arabic Spring. Especially the minorities and the less privileged people in the society of the Arabic World feel discriminated and ignored both in the labor market, and in having access to many rights. Justice is not for all and it is differentiated according to the connections one has, also before court and judges.

The old slogans used like Democracy, Liberalism or Secular State are attacked by the Islamist political groups and are pictured as an anti-Islamic western model, which makes them weak and difficult to defend or to be adopted. Here “Citizenship” offers a good alternative. It helps that the word does not carry bad connotations and is also not too novel, since it has been used by the old regimes in Syria, Egypt, Tunisia and the Golf Monarchies in the course of reformation and transition.

In the neo-patrimonial authoritarian regimes in the Arabic world, belonging and networking with the head of the states is vital. Qualification or knowledge plays no role, people are not the same before the law. Will the concept of “Citizenship” under the Islamist governments gain importance or will it remain the same? Can the Monarchies keep their neo-patrimonial system the way it was or will it be affected by the revolutionary demands to go forward in reforming the citizenship concept? Which role do the Islamist political groups play in weakening or encouraging the “Citizenship” concept?

The panel aim is to debate the concept of “Citizenship,” its definitions and its compatibility with the existing regimes in the MENA-Region, but also in Israel as a “democratic” neighbor and a geographic partner in the region. To what extent the people in the MENA region are aware about “Citizenship” should also be addressed in some presentations. Which importance will the Islamists grant to civil society organizations and human rights legislation: will they remain marginalized as before or will there be tendency towards improvement?

It is also sought to compare and to analyze the common points or similarities as well as the differences between the aforementioned countries. Contributions of case studies or conception papers are welcome from different disciplines.

The deadline for the submission of abstracts (no more than 300 words) is 04 June 2012. Abstracts should be sent to Hala Kindelberger (University of Potsdam): hala.k@hotmail.de

 

9) Islamic Economics and Islamic Finance

Organized by: Heiko Schuß, University of Erlangen

Islamic Economics promised to offer an alternative to capitalism and communism. While the results of establishing an Islamic national economy are not convincing, industries which are offering Islamic products, like halal food or Islamic financial services, are flourishing on a global scale. These products obviously serve to define the Islamic identities of their consumers. Against the background of the global financial and economic crisis it might be asked if these products present a more ethical way to do business or if it is just a marketing strategy to address pious Muslim customers.

Paper presenters dealing with topics of Islamic economic theory, Islamic finance, halal food industry and trade, Islamic clothes, Islamic tourism, etc. are invited to participate in this panel.

Please send your abstracts until 4. June 2012 to: Dr. Heiko Schuß, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Heiko.Schuss@orient.phil.uni-erlangen.de

 

10) Economic Dimensions of Political Upheaval in the Arab World:
Perspectives and Consequences

Organiser: Juliane Brach (Universität Kopenhagen), Markus Loewe (Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik, Bonn), Anja Zorob (Freie Universität Berlin)

The year 2011 has changed the political order of several Arab countries, while the structures and deficits of their economies have remained widely unchanged. In addition, several countries have seen some of their major sources of external income ebb away (especially tourism and foreign investment). However, even the path of political development in the Arab world– especially in post-revolutionary Tunisia, Egypt and Libya – depends foremost on economic reforms and improvements in the socio-economic living conditions. What can governments (and other actors) do to reactivate external income sources as well as overcome the structural deficits of the Arab economies?

Please send your abstracts until 4. June 2012 to:  Markus Loewe, markus.loewe@die-gdi.de

 

11) Migration, Mobility or Movements: Ways of People, Ideas and Goods around the Mediterranean Sea

Organiser: Ines Braune, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, University of Marburg

The increasing movement of people, ideas and goods around the globe is one of the most defining attributes of the globalized world. This is most notably relevant for the Mediterranean region, due to its geographical position, and function as a bridge between wealthy Europe, and the countries of the southern shore of the Mediterranean.

Concepts like migration and integration seem to focus mainly on linear and one-dimensional processes of peoples’ movements and victimize often the actors. Mobility is a more appropriate term to discuss recent movements with its complex and multidimensional effects.

This panel focuses on the mobility of people, ideas and goods from different scientific approaches. Case studies and ethnographic accounts are welcome, as are contributions from any other field as well.

Please send your abstracts until 4. June 2012 to: ines.braune@uni-marburg.de

 

12) Arab Spring: Background, Targets and Obstacles

Organiser: Fawzy Naji, Berlin

Politicians in both the west and the east have been surprised by the Arab Spring; few could have predicted it. The results of this process of transformation have set new standards in the relationships between ruler and people and between regional and international cooperation. The desired outcomes of the Arab Spring, the abolition of dictatorships and the creation of new democratic systems with social justice, have been met with internal, regional and international obstacles.

In this panel the opportunity will be given to discuss the following topics:

• Background of the Arab Spring
• Targets of the Arabic Revolutions
• Internal, regional and international obstacles
• Dictatorships in the Arab World
• Democracy and human rights
• Political players in the Middle East
• Political Islam
• Arab Spring and the International Community

Please send your abstracts until 4.6.2012 to Dr. Fawzy Naji (f.naji@hotmail.de).

 

13) The Military Factor in the Economy and the Implications for the Development in North Africa and Western Asia

Organisatorin: Sabine Hofmann, FU Berlin

Im weltweit verlaufenden Prozess der Aufrüstung weisen die MENA-Staaten und -Gesellschaften im globalen Maßstab weiterhin den höchsten Grad der Militarisierung auf (siehe GMI des BICC; Rüstungsstatistiken laut SIPRI). Mit den erneuten Vereinbarungen zur Lieferung von Waffensystemen (wie Leopard II-Panzer an Saudi-Arabien, Dolphin-U-Boot an Israel) sowie den atomaren Waffenpotentialen und -ansprüchen steigt das Gefahrenpotential nicht nur in der ohnehin seit Jahrzehnten angespannten Krisenregion, sondern weltweit. Auch der Rüstungstransfer im informellen Sektor trägt zur Anspannung der Rüstungsspirale bei. Weiterhin kommt Militärtechnik zunehmend in der sog. unkonventionellen Kriegsführung zur Anwendung, wie in der Terrorismusabwehr und gegen Piraterie. Primär nach außen zur Verteidigung des eigenen Gemeinwesens gerichtet, wird sie mit Sicherheitsbegründungen zunehmend innen eingesetzt. Militärisch basierte Technologien sind in Überwachungssystemen und zur Informationsbeschaffung auch in den zivilen Alltag integriert worden (wie Drohnen, Sicherheitsdetektoren, GPS).

Das Panel will sich insbesondere mit dem Einfluss von Rüstungswirtschaft und Militärtechnologie auf Wirtschaft und Politik unter den gegenwärtigen Bedingungen regionaler Machtverschiebungen und globaler Krisenprozesse befassen. Im Mittelpunkt stehen der quantitative und qualitative Einfluss des militärischen Faktors auf Wirtschaft, Politik und Gesellschaft und die Implikationen für die Entwicklung in Nordafrika und Westasien.

Das Panel ist offen für die interdisziplinäre und vergleichende Analyse. Willkommen sind sowohl theoretische Überlegungen zum Verhältnis von Rüstung, Militär und Wirtschaft als auch empirische Einzel- und Vergleichsanalysen der sozialwissenschaftlichen Forschung. Fragestellungen der Diskussion sind unter anderem:

- Innenpolitische und gesellschaftliche Folgen von Produktion, Export und Import von Rüstungsgütern,

- Anstieg von Rüstungsproduktion und -export im Gesamtprozess der nationalen Wirtschaft – „Motor“ für Wirtschaftswachstum?

- Einfluss von militärisch induzierten Technologien auf die primär zivile Wirtschaft – volkswirtschaftlich teure spillover-Effekte oder politisch notwendig?

- Treiben globale Netzwerke des informellen Rüstungsmarktes das Aufrüsten in der Region an?

Bitte senden Sie Ihre abstracts bis zum 4. Juni 2012 an: Dr. Sabine Hofmann: shofmann@zedat.fu-berlin.de

 

 

14) Non-oil Economic Growth and Stability in Iraq

Organised by: Şefik Alp Bahadir, University Erlangen-Nürnberg

The key themes of the panel are issues of generating sustainable economic growth, employment, and social safety nets, improving human resource management, and reforming public institutions and governmental policies in Iraq.

Please send your abstracts (up to 300 words) until 4. June 2012 to: Prof. Şefik Alp Bahadir, sefik.alp.bahadir@Orient.phil.uni-erlangen.de

 

 

15) Re-Thinking Geopolitics in the Post-2011-Revolutions in the Arab World

Session 1: The Case of Saudi Arabia” – Session 2: The Case of Syria

Organizer: Dr. Ala Al-Hamarneh, CERAW – Institute of Geography, University of Mainz

The 2011 revolutions, revolts and mass protests in many Arab countries changed the regional and international rules of the geopolitical game in the WANA region (West Asia and North Africa). Or at least it caused radical adjustments and corrections in visions, methods, estimations and aims of the geopolitical actors.

In this panel we would like to examine how regional and international political actors in various cases of political crises have decided to act and to react; which instruments have been used? Which aims and visions they had? And to which extend these decisions have re-shaped the geopolitical situation in the WANA region.

Two cases have been chosen to be addressed in two separate sessions; the Saudi and the Syrian cases. The Saudi case should demonstrate, on the one hand, the political and economic re-positioning of Saudi Arabia in the post-2011-revolutions by exemplifying the role of the Kingdom on various levels and layers in Bahrain, Yemen, Libya, Egypt etc. as well as the changing interactions in the GCC, with Iran, Turkey and the USA. On the other hand, we would like to tackle the dependencies of domestic politics (regime stability, the Shia issue, etc.) on the regional and international tactics of the country. The Syrian case should demonstrate the “international geopolitical” factors in the development of the domestic political crises; the interests of neighboring countries, the “Sunni” and the “Shia” regional factors, the Lebanon interaction, the Palestinian/Israeli factor etc.  We hope by tackling these two country cases to be able to demonstrate the dynamics of the geopolitical shifts, impacts and their backgrounds in the WANA region.

Please send your abstract until 4. June 2012 to Dr Ala Al-Hamarneh at a.al-hamarneh@geo.uni-mainz.de (please mention DAVO-Geopolitics Panel-Abstract in the title of the email).

 

 

16) The Muslim Brothers: New Roles, New Historiographies

Organised by: Uri Kupferschmidt, University of Haifa

The latest elections in Egypt and other developments in the Middle East have opened a new phase in the eighty-four years history of the Society of the Muslim Brothers. While their future course in politics is difficult to predict, the proposed panel intends to raise questions on past and present perspectives in historiography and research, and the need to revise or go beyond the existing literature.

Emphasis has often fallen on the early ideological tenets and the political narrative of the Muslim Brothers, as well as their confrontations with various governments, and has also tilted towards their most prominent leaders. No doubt, this was also because of the perspective of the rulers. Though an ideological transformation and gradual adaptation to new realities over the past few decades had been observed, this has so far hardly led to a systematic revisiting of the main narrative.

The proposed panel intends to put the evolvement of the Muslim Brothers in a long-term perspective, be it one of good fortune or one of strategic acumen and planning. One may think of  the development of their internal structure, ostensible or real democratic processes within the ranks of the movement, the role attributed to or asserted by women, relations between the three or more generations in the movement, the actual construction of popular bases of power, their performance in the various parliaments and trade unions under the Mubarak regime, their actual coping with economic realities, including poverty and enrichment, and the use of mass media and technology.

Abstracts of no more than 300 words should be submitted until 4. June 2012 to Uri Kupferschmidt, kpfrschm@research.haifa.ac.il

 

17) The Syrian Uprising – Motives, Actors and Agendas

Organized by: Anja Zorob and Salam Said

Vortragssprachen / Languages:  Deutsch/German, Englisch/English

The Syrian Uprising which started in March 2011is characterized as the longest, most violent and apparently also most opaque struggle for freedom and dignity in the framework of the “Arab Awakening”. The atrocities committed by the security forces loyal to the regime against armed opposition groups and, in a similar manner, the overwhelming majority of those peacefully demonstrating everyday in towns and villages all over Syria seems to have divided the Syrian population into two fronts for and against Assad. In addition, all calls for an end of violence brought forth by the Syrian opposition in- and outside the country, the Arab neighbors and the international community have been ignored so far. Against this background the Syrian regime has isolated itself to a large degree in the international political arena. Moreover, the United States, the European Union and others introduced harsh and extensive economic sanctions against the country.

The aim of this panel is, on the one hand, to identify and discuss different socio-economic and political motives or driving factors behind the uprising. On the other hand, the panel wants to throw a more detailed look on the major actors pro and contra the protests on the local as well as external levels as well as to explore their claims, ideas and agendas. This discussion shall not only focus on or be limited to “the family”, oppositional groups or forces loyal to the regime, private entrepreneurs, religious or ethnic groups or different external actors, but shall include also the local and international media, for instance. Finally, the panel aims at investigating and analyzing actual and potential long-term effects of the uprising on the Syrian economy, culture and society.

Paper proposals (300 words approx.) should be sent directly to Anja Zorob, Ruhr University Bochum (anja.zorob@rub.de) and Salam Said, FU Berlin (salamsaid@zedat.fu-berlin.de) by June 4, 2012.

 

 

18)  MENA and its Diasporas: Impacts on Homeland Politics

Organiser: Paul Tabar, Lebanese American University, Institute for Migration Studies

This panel will explore the dynamics of the political relationships between Middle Eastern Diasporas and their homelands in terms of their impact on the state, national identities, and peace and conflict. This theme would be incorporating theoretical discussions on issues such as transnational political activity, long-distance nationalism, political remittances and the trans-border extension of citizenship rights among others. Case studies could include Lebanon, Egypt, Israel, Turkey and other MENA countries with sizable and politically active diasporas.

Please send your abstracts (up to 300 words) until 4. June 2012 to:  Paul Tabar ptabar@ lau.edu.lb

 

19)  Conceptions of Gender in Turkey and the Turkish Diaspora

The panel examines the social construction of gender in Turkey and the Turkish Diaspora. Considering the various social, economic, and political changes that have been taking place in recent years – as for instance the rise of a political Islam, the expansion of consumer culture, or the adoption of new laws and regulations as regards the status of women in society –

it can be assumed that common conceptions of gender have been changing as well. Our session aims to explore these changes not only in a Turkish, but also in a European context. We are particularly interested in questions like: How do men and women negotiate gender identities in everyday life? Do cultural globalization processes and social change foster the emergence of new concepts of masculinity and femininity? Do particularly young people challenge traditional morality or do they hold on to dominant concepts of gender identity?

Please send your abstracts (300 words) to Carina Großer-Kaya, Universität Leipzig: carinagro@freenet.de and Pierre Hecker, Universität Marburg: pierre.hecker@staff.uni-marburg.de

 

20) The Political and Economic Role of Turkey in the Near East

Organisatoren: Nasim Barham / Dietrich Jung, University of Southern Denmark

Es gibt bereits eine feste Gruppe von ReferentInnen, weitere Interessenten können sich wenden an: barham_nasim@hotmail.com

 

Ana Gil Garcia, Professor in the Graduate School of Education (GSE) has had the following publications recently:

“Teachers doing research: From apprehension to fearless!”, International Journal of University Teaching and Faculty Development, Volume 2, Issue 4, February 2012. ISSN: 1949-4947.

“Preparing bilingual teacher candidates: A linguistic conundrum in a changing political landscape,” The International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol.2, No 4, February 2012. Co-author: Judy Iturriago. ISSN: 2220-8488 (print), ISSN: 2221-0989 (online)

She also served as a chapter reviewer for the following book:

Chapter Reviewer: Fred C. Lunenburg and Allan C. Ornstein (2011). Educational Administration: Concepts and practices, Chapter 5: “Leadership.” 6th ed. December 28, 2011.

Princeton University

Posted February 23, 2012
The Institute for the Transregional Study of the contemporary Middle East, North Africa & Central Asia
2012-2013 Fellowship Competition
Research Theme for 2012-13: “Contestation in the Contemporary Arab World”

The recent uprisings in the Arab world, the so-called “Arab Spring,” represent a watershed in the history of this region and its peoples, from Morocco to the Gulf. The stability and endurance of the Arab state has been called into question, as has “Arab exceptionalism” in resisting political change and the democratic wave that swept many regions of the globe in the late twentieth century. The Institute of Transregional Study would like to sponsor research that explores these events in-depth and what they mean for the territorial states, governments, societies, national boundaries as well as the regional system. Is the Arab system of states as rigid as has been claimed? Has Islamism given way to secular forms of politics? Can demographics, the so-called “youth bulge,” explain what we are witnessing? What has been the role of women? What is the role of social media and the information revolution in bringing this about? Has the rise in commodity prices also played a role? Are different types of regime affected differently by these developments (monarchies vs. republics; rentier states vs. production states)? What about the differences in the social makeup of these states? Are homogenous populations (e.g., Tunisia, Egypt) more able to effect change peacefully than those in which regional, sectarian or tribal cleavages are prominent (e.g., Syria, Yemen)? Successful fellows will be expected to tackle such questions. In the process, the Institute hopes that their research will contribute to a better understanding of these important events and offer ideas and frameworks for how to think about them as well as consider potential policy implications.

Research Support Opportunities
Under this general theme, the Institute invites applications for Postdoctoral or Visiting Research Scholar positions from candidates with any disciplinary or theoretical perspective (e.g., law, sociology, anthropology, demography, politics, literature, as well as Islamic and gender studies). Appointments will be for the academic year, September 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013, with the possibility of renewal, subject to satisfactory performance and continued funding. Subject to the approval of the Department of Near Eastern Studies and the Dean of the Faculty, research associates will be expected to teach a one-semester undergraduate course, which may be open to graduate students. Candidates must hold the Ph.D. degree and are expected to pursue independent research at Princeton and to participate in Institute-related activities on campus. Preference will be given to academics whose research, teaching, and professional activities relate to the Institute’s 2012-13 theme. Travel assistance of up to $1500 for round-trip, economy-class airfare will be available to appointees and their immediate families. Salary, title and eligibility to teach will be based on successful applicants’ qualifications and is subject to approval by Princeton’s Dean of the Faculty and relevant academic departments.

To Apply
Interested applicants must apply online at https://jobs.princeton.edu and submit a current curriculum vitae, a research statement (maximum length 2 pages), a cover letter, and contact information for three references. Princeton University is an equal opportunity employer and complies with applicable EEO and affirmative action regulations. For information, contact: Department of Near Eastern Studies, Transregional Institute Research Fellowships, 110 Jones Hall, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544 (fax: +1-609-258-0204; tri@princeton.edu; www.princeton.edu/transregional). Application deadline: March 26, 2012.

This comes via Dr. Ann Lesch, Associate Provost for International Programs.

****

EURAMES Info Service 36/11

Dear Madame, dear Sir, dear colleague and friend,

Please find below the following announcements:

CONFERENCES

1. International Workshop: "Preserving the Built Heritage. The Challenge of a New Legal Framework to Manage Another", Tunis, Museum Bardo, 26 – 27 January 2012

2. 9th Annual Duke-UNC Graduate Islamic Studies Conference: "Making Sense of Islam – Sensuality and Affect in the Muslim Humanities", Duke University, Durham, NC, 24-25 March 2012

3. 13th International Academic Conference on Islamicjerusalem Studies: "Palestine and Islamic Jerusalem – Introducing Islamicjerusalem Studies to South East Asia", Malaysia (venue to be confirmed), 10-12 April 2012

4. Workshop: "Language and Identity in Central Asia", UCLA, 4-5 May 2012

5. Workshop: "Big Dams: Investigating their Temporal and Spatial Politics in Africa, the Middle East and Asia", Zentrum Moderner Orient, Berlin, 1 June 2012

POSITIONS and GRANTS

6. Iran Heritage Foundation (IHF) Visiting Fellowship Programme at SOAS, London

7.  Position: Sir Thomas Adams’s Professorship of Arabic, University of Cambridge

8. Funding for Doctoral Research in Arab World Studies and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Manchester

9. One-Year Visiting Research Fellowship in the Study of Shi‘i Islam in the Arab and/or Persian-speaking World,  Institute of Ismaili Studies, London

10. Open Society Scholarship Program offers grants for Master Degree Courses  at Top-ranked Universities in the U.S in Public Policy / Public Administration / Media / Communications Studies /Law / Gender Studies

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

11. Master Programme: "Economic Change in the Arab Region", Including Scholarships, University of Marburg/Germany and Cairo

With all best wishes for the New Year,

Guenter Meyer
Centre for Research on the Arab World (CERAW),  University of Mainz,  www.ceraw.uni-mainz.de

______________
______________

CONFERENCES

1. International Workshop: "Preserving the Built Heritage. The Challenge of a New Legal Framework to Manage Another", Tunis, Museum Bardo, 26 – 27 January 2012

This meeting aims to support the coming heritage policies management in Tunisia and provides opportunities for professionals of the sector to share ideas and experiences into the Workshops as open spaces for debate and exchanges.

Registration before 5 January 2012.Information: http://www.montada-forum.net/sites/default/files/activitats/Programme%20TunisiaBardo.pdf

_______________

2. 9th Annual Duke-UNC Graduate Islamic Studies Conference: "Making Sense of Islam – Sensuality and Affect in the Muslim Humanities", Duke University, Durham, NC, 24-25 March 2012

Possible themes for papers include but are not limited to:
 * The visual language of Islamic design and architecture
 * Sensation in classical & modern Prose and poetry
 * Cultural institutions and practices for sensing the supernatural
 * The choreography of religious ceremony
 * The physical and material evocation of memory
 * Trends in modern Muslim art and artists
 * Philosophical and scientific theories of human sensation
 * Sight, memory, and sound as evidence in Islamic Law

We will provide opportunity for interactive, deliberative, and inter-disciplinary engagement with scholarly work in progress by gathering in an intimate workshop format. Please submit at minimum a 1,000-word detailed abstract accompanied by a working bibliography and CV to DUKEUNCconf@gmail.com by January 9, 2011. Submissions that include a written paper are highly preferred. Ph.D. students in advanced stages of research and dissertation writing are especially encouraged to apply.

Complete Call for Papers: http://lucian.uchicago.edu/blogs/ceeresebulletin/files/2011/11/DukeUNC-Islamic-Studies-Graduate-Conference-2012.pdf

__________________

3. 13th International Academic Conference on Islamicjerusalem Studies: "Palestine and Islamic Jerusalem – Introducing Islamicjerusalem Studies to South East Asia", Malaysia (venue to be confirmed), 10-12 April 2012

The Conference is organized by  the Academy for Islamicjerusalem Studies (ISRA). The objective of this Conference is to introduce the new terminology of Islamicjerusalem and its field of inquiry to Malaysia and south East Asia. Scholars, academicians, researchers, postgraduate and undergraduate students, and the wider public who are interested in understanding better Palestine and Islamicjerusalem and the new field of inquiry are invited to participate in this Conference.

Proposals for papers should be send  to conference@isra.org.uk by 17 February 2012. For further information see www.isra.org.uk

________________

4. Workshop: "Language and Identity in Central Asia", UCLA, Los Angeles,  4-5 May 2012

We are seeking the participation of graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and junior faculty to take part in a two-day workshop to present and discuss their work in this area. These participants will be joining a group of four invited established scholars in the field and faculty discussants.

The conference is organized along four axes of interaction between Central Asia and other parts of the world:  * contact with the Islamic Middle East and Ottoman world,  * contact with the Russian Empire and its successor states,  * internal contact among populations of Central Asia,  * contacts with China and East Asia. Each axis will begin with a keynote talk by an invited scholar, followed by one or two panels that further explore the area.

 Deadline for abstracts 1 February 2012. For information seehttp://www.international.ucla.edu/asia/centralasia.

________________

5. Workshop: "Big Dams: Investigating their Temporal and Spatial Politics in Africa, the Middle East and Asia", Zentrum Moderner Orient, Berlin, 1 June 2012

With a view to a subsequent publication, we invite papers on empirical case studies from various disciplinary backgrounds that address any of the following questions:
-        Can we find typical patterns of cost-benefit analysis by different actors? Do these differ in any way from those relating to other large-scale modernisation projects, such as urban (re)building, highway construction, etc.?
-        What are the spatial scales of social belonging invoked in the contestations of dam building projects, e.g. ‘small’ and marginal communities having to sacrifice for the ‘greater’ (national or regional) good?
-        How are these discourses temporalized, how do they articulate ideas of ‘modernisation’, ‘progress’, ‘backwardness’ and ‘tradition’? How do the different social actors deal with processes of erasure and submerging sites of past experiences and memories in the name of the future? And how do governments, citizens and corporate investors deal with historical successes or mistakes associated with dams?

We invite abstracts of no more than 500 words by 3 February 2012, to be sent to the conference organizers at feaucroj@hu-berlin.de, langekat@rz.hu-berlin.de,katrin.bromber@rz.hu-berlin.de. Limited funding is available to help cover accommodation and travel expenses.

________________

POSITIONS and GRANTS

6. Iran Heritage Foundation (IHF) Visiting Fellowship Programme at SOAS, London

As part of its Institutional Partnerships Programme, Iran Heritage Foundation is supporting two Visiting Fellows in Iranian Studies at SOAS. Fellows will be given access to the SOAS library, office space and work station. They will receive a monthly stipend of £1,500 and will be refunded for the cost of their return journey from their country of residence to London to take up the Fellowship.

One Fellowship will be tenable from March 2012 for a maximum period of six months. Thereafter, two Fellowships per year will be offered starting from the beginning of the academic year 2012/13. Each Fellowship is available for a minimum of four and a maximum of six months. Applicants will normally hold a PhD or equivalent and must demonstrate sufficient command of English to be able to take part in the academic life of SOAS. Their research may be in any discipline working on Iran.

Deadline for applications: 31st January 2012. Further informationhttp://www.soas.ac.uk/news/newsitem73133.html

_______________

7.  Position: Sir Thomas Adams’s Professorship of Arabic, University of Cambridge

The Faculty is seeking a world-class academic to fill this position in the field of Classical Arabic Studies on 1 October 2012 or as soon as possible thereafter. The successful candidate should have proven leadership capabilities, including the ability to initiate policy and motivate and support academic colleagues. He or she will be expected to take a leading role in the development of the Faculty’s strategic direction in both research and teaching, and in the encouragement of the next generation of scholars. The postholder will be expected to undertake various academic administrative duties in turn with colleagues, such as the role of Head of the Department of Middle Eastern Studies, taking an interest in all aspects of the Faculty’s activities and their future successful development.

Application should be sent  to the Academic Secretary, University Offices, The Old Schools, Cambridge, CB2 1TT, (email: ibise@admin.cam.ac.uk) together with details of current and future research plans, a curriculum vitae, a publications list and form CHRIS/6 (parts 1 and 3 only) with details of two referees, so as to reach him no later than 15 January 2012.

For further information please contact Professor Charles Melville oncpm1000@cam.ac.uk.

________________

8. Funding for Doctoral Research in Arab World Studies and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Manchester

The University of Manchester is offering a range of awards to which candidates working on topics related to Arab World Studies are eligible to apply. The two main awards, which comprise a fee-bursary and a maintenance grant, are ESRC studentships in Language-Based Area Studies and the University-funded President’s Doctoral Scholar Awards.

A). The North West Doctoral Training Centre, jointly run by the Universities of Lancaster, Liverpool and Manchester, is offering 3 PhD studentships in Language-Based Area Studies, in fields which include Arab World Studies. This award covers home/EU fees and offers a maintenance grant. (Last year the value of the grant was £ 13,590.) Successful candidates will be based at the University of Manchester. The University has wide-ranging expertise in Arab World Studies and Middle Eastern Studies, with relevant members of staff based across the Faculty of Humanities, particularly in the School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures and the School of Social Sciences. We will be able to offer supervision in a wide range of topics concerning the societies, politics, history and literature of the Arab World.

For a description of the North West DTC and of the opportunities for post-graduate studies which it offers, please go to http://www.nwdtc.ac.uk/ andhttp://www.nwdtc.ac.uk/programmes/pathways.html; for all funding opportunities in the discipline, see http://www.llc.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding/. The application deadline for the ESRC studentships is 23 March, 2012. For informal inquiries, please contact: Dr Ron Buckley, School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures, at ronald.p.buckley@manchester.ac.uk

B).   This year, the University of Manchester has launched a new £2.5m investment in PhD training with the creation of the President’s Doctoral Scholar Awards. These awards are open to all new PhD students (home, EU or overseas) and all disciplines. The Department of Middle Eastern Studies in the School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures is welcoming applications for this funding scheme from candidates working on any topic related to the history, cultures, religions, languages and literature of the Middle East, including Arab World, Persian and Israel Studies, as well as Jewish Studies in any period. The award covers tuition fees (home/EU or international, as appropriate) and the equivalent of the research council stipend (£13, 590 in 2011-12).
An application for a place on a doctoral programme should be submitted to the School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures by 15 February 2012 at the latest; a completed funding application form should be submitted by 1 March 2012 at the latest.

For the guidelines about how to apply, please visit http://www.llc.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding/. For informal inquiries about the academic side of the application process, please contact Dr Ron Buckley atronald.p.buckley@manchester.ac.uk or Professor Alex Samely atalex.samely@manchester.ac.uk

________________

9. One-Year Visiting Research Fellowship in the Study of Shi‘i Islam in the Arab and/or Persian-speaking World,  Institute of Ismaili Studies, London

One Year fixed-term contract based in London; funding: £ 34,000; closing date: 31 January 2012.

Your main responsibilities will be to undertake research as part of current and future projects related to Shi‘i Studies with a view towards preparing a specific work for publication directed to assess the state of the study of Shi‘i Islam in the Arabic and/or Persian-speaking world(s). Other duties include presenting seminar papers of your research and participating in the research life of the Department through attending all relevant meetings, workshops and conferences and in other related research at the IIS. The position requires a PhD in Islamic Studies and preference will be given to candidates with specialisations in the areas of Shi‘i thought and history, and a strong publication record. The ideal candidate must have knowledge of the language relevant to this field of research (Arabic and/or Persian) and should be willing to travel abroad for potential field-works. She/he will also possess an excellent command of the English language and attention to detail. Start date negotiable.

Please apply online with CV plus covering letter at www.iis.ac.uk (‘Job Vacancies’ link) where you can also download the job description and person specification.

________________

10. Open Society Scholarship Program offers grants for Master Degree Courses  at Top-ranked Universities in the U.S in Public Policy / Public Administration / Media / Communications Studies /Law / Gender Studies

The Middle East Rule of Law (MEROL) program aims to assist in the creation of a critical mass of reform-minded professionals in the Middle East working in fields crucial to the development and sustainability of open societies. In conceiving of the foundations of the “Rule of Law” to include the healthy functioning of various public sectors beyond law itself, MEROL represents an extension of the Open Society Foundations’ Palestinian Rule of Law Program (PROL).

Applicants must: • be legally resident in Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, or Syria at the time of application, • demonstrate an excellent academic record and have an advanced degree (Minimum: Bachelor’s), • display impressive civil society leadership potential, • prove through testing and interviews strong English language ability etc.

The fellowship provides: • Tuition and mandatory university fees, • Monthly stipend for room, board, and living expenses, • Transportation to/from the U.S. etc.

Deadline for application: 6 February 2012. For more information see:http://www.soros.org/initiatives/scholarship/focus_areas

__________________

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

11. Master Programme: "Economic Change in the Arab Region", Including Scholarships, University of Marburg/Germany and Cairo

“Economic Change in the Arab Region” (ECAR) is a master’s programme in economics with a special focus on the Arab region. It is based on a joint initiative by the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation, the German Academic Exchange Service, and the Philipps-Universität Marburg. ECAR has the objective of equipping international students with the relevant knowledge for furthering development and growth in the Arab region. Since the programme’s establishment, intakes of the years 2009, 2010, and 2011 have been studying in Germany and in countries of the Arab region.

The programme consists of three semesters – two in Marburg and one semester in the Arab region – and a two-month preparatory period in Cairo, Egypt. ECAR courses aim at education in modern economic methodology and its applicability to Arab countries. Students receive training regarding German and Arab languages, soft skills, and intercultural communication. More than 10 DAAD scholarships are awarded to selected candidates supporting living and travelling expenses.

Applications for programme starting in August 2012 can be submitted until  31 of March 2012. More information at  www.uni-marburg.de/ecar or ecar@wiwi.uni-marburg.de.

 

Dr. Ann Lesch, Associate Provost for International Programs, sends the following announcement:

Bilateral Exchange of Academics Research Stays (1 – 3 months)

Deadline: 31.10.2012

This exchange program is primarily intended to support the
implementation of mutual teaching and research projects

Requirements:

1.        Application form

2.        Complete list of publication

3.        Recent curriculum vitae

4.        Endorsement Letter

5.        Invitation letter from a German professor

6.        Detailed and well defined proposal

For more details please refer to the following URL:

http://cairo.daad.de/en/studyingresearchgermany/scholarshipforeigners/postdocsresearchers/

Or call us on 02-27384127/ 2 2735 27 26

 

This announcement comes from Rania Jabr of the English Language Institute: