Author: Nassef Manabilang Adiong

Nassef is the founder of Co-IRIS (International Relations and Islamic Studies Research Cohort), PHISO (Philippine International Studies Organization), DSRN (Decolonial Studies Research Network), and BRLN (Bangsamoro Research and Legal Network). He works on interdisciplinary research between Islam and International Relations and explores the Bangsamoro society as he heads the Policy Research and Legal Services (PRLS) of the Bangsamoro Parliament. Visit https://nassef.info/ for more details.

CFP: Armed Groups and the Arab Spring (Challenges and Opportunities)

Dear All,

The German Middle East Studies Association is organizing its 19th International Congress of Contemporary Research on the Middle East in Erlangen from 4-6 October, 2012. I am organizing a panel titled “Armed Groups and the Arab Spring: Challenges and Opportunities”. Here is the abstract:

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.

You are welcome to submit a paper abstract (300 words) for this panel to somdeeps@gmail.com by June 4th, 2012. Use the above forms while submitting your paper proposal and registration.

Also, it would be great if you could forward it to your departmental email lists. 

For more information on the submission and registration visit: http://www.davo1.de/tagungen/davo2012.html#19th_International_Congress_of_Erlangen

Best,

Somdeep Sen 

—
Somdeep Sen

PhD Fellow, Department of Political Science
University of Copenhagen
Oster Farimagsgade 5
Office: 18.3.12
1353 Copenhagen, Denmark
Office Phone: +45 35 32 37 93      
Mobile: +45 20 88 92 85      

Research Opportunity with the Euro-Islam Network and Website

The Euro-Islam website is currently recruiting two students/researchers interested in Muslims in Germany and in the UK for its website research team.  Language capabilities in German are required for the research on Islam and Muslims in Germany.

Each week the researcher will collect news stories covering current events impacting Muslims in these countries, develop short a short summary for each story, and submit them to the webmaster for publishing. He/she will also participate in monthly concalls with the Euro-Islam research team. The researcher may also be called upon to develop profiles on Islam and Muslims these countries and their capital cities.

Weekly responsibilities require approximately 3-6 hours.

While the Euro-Islam website unfortunately cannot offer compensation, the student researcher will benefit from weekly research opportunities, networking/collaboration opportunities through Harvard’s Islam in the West Program, and access to a large audience of scholars, politicians, and media professionals via the web’s most reliable source on Muslims in the West.

Please refer interested students to Dr. Jocelyne Cesari, Director of Harvard’s Islam in the West Program and website coordinator: jcesari@fas.harvard.edu.

We appreciate your help and time, and look forward to hearing from your students.

CFA: Oxford Middle Eastern & North African Studies Conference

Oxford, England
2 June 2012
Venue: Lady Margaret Hall (Oxford University)
Call for Abstracts

The annual Middle Eastern and North African Studies Conference in Oxford is a forum for all those who are concerned and would like to have an overall picture of the perspectives emerging from this very crucial zone of our world. This vast expanse of our planet represents lands and nation that are interrelated by historical, cultural, political and religious facts. It may be imprudent to endeavour to achieve an all inclusive comprehension of events in certain sections of this significant area in isolation and without bearing in mind the influences emanating from across the entire zone. Thus holding events such as these could offer a unique opportunity for all interested to come together and put the pieces together.
We invite proposals touching upon all countries in the Middle East and North Africa on areas such as:
Literature and Literary Developments
Politics and International Relations
Education 
Economy, Commerce, Finance and Banking
Society and People
Culture
Art and Cinema
History
Religion and Islam
Media; newspapers, traditional and satellite TV channels, Internet based mediums  
Deadline for Abstracts Submission: 2nd May 2012
All are required to register. For registration form and details, please click below:
Past Events
Islamic Civilisation Conference
Date: 12 November 2011
Venue: Lady Margaret Hall (Oxford University)

 

Concepts:

– Civilisation Concept

– Islamic Civilisation Concept

– Civilisation, Culture and Civility Concepts

 

Sources:

– The Holy Quran

Al Sunna

– Structure of Islamic Faith

– Sources and Nature of Shariah and Ethics in Islam

– Arabic Language

 

Political & Judicial Life:

– Government and Administration Systems

– Formation of Diwans in Early Islam

Judicial Systems

– War and Peace; Their Nature and Philosophy

 

Islamic Economy and Finances:

– Waqf

– Islamic Banking: Its Nature and Pillars

– Islamic Banking: In the Modern World

– Islamic Commerce: Contracts, International Trade &…

– What Islam has to Offer to the Word Economy

 

Science and Technology Dissemination:

-Scientific Movement in the Muslim World and Its Development

– Education throughout History

– Translation Movement

 

Muslims Contributions to Humanities & Social Sciences:

– Literature

– Philosophy

– Comparative Religion

– Law

– Geography

– History

– Arts

 

Muslims Contributions to Sciences:

– Mathematics

– Astrology

– Medicine

– Chemistry

– Physics

– Biology

 

Social Aspects:

-Social Classes in Islam

– Dhimmis and Non Muslim Minorities

– Gender Issues

– State of Family as an Institution in the Muslim World

– The Youth Issues

– Care for the Elderly and Physically Challenged

 

Islamic and Western Civilisations: Clash or Dialogue

– Historical Background

– Dialogue Parameters and Backgrounds

CFP: History and the "New" Middle East and Africa

October 11-13, 2012
Key Bridge Marriott Hotel * Washington, D.C.
ASMEA is currently seeking proposals for paper presentations at the 2012 annual conference. Members from any discipline, tenured or untenured faculty or those otherwise affiliated with a recognized research institution, may submit proposals to participate in the conference. Unique proposals from senior graduate students (ABD) will also be considered. Abstracts on topics related to the Middle East and Africa should consist of a one-page outline of the proposed subject to be presented. A recent C.V. and all contact data must be attached to the proposal (name, e-mail, phone number, affiliation). The due date for proposals is Tuesday, May 15, 2012. Proposals should be sent to: info@asmeascholars.org
Completed papers are due by August 31, 2012.
Referees and Discussants
ASMEA Members interested in participating in the conference as referees of papers or discussants should contact ASMEA by e-mail with a letter of interest containing the topics that can be covered. Please include a C.V. and all current contact data (name, e-mail, phone number) and a brief recitation of your past experience in these roles. Send e-mail to: info@asmeascholars.org
Any questions or for more information, contact ASMEA at             202.429.8860       orinfo@asmeascholars.org

CFP: Religious Movements as Political Actors in the Middle East

Political actors with religious platforms are once more at the forefront in the Middle East today. Especially since the so called ‘Arab Spring’ new constellations offered entirely new possibilities.
In Tunesia and Marocco conservative-islamic parties won the majority in the respective parliaments, Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood has also become the strongest party in the Maglis. They are accompanied by certain Salafist streams, who in reaction to the ‘democratic rupture’, became politicized. Also Shiite communities in Iraq and Lebanon are almost exclusively represented by parties, which follow a distinct political theology.  
Yet the linkage between religion and politics is not limited to Islam, but can be observed within Christianity and Judaism as well. Israel, for example, faces due to the extraordinary demographic development of the ultra-Orthodox population a cultural war about morals and religious normativity in the public sphere. In the West Bank the agitation of the supposedly statist religious settlers against the Israeli Military reached a new quality. Also Lebanese Christian parties like the al-kata`ib formulate the political demands of their constituency in religiously charged language and symbols.
It is the aim of the panel(s), to analyse background and consequences of the new political strength of religious parties. Central questions are: What are their normative demands in the public sphere? On what religious grounds is the common good of the society founded? Are the actors in a process of democratization? Why get formerly quietisitic movements like the Salafists now politicized?
Presentations can be given in English and German
A publication in an edited volume is intended. Please send proposals until the 04thof June to religionnahost@gmail.com
Peter Lintl, M.A.; Christian Thuselt, M.A.; Christian Wolff, M.A.