From: Sophie Lowry <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: CASAW Symposium Announcement
Date: Tue, 31 May 2011 10:26:47 +0100
The Centre for the Advanced Study of the Arab World (CASAW) and Islamic and
Middle Eastern Studies (IMES) of the University of Edinburgh invite proposals
for a symposium "Contextualising Community - Diasporas of the Modern Middle
East" to be held on 27-28 October 2011 at the University of Edinburgh.
The Middle East (defined broadly) has historically been a heterogeneous site
where distinct communities, differentiated by origin and orientation, have
coexisted through many periods of conflict and even longer times of peace. At
certain points, some communities rose to positions of prominence and power,
while others’ very existence was threatened. From the late nineteenth century,
dynamic political changes have meant that many of these groups struggle to
claim and negotiate a space for themselves, based on political and social
pragmatism.
Although there has been substantial interest in Middle Eastern immigrant
communities in the west, diasporic and minority communities in the Middle East
have been relatively neglected in recent academic scholarship. Through both
theoretical engagement and in depth case studies, this symposium will look at
how these groups are organized and sustained, balancing (actual or imagined)
‘homelands’ and the reality of lives lived in ‘host states’, while challenging
the terms and validity of this framework.
The symposium will map the entanglement of these communities in the wider Middle
Eastern societies of which they are a part. We will investigate how this varies
according to the political climate and discourse of the moment. We will also
reflect more widely on how communities are built and maintained in a diasporic
space, examining issues of identity, citizenship and belonging in the modern
Middle East.
We are interested in receiving papers combining both theoretical discussion of
diaspora with a specific empirical case or regional study. Papers discussing
particular aspects of diasporic cultural, political, and social life in the
Middle East are also welcome. The symposium seeks to challenge the boundaries
of what are commonly conceived of as diasporas, and is open to explorations of
diasporic identity based on, for example, urban identity (e.g. Levantine,
Alexandrian), feminist perspectives or class-based allegiances.
Possible topics include but are not limited to:
*How state policy affects diasporic groups
*The dynamics of intercommunal coexistence
*Reconceptualising ‘community’
*Intra-community struggles for power and representation
*Diasporic media
*Diasporic institutions and leaders
*The fluidity and hybridity of diasporic identities
*The significance of sites and spaces in defining diasporic identity
*Local narratives of conflict and their legacy
*Transnational consciousness and visions of ‘home’
Following the symposium participants will be invited to submit their revised
paper for inclusion in an edited volume.
With the help of funding from the Centre for the Advanced Study of the Arab
World (a consortium of Durham, Edinburgh and Manchester Universities) we will
be able to cover accommodation costs for all participants. We will also
endeavour to cover or contribute to travel expenses for those coming from the
Middle East.
Please send abstracts of no more than 300 words and a one page CV
by 18 July 2011 to:
Dr Sossie Kasbarian, [log in to unmask] and
Dr Anthony Gorman, [log in to unmask]
---
CASAW Administrative Office
University of Edinburgh
19 George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9LD
United Kingdom
Email: [log in to unmask]
Web: www.casaw.ac.uk
The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with
registration number SC005336.
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