[Discussion] CfP: "Mapping Muslim Ethics", 2nd Annual Duke-UNC Graduate , Conference

[Sule Tarakcioglu]

From: F. Canguzel Zulfikar <canzulfikar@yahoo.com>

Call for Papers - "Mapping Muslim Ethics"
2nd Annual Duke-UNC Graduate Conference on Islamic Studies
February 4-5, 2005

Deadline for Proposal Submission: January 5, 2005

The most pressing questions in the study of Islam and Muslim societies
are ethical in nature. Questions such as the validity of suicide/martyr
bombings, interest-based banking, questions of governance, gender and
bioethics are widely discussed among Muslims and non-Muslims. Though
such debates often occur in a legalistic idiom, these dilemmas have
far-reaching implications on the attitudes and worldviews of Muslims.

In this larger perspective, we ask what is Muslim ethics? Is the phrase
a neologism or does it have a historical genealogy?  Some have argued
that Muslim ethics is an ensemble of Islamic law, legal theory, the
science of comportment (`ilm al-akhlaq) together with elements of
theology.  In this conference we will explore this cluster of issues and
how they relate to contemporary and historical formulations of Muslim
ethics.

We invite paper proposals for the 2nd Annual Duke-UNC Graduate Student
Islamic Studies Conference.  Organizers are particularly keen to receive
proposals that address: ethical challenges in Muslim minority contexts
such as America and Europe; dialogue between Muslim ethical paradigms
and those of diverse intellectual traditions; historical nexus of law,
ethics and the state; the relationship between "secular" and "religious"
ethics; economic or financial ethics; theological ethics; gender and
sexuality.

Generally we wish to explore the manner(s) in which thinkers are
engaging the Islamic intellectual tradition to map ethics in historical
terms and perhaps even recast ethics for contemporary contexts.  We
encourage the subject to be addressed from a number of perspectives:
historical, theoretical, sociological, philological, anthropological, or
literary. Theoretical reflections on ethnographic and textual
discussions of ethics are highly desirable.

As a hallmark of the Duke-UNC Islamic Studies Conference we will provide
opportunity for interactive, deliberative, and inter-disciplinary
engagement with scholarly work in progress by setting this gathering in
an intimate workshop format We expect that those invited to present
papers will remain for the duration of the conference in order to engage
the other participants in a true exchange of ideas.

The conference will be held at Duke University on February 4-5, 2005.
Please send a proposal not exceeding 500 words along with a CV.  A CV
must be submitted for your proposal to be considered.  The deadline for
the submission of proposals is January 5, 2004.  Proposals and CVs will
be accepted by email or regular mail. Please send proposals and/or
questions about the conference to the attention of:

M. Brett Wilson / Youshaa Patel
Duke University - John Hope Franklin Center
Center for the Study of Muslim Networks
Box 90402, 2204 Erwin Road
Durham, NC 27708-0402
(919) 668-2143
yp13@duke.edu, mbw3@duke.edu