[Discussion] CFP: America in the Middle East/The Middle East in America (6/1/05; 12/18/05-12/21/05)

[Sule Tarakcioglu]

From: Patrick McGreevy <pm07@aub.edu.lb>

Subject: CFP: America in the Middle East/The Middle East in America (6/1/05;
12/18/05-12/21/05)

America in the Middle East / The Middle East in America

Call For Papers


The September 11 attacks and the Iraq War have thrust the people of the 
Middle
East and Americans into direct and intense contact. The goal of this 
conference
is to explore these current encounters through contextualization and
questioning. One important context is the long and complex history of 
encounters
between two places designated "America" and the "Middle East." 
Questioning the
status of these two terms, and the entities they purport to describe, 
must be
our starting point.

Scholars of American studies have called into question the notion that 
states
are the default containers of cultures. Cultural diversity within the 
borders of
the United States, and intercultural processes bleeding through those 
borders in
multiple directions, mean that individual identities are formed from 
different
proportions of sub-national, national, and transnational attachments. 
Few in the
Middle East, nonetheless, would want to underestimate the political 
salience of
national attachments in the United States-attachments that have been
consolidated in part though narratives that appropriate and mythologize
"America." To the extent that religion has figured in these narratives, the
Middle East has long been a background presence, but recent events have 
placed
it near the center of both scholarly and public debates about the meaning of
"America."

The "Middle East" also requires questioning. Many Americans see the 
Middle East
as unitary and often have difficulty distinguishing it from the "Arab 
World" and
the "World of Islam." Yet scholars cannot agree even on the boundaries 
of the
region. Middle Eastern countries contain considerable ethnic, religious 
and even
linguistic diversity. Levels of wealth, education, and secularization 
also vary
widely. Moreover, the presence of people of Middle Eastern origin in 
places like
Europe and North America reveals that the Middle East is not a neatly 
separable
entity.

This conference invites papers that explore current American-Middle Eastern
encounters by placing them into a larger context such as that of earlier
encounters, or by questioning categories, terms or narratives. It will 
provide a
unique opportunity to bring together scholars from North America, the Middle
East and other regions to discuss past, present and future encounters.  By
providing considerable time for free interaction, the conference seeks to
engender new insights and perspectives. At the very least, the cosmopolitan
atmosphere of the American University of Beirut, and of Beirut itself, will
allow some very positive encounters among the participants.  In the opening
address, Dr. Juan Cole of the University of Michigan will discuss the
Americana Translation Project (http://www.juancole.com/trans.htm).  Dr.
Melanie McAlister of George Washington University will present a closing
address focusing on U.S. images of the Middle East after 9/11.

Possible topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

   a.. The role of religions in mediating American-Middle Eastern
encounters.
   b.. African Americans and the Middle East.
   c.. Connections between the domestic and the foreign (e.g., how is the
domestic experience of race and gender connected to the representation
of, and interactions with, foreign peoples?).
   d.. Empire and the Middle East, the global role of the U.S. after
9/11.
   e.. The role of "the Middle East" in the construction of U.S. 
nationalistic
narratives, the role of "America" in Middle Eastern political discourse.
   f.. Border crossing between America and the Middle East (elite travelers,
immigrants, missionaries, journalists, American universities in the 
Middle East,
hybridities).
   g.. State relations (foreign policies, the status of sovereignty, public
diplomacy, democracy and civil rights-promotion and erosion, the politics of
oil, military and strategic issues).
   h.. The role of popular culture and media.
   i.. Teaching American Studies in the Middle East: Teaching Middle 
East Studies
in the United States.
   j.. Prospects and possibilities for honest interactions, mutual 
understanding
and justice.


Important Dates & Deadlines:

   a.. June 1, 2005: Deadline to submit abstracts.
   b.. June 30, 2005: Authors of accepted papers will be notified.
Format:

In addition to paper presenters, scholars of American studies living in the
Middle East and representatives from American Studies Programs in the Middle
East are specifically invited to participate is a special working session to
discuss what American studies can be in the Middle Eastern context, and to
consider future collaboration, coordination and interaction.

All paper presenters and Middle Eastern scholars will be partially 
subsidized.
Scholars are urged to propose new work suitable for inclusion in a possible
edited volume.

Please send abstracts of proposed papers (500 words or less), along with 
a short
CV, via electronic mail to casar@aub.edu.lb by June 1, 2005.  Authors of
accepted papers will be notified by June 30.  American studies scholars 
from the
Middle East, even if they are not proposing to present a paper, are urged to
indicate interest via email.

Further information about the conference is available on the CASAR
website: http://staff.aub.edu.lb/~webcasar/index.html. Registration will 
begin
immediately and continue until September 15 for paper presenters and 
Middle East
scholars, and December 10 for general attendees. Registration information is
posted on the website.

The Center for American Studies and Research (CASAR) at American 
University of
Beirut was launched in 2003 with a major gift from Prince Alwaleed Bin 
Talal Bin
Abdulaziz Alsaud. It is an independent academic center that seeks to promote
better understanding between the people of United States and those of 
the Arab
World through teaching, research and outreach efforts.


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