[Discussion] CfP: Minorities and majorities in the Middle East and North Africa, University of Edinburgh, 21st-22nd April 2006

Wed, 9 Nov 2005 20:39:18 +0200

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Minorities and majorities in the Middle East and North Africa
A research workshop at the Department of Islamic and Middle Eastern =
Studies

University of Edinburgh, 21st-22nd April 2006

Submission deadline : 31st January 2006

This workshop continues an interdisciplinary collaborative effort begun =
with a double panel at the 2005 British Society for Middle Eastern =
Studies conference.  It will lead to a publication that will provide =
both a point of departure for further research on the Middle East and =
North Africa, and useful comparative material for scholars researching =
other societies.

Introduction

In academic work and in the news media, the word 'minorities' is =
frequently used in discussions of the societies of the Middle East and =
North Africa. But can the this term be trusted ?  It should be clear =
that 'minorities' are created by conditions associated with the =
emergence of modern states.  These include (but are not limited to) the =
development of a principle of representative government ; the spread of =
state authority to cover the entire territory uniformly, at least in =
theory, and the development of infrastructure that makes some =
approximation of this possible in practice; the establishment of fixed =
borders (with a state's authority present on both sides) ; and, of =
course, the construction of some kind of 'majority'.

Yet the two terms, 'minority' and 'majority', are frequently used =
ahistorically, without any understanding of the processes whereby groups =
within human society come to be defined-by themselves or by others-as =
majorities and minorities.  The aim of this workshop is to examine =
precisely those processes by investigating, from a variety of =
disciplinary standpoints, how (and why) specific minorities and =
majorities have been constructed, and how these categories have been =
maintained.

Two aspects of the question are particularly important.  The first =
concerns academic methodology : the way in which academic observers of =
the Middle East and North Africa use these terms.  When does the concept =
of the 'minority' have explanatory power, and when does it merely =
obscure?  The second aspect regards the way in which people in the =
region themselves use these notions.  How are the categories of =
'majority' and 'minority' actually effective in structuring societies, =
as elements of people's self-consciousness or as political tools ?  As a =
corollary to this, participants are also invited to consider the =
relationship between these two
aspects.

*

Themes

Participants are invited to present papers which use an empirical =
case-study to address a particular theme, moving from the specific case =
to more general theoretical reflection.  The purpose of this thematic =
approach is to provide as much useful comparative material as possible, =
across disciplines, for researchers working on the Middle East and North =
Africa and beyond.

Possible themes include :

Language/linguistics; gender; ethnicity; religion; popular culture; =
economics; international relations; borders; education; urbanisation; =
culinary culture; transient minorities; diasporas; literature.

*

Format

The workshop will bring together 10-12 speakers, and will take the form =
of a series of round-table discussions over two days. Papers will be =
pre-circulated to the entire group ; at the workshop itself, each =
participant's paper will be introduced by another participant (the =
discussant).  The author of the paper will then give a brief response to =
the discussant before the floor is opened for discussion.  This approach =
is far more conducive to the constructive exchange of ideas than the =
traditional format of a spoken paper delivered to an unprepared =
audience.

NB The language of the workshop will be English.  Accommodation and food =
will be provided, and transports costs will be covered for participants =
coming from within the UK.

*

Submission details

Abstracts of up to 300 words, plus brief biographical details and a list =
of 3 to 6 bibliographical references, should be sent to :

Benjamin White
Department of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies
University of Edinburgh
19 George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9LD
U.K.

e-mail : ben.white@ed.ac.uk
telephone : +44 (0) 131 651 3202

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<DIV align=3Djustify>Minorities and =
majorities in the=20
Middle East and North Africa A research workshop at the Department of =
Islamic=20
and Middle Eastern Studies University of Edinburgh, =
21st-22nd=20
April 2006 Submission deadline : 31st January 2006 This =
workshop=20
continues an interdisciplinary collaborative effort begun with a double =
panel at=20
the 2005 British Society for Middle Eastern Studies conference.&nbsp; It =
will=20
lead to a publication that will provide both a point of departure for =
further=20
research on the Middle East and North Africa, and useful comparative =
material=20
for scholars researching other societies. </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>Introduction In =
academic work and=20
in the news media, the word 'minorities' is frequently used in =
discussions of=20
the societies of the Middle East and North Africa. But can the this term =
be=20
trusted ?&nbsp; It should be clear that 'minorities' are created by =
conditions=20
associated with the emergence of modern states.&nbsp; These include (but =
are not=20
limited to) the development of a principle of representative government =
; the=20
spread of state authority to cover the entire territory uniformly, at =
least in=20
theory, and the development of infrastructure that makes some =
approximation of=20
this possible in practice; the establishment of fixed borders (with a =
state's=20
authority present on both sides) ; and, of course, the construction of =
some kind=20
of 'majority'. Yet the two terms, 'minority' and 'majority', are=20
frequently used ahistorically, without any understanding of the =
processes=20
whereby groups within human society come to be defined-by themselves or =
by=20
others-as majorities and minorities.&nbsp; The aim of this workshop is =
to=20
examine precisely those processes by investigating, from a variety of=20
disciplinary standpoints, how (and why) specific minorities and =
majorities have=20
been constructed, and how these categories have been =
maintained. Two=20
aspects of the question are particularly important.&nbsp; The first =
concerns=20
academic methodology : the way in which academic observers of the Middle =
East=20
and North Africa use these terms.&nbsp; When does the concept of the =
'minority'=20
have explanatory power, and when does it merely obscure?&nbsp; The =
second aspect=20
regards the way in which people in the region themselves use these=20
notions.&nbsp; How are the categories of 'majority' and 'minority' =
actually=20
effective in structuring societies, as elements of people's =
self-consciousness=20
or as political tools ?&nbsp; As a corollary to this, participants are =
also=20
invited to consider the relationship between these=20
two aspects. * Themes Participants are invited =
to=20
present papers which use an empirical case-study to address a particular =
theme,=20
moving from the specific case to more general theoretical =
reflection.&nbsp; The=20
purpose of this thematic approach is to provide as much useful =
comparative=20
material as possible, across disciplines, for researchers working on the =
Middle=20
East and North Africa and beyond. Possible themes include=20
: Language/linguistics; gender; ethnicity; religion; popular =
culture;=20
economics; international relations; borders; education; urbanisation; =
culinary=20
culture; transient minorities; diasporas;=20
literature. * Format The workshop will bring =
together 10-12=20
speakers, and will take the form of a series of round-table discussions =
over two=20
days.&nbsp;Papers will be pre-circulated to the entire group ; at the =
workshop=20
itself, each participant's paper will be introduced by another =
participant (the=20
discussant).&nbsp; The author of the paper will then give a brief =
response to=20
the discussant before the floor is opened for discussion.&nbsp; This =
approach is=20
far more conducive to the constructive exchange of ideas than the =
traditional=20
format of a spoken paper delivered to an unprepared audience. NB =
The=20
language of the workshop will be English.&nbsp; Accommodation and food =
will be=20
provided, and transports costs will be covered for participants coming =
from=20
within the UK. * Submission details Abstracts of up =
to 300=20
words, plus brief biographical details and a list of 3 to 6 =
bibliographical=20
references, should be sent to : Benjamin White Department of =
Islamic=20
and Middle Eastern Studies University of Edinburgh 19 George=20
Square Edinburgh EH8 9LD U.K. e-mail : <A=20
href=3D"mailto:ben.white@ed.ac.uk"><FONT=20
face=3DSylfaen>ben.white@ed.ac.uk</A> telephone : +44=20
(0) 131 651 3202 </DIV></BODY></HTML>

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