3 October, 1995
Dear Colleague
The French Association for the Study of the Arab and Muslim world (AFEMAM) and
the European Association for Middle Eastern Studies (EURAMES) are happy to
inform you that the Eleventh Annual meeting of AFEMAM and the Second European
conference of EURAMES will take place together in Aix-en-Provence 4th - 7th
July 1996. The two conferences are being organized in close cooperation and
will be welcomed by the Institut de Recherches et d'Etudes sur le Monde Arabe
et Musulman (IREMAM) with the support of the Maison
Méditerranéenne des Sciences de l'Homme.
A Conference for Everyone
The meeting at Aix-en-Provence, at which more than 500 researchers coming from
all the countries of Europe are expected, will be open to the whole scientific
community concerned with the study of the Middle East. There will be no
particular unifying theme. The organizing committee suggests, however, that
particular attention should be given to a question which is of great
contemporary relevance, that of the role played by intellectual and artistic
creation (religious exegesis, historiography, literature, the press, the media
and the arts) and the people who produce it (scholars, writers, publicists,
musicians, filmmakers) in the political and social life of Middle Eastern
society. This theme which should be covered historically should therefore also
concern specialists in classical Islamic studies as well as representatives of
other fields of knowledge. Apart from this suggestion the organizers naturally
hope that the conference will be an occasion for the expression of all
disciplines and questions.
Objectives
During the meeting at Aix AFEMAM and EURAMES also wish to conduct a survey of
the state of European research on the Middle East. Equally they would wish to
contribute to the development of these studies by encouraging the most recent
initiatives. Finally they wish to encourage the circulation of information on
all questions concerning our profession (new methods of research, projects
under-way, possible new posts etc.)
With this in view AFEMAM and EURAMES invite French and European institutes of
research to make use of the meeting in Aix-en-Provence as a shop window for
their projects. All kinds of information will be welcome: individual
communications, discussions in workshops, exhibitions of publications, films,
demonstrations of computer projects, etc.
European Workshops
With the aim of stimulating scholarly cooperation on the European level AFEMAM
and EURAMES urge colleagues who intend to propose the organization of a
particular workshop to encourage as much as possible cross-frontier and
international cooperation. The organizing committee hopes to help
particularly European workshops which bring together participants from at least
three different European countries by helping with travel expense to Aix. This
help will depend in particular on the quality of each project - a detailed
description is therefore indispensable - and any problems connected with its
realization.
Financial help for young researchers
AFEMAM and EURAMES consider it particularly important to encourage young
researchers from different countries to come to Aix to present their work and
to take part in discussions. To help this the organizing committee will try to
cover the conference fees as well as part of their travel and accommodation
expenses. A scholarship of 1500 French francs is offered to young researchers
who make a request for it and whose project is approved by the organizing
committee. The candidates for this scholarship should send their CV's and a
detailed project before the closing date for registration.
Working languages
It is desirable that communications are presented in French (working language
of AFEMAM or in English (usual working language of EURAMES). In any case the
meeting at Aix wishes to be completely European and no language will therefore
be excluded however little it is used by the participants in workshops.
Conditions of registration
In order to ensure the success of the meeting at Aix participants should adhere
to the following conditions.
Last date of registration: 15 December
1995;
Conference fee: 300 francs. Payment should be made by
Eurocheque or money order and not ordinary bankers cheques to the order of
AFEMAM and attached to the reply page.
Fees be sent to the following
address: Réunion AFEMAM - EURAMES,
IREMAM, 3-5 Avenue Pasteur, 1 3 100 Aix-en-Provence, France. (Fax: (33) 42 21
52 75.)
Details of accommodation will be sent out in the second circular. However we
can inform participants that there will be a choice between two types of
accommodation: lodging in the university city (about 100 francs a night);
lodging in a hotel (from 300 francs a room).
AFEMAM and EURAMES hope that this joint invitation will be widely taken up and
that many of you will participate in this European event in Aix-en-Provence,
thus contributing to the enriching of the study of the Middle East.
Derek Hopwood
President EURAMES
Paul Dumont
President AFEMAM
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