http://www.worldconferencecalendar.com/index.php?option=com_conference Sun, 05 Feb 2012 04:17:39 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.worldconferencecalendar.com/component/option,com_conference/page,show_ad/catid,1/adid,2826/Itemid,0/ SICSS 2012: Call for Papers 2012 Shanghai International Conference on Social Science Shanghai, China, August 14-17, 2012 www.shanghai-ic.org We are delighted to announce that we will have a session about International Relations: Regional Security. People who are interested in International relations are sincerely welcomed. SICSS 2012 values your participation and supports on this significant international event. SICSS 2012 aims to build a platform allowing parties interested in it to share and discuss their studies from various perspectives in the aspects of social science, including: Culture, Economics, Education, Law, Mass Communications, Politics, Psychology, Society, Tourism, Transportation, Urban Planning, and so forth. All theoretical, empirical, and practical papers (qualitative or quantitative) from scholars and professionals in the above fields (but not strictly limited) are all highly welcomed. Important Dates Submission Deadline: March 30, 2012 Notification of Acceptance or Rejection: April 30, 2012 Deadline for registration and final submission: May 30, 2012 Conference Date: August 14-17, 2012 Publication Opportunities All papers presented at SICSS 2012 will have opportunities to be recommended to publish special issues of certain journals which sponsor SICSS 2012: (1) Management Research Review (ISSN2040-8269) (2) Journal of Emerging Technologies in Web Intelligence (ISSN1798-0461) (3) Antiqua (eISSN 2038-9604) published by PAGEPress, Pavia, Italy (ISSN2038-9604) (4) International Journal of Manpower (ISSN:0143-7720) (5) TMC Academic Journal (ISSN: 1793-6020) Submission Methods: All manuscripts, including abstracts and full papers, must be submitted via SICSS website: http://www.shanghai-ic.org/guide.asp Contact Information E-mail: member@shanghai-ic.org ; sicss@shanghai-ic.org - Social Sciences and Humanities Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.worldconferencecalendar.com/component/option,com_conference/page,show_ad/catid,1/adid,2816/Itemid,0/ 31st Annual Conference May 18 - 20, 2012 Hosted by Arizona State University and organized to mark the birth of the two Sudans, this conference seeks to reflect on recent work on the Sudan from present-day South Sudan Republic, new scholarship of Sudan in the world and to open up new discussion, incite discourses, and to encourage progressions for future research. We expect to bring together scholars working in different disciplines to consider the connections, comparisons, and contrasts between faces and facets of the Sudan in the world. With this in mind, we invite scholars working on any aspect of Sudan in the world from antiquity to over the last two centuries to contribute theoretically innovative and empirically grounded papers, panels and presentations that might enhance our understanding of such multifaceted experiences, processes of movements and events. Though the central focus of the conference will be on that broader issue, we would welcome contributions on other topics that revolve around greater Sudan in general. The Sudan is entering the 21st century in a very different form and substance than that which we have seen any time before. July 9, 2011, will go down in history not only as a momentous day for the newest state of South Sudan, but also as a significant signpost in the lives of millions of people in that state, in the greater Sudan, in Africa and in the world at large. Neither the issues of unity and separation are yet over nor are the consequences of past developments now settled. The complex past and current experiences of the Sudan are going to be a subject or study and investigations for years to come. Sudan studies association in its first conference after the split of the country into two Sudans welcomes the opportunity to initiate revisiting this gigantic corpus of knowledge. The Sudanese experience and its developments have not just encouraged studies of the past of the Sudan; they also open the door wider to scholars from all disciplines, intellectuals and knowledge workers the possibility of arriving at a new, and more refined, understanding of the Sudan, its people, human experience, institutions of power and their entanglements with time, place and the world. - Social Sciences and Humanities Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.worldconferencecalendar.com/component/option,com_conference/page,show_ad/catid,1/adid,2805/Itemid,0/ This conference aims at creating an interdisciplinary space of discussion for the debate of Sci-Fi and Fantasy. We welcome researchers, teachers, students, independent scholars and professionals interested in these areas. - Social Sciences and Humanities Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.worldconferencecalendar.com/component/option,com_conference/page,show_ad/catid,1/adid,2745/Itemid,0/ The Al-Maktoum College of Higher Education is pleased to announce its 1st Postgraduate Conference on the Study of Islam and Muslims. This 2-day conference (24-25 May 2012) is designed to actively engage in a cross-disciplinary exploration of topics related to the Study of Islam and Muslims. By bringing together postgraduate students from UK institutions the conference aims to: - promote intelligent debate and understanding of contemporary issues and perspectives related to this field of knowledge; - offer to postgraduates students the opportunity to present and discuss their research in an interdisciplinary, semi-formal, and intellectually stimulating setting; - stimulate awareness and debate on topics currently at the heart of this research in the UK; - exchange perspectives and develop new ideas and useful insights; network, share experience, and benefit from feedback (from both peers and selected academic experts); and - discuss issues related to career development and provide methodological sessions useful for a successful PhD completion. Call for papers We invite postgraduate students to submit abstracts for oral presentations. Please submit your abstract (around 250-300 words) by 28th February 2012 to Davide Pettinato via e-mail at d.pettinato@almi.abdn.ac.uk Your email submission must also contain the following information: The title of the presentation; The name(s) of the author(s) and their affiliation(s); A brief author’s biography; The author’s e-mail address and contact details; The main and secondary areas of the author’s research interests. The duration of each presentation will be 15 minutes and may include audio and visual elements within this timescale. Each presentation will be followed by a 5 minute discussion. Presentations will be grouped thematically. Panels will allow for general discussion at the end of each session. We invite papers that explore any of the areas listed below: Core Sources in Islam; Islam and Everyday Life; Islam and Gender; Islam and Globalization; Islam and Social/Political Theory; Islam and Theoretical/Practical Ethics; Islam, Diversity, and Multiculturalism; Islam, Media, and Islamophobia; Islam, Muslims, and Development; Islam, Muslims, and International Relations; Islamic Education; Islamic Finance and Banking; Islamic History; Islamic Philosophy and Theology; Jerusalem (past, present, and future); Methodology in the Study of Islam and Muslims; Shari’ah and Contemporary Issues; Sufism and Spiritualism. Notification of abstract acceptance will be communicated by Wednesday 7th March 2012. Selected candidate speakers must submit a full paper by Monday 30th April 2012. Final acceptance of the papers will be communicated by Tuesday 15th May 2012. Areas of research and the mix of institutions and disciplines represented will be taken into account in the evaluation process. As a postgraduate conference, we hope to provide a precious opportunity for early-stage researchers to develop their writing and presentation skills and to offer a platform for sharing and discussion. We look forward to receiving your proposals. Registration Registration is free and includes a social lunch on the first day. To register, please send your reply to the following email address: d.pettinato@almi.abdn.ac.uk Participants can be students/researchers/scholars in any subject related to the Study of Islam and Muslims. Kindest regards Davide Pettinato MLitt in Islamic Studies Al-Maktoum College of Higher Education ALUMNI 2010/2011 - Social Sciences and Humanities Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.worldconferencecalendar.com/component/option,com_conference/page,show_ad/catid,1/adid,2735/Itemid,0/ Telos in Europe: The L'Aquila Conference Conference Theme Recent developments appear to end the "end of history" and foreshadow instead the end of the West. After 1989, many expected a gradual convergence toward Western models of liberal market democracy. But Western responses to 9/11 and the 2007-8 transatlantic "credit crunch" have exposed the limits of U.S. international primacy and accelerated the global shift of power from West to East and North to South-as evinced by the rise of China, India, and other emerging markets. Politically and economically, that shift seems to portend the emergence of a post-American and perhaps even a post-Western world. Yet the United States is still the default superpower whose military might and economic energy ensure its pre-eminence for the foreseeable future. Likewise, Europe's institutions, culture, and way of life remain attractive across the globe. Even the near meltdown of Wall Street and the mishandling of the sovereign debt crisis have so far not led to a decoupling of the rest from the West. Historically, the transition from a unipolar to a multipolar world order appears to restore a more "natural" global balance that had prevailed before China's isolationist withdrawal beginning with the Ming dynasty in 1433 and the West's growing domination following the discovery of the New World in 1492. At the same time, contemporary global multipolarity seems to coincide with the crisis of the modern centralized state and the modern free market that were instituted by the West. That crisis might mark the end of the Westphalian settlement, which is coextensive with Western global hegemony. However, non-Western powers are wedded to Western principles (e.g., national sovereignty and territorial integrity) and to the international system of nation-states instituted by the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648. In terms of present and future trends, there is some evidence to suggest that the dominant mode of globalization is synonymous with the demise of Western-style nation-states and the resurgence of non-Western empires-imperial spheres of influence and colonialist powers. Examples seem to abound: Turkey and Iran in the Middle East; Russia in the Caucasus and Central Asia; China in East Asia and Africa; India and Brazil in parts of the southern hemisphere. Or is globalization promoting a shift toward global cities and the institutions of civil society that are a distinct legacy of the West? Philosophically, it is not clear whether the global shift in power confirms or refutes the utopia of linear, boundless progress that characterizes the dominant Western ideologies of liberalism and Marxism. What about cyclical conceptions of history that have been popular since the work of Jacob Burckhardt, Friedrich Nietzsche, Oswald Spengler, and Arnold Toynbee on the twilight and demise of the West? Perhaps the rise of China and other emerging markets in Asia is evidence in support of certain Hegelian or Marxist accounts such as world system analysis or cycles of hegemony. In what way do these ideas reflect Western "historicism," which portrays the West's peculiar and contingent history as universal, necessary, and even normative? Which Western and non-Western alternatives to historicism are available to us? Theologically, ideas of the West are closely connected with the three Abrahamic faiths in general and the Christian fusion of Greco-Roman Antiquity and the biblical legacy in particular. Just as the Renaissance and the Enlightenment have their origins in medieval Christendom, so too late (or post-)modernity is inextricably intertwined with theological categories and the greater visibility of religion in public political life. That, coupled with the growing presence of Islam, raises questions about the distinctly Judeo-Christian identity of the West-including notions of the secular and the modern. Call for Papers In choosing the theme of the West, the Telos Institute launches its biannual colloquia in Europe. The first colloquium will take place September 7-10, 2012, in L'Aquila, Italy-the birthplace of Telos's founding editor, Paul Piccone. Building on the success of the annual Telos conferences in New York City since 2006, these colloquia bring together scholars from the United States, Europe, and elsewhere to explore and analyze the ongoing political, socio-economic, cultural transformations across the globe. The twin focus of the first colloquium is on the legacy of the West and its future. The conference organizers invite papers that address the complex dimension of one or both aspects, whether in terms of the West itself or the Western interactions with the rest of the world. Possible topics include (but are not limited to): · Jerusalem, Athens, and Rome: the origins and legacy of the West · Hegel, Marx and Spengler: philosophies of history and the evolution ofs - Social Sciences and Humanities Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.worldconferencecalendar.com/component/option,com_conference/page,show_ad/catid,1/adid,2617/Itemid,0/ 1st International Congress on Social and Cultural Studies (ICSCS2012) Port Harcourt-Nigeria 25-28 June, 2012 Announcement Dear Colleagues, On behalf of the Programme Committee we are pleased to invite you to take part in the 2012 International Congress on Social and Cultural Studies that will be held in Port Harcourt (Nigeria) on the 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th of June, 2012. The event is organized by African Association for Scientific Research (AASR) in cooperation with other institutions ICSCS2012 will be an International Forum for those who wish to present their works, having also the opportunity to discuss the main aspects and the latest results in the fields of social, political and cultural studies. Our aim is to inspire and provoke crucial discussions and debates. The event will boast critical thinking and reconsider policies and practices. The event seeks a diverse and comprehensive program covering all areas of teaching, learning and development in the areas of thematic focus. The program includes a wide range of activities designed to facilitate the exchange of expertise, experience, and resources with your colleagues. These include keynote sessions, technical sessions, panels, round table discussion and exhibitions. The historical town of Port Harcourt located in the South-South part of Nigeria will be hosting the event. It will bring together professors, administrators, social scientists, policy makers and graduate students from across the globe to promote exchange and discussion of issues relating to the theme and sub-themes. The attendance of more than 1000 delegates from different countries is expected. We would like to invite you to participate in the meeting. Attached (see Congress Poster) is the announcement and our formal invitation to the event. You will also find all the necessary information. Please note that the proposal deadline is May 31, 2011. It would be most highly appreciated if you can pass this information on to your colleagues who might be interested in our event. We the Program Committee on behalf of AASR and cooperating partners feel honoured to be hosting the congress in Nigeria and look forward to seeing you in Port Harcourt. With best regards. Prof M.O.N. Obagah Co-Chair, ICSCS2012 Programme Committee Organization The 1st international Congress on Social and Cultural Studies(ICSCS2012) is organized by African Society for the Scientific Research (ASSR) with the Support and Cooperation of: International Association for the Scientific Knowledge, Portugal Universidad Azteca, Mexico Universidad Central de Nicaragua, Nicaragua Asia Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Hong Kong Afro-Euro Centre for Development Studies, Spain Maxwell Scientific Organization, United Kingdom International Digital Organization for Scientific Information, UAE Development Africa Consortium Beverly Resources Science and Education Foundation, Bulgaria Prague Development Centre, Czech Republic Vocational Training Institute, Mauritius KRE Publishers, India Raphael Nosike Foundation International Association for Teaching and Learning, Spain Human Resource Management Research Society(HRMARS), Pakistan Integrated Publishing Association, India Bentham Science Publishers Ltd Rivers State University of Education, Nigeria Theme: Social Scientists and the Global Community Sub-Themes • Philosophy • History • Economics • Politics • Religión • Law • Sociology • Geography • Anthropology • Psychology • Demography • Social Work • Education • Youth • Gender and Women • Environment • Rural Development • Music • Culture • Language • Literature • Globalization • Library Studies • Democracy • Armed Forces • Peace and Conflict • Human Rights • Management • Dramatic Arts • Special Education • ICT • Crime • Refugees • Sexuality • Globalization • Organization Development • Human Capital • NGO • Development Management • Migration • Population • Terrorism • Urbanization • Dispara Affairs • Colonialism • Post Colonialism • Knowledge management • Citizenship and Nationalism • Innovation and Change • Warfare • E-Society • Indegenous Knowlegde • Housing • Social Services • Regional Development • Civil Service • Policing and Security • Media/Communication • Public Policy • Public Administration • Public Relations • African Studies • Asian Studies • European Studies • American Studies • Natural resources • Labour and employment • Sustainable Development • Middle East • Institutional Development • Racism and Ethinicism • Ageing and Death • Insurance • Pension and Social Security • International Relations • Hospitality management • Tourism • Recreation • Transportation • Peacekeeping • Creative Arts • Adult Education • Community Development • Advocacy and networking • Commerce and Trade • Management • Industrialization • Publishing • Distance Education • Hummanitarian Affairs • Budgeting and Finance • Power and Identity • Leadership Information for Authors 1. The paper should be A4 format. Left, right, top and bottom margins should be 2.00 cm each. English is the official language of the conference. 2. Title should be 14-point, all in capital letters, bold and centered. 3. Font size throughout the paper should be 12-point in Garamond, in single space, and justified. 4. The whole text should be written with “Garamond”. 5. Do not give page numbers for the paper 6. A blank line should be left after the title. Names of authors, affiliations and e-mails should be provided after the title. 7. Following the authors’ information, a 200-word abstract should be provided with five keywords. The “Abstract” should be a summary of the paper. 8. Graphics and pictures should be prepared in black and white. 9. One blank line should be allowed between the components of the paper (i.e. introduction, methods and procedures, results, conclusion, references.). Main headings should be centered, bold and capitalized. The second level of headings should be title case and bold. The third level should be italicized and upper- and lower-case heading. 10. For titles of tables, graphics and pictures, sentence case should be used. 11. Texts used in Tables, graphics and pictures should be Garamond. The font size can be reduced to 10 pt. 12. References should be at the end of the paper and should be listed alphabetically. References and citations within the text should be prepared in the APA format. 13. Abbreviations should comply with the standard use. They should be given in full format at the first place they are used. 14. The paper should be maximum 10 pages 15. SI unit should be employed where applicable 16. Only proposals containing abstract and full texts are acceptable. We do not welcome only abstracts. 17. All submissions must be by email attachment preferably in MS words. We do not accept hard copies 18. All papers must adhere to this template in format. No paper can be processed if not formatted according to the stated rules and regulations. 19. Papers submitted after March 31, 2012 may be presented at the conference but they may not be published in the conference book 20. The first 50 registered participants will collect free copies of our previous publications. 21. All papers should be submitted to icscs2012@gmail.com Who Should Attend The Congress attracts a range of social scientists, researchers, cultural experts, teachers, students, activists, administrators, business professionals and others. Attendees join together to share ideas, experiences, views and their passions. If you want to chair a session, organize a panel, evaluate papers to be published in the congress proceeding, books or journals, contribute to the editing or any other offer to assist, please send an email to icscs2012@gmail.com Deadlines and Venue Proposal Submission Deadline: March 31, 2012 * Early Registration: December 31, 2011 * Registration: April 30, 2012 Congress dates: 25 – 26 – 27– 28, June 2012 Congress Venue ICSCS2012 will take place at the Rivers State University of Education, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Congress Fees Congress Registration: International Local Deadlines Early Registration: US $150 N22500 December 31, 2011 Late Registration US $170 N25500 After December 31, 2011 AASR Members US $90 N14000 December 31, 2011 Student Registration US $30 N3800 May 31, 2011 Listeners only US $40 N5500 May 31, 2011 Corporate Participation US $200 N30000 May 31, 2011 Membership Registration US $40 N5500 ---- Annual Dues US $20 N3000 ---- NB: The bank transfer is the method of payment. Payment in local currency is only possible for delegates resident in Nigeria. Please contact the Organizers for bank account’s details. The registration will be confirmed upon receipt of the registration fee. In case of cancellation, there will be no refund of registration fees. Congress fee includes the cost of publishing the papers and admission to all sessions. In order to receive a free copy of the Congress Proceedings, Certificates and other materials. Authors are requested to personally attend the meeting and present the accepted paper(s). Funding and Fellowship Aiming at encouraging intended participants, the congress organizers have created a solidarity fund. A limited sponsorship is available for participants from the developing countries. Young scholars below the rank of Senior Lecturer or its equivalent and women are particularly encouraged to apply. Support may be in the form of full sponsorship including travel grants and boarding or partial sponsorship. Programme Committee Congress Chair Professor Shobana Nelasco Fatima College, Maryland-India Congress Co-Chairs Prof Hannah David University of Tel Aviv, Isreal Prof M.O.N Obagah Rivers State University of Education, Nigeria Dr Austin N. Nosike The Granada Management Institute, Spain Prof Raphael C. Njoku University of Louisville, USA Secretary-General Dr Jacinta A. Opara African Association for the Scientific Research International Scientific Committee Dr Muhammad Zeeshan International Digital Organization for Scientific Information, UAE Prof Yau Yuen Yeung Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong Prof A. R. Sayfoo Vocational Training Institute, Mauritius Dr Anthonia U. Ejifugha Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Nigeria Prof Mohammad Nisar University of Malakand,Pakistan Prof Timothy A. Falade New York Institute of Technology, Jordan Prof Pedro Cravo International Association for the Scientific Knowledge, Portugal Dr Tunji O. Adeyemi University of Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria Dr John A. Idumange Niger Delta University, Nigeria Dr Ivan Genov Science and Education Foundation, Bulgaria Prof Afshan Akbar G.C. University, Pakistan Prof Gerhard Berchtold Universidad Azteca,Mexico Prof Erdal Toprakci Cumhuriyet University, Turkey Prof Addison M. Wokocha Teachers Registration Council, Nigeria Prof Ali Simsek Anadolu University, Turkey Prof Leela Pradhan Tribhuvan University, Nepal Prof Peter Eastwell The Science Education Review, Australia Dr A.C. Nwokocha Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike-Nigeria Prof S.S. Lloyd West Coast University, Panama Mr M. Ilyas Khan Bentham Science Publishers Ltd Prof Peter U. Akanwa Imo State University, Nigeria Prof Hasan Basri Gunduz Sakarya University, Turkey Sir Bassey Ubong Federal College of Education (Technical), Omoku-Nigeria Prof Aslam Adeeb Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan Prof Alice Kagoda Makerere University, Uganda Prof Fernando Alberto Ferreira Polytechnic Institute of Santarem, Portugal Prof Orifjan Namozov Prague Development Centre(PRADEC), Czech Republic Dr Emmanuella C. Onyenechere Imo State University, Nigeria Prof Eddie Blass Swinburne University of Technology, Australia Mrs Joy F. Eziefula Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Nigeria Prof Rajarshi Roy National Institute of Technical Teachers´ Training and Research, India Prof Samir Mohamed Alredaisy University of Khartoun, Sudan Dr. Blessing Ahiauzu Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Nigeria Dr Obasi Oko Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Nigeria Assoc Prof Luiela-Magdalena Csorba ¨Aurel Vlaicu¨ University of Arad, Romania Mr Hassan Danial Aslam Human Resource Management Research Society(HRMARS), Pakistan Programme of Event Monday 25th June 08:00 – 09:00 Registration 09:00 – 10:45 Welcome Ceremony 10:45 – 11:00 Coffee Break 11:15 – 14:30 Special Sessions 14:30 – 14:45 Lunch Break 14:45 – 16:45 Special Sessions 16:45 – 17:15 Coffee Break 17:15 – 18:45 Plenary Sessions Tuesday 26th June 08:30 – 10:00 Special Sessions 10:00 – 10:30 Coffee Break 10:30 – 13:30 Plenary Sessions 13:30 – 14:45 Lunch Break 14:45 – 16:45 Plenary Sessions 16:45 – 17:15 Coffee Break 17:15 – 18:45 Plenary Sessions Wednesday 27th June 08:30 – 10:00 Special Sessions 10:00 – 10:30 Coffee Break 10:30 – 13:30 Plenary Sessions 13:30 – 14:45 Lunch Break 14:45 – 16:45 Plenary Sessions 16:45 – 17:15 Coffee Break 17:15 – 18:45 Plenary Sessions Thursday 28th June 08:30 – 10:00 Special Sessions 10:00 – 10:30 Coffee Break 10:30 – 13:30 Plenary Sessions 13:30 – 14:45 Lunch Break 14:45 – 16:45 Plenary Sessions 16:45 – 17:00 Coffee Break 17:00 – 19:00 Special Sessions/Communiqué 19:00 – 20:00 Closing Sessions/Cocktail Sponsorship and Donations The Congress organizers would remain indebted for sponsorships and donations to support their events. All donations shall be acknowledged. Donors and collaborators will have their names and/or logos placed on the Congress official website. Adverting and Exhibitions The AASR welcomes requests for placing adverts on their event website, Congress materials, etc. We also invite corporate agencies/individuals or Associations that wish to make exhibitions, trade fair during the events. Adverts and exhibitions may be charged. For more information, please contact the Congress secretariat. Practical Information Accommodation Cheap hotels are available around the conference venue. If any participants need accommodation, the conference organizers can reserve rooms for them in Port Harcourt.Price of accommodation ranges from US$35 to US$250 per night. Travel and Logistics Aiming at assisting participants to quickly move from Port Harcourt or Owerri airports to the conference venue, the Welfare and Logistics sub-Committee will organize an Airport bus shuttle. The trip by road from Owerri or Port Harcourt airports to the conference venue takes less than two (2) hours and thirty(30) minutes respectively. Visa Delegates arriving from the West African sub-region may not need visa to enter Nigeria. Participants will be assisted to obtain a visa. Please contact the organizers for details. Insurance and Inoculations Visitors entering Nigeria require travel/health insurance and some medical inoculations according to immigrations laws. International participants should contact the nearest Nigerian Embassies/High Commissions/Consulates and the requirements for travel/health insurance and inoculations. - Social Sciences and Humanities Sat, 31 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.worldconferencecalendar.com/component/option,com_conference/page,show_ad/catid,1/adid,2599/Itemid,0/ Abstract The conventional analyses of society-state relations in the Arabian Gulf region easily lend themselves to the erroneous thesis that countries in this region are devoid of the modern political currents and counter currents that have shaped most contemporary societies in the world. For some analysts, the Arabian Gulf states are nothing but an extension of the “oriental despotic” cultural logic according to which the state is always perceived as strong, authoritarian and coercive, ruling through petro-economic means over a passive and weak society. For others, the state-society relation has been collapsed into a form of tribal nationalism in which government and society are aggregated into informal socio-political communities with no public institutions, citizenship, or rule of law. In contrast to these traditional approaches, this workshop seeks to broaden the discussion of society-state relations in the Arabian Gulf region to illustrate the dynamic and diverse features that characterize state-society formations in the region. Far from being monolithic, homogeneous and pre-modern, state-society relations in the Arabian Gulf region are, in fact, complex and multi-sided social/political formations which represent chiefly their domestic socio-political environment. Relying on interdisciplinary modes of analysis, this workshop will focus on three areas of research: religion and the state; intellectuals and social change; and “new media” and the state. - Social Sciences and Humanities Mon, 26 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.worldconferencecalendar.com/component/option,com_conference/page,show_ad/catid,1/adid,2484/Itemid,0/ The event will bring together children, young people, foster carers, policy makers, professionals and organisations involved in foster care so that they can exchange information and good practice and thus feel strengthened to provide best care for children. A range of unique plenary sessions, workshops and networking opportunities will enable participants to share knowledge, research and experience from across Europe. Fore more information: http://www.cim.bg/index.php/en/view/ifco-conference-2012 - Social Sciences and Humanities Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.worldconferencecalendar.com/component/option,com_conference/page,show_ad/catid,1/adid,2459/Itemid,0/ Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: Political Science Political theory Political philosophy Political systems Policy analysis Policy studies Public policy Public administration Ideology Game theory Political economy Geopolitics and political geography Policy studies and public policy analysis Comparative politics National systems Courts and Judicial Politics Democratic Innovations Green Politics Cross-national political analysis Supranational and intergovernmental politics Political development Foreign policy analysis Analytical Politics Intelligence Governance Peace studies, conflict analysis, international law and politics, public administration and local government studies Political psychology, bureaucratic, administrative and judicial behaviour Legislative processes and public law Political Methodology Interdisciplinary Perspective on Violence and Politics Internet and Politics Political Communication Sociology Sociology of Culture & Cultural Studies Criminology, Sociology of Law, Sociology of Punishment, Deviance Economic sociology Environmental Sociology, Sociology of Disaster & Human Ecology Sociology of Education Sociology of the Family, Sociology of Childhood, Sociology of Gender, Feminist Sociology, Queer Theory Sociology of Health and Illness, Medical Sociology Sociology of the Internet Sociology of Knowledge and Sociology of Scientific Knowledge Media Studies Military Sociology Political sociology Sociology of Race and ethnic relations, Sociology of Immigration Religion Social networks Social psychology Social Stratification, Social Mobility, Social Class Urban and rural sociology Industrial Sociology International Relations Globalization Global Governance International Political Economy state sovereignty Ecological Sustainability Nuclear proliferation Nationalism Economic Development Global Finance Crisis and Global Change Change and Order in World Politics Managing Global Capitalism International Terrorism Territorial Conflicts International Security International Law Political Theory and International Justice Principles and Practice of International Ethics New trends in foreign policy analysis Quantitative and qualitative methods in IR research NGOs – IGOs relations Environmental Issues and Green Diplomacy Culture, Religions, and World Politics International Negotiation and Diplomacy Global Health Problems Collective Security and Sanction Policy Organized Crime Human Security Foreign Interventionism Human Rights and Democratization Civil Society Civilizations and World Order - Social Sciences and Humanities Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.worldconferencecalendar.com/component/option,com_conference/page,show_ad/catid,1/adid,2429/Itemid,0/ With the anticipated introduction of a demand driven funding system and a decline in international student admissions, Australia’s higher education providers must focus on boosting student recruitment using a forum that potential students are comfortable with – social media. Developing and implementing a social media marketing strategy poses a host of unique challenges, including integration of social media into an institution-wide marketing plan, maintaining control of your institution’s online brand and demonstrating return on investment to stakeholders. The Social Media Marketing in Tertiary Education Conference will discuss the current issues at hand and examine practical strategies to overcome the barriers. Featuring expert analysis from: * Perry Hewitt, Chief Digital Officer, Harvard University * Jodie Sangster, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Direct Marketing Association * Ellen Griffin, Director, University Communications, San Francisco State University * Mal Chia, Digital Strategy Manager, University of Adelaide * Stephen Scott, Web Marketing Manager, RMIT University * Tony Wilson, Director, QUT Marketing & Communications, Queensland University of Technology Plus many more! - Social Sciences and Humanities Sat, 19 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.worldconferencecalendar.com/component/option,com_conference/page,show_ad/catid,1/adid,2309/Itemid,0/ 12th EASA Biennial Conference Nanterre, France 10-13th July 2012 Uncertainty and disquiet Muslim Saints, Dreams, and Veneration of Shrines International Workshop organized by Dr.I.Edagr (Dept. Anthropology, University of Durham, UK) Dr.P. Khosronejad (Dept. Social Anthropology, University of St Andrews, Scotland) The human need to orientate their inner quest for wisdom guidance and healing with outer spatial settings is well manifest in the many traditions of pilgrimage to Saints’ tombs in the Islamic world, and in other major faith traditions (i.e. Crapanzano 1973). The particular tradition of dream questing at sacred sites is well documented in the ancient Greek tradition of healing dream incubation in the Aesclepian temples in Turkey and Greece. Such practices may have informed the present day ubiquitous Islamic dream incubation practice of istikhara (Aydar 2009; Edgar & Henig 2010). The dream practices of the Prophet Mohammed sanctified the occasional possibility of al-ruya, the true dream or vision. Many of the defining events of Islam are dream related. The Prophet Mohammed is thought to have received 1/46 of the Qur’an in night dreams, many Muslims consider his night journey to Jerusalem to have occurred in a dream, and the Eshan, the call to prayer is recorded as being received by the prophet’s companion, Zaid, in a dream. The strongest hadiths i.e. Bukhari and Muslim all have a chapter on the teaching concerning dreaming by the Prophet Mohamed (Edgar 2011). Throughout the history of Islam, the night dream is thought to offer a way to metaphysical and divinatory knowledge, to be a practical, alternative and potentially accessible source of imaginative inspiration and guidance, and to offer ethical clarity concerning action in this world. Moreover dreaming seems to be similarly important across all Islamic groups, Sunni, Shia, Salafi and particularly amongst the various Sufi orders (Edgar 2011). Even amongst al-Qaeda and the Taliban (Edgar 2007) true dreams are considered as offering divine revelation and even strategic guidance. Such an ethical mandate for the occasional divine significance of dreams however does not explain why Muslims often practice pilgrimage to Saints’ tombs to facilitate the phenomena of a true dream. Humans dream each night in the interior space of their mind/brain for still unknown scientific reasons. Why then this historical and contemporary regard for spatial and geographical convergence of the outer body and self with the enhanced possibility of inner dream vision? This workshop will consider at least the following questions: - The historical and contemporary extent of dream pilgrimage to Saints’ shrines, - Perceptions of hierognosis within reported dream imagery at Saints’ tombs, - Comparisons between pilgrimage per se and dream quests to Saints’ tombs, - Interior and exterior geographies of Baraka as experienced in dreams and through pilgrimage, - Experiencing and defining the sites of selfhood and Sainthood, - Anthropological typologies and ethnographies of such performances, - The psychology of the dream vision quest: the preparation for, experience of, and interpretation of dream events at saints’ tombs, - Islamic accounting for wisdom transmission across the visibly alive: visibly dead binary opposition, Only online submissions will be considered: http://www.nomadit.co.uk/easa/easa2012/panels.php5?PanelID=1192 For any inquiries please contact: Dr.I.Edgar (i.r.edgar@durham.ac.uk) - Social Sciences and Humanities Sat, 29 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.worldconferencecalendar.com/component/option,com_conference/page,show_ad/catid,1/adid,2269/Itemid,0/ Welcome to the web site of the "5h International Conference on Social Sciences" organized by the Social Sciences Research Society (SoSReS). This major international event is going to be held in 0zmir, Turkey from 05-07 October 2012. This is a conference for those, who are interested in presenting paper in all fields of social sciences. The conference topic areas especially focus on such disciplines as economics, business, corporate and public governance, political science, sociology etc - Social Sciences and Humanities Sun, 23 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.worldconferencecalendar.com/component/option,com_conference/page,show_ad/catid,1/adid,2268/Itemid,0/ Welcome to the web site of the "International Conference on eBusiness and eGovernment" (ICEBEG) organized by SoSReS (Social Sciences Research Society). This major international event will be held in Izmir, Turkey on between 28 and 29 April 2012. - Social Sciences and Humanities Sun, 23 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.worldconferencecalendar.com/component/option,com_conference/page,show_ad/catid,1/adid,2189/Itemid,0/ Al Ghazali and His Influence A workshop on the Occasion of the 900th Anniversary of His Death in 1111. December 9 - 10, 2011 Yale University, New Haven Participants A. David K. Owen, Harvard University “Al-Mukhtar al-Shinqiti (d. 1973) and the Reception of al-Ghazali's Legal Methodology in Saudi Arabia: A Case Study" Ahmed El Shamsy, University of Chicago “Al-Ghazali’s Empiricist Ethics: Reading ‘The Wisdom in God’s Creations’ (al-Hikma fi makhluqat Allah)” Anna Ayse Akasoy, Oxford University “Al-Ghazali, ‘Religionswissenschaft,’ and Inter-religious Dialogue” Ayman Shihadeh, School of Oriental and African Studies, London “Al-Ghazali on Human Ontology” Jules Janssens, CNRS Paris and De Wulf-Mansioncentrum, Leuven, Belgium “Al-Ghazali’s Commentary on the Light Verse (in the Mishkat al-Anwar) and its influence on Fakhr al-Din al-Razi” Katharina Völker, University of Otago, New Zealand “The Ghazali-Reception Among Muslim Intellectuals Living in Western Countries” Kenneth Garden, Tufts University “Al-Ghazali in Contemporary Lebanon: Su’ad al-Hakim’s Project of Rereading His Revival” M. Afifi al-Akiti, Oxford University “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of falsafa According to al-Ghazali” Martin Riexinger, Aarhus University, Denmark “Al-Ghazali and the 19th Century Reception of the Modern Sciences in the Islamic World” Mohammad Hassan Khalil, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI “Reinterpreting al-Ghazali and Rethinking the Fate of Others: The Case of Rashid Rida (d. 1935)” M. Sait Özervarli, Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul “Ottoman Discussions on al-Ghazali, particularly during the 19th and Early 20th Centuries” Scott Michael Girdner, Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, VA “Al-Ghazali’s Philosophical Promotion of Traditionalism in The Niche of Lights and Its influence Within the Jewish Tradition” Taneli Kukkonen, University of Jyväskylä, Finland “Al-Ghazali on Reason Going Wrong” Ulrich Rudolph, University of Zurich, Switzerland “Al-Ghazali’s Concept of Philosophy” Ziad Bou Akl, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris “The Purposes of the Law in al-Ghazali’s al-Mustasfa” Sponsored by the Middle East Studies Council, the Edward J. and Dorothy Clarke Kempf Fund, and the MacMillan Center. - Social Sciences and Humanities Sat, 15 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.worldconferencecalendar.com/component/option,com_conference/page,show_ad/catid,1/adid,2188/Itemid,0/ Second Call for Papers North Carolina State University, 20-22 April 2012 The Mashriq and the Mahjar: Migration from the Levant, 1800-2000 Organisers, Akram Khater, John Karam, Andrew Arsan It has now been two decades since the publication of Albert Hourani and Nadim Shehadi's edited volume The Lebanese in the World, the first comprehensive attempt to track the dispersal of Eastern Mediterranean men and women through the world in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and its effects on the lands of their birth. In the intervening years, the study of modern Eastern Mediterranean migration has blossomed into an intellectually fecund and ever-expanding field. This growth has coincided with the "transnational turn", which has spurred on historians and social scientists to look beyond the confines of the nation-state with a renewed enthusiasm for world history and with a focus on the interconnections forged between various regions of the globe by circulation of people, goods, and ideas. These developments have not just encouraged further study of Eastern Mediterranean migration; they also offer scholars the possibility of arriving at a new, and more refined, understanding of the Middle East and its entanglements with the rest of the world. Organised to mark the twentieth anniversary of Hourani and Shehadi's path-breaking effort, this conference seeks to take stock of recent work on migration from present-day Lebanon, Syria and Israel/Palestine, to open up fruitful discussion, and to chart paths for future research. It will bring together scholars working in different disciplines to consider the connections, comparisons, and contrasts between migrants' experiences in different periods and locales. With this in mind, we invite scholars working on any aspect of migration from the Levant over the last two centuries to contribute theoretically innovative and empirically grounded papers that might enhance our understanding of the multifaceted process of movement. Though the central focus of the conference will be on those who left the lands which now make up Lebanon, we would welcome contributions on migration from present-day Syria and Israel/Palestine. Possible topics might include: -- The political and intellectual history of migrant communities -- The role of gender, race, and class in structuring thesecommunities, and their relations to their hosts -- The transformationof religion and religious institutions and practices through migrations -- The social and economic history of these communities, their occupations, and everyday habits -- Literary and political representations of the diasporic experience -- Return migration and relations to the Middle East The conference will be held from April 20-22 2012 at North Carolina State University under the auspices of the Khayrallah Program for Lebanese-American Studies. Please send abstracts of 250-300 words, including name, contact details, and institutional affiliation as a word or PDF document by 31 October 2011 to the conference organisers: Akram Khater, North Carolina State University akram_khater@ncsu.edu John Tofik Karam, DePaul University, jkaram2@depaul.edu Andrew Arsan, Princeton University, aarsan@princeton.edu - Social Sciences and Humanities Sat, 15 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.worldconferencecalendar.com/component/option,com_conference/page,show_ad/catid,1/adid,2099/Itemid,0/ 2011 International Conference on Humanities, Geography and Economics (ICHGE'2011) is the premier forum for the presentation of new advances and research results in the fields of theoretical, experimental, and applied Management, Behavioral Sciences and Economics Applications. The conference will bring together leading researchers, engineers and scientists in the domain of interest from around the world. Topics of interest for submission include, but are not limited to: • Business & Economics • Business Ethics • Business Information Systems • Business Intelligence • Business Law • Business Performance Management • Business planning • Business Statistics • Cognitive psychology • Communications Management • Community psychology • Comparative Economic Systems • Consumer Behavior • Corporate Finance and Governance • Corporate Governance • Cost Management • Cost reduction and less emission • Counseling psychology • Cross-cultural and indigenous psychology • Developmental psychology • Earth Geography and related issues • Ecological and Environmental Engineering • Ecological Science and Technology • Economic Methodology • Economic Policy • Economic Psychology • Economic Systems • Economy and employment • Ecosystems and Ecology • Ecosystems management • Education in Math, Science, and Technology • Educational and school psychology • Educational psychology • Educational, Instructional & School Psychology • Entrepreneurship • Experimental psychology • Family psychology • Finance & Investment • Financial Economics • Forensic psychology • Global Business • Geographic Information Retrieval • Global environmental change • Governance • Household Behavior and Family Economics • Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering • Industrial and organizational psychology • Information Technology Management • International Business • International Economics • International Finance • International strategy for energy • Labor Economics • Labor Relations & Human Resource Management • Language and Conceptual Systems • Law and Economics • Life cycle management and sustainable production • Liquid waste treatment and management • Management Information Systems • Management Science • Market Structure and Pricing • Marketing Research and Strategy • Marketing Theory and Applications • Organizational Behavior & Theory • Organizational Communication • Organizational psychology • Perception and Attention • Perceptual Organization in Vision • Personality and individual differences • Political Psychology • Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles • Product Management • Production and Organizations • Production/Operations Management • Professional Practice • Professional training and supervision • Psycho-diagnostics • Psychological Assessment & Evaluation • Psychological research methodology • Psychology & the Law • Psychology and Societal Development • Psychology in business and economics • Psycho-pedagogy • Public Administration and Small Business Entrepreneurship • Public Choice • Public Economics and Finance • Public Relations • Public Responsibility and Ethics • Refurbishment Investment Appraisal • Regulatory Economics • Resource Management • School and Educational Psychology • Science and the humanities • Sensory Systems and Perception • Social and Cultural Issues • Social psychology • Socio-economic and infrastructure issues • Systems, Architectures and Middleware for GIS • Taxes (related areas of taxes) • Time Management • Total Quality Management • Toxicology • Traffic Psychology • Travel/Transportation/Tourism • Welfare Economics • Work & Organizational Psychology - Social Sciences and Humanities Mon, 10 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.worldconferencecalendar.com/component/option,com_conference/page,show_ad/catid,1/adid,2081/Itemid,0/ The 11th Annual CIR Conference at Yale Saturday, April 14, 2012 Abstract Submission Deadline: November 11th, 2011 Final Paper Submission Deadline: March 1st, 2012 The Critical Islamic Reflections (CIR) Committee at Yale invites scholars and professionals from all fields to submit proposals for our 11th annual conference, "Islamic Bioethics and Law: The Role of Traditional Scholarship in Modern Times." This interdisciplinary forum will explore the role of the Islamic tradition in the resolution of modern day bioethical dilemmas while also investigating the methodologies used by ethicists, healthcare practitioners, policy makers, and religious scholars to address ethical dilemmas pertaining to public health, biomedicine, and healthcare in general. Description and Aim of the Conference:Muslim health care consumers and providers, both those in Muslim majority countries as well as Muslim minority communities, are not immune to the global forces that continuously reshape modern bioethical dilemmas. While many Muslims seek to live according to standards set by the Qur’an and Prophetic Sunnah, medically related advise and rulings provided by Islamic scholars, jurists, health care providers, policy makers, and ethicists can at times be overwhelming and even contradictory. The purpose of this conference is to explore the underlying principles that guide bioethical decision-making within the context of greater Islamic ethical thought and jurisprudence. Presentations will critically examine the respective roles of secular/biomedical specialists and traditional Islamic scholars in the resolution of bioethical issues, models of approaching Islamic bioethics, and recent Islamic legal rulings (fatawa) with respect to biomedicine. We welcome papers from across disciplines, especially medical anthropology, health economics, Islamic studies, health law, and public policy. Examples of areas of ethical inquiry include but are not not limited to: Historically, and currently, how do Islamic religious traditions influence healthcare policy decisions amongst Muslim populations? How are the competing authorities (biomedical, legal, religious, etc.) negotiated when seeking solutions to bioethical dilemmas? How should they be negotiated? How do public health ethics and duty to the public good inform bioethically related legal rulings (fatawa)? For example, are there instances when vaccinations, birth control, infectious disease precautions become religiously obligatory? How should the legal device of public interest (maslaha) be invoked or constrained in Islamic bioethical discourse? Is consulting a “secular” or technical expert necessary to invoke public interest (maslaha) as part of a ruling? What are the obligations of Muslims to seek medical treatment? How do Islamic ethics inform the clinical encounter? What are the legal rights and responsibilities of the severely mentally ill? According to Islamic law (shari’ah), when are people not culpable for unethical or criminal behavior? Proposal Submission Guidelines: Please submit up to a 500-word abstract and curriculum vitae at www.yale.edu/cir/submit by November 11, 2011. Further questions can be directed Shihan.Khan@yale.edu. *Selected papers will be invited to publish in a thematic issue on Islam & Bioethics in the Journal of Islamic Law & Culture. Published by Routledge - Taylor & Francis, the journal is a peer reviewed, interdisciplinary, law review journal focused on the interface between the Islamic tradition, policy, culture, ethics, and global politics. For more information about the journal please visit: www.tandf.co.uk/journals/rilc. - Social Sciences and Humanities Sat, 08 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.worldconferencecalendar.com/component/option,com_conference/page,show_ad/catid,1/adid,2039/Itemid,0/ CALL FOR PAPERS: The Euroacademia International Conference ‘The European Union and the Politicization of Europe’ 8-10 December 2011, Vienna, Austria Keynote Speaker: Giandomenico Majone Is the EU becoming an increasingly politicized entity? Is the on-going politicization of Europe a structured or a messy one? Do political parties within the European Parliament act in a manner that strengthens the view of the EU as an articulate political system? Are there efficient ways for addressing the democratic deficit issue? Can we find usable indicators for detecting an emerging European demos and a European civil society? Does a Europeanization of the masses take place or the EU remains a genuinely elitist project? Did the Lisbon Treaty introduce significant changes regarding the challenges facing the EU? Can we see any robust improvements in the accountability of the EU decision making processes? Are there alternative ways of looking at the politicization processes and redistributive policies inside the EU? These are only few of the large number of questions that unfold when researchers or practitioners look at the EU. It is the aim of the Euroacademia International Conference ‘The European Union and the Politicization of Europe’ to address in a constructive manner such questions and to offer o platform for dissemination of research results or puzzles that can contribute to a better understanding of the on-going process of politicization within the European Union. The European Union was described by Jacques Delors as an unidentified political object and by Jose Manuel Barroso as the first non-Imperial empire. The descriptors assigned to the European Union are creative and diverse yet the agreement on what is the actual shape that the EU is taking is by no means an easy one to be achieved. Historical choices shaped and reshaped the size and functioning of the EU while the goal of an emerging ‘ever closer union’ is still in search for the paths of real and not ideal accomplishment. The agreement seems to come when it’s about the growing impact of the decisions taken in Brussels on the daily lives of the European citizens and the increasingly redistributive outcomes of the policy choices inside the EU. These dynamics created the framework for the politicization of Europe and opened a vivid debate about the direction and proportions of such a process. The politicization of Europe takes various shapes and addresses significant puzzles. While it is clear that the EU doesn’t resemble a state it is less clear if the decisions that shape its policies are configured by Pareto efficient outcomes or by dynamics that are intrinsic to a political systems and defined by emerging party politics within the European Parliament. The democratic problem or the democratic deficit issue was and continues to be one of the main challenges facing the European Union in any terms or from any position is understood or described. The problem of accountability for the decision making inside the EU was there from the beginning and it emerged gradually as more emphatic on the agenda of vivid debates as the powers of the EU have grown after the Maastricht Treaty. This was concomitant with a growing disenchantment of citizens from member states with politics in general, with debates over the democratic deficits inside member states, with enlargement and with a visible and worrying decrease in voters’ turnouts at both national and especially European elections. The optimist supporters of EU believe in its power to constantly reinvent and reshape while the pessimists see either a persistence of existing problems or a darker scenario that could lead in front of current problems even to the end of the EU as we know it. The Euroacademia International Conference ‘The European Union and the Politicization of Europe’ aims to survey some of these current debates and addresses once more the challenges of the EU polity in a context of multiple crises that confronted Europe in recent years. It supports a transformative view that involves balanced weights of optimism and pessimism in a belief that the unfold of current events and the way EU deals with delicate problems will put an increased pressure in the future on matters of accountability and will require some institutional adjustments that address democratic requirements for decision making. - Social Sciences and Humanities Mon, 03 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.worldconferencecalendar.com/component/option,com_conference/page,show_ad/catid,1/adid,2012/Itemid,0/ Current debates on the configuration of ethnic and racial boundaries in the era of transformations have refocused academic attention on the concept of diaspora. Diasporas are one kind of social phenomenon where a complex social process can be observed characterized on the one hand by dispersion, dislocation and feelings of social exclusion and on the other hand by movements for location. However, diaspora is a complex concept and can sometimes be misused and misunderstood. The concept is sometimes understood as a synonym for ethnicity and nationalism, an assumption based on the ethnic, nationalist and religious conceptions of ethnic particularity that, as Paul Gilroy points out have co-existed with the term. Moreover, the concept is often connected with and defined on the basis of specific experiences, and consequently can give rise to the problem that James Clifford highlights, namely the slippage between diaspora as theoretical concept and diaspora discourses. Hence, in order to avoid such problems, as Avtar Brah notes, there is a need for a historicity of diaspora experiences, that is, ”each empirical diaspora must be analysed in its historical specificity.” The last two decades of Kurdish history can be distinguished as a period when the Kurdish diaspora has become mobilised on a large scale. Kurdish transnational communities and Kurdish diasporic spaces are established as an outcome of the intensified Kurdish migration and relationship with the countries of origin and among Kurds settled in different countries around the globe. Furthermore, the Kurdish diaspora has played an important role in bringing international attention to the plight of the Kurds, not least in Turkey as Turkey attempts to become a member of the EU. However, diasporas as complex and dynamic social processes go through continuous change and transformation over time. As diasporic communities and identities are characterised by a triadic relationship with the home countries, host countries and the transnational diaspora communities, any change in the socio-political situation in these points of references imply certain changes in diasporic projects and identities. Additionally, any change in the composition of the diasporas, for instance regarding the emergence of new generations, affect the diaspora communities in various ways. During the last two decades a whole new generation among the Kurdish diaspora has emerged and with this also new hyphenated identities, but also new issues, conflicts and challenges have followed, for instance regarding gender issues. Importantly, during this period but especially since 2001, the political situation for and attitudes towards non-western and supposedly Muslim migrant communities in the West has worsened which has directly affected these groups in multiple ways. Within this period we have also witnessed the change of the political situation of the Kurds in Iraq and to a certain extent in Turkey. For the Iraqi Kurds, the fact that they have since 2003 achieved an advanced level of self-government and stability in the form of the Kurdish Regional Government in Iraq has brought with it questions of home coming and return and increasing transnational activities around economic, political and social issues. Thus, this conference aims to provide an important opportunity to critically explore these processes that are of importance both for the theoretical contributions to migration and diaspora studies and for shedding light on the current state of the Kurdish diaspora which constitutes considerable minorities in several European countries. Conference themes Abstracts are welcomed on the following related topics: Kurdish diasporic communities, networks, identities, and belonging Diaspora and the development of the Kurdish language, media, music, and literature Development of Kurdish diasporic institutions during past recent decades Kurdish diaspora and new generations: youth and issues of identity and belonging Kurdish diaspora and issues of gender, generation, and sexuality Migration and family relations, conflicts, changes and continuities Kurdish diaspora and religion The new political situation in Iraqi Kurdistan and its impact on issues of homeland and return Kurdish diaspora’s transnational activities related to the home countries (economic, social, and political) The impact of the return migration on the process of nation and state building and on the social and economic development in Iraqi Kurdistan These themes are not exhaustive and papers relevant to the conference subject will be considered. - Social Sciences and Humanities Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.worldconferencecalendar.com/component/option,com_conference/page,show_ad/catid,1/adid,1874/Itemid,0/ Panels: American Foreign Policy & The Muslim World Winds of Change in the Muslim World; Implications for Democracy Islam in the American Context Imagining Our Future Free Music Performance (7:30 PM) - Social Sciences and Humanities Fri, 26 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0100