2019 AIMS Annual Conference in Oran, Algeria
Extended deadline: February 15
The American Institute for Maghrib Studies is seeking proposals for its 2019 annual conference. The annual AIMS conference is a signature event that brings together delegations of scholars from the US, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco, as well as individual scholars from Mauritania and Libya. The 2019 AIMS conference will be held in Oran in late summer 2019. AIMS members who are interested in proposing a theme with resonance across North Africa are encouraged to submit a formal proposal no later than January 15, 2019. The selection committee will look favorably on applications that envision an interdisciplinary conference that incorporates both historical and contemporary perspectives.
Up to USD20,000 will be made available to support the annual conference. Additional details about the conference, as well as the proposal requirements, can be found below. Please also see full pdf to the left.
Questions? Please contact Mia Fuller at miafuller@gmail.com
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Overview
One of the signature activities of the American Institute for Maghrib Studies (AIMS) has long been the annual conference. The annual conference brings together delegations of scholars from the US, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco, as well as individual scholars from Mauritania and Libya, to address an important theme in North African Studies. The theme chosen for the annual meeting becomes a key theme for AIMS activities over a two-year period. The overall conference program includes the following components:
- The 2019 Annual Conference;
- A session at the 2019 Middle East Studies Association (MESA) Annual Meeting. This session can take the form of a panel, roundtable, or thematic conversation; and
- A special issue of the Journal of North Africa Studies (JNAS) and/or other publication(s).
The conference organizer(s) will be responsible for organizing and overseeing all three components of the conference program, with support and assistance from the Conference Program Committee of the Board of Directors, and the Director of the Centre d’Études Maghrébines en Algérie (CEMA).
Conference Details
The 2019 AIMS Conference will be held in Oran, Algeria. Logistical support for the conference will be provided by the staff of CEMA and AIMS Program Manager located in Oran. Proposals on any theme of relevance to North African Studies are welcome. Conferences typically take place over two days and include 15-20 participants. The 2019 conference will take place in late July.
Conference Budget
Conference organizers will have access to USD20,000 to cover expenses associated with the annual conference. There is some discretion in how these funds are used. However, the following expenses will be covered by this funding:
- Conference facilities
- Round trip transportation for all Maghribi presenters to attend the conference
- Hotel/board for all presenters (US and Maghribi)
- Per diem for each presenter
- Interpreting and translating costs (as applicable)
CEMA staff will be able to assist the conference organizer(s) in developing a more specific budget for the conference. Conference organizers are strongly encouraged to identify and pursue additional sources of funding. This can include supplementary funding for the conference itself as well as funding for the MESA session, travel for US participants (including conference organizers), and/or additional publications. In kind contributions from the institution(s) of the conference organizer(s) will also be considered. The Conference Program Committee will assist conference organizers when possible. Funding for the special issue of JNAS is provided directly by the publisher and does not need to be incorporated into the conference budget.
The Maghribi Grants Program
In conjunction with the annual conference and capitalizing on the selected theme, the Conference Program Committee will oversee a small grants program for Maghribi Scholars. One scholar each from Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco will be funded to participate in the 2019 AIMS Conference and will receive a small stipend to carry out related research. Specifics about the program will be released once the conference theme is chosen. Funding for this program is separate from the annual conference budget. Selection of the scholars will be made jointly by the Conference Program Committee and the conference organizers.
Timeline
- Submission deadline for applications: January 15, 2019
- Proposal selected and applicants notified: late January 2019
- Initial conference call of organizers with the Conference Program Committee: late January 2019
- Conference theme announced: late January 2019
- Call for papers (in English/French) circulated: February 1, 2019
- Delegations/presenters selected: March 20, 2019
- Preliminary agenda developed and announced: April 1, 2019
- Conference convened: late July 2019
- Conference report submitted: September 2019
- Session at MESA held: November 2019
- Special issue of JNAS: To be determined
Proposal Guidelines
AIMS members who are interested in organizing the 2019 annual conference must submit a proposal by January 15, 2019. The formal proposal should be no more than three pages (in English) and should include the following sections:
- Background and significance
– Why is this theme important for North African Studies?
– What gaps in knowledge and scholarship will this theme fill? - Conference program activities
– What activities will be included as a part of this overall effort?
– What is the timeline for those activities? Please include proposed conference dates.
– How will the components (annual conference, MESA meeting, publication) be integrated? - Possible participants
– Formal commitment from possible participants is not required at the time of submission. However, proposals should outline possible contributors to the conference program (US scholars, Maghribi scholars, etc.) - Organizational structure
– If there is more than one proposed conference organizer, how will responsibilities be divided?
– Who else will be involved? - Outputs and outcomes
– Will a final report be provided?
– What publication(s) are envisioned?
– What will be the outcomes of committing to this theme? - Provisional budget
– How will the $20,000 be used?
– Will any other resources be required? If so, how will those be secured?
Proposals should be sent electronically to Mia Fuller (miafuller@gmail.com). Please include a cover letter/cover email with the full contact information for the proposed organizer(s) as well as a copy of the CVs of all organizers.
[This was originally published by The American Institute for Maghrib Studies]