Kurdish Studies and Student Organisation

PhD Students International Conference: “State, Society and Economy in the Modern
Middle East”, London, 7-8 May 2011

The London Middle East Institute at SOAS is pleased to invite all PhD students with
a research focus on the Middle East to submit proposals. The conference will provide
an opportunity for young scholars to present their research and work in progress,
benefit from contacts with, and feedback from, academics and get to know other
scholars working on the Middle East. This is an international conference open to all
PhD students focusing on the Middle East.

The conference themes are wide ranging, and shall include, but are not limited to,
the following indicative themes:

● Cooperation and conflict
● Gender and sexuality
● Globalisation, regionalism and international integration
● Identities within and beyond the nation
● Human rights, civil society and transition to democracy
● The role of women in socio-economic development
● The role of media, film and communications in social and political transformation
● Trafficking, smuggling and the arms races
● Religion in politics and society
● Economic diversification in oil-based economies

Novel and innovative approaches to research are encouraged and the organisers are
especially keen to promote inter-disciplinary themes. Presenters are likely to find
themselves among an audience from mixed academic backgrounds who are brought
together by a desire to foster their understanding of the Middle East across
different disciplines. This will give academics from subject areas as diverse as
history, anthropology and economics, arts and culture, politics and diplomacy,
gender studies, and other fields, an opportunity to learn from each other and to
develop innovative approaches to their own work. The forum will involve lectures and
panel discussions, as well as networking opportunities. We hope to engage interested
publishers too with a view to encouraging potential publication of PhD research on
the Middle East.

The submission deadline for proposals is 15 January 2011. Applicants should submit
an abstract of no more than 400 words along with a short CV (2 pages only) to
(lmei@soas.ac.uk). A modest contribution for travel costs will be available for
successful applicants studying in institutions outside London.

POSTER SESSION: A number of presenters will be invited to exhibit their research in
the form of a poster as part of a Poster Session that will be also organised
alongside the main conference. Posters can be crafted in any number of creative ways
to showcase PhD research on different aspects of the Middle East and North Africa
region.

Selection of posters will be based on the draft proposals submitted (see above). If
selected, successful presenters will be advised accordingly. Interested applicants
can have a look at the following links to get useful ideas about poster sessions:
• http://www.graduatejunction.net/posters
• http://www.uwex.edu/ces/tobaccoeval/pdf/postertips.pdf
• http://www.uwex.edu/ces/tobaccoeval/pdf/postertips.pdf

We aim to select 10-15 posters for presentation at the conference. Accepted poster
presenters will receive a modest contribution towards expenses they incur in making
their posters.