Authoritarianism and Democracy in the Age of Globalization

January 6, 2005.

    ***
    SEPT. 8 -10, 2005
    UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
    Salt Lake City, USA
    
    DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS: FEB. 15, 2005
    
    The third annual multidisciplinary Middle East & Central Asia Politics, Economics, and Society
    Conference will be held on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, USA, during
    Sept. 8-10, 2005. The objective of the conference is to bring together academics, analysts, and
    policy makers interested in the Middle East and Central Asia who wish to network and share their
    research endeavors.
    
    The three-day event will include as many as four prominent guests and keynote
    speakers: Two renowned experts on the Middle East and Central Asia, and two Ambassadors to the US
    from the two regions. There will be an estimated 32 conference sessions, as many as 140 paper
    presentations and a special plenary discussion panel on: 'An End to Authoritarianism or
    Democratization?' Other attractions include three complimentary meals, an evening of Middle
    Eastern and Central Asian music and art, and optional viewing of recently released films and
    documentaries on the Middle East and Central Asia.
    
    THEMES: Specific themes covered by the conference encompass inter- disciplinary social science
    approaches to analyses and problem solving in the Middle East and Central Asia and may fall
    within, but not limited to, the
    following:
    
    # Authoritarianism and Democracy
    # Impacts of Globalization
    # Problems of Economic and Democratic Transitions # State and Society Relations # Religion and
    Politics # Islam and Islamism # Challenges of Post-Communism # Culture, Gender, and Ethnicity #
    Natural Resources, Conflict, and Sustainability # Media, Cinema, and Film # Migration, Refugees,
    the Displaced, and Diaspora # Human Rights and Minorities # Post-9-11 Regional and International
    Affairs # Nation-building Projects in Afghanistan and Iraq # Politics of External Actors (US,
    Russia, EU, China, etc.) # Israel and Palestine Studies # US-Iran Relations # Xinjiang and Uyghur
    Nationalism # Terrorism and State Violence # Conflict Prevention and Resolution # Regional
    Organizations and Cooperation # Civil Society
    
    Selected papers from the conference will be submitted to a refereed academic journal for likely
    publication by fall 2005.
    
    If interested in presenting a paper in the 2005 MIDDLE EAST & CENTRAL ASIA POLITICS, ECONOMICS,
    and SOCIETY CONFERENCE, please submit ONLY the following:
    
    # YOUR FULL NAME
    # INSTITUTIONAL AFFILIATION
    # E-MAIL ADDRESS
    # TELEPHONE NUMBERS (work, cell, home)
    # POSTAL ADDRESS
    # PAPER TITLE
    # 500-WORD-MAX PAPER ABSTRACT
    # ONE-PAGE-MAX ACADEMIC CV
    # Indicate willingness to serve as a session MODERATOR or DISCUSSANT
    
    Kindly save the above in NO MORE THAN 2 PAGES in ONE WORD FILE and name your file as your last
    name in capitals, a hyphen, and then your first name (e.g. if your name is ‘Fatima Baghdadi’, your
    2-page Word application should be named:
    BAGHDADI-Fatima.doc). Furthermore, as the ‘Subject’ of your email, please type:
    ‘MECA 2005 Proposal’. Please send your completed application to:
    
     MIDDLE-EAST@UTAH.EDU or CENTRAL-ASIA@UTAH.EDU
    
     # ## DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS: FEB. 15, 2005 ## #
    
    BOOKS, EXHIBITS, ADVERTISING: If you are a publisher or organization and would like to reserve an
    exhibition space at the conference or if you would like to purchase an advertisement for
    publication in the conference brochure, please
    contact: Mr. Kristian Alexander at k.alexander@utah.edu or +1-801-581-6047.
    
    Note that the Conference Committee is unable to provide for participant travel and lodging
    expenses. Participants are expected to seek funding from their own institutional and
    organizational affiliations. With regard to overseas participants whose paper proposals have been
    approved, we will send official letters necessary for acquiring entry visas into the United
    States. All participants will be required to provide a conference participation fee of $50 ($80
    late fee). Other important information including due dates and suggested lodging venues will be
    forthcoming. Updates will also be included in the conference website: <www.utah.edu/meca/>.
    
    2005 Middle East & Central Asia Conference Committee c/o Dept. of Political Science 260 S.
    Central Campus Dr.
    OSH Building, Room 252
    The University of Utah
    Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
    USA
    Tel: +1-801-581-6047
    
    (we respect your privacy; if you would not like to receive similar announcements on this or other
    conferences in the future, please send an email to MECAconference@aol.com with the subject line
    ‘remove’)