Call for Papers:
2013 Jil Jadid Conference in
Arabic Literature and Linguistics
(host: University of Texas at Austin)
Deadline: 15 November 2012
The Department of and Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Texas at Austin are pleased to announce that they will host the 3rd Annual Jil Jadid Conference in Arabic Literature and Linguistics, a graduate student conference to be held at the University of Texas at Austin, February 21-23, 2013.
Jil Jadid is a graduate student conference that aims to provide a forum for young scholars spread across a variety of disciplines to come together, share ideas and research, and discuss the future of their respective fields as they move forward in their careers and come to represent the eponymous new generation of scholars doing work on the Arabic-speaking world and its cultures. For the past two Februaries, graduate students from a wide range of universities, both domestic and international, have assembled in Austin to set the tone for Arabic studies in the twenty-first century. The ongoing positive feedback we have received from these past conferences prompts us to once again assemble with the same goal of uniting students from area studies, linguistics, comparative literature and other departments in order to facilitate a productive and interdisciplinary exchange of new ideas.
Fostering fruitful, engaging, relevant and innovative dialogue remains our topmost priority. The conference will feature keynote speeches on both Arabic linguistics (Rania Habib from Syracuse University) and literature (TBA), as well as a career development workshop offered by faculty from UT's Department of Middle Eastern Studies. We will likewise be exploring panel arrangements that encourage increased coordination between individual presenters and breakout sessions where graduate students will have an explicit opportunity to discuss their collective vision of their fields as they hope to see them in the near future. More details will be announced as the conference approaches.
The 2013 Jil Jadid Conference is sponsored by the University of Texas at Austin's Department of Middle Eastern Studies, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Department of Linguistics, Program in Comparative Literature, and the Graduate School.
TOPICS:
All papers treating topics in Arabic literature (classical and modern) and Arabic linguistics (including applied linguistics) will gladly be considered, in either English or Arabic (we ask that an English summary be prepared for any papers to be presented in Arabic). We especially encourage state of the field papers that provide a focused overview of a specific subfield of Arabic studies and suggest new avenues for research in that area. We also encourage submissions on the following topics:
Papers that are to be presented at other conferences, such as ALS and ACLA, are welcome, as we hope to provide a forum for students to further develop and refine their research.
- Defining Linguistic Prestige: Case Studies from Literature and Linguistics
- Uncharted Pedagogical Ground: Novel Approaches to Arabic Language Teaching
- New Media, New Literary Genres
- The Voices of Arab Youth: Linguistic and Literary Perspectives
- Quantitative Approaches to Traditionally Qualitative Topics
- Between the City and the Countryside: The Role of Geographic Identity
- As It Was Said: Authentic Materials in the Arabic Classroom
Unfortunately, this year we will not be able to accommodate virtual presentations via video-chat. We will instead be providing a live online stream of the conference proceedings that will allow those who are not physically able to attend the conference to follow along and contribute by leaving comments and feedback. It is our aim to reinstate virtual presentations at future iterations of the Jil Jadid conference.
ABSTRACTS: Applicants may submit abstracts of no more than 400 words, not including references, in PDF format with fonts embedded. Abstracts may be submitted online. Abstracts should not include identifying information; you must, however, indicate the highest degree you have obtained and your current position (e.g. "M.A., Graduate Student," "Ph.D., Assistant Professor," etc.).
FUNDING: Graduate students whose abstracts are accepted will be eligible to apply for a limited number of partial travel grants to defray some of the costs of attending the Jil Jadid conference. Lodging with local graduate students will be available where possible.
CONFERENCE FEES: There will be no fees required of presenters and/or attendees.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
For queries: jiljadidconf@gmail.com
For submissions: via the online abstract submission page
Website: http://www.utexas.edu/cola/depts/mes/