Call for Papers

3rd Annual Jiil Jadiid Conference @ UT Austin

Dates: February 21-23, 2013

Location: The University of Texas at Austin

Abstract Deadline: November 15, 2012

Topic: Arabic Literature and Linguistics

Conference Website:

http://www.utexas.edu/cola/depts/mes/events/conferences/jiljadid2013/

Contact: Mike Turner – jiljadidconf@gmail.com

Description:

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 Jiil Jadiid Conference in Arabic Literature and

Linguistics, a graduate student conference to be held at the

University of Texas at Austin, February 21-23, 2013.

Jiil Jadiid 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.

Fostering fruitful, engaging, relevant and innovative dialogue remains

our topmost priority. The conference will feature keynote speeches in

both Arabic linguistics and literature, 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 Jiil Jadiid 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:

§  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

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.

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 Jiil

Jadiid conference.

Abstracts:

Applicants may submit abstracts of no more than 400 words, not

including references, in PDF format with fonts embedded. Abstracts can

be submitted via the following website:

http://linguistlist.org/confcustom/JilJadid2013

The deadline for abstracts is November 15, 2012. 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 Jiil Jadiid conference. Lodging with local

graduate students will be available where possible.

Conference Fees:

There will be no fees required of presenters and/or attendees.