Call for Papers: Sociology of Islam and Muslims Societies, April 11-14, 2008 Richmond

Panel – Sociology of Islam and Muslims Societies

The 2008 Annual Meeting of the Southern Sociological Society

http://www.southernsociologicalsociety.org/

April 9-12, 2008, Richmond, Virginia - USA

Invitation for Panel Papers

Dear all,

At the Southern Sociological Society annual meeting last year there were five panels with 20 presentations on Islam, the Sociology of Islam, and Islamist Movements. This coming year, the annual meeting will take place on April 9-12, 2008 in Richmond, Virginia and we will be organizing panels on Sociology of Islam and Muslim Societies.

Islam and Muslim societies are being increasingly studied by sociologists, particularly by those interested in how different Islamic groups are responding to globalization. In the current political, social and economic conflict between the West and Muslim Societies, Islam has entered the political arena as a manifestation of Muslims against Western-based capitalism and hegemony. In this context, religion has transformed from a belief system to an ideology of political resistance in both the mind and within the actions of Muslims. From Turkey to Indonesia, this conflict may be creating the unified Muslim identity—the Muslim Ummah— Islamist and social thinkers such as Sayyid Qutb and Abul A’la Mawdudi were promoting nearly a half a century ago. From the Danish and Swedish cartoon crisis to Islamophia, Muslims appear to be crafting a collective identity that transcends the old categories of tribe, community and nation-state. This ‘new’ identity now exists beyond the nation-state, both in the West and in Muslim-populated countries, and is reshaping the understanding of globalization by Muslims.

We are organizing two panels entitled, "Sociology of Islam and Muslims Societies," and welcome submissions related to but not limited to the following subjects:

• Islam, Modernity and Secularism
• Islamist Movements and Collective identity,
• Islam and Muslims in Europe and US
• The Middle Eastern Politics

The deadline for abstract paper submissions is: DECEMBER 12, 2007

Please send abstract to: sociologyofislam@vt.edu

Tugrul Keskin
tugrulk@vt.edu
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University


Stephen Poulson
poulsosc@jmu.edu
James Madison University


Kemal Silay
ksilay@indiana.edu
Indiana University

On Living by Nazim Hikmet

ON LIVING

Living is no laughing matter:
you must live with great seriousness
like a squirrel, for example-
I mean without looking for something beyond and above living,
I mean living must be your whole occupation.

Nazim Hikmet (RAN)
(1902, Selanic - June 3, 1963, Moscow)
Poet, playwright, novelist


THERE MUST BE SOMETHING

Is the sea as beautiful as this every day?
Does the sky look like this all the time?
Is this furniture, this window
always as lovely as this?

No
by God no,
There must be something behind this somewhere.

Orhan Veli Kanik

Translated by Bernard Lewis (1982)

War on Democracy Showing in UK cinemas

War on Democracy Showing in UK cinemas

'The War on Democracy' is John Pilger's first major film for the cinema - in a career that has produced more than 55 television documentaries. Set in Latin America and the US, it explores the historic and current relationship of Washington with countries such as Venezuela, Bolivia and Chile.

"The film tells a universal story," says Pilger, "analysing and revealing, through vivid testimony, the story of great power behind its venerable myths. It allows us to understand the true nature of the so-called war on terror".

If you are in UK or around London, you must see this film, I think you will enjoy watching this documentary.

http://warondemocracy.net/

The Sociology of Islam discussion list at Virginia Tech University

Dear all,

I have created a listserve for scholars who may be interested in exchanging academic information related with Islam. You will find the information necessary to be a subscriber to this list. Please circulate this information widely.

The Sociology of Islam discussion list at Virginia Tech University is a new free professional and academic networking tool to encourage interaction between individuals & organizations involved in Islam/Sociology of Islam/Islamist Movements and related fields worldwide. Members and subscribers are encouraged to dialogue and share resources on books, articles, conferences, teaching, and other related purposes.


If you want to subscribe to the list, please send me an email:

tugrulk@vt.edu


Best to all,
--
Tugrul Keskin

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Department of Sociology
560 McBryde Hall
Blacksburg, VA 24061
http://www.vt.edu

Virginia Tech. Massacre

We will continue to invent the future through our blood and tears and through all our sadness ... We will prevail ...

-- Nikki Giovanni, University Distinguished Professor, poet, activist



I want to extend my deepest, sincerest, and most profound sympathies to the families of these victims ...

-- Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger



We are sad today, and we will be sad for quite a while. We are not moving on. We are embracing our mourning. We are Virginia Tech ...

-- Nikki Giovanni, University Distinguished Professor, poet, activist

Panel - Central Asian Studies in light of Imperialism: A Neo-Orientalist Approach within Western Academia

Panel - Central Asian Studies in light of Imperialism: A Neo-Orientalist Approach within Western Academia

The 2007 CESS conference at the University of Washington
October 18-21, 2007 in Seattle, Washington
http://cess.fas.harvard.edu/CESS_Conference.html


Dear all,

We are in the process of organizing a panel entitled: Central Asian Studies in light of Imperialism: A Neo-Orientalist Approach within Western Academia

In the work, Orientalism, Edward W. Said elaborates on the idea behind Middle Eastern studies in Western academia. Said is interested in questioning the discourse of Orientalists, and furthermore, claims that the actual purpose of Middle Eastern Studies is not academic, but rather a policy-oriented approach that facilitates imperialism and colonialism. In this context Said argues that Europeans referred to the Eastern world as the ‘Orient’, a term that has only a vague meaning. Today, the region historically known as Turkistan has similarly been renamed ‘Central Asia’ in the context of the Neo-Orientalist process in policy oriented academia. In this field, some of the so-called “scholars,” working with policy-based institutions such as think-tanks, governmental and “non governmental” entities are the forefront of this approach, within the framework of imperialism and exploitation. These institutions, including think-tanks and non-governmental interest groups operate as a bridge between academia and the policy-oriented world. Additionally, academia has become a facilitator of an exploitative process towards Turkistan. The same process has been observed in Middle Eastern Studies for over a half century.

Today, the best example of this Neo-Orientalist or Colonialist approach can be found within the discipline of Central Asian studies within the U.S., and its relation with think-tanks, governmental, and non-governmental organizations. Thus, academia has been losing its objectivity, transforming from C. Wright Mills’ conception of the sociological imagination, to a facilitator of imperialism. This is occurring through its implicit representation of political interests. We can see this destructive trend taking place within Uyghur, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, and Turkmen studies.

We welcome submissions related to Neo-Orientalism and Central Asian Studies, and also including the following:

• Neo-Orientalism and Central Asian Studies,
• Imperialism, think-tanks and Central Asia,
• Role of SOROS, National Democratic Institute, the Woodrow Wilson Center, Carnegie Endowment and US Helsinki Commission on Central Asia,
• Colorful revolutions and imperialism/exploitation of the market,
• Sultan Galiev and Imperialism in Turkistan

Deadline: APRIL 3, 2007

Please send abstract to: tugrulk@vt.edu or rhaija@vt.edu

Tugrul Keskin

Rammy Haija

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Department of Sociology

SSS 2007 Annual Meeting- Islam, the Sociology of Islam, and Islamist Movements

The 2007 Annual Meeting of the Southern Sociological Society

http://www.msstate.edu/org/sss/07Meet/Publish/

April 11-14, 2007, Atlanta, GA


"Islam, the Sociology of Islam, and Islamist Movements"


Organizers:

Tugrul Keskin keskintx@jmu.edu Virginia Tech. University
or
Dr. Dale Wimberley dale.wimberley@vt.edu Virginia Tech. University

FIRST PANEL: ISLAM, IMPERIALISM AND COLONIALISM

CHAIR -Dr. Dale Wimberley -Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Discussant -Dr. Kemal Silay -Indiana University, Bloomington

(1) Islam and Terrorism: Reason and Assessment

Dr. Mohamed El-Attar -Department of Sociology - Mississippi State University - USA

(2) The Traditional Islam versus Western Based Islam in the Framework of Transnational Movement: As a case of Fethullah Gulen “Islamist” Movement in Turkey

Tugrul Keskin -Sociology - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University - USA

(3) Uncivilized Christianity, Decolonized Islam: Evading Conflict through Dialogue

Darrell Ezell -Graduate Institute for Theology & Religion - University of Birmingham - England

(4) The Local Contexts of Islam

Dr. Ejder Okumus - Dicle University - Divinity Faculty - Turkey

SECOND PANEL: ISLAM. MODERNITY AND CIVIL SOCIETY

CHAIR - Tugrul Keskin -Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Discussant - Dr. Stephen Poulson -James Madison University

(1) The Liberation Theology of Ali Shariati

David L. Reznik -Department of Sociology - University of Florida - USA

2) Possibilities of a more Plural Society

Salim Cevik - Political Science - Bilkent University - Turkey

(3) Islamic Civil Society

Jeremy Walton -Department of Anthropology - University of Chicago - USA

(4) Islam and the Problem of Participation in the Contemporary Situation

Dr. Ejder Okumus -Dicle University - Divinity Faculty - Turkey

THIRD PANEL: ISLAM THE MIDDLE EAST AND EURASIA

CHAIR - Dr. Dale Wimberley -Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Discussant - Dr. Birol Yesilada -Portland State University

(1) Islamic Dissent De/Remobilization: Egypt and Syria

Feriha PEREKLI -Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures - Indiana university-Bloomington USA

(2) Bedouin issues in both Israel/Palestine and in Egypt

Dr. Jesse Benjamin -Department of Sociology - Kennesaw State University - USA

(3) Reviving of Social Justice Concept in the Post-Modern World: An Islamic Alternative

Fuad Aliyev -Center of Economic Reforms - Baku, Azerbaijan Republic Azerbaijan

(4) Towards a Sociological Understanding of Islamophobia

Robert Heck -Sociology - University of Florida

FOURTH PANEL: ISLAM AND ISLAMIST MOVEMENTS

CHAIR - Dr. Michael Hughes - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Discussant - Dr. Stephen Poulson -James Madison University

(1) Islam and Modernity: Islamist Movements and the Politics of Position

Dr. Said Mentak -Department of English, Oujda - Morocco

(2) The Nation of Islam and Womanhood

Dr. Toni Y. Sims -Assistant Professor -Sociology & Anthropology Department - University of Louisiana Lafayette - USA

(3) Islamic Sociology in Iran

Dr. Taghi Azadarmaki -Department of Sociology - The University of Tehran - Iran

(4) Cartoons of Prophet Muhammad and the need for an Islamic “Protestantism”

Dr. Fadil Maloku -Globalization and Civilizations - University of Kosovo - Kosova

FIFTH PANEL : ISLAM AND POLITICS

CHAIR - Dr. Judith Blau -University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

Discussant - Dr. Dale Wimberley -Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

(1) Student Engagement with Contemporary Islamic Social Movements through Existentialist Thought

Dylan Wittkower -Department of Philosophy - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University - USA

(2) Islamic Authority and Knowledge in Europe: The case of Revolutionary Islamist Kaplan Community

Dr. Ahmet Yukleyen -Sociology and Anthropology Dept - University of Mississippi - USA

(3) The Use of Strategic Violence among Social Movements in Middle East:

Examples from Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine

Dr. Stephen Poulson -Department of Sociology & Anthropology - James Madison University - USA

(4) Headscarf: As a Political Symbol or As a Demand of Freedom?

Meryem Atlas and Merve Kutuk -Political Science - Bilgi University - Istanbul/Turkey