ASMEA, www.ameascholars.org , is a new academic society dedicated to promoting the highest standards of research and teaching in Middle Eastern and African studies, and related fields. It is a response to the mounting interest in these increasingly inter-related fields, and the absence of any single group addressing them in a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary fashion.

ASMEA is, first and foremost, a community of scholars concerned to protect academic freedom and promote the search for truth to reach new heights in inquiry. The Association will advance the discourse in these fields by offering its members new opportunities to publish and present ideas to the academic community and beyond. ASMEA will offer its assistance to established and new scholars, including un-tenured faculty, graduate students, and those in related fields to expand the body of scholars and knowledge.

Through its forthcoming annual conference, journal, newsletter, and new website, the Association hopes to become the professional association of choice for discerning scholars and interested members of the public, and will strive for excellence in all of its many pursuits. Please join us in creating a community that will serve as the bedrock for the next generation of scholars and teachers upon which our collective future depends.

Professor Bernard LewisProfessor Fouad Ajami

The Association will be seeking proposals to present papers at its inaugural conference scheduled for April 2008. The theme of the conference is: The Evolution of Islamic Politics in the Middle East and Africa: From Traditional Limits to Modern Extremes.

ASMEA members from any discipline who are tenured or un-tenured faculty may submit proposals to participate on specific panels in the conference. Unique proposals from senior graduate students (ABD) and post docs also will be considered. For more on the conference and how to submit proposals, please click here.