From this page you can find the latest information about our conference themes, panels, presenters, and cultural events. To register for the conference, please fill out our registration form (available for download above) and email (meievent@nus.edu.sg) or fax (+65 6467 8714) it back to us. If you would rather call in order to supply your credit card number for payment, please dial +65-6516 5743 and ask for Ms. Sutini Suratman. As well, the summarized poster is available in pdf form which you may use to circulate or print.

We encourage you to check this site regularly for updates on the exciting people and events we are preparing for our exhilarating annual conference.

Context

On December 17, 2010 the dramatic self-immolation of a frustrated Tunisian, Mohammed Bouazizi, set in motion a series of uprisings that radically altered the political, economic, and social landscapes of the Middle East and North Africa. This “Arab Awakening” spread with an intensity and import few could have predicted, resulting in the overthrow of some long-standing autocrats and attempts at deeper entrenchment on the part of others. Citizens also exhibited astonishing levels of persistence and coordination in the face of grave threats to their lives and livelihoods, while the international community demonstrated varying degrees of engagement and apprehension. As the fog of the present parts to give us a clearer view of the recent past, observers are gaining ever-widening perspectives on the causes and consequences of these stirring events.

On May 24-25, 2012, the Middle East Institute at the National University of Singapore will bring together leading experts as well as rising scholars for a two-day conference that will explore and expand upon current debates over the origins, dynamics, and future of the uprisings from a wide range of perspectives. Specifically, the first day of the conference will tackle questions regarding the various factors that help to explain the emergence of these events, the role of media and social networks in their proliferation, and emerging cross-national perspectives on these momentous incidents. The second day will present in-depth case studies of the most affected countries and explore the multitude of repercussions on the global system. The event will conclude with speculations on the future of the Arab uprisings and the accompanying regional changes that this new era is likely to witness.

While we are no longer accepting paper submissions, we invite you to register for the conference and hope to see you in May.