The American Institute for Maghrib Studies (AIMS) is seeking proposals for its annual conference for 2023,  with ideas for 2024 and 2025 welcome. The annual AIMS conference is a signature event that brings together delegations of scholars from the US, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and occasionally individual scholars from other countries, as appropriate. The AIMS conferences are held in late spring/early summer at one of the three overseas research centers – Tangier, Oran, or Tunis.

AIMS members interested in proposing a theme with resonance across the countries of the Maghrib are encouraged to submit a formal proposal for the 2023 conference by September 19, 2022; ideas and proposals for 2024 and 2025 conferences are also welcome.

Interdisciplinary themes incorporating historical, contemporary, and scientific perspectives are welcome, as are more single-themed proposals.

Conference organizers must be members of AIMS.  Representation at the conference is organized by country; the organizer(s)  is the head of the U.S. delegation, and similarly, each country will be led by its head of delegation.

Up to USD20,000 will be made available to support the annual conference. Additional details about the conference, as well as the proposal requirements, can be found below.

Questions? Please contact AIMS Conference Committee chair Michael Toler at mtoler@mit.edu

Conference venue and length:

The 2023 AIMS Conference will be held at either Oran or Tunis, to be determined. Logistical support for the conference will be provided by the staff of the center. Proposals on any theme of relevance to North African studies are welcome. Conferences typically take place over two and a half days and include 15-20 participants, evenly divided among delegations from the four countries:  USA, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia.  If possible, delegations from Mauritania and Libya are fully welcome.

Conference budget:

Conference organizers will have access to US $20,000 to cover expenses for the annual conference. There are some restrictions on how these funds are used. However, the following expenses will be covered by this funding:

• Conference facilities
• Round-trip transportation for presenters from the countries of the Maghrib to attend the conference
• Food and lodging for all presenters
• Per diem for each presenter
• If needed, interpretation at the conference

Local AIMS staff will assist the conference organizer(s) in developing a budget specific to the selected conference.

Conference organizers are strongly encouraged to identify and pursue additional sources of funding. This can include supplementary funding for the conference itself as well as funding for a follow-up MESA session; travel for U.S. participants, including conference organizers; and subsequent publication of proceedings. In-kind contributions from conference organizers’ institutions will also be considered in evaluating the proposals. The AIMS Conference Committee will assist conference organizers when possible.

2023 Timeline:

• Submission deadline for applications:  Monday, September 19, 2022
• Proposal selected and applicants notified: mid-October 2022
• Initial conference call of organizers with the Conference Program Committee: October 2022
• Conference theme & organizers announced at the AIMS Business Meeting, December 1, 2022 in Denver
• Call for papers circulated: December 2022
• Delegations/presenters selected: February 2023
• Preliminary agenda finalized and announced: March 2023
• Conference convened: late spring/early summer 2023
• Conference report submitted to AIMS Secretariat: September 2023
• Follow-up issue of the Journal of North African Studies (JNAS), determined in consultation with editors

Proposal guidelines:

AIMS members interested in organizing the 2023 annual conference must submit their proposals online by September 19, 2022 at https://akdc-mit.typeform.com/to/atDRRewy. Contact mtoler@mit.edu with questions.

Things to know and prepare in advance:

• Organizers:  names, contact information, CVs
• If there are multiple organizers, please describe the division of conference responsibilities
• A provisional title and brief statement of the theme
• Background to and significance of the theme
  • Address the following points as appropriate:
    • Why is this theme important in North African studies?
    • What gaps in knowledge and scholarship will this theme fill?
• Draft conference program
  • What format is proposed? (panels, roundtables, workshops, plenaries, breakout sessions)
  • What supplementary activities do you propose? (institutional visits, excursions)

• The AIMS member(s) proposing the conference is also the leader of the American delegation.
  • Indicate how you will find individuals in each of the Maghrib countries to serve as leaders of their national delegations. Assistance of the ORC directors is advised.

• Provisional budget. The proposed budget for the conference is $20,000.  Include a tentative budget in your proposal, indicating if additional resources will be required and how you propose to obtain them.

• Describe expected outputs of the conference and follow-up activities, including the following possibilities:

• • Submit  a panel proposal for the annual MESA meeting mirroring  the conference theme?
  • Organize the conference proceedings as a special issue of the Journal of North African Studies, subject to acceptance from JNAS editors?
  • Look  at ways of conference proceedings becoming part of  the AIMS podcast series?

• If you are not selected for the 2023 annual conference, would you be interested in organizing the conference in 2024 or 2025?