2020 AIMS Annual Conference in Tangier, Morocco
Deadline: January 31, 2020

The American Institute for Maghrib Studies is seeking proposals for its 2020 annual conference. 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 2020 AIMS conference will be held in Tangier in summer 2020. AIMS members who are interested in proposing a theme with resonance across North Africa are encouraged to submit a formal proposal no later than January 31, 2020. The selection committee will look favorably on applications that envision an interdisciplinary conference that incorporates both historical and contemporary perspectives.

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 Michael Toler at mtoler@mit.edu

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Conference details
The 2020 AIMS Conference will be held in Tangier, Morocco. Logistical support for the conference will be provided by the staff of the Tangier American Institute for Moroccan Studies (TALIM) and AIMS Program Manager located in Tangier. Proposals on any theme of relevance to North African Studies are welcome. Conferences typically take place over two days and include 15-20 participants. The 2020 conference will take place in late July.

Conference budget
Conference organizers will have access to USD20,000 to cover expenses associated with the annual conference. There is some discretion in how these funds are used. However, the following expenses will be covered by this funding:

• Conference facilities
• Round trip transportation for presenters from Maghribi institutions to attend the conference
• Hotel/board for all presenters
• Per diem for each presenter
• Interpreting and translating costs (as applicable)

TALIM staff will be able to assist the conference organizer(s) in developing a more specific budget for the 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 the MESA session, travel for US participants (including conference organizers), and/or additional publications. In kind contributions from the institution(s) of the conference organizer(s) will also be considered in evaluating the proposals. The Conference Program Committee will assist conference organizers when possible. Funding for the special issue of JNAS is provided directly by the publisher and does not need to be incorporated into the conference budget.

Timeline

• Submission deadline for applications: January 31, 2020
• Proposal selected and applicants notified: mid-February 2020
• Initial conference call of organizers with the Conference Program Committee: mid-February 2020
• Conference theme announced: mid-February 2020
• Call for papers (in English/French) circulated: mid-February 2020
• Delegations/presenters selected: late March 2020
• Preliminary agenda developed and announced: mid-April 2020
• Conference convened: Summer 2020
• Conference report submitted: September 2020
• Session at MESA held: November 2020
• Special issue of JNAS: To be determined

Proposal guidelines
AIMS members who are interested in organizing the 2020 annual conference must submit a proposal by January 31, 2020.  The submissions form is available at: https://akdc-mit.typeform.com/to/lrilF4

Questions to prepare in advance are:

1. Organizers: Names, contact information, and affiliations of the organizers.
2. A provisional title or short statement of the theme.
3. If there are multiple organizers, please describe the division of responsibilities.
4. Background and significance
   Please write a brief statement addressing the following points as appropriate: Why is this theme important for North African Studies? What gaps in knowledge and scholarship will this theme fill?
5. Conference program
   A) Please propose conference dates (subject to availability and other considerations).
   B) What activities will be be part of the overall program for the event in Tangier? What format(s) do you propose (panels, round tables, plenaries, breakout sessions, workshops, etc.)
6. Follow up activities and outputs
   Conference organizers generally organize a panel at the annual meeting of the Middle East Studies Association, and often prepare a special issue of the Journal of North African Studies (subject to editorial discretion). Other activities may include follow up conferences or panels at other events, the creation of online presences, etc. Please describe and provide a tentative schedule for your follow up activities. Describe how these activities will be integrated with one another.
7. Possible participants
   Describe the ideal participants in the conference. Please list already identified participants or describe how you plan to recruit them. A formal commitment is not required at this time, but please list any individual names, if known. If you don’t already have specific people in mind, be sure to bear in mind the time frame between acceptance of your conference proposal and the event itself.
8. Provisional budget
   The proposed budget for the conference is $20,000.  Please provide a tentative budget. Will any additional resources be required? If so, how do you propose to obtain them?
9. Optional: Are there other factors you would like to bring to the attention of the conference committee? For example: Is the theme particularly timely? Is the topic particularly appropriate to a conference at TALIM as opposed to CEMA or CEMAT?
10. CVs for all proposed organizers

Proposals, including any attachments, must be submitted via the form at https://akdc-mit.typeform.com/to/lrilF4 before the end of the day on January 31, 2020.  To confirm successful submission or if you have any questions, please contact Michael Toler at mtoler@mit.edu