Reports

The Third Mediterranean Social and Political Research Meeting

Robert Schuman Center for Advanced Studies - EUI
Montecatini Terme and Florence, ITALY: March 20-24, 2002

This meeting brought together 220 scholars from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Europe, and elsewhere for a series of 15 workshops that discussed issues pertaining to both the MENA region and its relationship with Europe. It was organized by the Mediterranean Program of the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute (EUI).

The goals of the meeting were (1) to bring together scholars from the MENA region, Europe, and elsewhere whose research focuses on MENA and on the relationships between it and Europe; (2) to facilitate in-depth discussions of high academic standards on central topics; and (3) to encourage the publication and circulation of papers from the Mediterranean Program.

The opening lecture was conducted by Dr. Mustapha Nabli, Chief Economist and Sector Director for Economic Management in the Middle East and North Africa Region of the World Bank, who discussed the recent Argentina crisis and how its lessons could be applied to the MENA region, particularly in terms of the speed of economic liberalization.

Among the topics addressed in the workshops were: Islamic movements and discourses within local, national and transnational spheres; the determinants of Middle Eastern and North African states’’ foreign policies; the symbolic representation of conflicts; elite change in the Arab world; Islamic capital and Islamist politics; and the current and future status of Palestinian refugees.

In addition to academic presentations, the workshops dealt with ways to publish papers and how scholars can continue their collaborative efforts. Summaries of each workshop are available at the conference website listed below.

For additional information, contact Ann-Charlotte Svantesson, Mediterranean Program Secretary, Mediterranean Program - Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute, Via dei Roccettini, 9, 50016 San Domenico di Fiesole (FI), Italy; phone (39-055)4685-785; fax (39-055)4685-770; e-mail ; website .

Bulletin of Regional Cooperation in the Middle East Winter 2001-2002
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