Middle East and North Africa Specialty Group
Annual Report, Fall 2007
Amy Mills, Co-Chair
Mission Statement:
The Middle East and North Africa Specialty Group aims to encourage the exchange of ideas and information among geographers interested in the Middle East and North Africa, particularly
(1) to support initiatives that enhance the teaching of the geography of the Middle East and North Africa in schools and colleges;
(2) to provide a focus and organization for efforts to enhance the standing and increase the visibility of geographic research on the Middle East and North Africa;
(3) to encourage greater interactions between American geographers and geographers from the region and to identify opportunities for collaborative programs of teaching, training, and research; and
(4) to provide a support network for students involved in research on the Middle East and North Africa including a sharing of information, contacts, and experiences relevant to field work.
Membership and Finances:
As of Feb. 28, 2006, the MENASG has 146 members in the specialty group (70 students and 76 non-student) which is an increase over the previous year. The MENASG has $1,684.00 in the account at AAG (an increase of roughly #372 over last year). This was before the $200 for the paper competition award was withdrawn, leaving the group with a total of $1,484.00. Membership dues are now $5 for full members and $1 for students per year.
Officers:
Co-Chair:
-Amy Mills, Department of Geography, University of South Carolina(). Term: 2006-2008.
Co-Chair:
- William Rowe, Department of Geography, LouisianaStateUniversity(). Term: 2007-2009.
Secretary/Treasurer:
- Ben Smith, Department of International Relations and Geography, FloridaInternationalUniversity (). Term: 2006-2008.
Student Representative:
- Jeff West, Department of Geography, University of Kentucky ().
Term: 2006-2008.
Board Members:
-Diana K. Davis, University of Texas at Austin, Department of Geography (). Term: 2007-2009.
-Chad Emmett, Department of Geography, BrighamYoungUniversity (). Term: 2007-2009.
Web Page Manager:
-Ben Smith, Department of International Relations and Geography, FloridaInternationalUniversity ().
Activities and Plans:
During the last year the MENASG updated and moved its web site and held its first student paper competition which was won by Giorgio Hadi Curti, a graduate student at San Diego State University, for his paper entitled “From a Wall of Bodies to a Body of Walls: The politics of memory/the politics of war in Palestine/Israel”. The amount of the prize was $200. Volunteers from attendees at the 2007 meeting will coordinate the 2008 paper competition, and they are: Chad Emmett, Unna Lassiter and Ben Smith, with Chad Emmett to chair.
At the annual meeting members discussed ways to improve the profile and visibility of the specialty group, as well as ways in which the specialty group may serve members across the AAG. This year board members of the specialty group put out a call for papers to organize a session related to the Middle East and also posted several relevant calls for papers from members and non-members. Sponsorship of a very visible speaker was proposed; due to funding limitations for travel, lodging, and honorarium expenses, board members identified a feasible and relevant local speaker nearby the Boston meeting – Leila Ahmed of HarvardUniversity – but she was unable to attend. The specialty group will consider the option of inviting a prominent speaker again for the next meeting. Members present also discussed using the listserv and the new website more frequently as a way to engage members and provide resources to non-members with material on research and teaching issues related to the Middle East.