SMI - Centre for Middle Eastern Studies

CENTRE FOR MIDDLE EASTERN
AND ISLAMIC STUDIES
University of Bergen

THE CENTRE
STUDIES
RESEARCH SEMINARS
RESEARCH
RESEARCH GROUP
PH.D SEMINAR
PUBLICATIONS
IN THE MEDIA
CENTRE LIBRARY
LINKS
UOB HOMEPAGE

NEW PUBLICATIONS:

The Darfur Sultanate: A History, by R.S. O'Fahey (London: Hurst 2008).

This book presents an analytical narrative of Darfur, from the beginnings of its recorded history onwards. This work focuses on three themes: Darfur's complex history and its equally complex ethnic and ecological issues. It covers various phases of Darfur's history - under the sultans (1650-1916), under the British (1916-56) and since independence (1956).

Interpreting Welfare and Relief in the Middle East, edited by Nefissa Naguib and Inger Marie Okkenhaug (Leiden: Brill 2007).

Based on different problematic and methodological perspectives and new sources, this book’s contributions lie in the close study of welfare beyond the religious divides, codifications and indoctrinations. The time span – from 1850 to the present day - represents moments of colonisations, occupations, wars and conflicts which resulted in un-met needs and broken down institutions.
>> Read more

Recent centre news:

Bjørg Anja Teigland has now taken over as administrative assistant at the Centre in a part-time capacity. She will be at the Centre every Wednesday and every other Friday. She can be contacted at those times at (555) 82647, or by email at post@smi.uib.no.

The weekly email bulletin Vekenytt has started again, giving details of upcoming events at the Centre and the Middle East milieu at Bergen. Contact the Centre to be added to the mailing list.

Notice that the new Levant seminar meets regularly, mostly Thursdays. Contact the Centre for programme details.

LINKING GLOBAL CITIES; TRACING LOCAL PRACTICES:

Linking global cities; tracing local practice. Islamic literature and networks in the South-Western Indian Ocean, 1800-2000 is a new research project that will run from 2007 - 2010.
>> Read more

UNIQUE BOOK COLLECTION ON THE SUDAN:

The University of Bergen recently received a unique book collection on the Sudan. The book collection belongs to the Sudanese businessman Mahmoud Salih and UoB will keep the collection at The Centre for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies for at least five years before it will be returned to the Sudan. The collection contains about 2,000 volumes on the Sudan written in European languages. Some of the books are from the eighteenth century
>> Read more

GLOBAL MOMENTS:

Global Moments in the Levant. - Towards an Understanding of a Contact Zone Between Peoples, Cultures and States

Global Moments are breakthrough events that change peoples lives and futures. They are developments that call for significant adaptations leading to new forms of cooperation or conflict. In this project, Historians, Anthropologist, and Archeologists from Norway, Palestine and the USA will pursue research projects centred around a common objective of exploring selected Global Mioments in the history of the Levant, and the way in which peoples identities and traditions have been affected by inter-cultural encounters. The researchers at this project, lead by Leif Manger, had their second annual workshops in Bergen, March 26th - 29th 2007. Global Moments has been approved for funding over the next four years by the Norwegian Research Council. A number of researchers are already well into their work, and information about some of the researchers involved and their individual projects is available on the Global Moments website.
>> Read more

RECENT EVENTS:

CONCEPTIONS OF ISLAM - SEMINAR / PH.D COURSE:

"Conceptions of Islam" was both a seminar and a Ph.D course arranged by Centre for Middle Eastern and Islamic studies, Centre for Women and Gender studies (SKOK) and IMER at University of Bergen on August 27th - 30th 2007.

The seminar dealt with mainly two themes, Islam and Feminism, and Interpretations of Islam today. A number of well-known speakers was invited.
>> Read more

THE 7th NORDIC CONFERENCE ON MIDDLE EAST:

"The Middle East: Diversity – Variation – Interpretation",
was held September 21-23, 2007 at the University of Helsinki.
>> Conference web site

The Centre for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies regularly sends out newsletters on activities, new publications etc. To subscribe, please send an email to the Centre Coordinator.

The Middle East Centre Web pages also hosts various related organizations and initiatives, listed below. We hope that you find the site useful!

Nordic Society

Sudanic Africa

Centre for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies (SMI)
Phone + 47 55 58 26 47, fax + 47 55 58 98 91, e-mail: post@smi.uib.no
Postal address: SMI, University of Bergen. PO Box 7800 Bergen, Norway
Visiting address: SMI, 5th floor , Stein Rokkans Hus, Nygårdsgaten 5, 5015 Bergen

UNIQUE BOOK COLLECTION ON THE SUDAN:

GLOBAL MOMENTS:

THE 7th NORDIC CONFERENCE ON MIDDLE EAST:

NEWSLETTER