Background

Following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks along Israel’s southern border near the Gaza Strip, the Israeli government launched a devastating bombardment on Gaza that has caused thousands of deaths and injuries and destroyed homes, schools, universities, places of worship, hospitals and vital infrastructures. The continuous Israeli ground offensive, airstrikes, and blockade of Gaza have impacted the innocent and caused starvation. One outcome of all this on the global stage has been heated protests and debates about the limits of free speech and the line between justifiable criticisms and bigotry. In addition, Hamas’s attack on Israel and the Israeli assault have forced religious communities to examine their inter-religious relationships as they seek to build bridges across differences.

We invite papers from faculty and advanced Ph.D. candidates in the humanities and social sciences whose work engages the general conference topic, “Palestine, Israel, and Questions of Free Speech and Inter-religious Relations.” More specifically, we welcome papers that address the suggested topics listed below:

• • • Free Speech on Campus related to Palestine and Israel
    • History of Inter-religious Relations in Palestine and Israel
    • Use and Abuse of Scripture in War (in relation to Palestine and Israel)
    • Religious Responses and the Question of Genocide
    • American Muslim Reactions to the Crisis in Gaza
    • Faith-based Humanitarianism in Gaza
    • Gaza and the Limits of Inter-religious Relations
    • Palestine Solidarity and Islamophobia
    • Jews, Judaism, and the Question of Antisemitism in Islamic/Muslim Thought
    • Palestine, Israel, Islamophobia, and Antisemitism
    • Secular Responses to Political Islam and Religious Ideology

Abstracts from Professors & Advanced Ph.D. Candidates ONLY. Abstracts (250 words) Due May 3, 2024

• • • Abstracts will be evaluated according to following criteria: clear data & methodology used, and relevance and contribution to conference theme. Abstracts must include a title; author’s full name; contact information; and university position (Professor or Ph.D. Candidate)
    • Online Pre-Registration required by Panelists [Zoom link will be available on website]
    • Final papers must be submitted by September 20, 2024
    • Send abstracts & final papers to Layla Sein, NAAIMS Executive Director at conferences@naaims.org

Call for Papers Overview:

Abstract Submission Instructions:

• • • Abstracts must include “Title of Presentation," Author’s full name and contact information,
      University Position (Professor or Ph.D. Candidate), and name and address of university.
    • Abstracts from professors and advanced Ph.D. candidates ONLY.
    • If a submission is co-authored, only one author can make the presentation, but co-authors will be listed on the abstract and in the program booklet.
    • Abstracts are reviewed and evaluated by the Conference Program Committee.
    • Abstracts must be submitted in MS Word (between 250-300 words) by May 3, 2024, to Layla Sein at conferences@naaims.org
    • Although NAAIMS is a membership-based organization, NAAIMS membership is not a requirement to submit an abstract proposal.
    • Online Pre-Registration is required by panelists. [ZOOM link will be sent to all participants to facilitate pre-registration process]

Judging Criteria for Abstracts:

All abstracts are evaluated by Conference Program Committee according to following criteria:

• • • Methodology: clear outline of theories, models or approaches
    • Relevance of abstract to conference theme
    • Main Argument of Paper: Its Contribution to Subject Matter
    • Recommendations: Broad Implications Based on Research & Overall Findings

Conference Category: Panel Sessions

• • • This conference includes four panel sessions centered around annual theme: “Palestine, Israel, and Questions of Free Speech and Inter-religious Relations.”
    • Each session consists of 3 panelists and a discussant who also serves as the Panel Chair.
    • Each panelist has 15 minutes for his/her presentation. At end of the 3 presentations, the discussant has 15 minutes for comments before floor is opened for a Q & A Session. The duration of each panel session is 90 minutes.
    • The fact that there are only 4 panel sessions, panelists may participate in only one panel session.
    • Notification of acceptance or rejection will be provided by the last week of May, 2024 after the Program Committee reviews all abstract submissions.

Final Papers:

• • • Papers are to be submitted to Layla Sein at conferences@naaims.org by September 20, 2024. A working paper with footnotes or endnotes is acceptable. There is no need to include a bibliography.
    • NAAIMS does not publish or make conference papers available to conference attendees or the general public.
    • Final Papers will ONLY be provided to the “panel discussant” of each respective panel session.

Panel Discussants:

• • • All papers are due by September 20, 2024. The discussants need adequate time to review and prepare their comments on the presentations.