International Symposium on Middle East Relations (ISMER)

International Symposium on Middle East Relations (ISMER),

University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley, September 6-7, 2016

Purpose

American relations with the Middle East date back to the last decade of the eighteenth century.  American missionaries travelled to the region long before US diplomatic relations were established with the countries in the region.  While early American relations primarily focused on education and trade, later political and military engagements created a more complex relationship. It is the goal of this international and interdisciplinary symposium to shed light on this complex relationship from different disciplinary perspectives.  Submissions on history, economic and political relations are highly encouraged. Presentations will be in English. A limited number of presentations can be in Turkish, Arabic or Spanish contingent on availability of translators.  All interested scholars should submit a title and a 300-word abstract no later than May 30, 2016 to ismertexas@gmail.com

Possible subjects may include but are not limited to:

• American missionary activities in the ME
• American diplomatic relations in the ME
• American trade with the ME countries
• Political economy of oil and the oil industry
• Cold War politics and the ME
• American wars in the ME and
• American war veterans and PTSD
• American Foreign policy on the ME

  Organizing Institutions

  University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley

  College of Liberal Arts, UTRGV

  Office of Global Engagement, UTRGV

  The Ottoman Heritage and Turkish Cultural Research Association, Turkey

  NETSOL: New Trends in Social and Liberal Sciences,

  History Studies: International journal of History,

  Journal of Ottoman Legacy Studies,