Corporate Plan 2009 - 2013

Contents:

Introduction

1. Objectives

2. Core and Establishment

3. Membership

4. Research

(a) Resistance, Representation and Identity
(b) Faith, Politics and Society
(c) Domination, Expression and Liberation

5. Collaboration with other Institutions/Societies

(a) EURAMES (European Association of Middle Eastern Studies)
(b) Language Associations
(c) BIPS (British Institute of Persian Studies)
(d) CBRL (Council for British Research in the Levant)
(e) Society for Libyan Studies
(f) MELCOM (Middle East Libraries Committee)
(g) General

6. Communication and Outreach

(a) Annual Conference
(b) Annual Lecture
(c) Website
(d) Journal
(e) Newsletter
(f) Directory of Expertise
(g) EURAMES Info Service
(h) Shi‘ism and Identity
(i) Scholarships and Awards
(j) Book Prize
(h) Award for Services to Middle Eastern Studies
(l) Campaign for Middle Eastern Studies

7. Graduate Section

8. Cost of Operations

9. Review of Corporate Plan

Introduction

The British Society for Middle Eastern Studies (BRISMES) was founded in 1973 to encourage and promote the study of the Middle East in the United Kingdom. It has charitable status. Before receiving Grant-in-Aid from the British Academy in 2007, the Society was financed entirely by subscription income and donations.

This is the Society's first Corporate Plan. It was ratified by the BRISMES Council (Trustees) at its meeting on 3rd December 2008.

1. Objectives

(a) To encourage the study of the Middle East in the United Kingdom
(b) To encourage postgraduate research on the Middle East
(c) To provide a framework for the dissemination of information about the Middle East

In pursuit of these objectives BRISMES aims to represent the sector vis-à-vis governmental and other official and non-official bodies.

2. Core and Establishment

The Society has one paid member of staff, who works from the Society's Administrative Office based in the Institute for Islamic & Middle Eastern Studies, Durham University. The Society's officers and Council members (trustees) all work in an unpaid capacity. They may however, if they wish, claim the cost of travel to meetings.

The Society has four officers (President, Executive Director, Vice-President and Honorary Treasurer). With the exception of the President, each has a three-year term in office. Each post will normally come up for election in successive years so that the terms in office of the Vice-President and Executive Director do not terminate in the same year (see Constitution - attached at Appendix 1).

The Society is run by the four officers and also a Council of not more than 15 members. These trustees are nominated and voted for by Fellows* of the society and a free election takes place should there be more nominations than there are places available on Council. Efforts are made to ensure that the main Middle East Studies departments in the UK have at least one representative, but no more than three, on the Council.

The Council holds at least two meetings and one Annual General Meeting each year. The Society's accounts are audited according to Charity Commission rules. These are presented to the AGM.

3. Membership

Membership of the Society currently stands at around 650. Membership has been relatively static over the previous 10 years. However, 2008 has seen a marked increase in the number of postgraduate students applying for membership. This is attributable to the introduction of the BRISMES Graduate Section, which was established in 2007. It has recently ratified its ‘Governing Guidelines' (attached at Appendix 2) and elected its first ‘President' (see section 7).

Efforts to maintain and increase membership will continue during the period of the plan. Institutions will be targeted specifically.

There are currently three categories of individual membership:

There are two categories of Institutional Membership, Academic Institutions and Other Institutions

While membership has in the past remained static, it is expected that increased publicity and awareness of the Society will increase membership over the period of the plan.

4. Research

The Society has recently drawn up and ratified its Research Plan for 2009-13. This was also ratified at the Council meeting of 3rd December 2008. The plan highlights the three main research areas identified in 2007, which are covered by the Research Networks. Each network coordinator has recently been re-appointed for 2008/9 and it is envisaged that each network will be expanded. Publications arising from any workshops will be encouraged. The three networks are:

(a) Resistance, Representation and Identity

This Research Network is headed by Dr Kamran Rastegar of the University of Edinburgh. Dr Rastegar has indicated his intention to continue as head of the Network for 2008/9 and it is envisaged that, funds permitting, the network will be expanded into 2009/10.

One initial workshop has taken place in 2008. This explored the employment of visual arts as markers of identity, with particular reference to Lebanon, Palestine/Israel and Iraq.

(b) Faith, Politics and Society

This Network is headed by Dr Barbara Zollner of Birkbeck Collect, University of London. The first workshop examined reformist trends in Islam throughout the Middle East and the Diaspora. Again, Dr Zollner has been re-appointed for 2008/9 and it is envisaged that this network will continue to expand into 2009/10.

(c) Domination, Expression and Liberation

The third network is headed by Dr Frederic Volpi, University of St Andrews. The first workshop examined extensions or new expressions of imperial and colonial discourse with respect to the Middle East. Dr Volpi has also been re-appointed for 2008/9 and it is similarly expected that this network will continue and expand.

5. Collaboration with other Institutions/Societies

(a) EURAMES

BRISMES is a member of the European Association of Middle Eastern Studies (EURAMES). This is an umbrella organisation which links Middle East Studies societies from within Europe. EURAMES is a member of WOCMES (World Congress of Middle Eastern Studies). BRISMES' association with EURAMES makes it automatically affiliated to WOCMES. BRISMES regularly passes information to EURAMES for dissemination through the EURAMES Info Service - an E-mail newsletter which comes out once a fortnight.

(b) Language Associations

BRISMES Council members sit on various committees which deal with the study of the Middle East or Middle Eastern languages. Currently, Council members represent BRISMES and its interests on CILT (The National Centre for Languages); UCML (University Council of Modern Languages); UKCASA (UK Council for Area Studies Associations) and on the Advisory Board of LLAS (Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies)

(c) BIPS (British Institute of Persian Studies)

Shi‘ism and Identity
The initial Shi‘ism and Identity project culminated in a conference in April 2008 at the University of Glasgow. Following the success of the conference, BRISMES submitted a bid jointly with BIPS to the BASIS assessors. This has recently received funding. The project ‘Clerical Authority in Shi‘ite Islam: Culture and Learning in the Seminaries of Iraq and Iran' will be directed by Professor Robert Gleave of the University of Exeter. The project is to begin in March 2009. The first phase will take place in Exeter and the project will run for two further years.

The objectives of the project are detailed more fully in the Research Strategy, but are summarised below:

(d) CBRL (Council for British Research in the Levant)

Dispossession and Displacement
A representative of BRISMES was on the organising committee for the conference on Dispossession and Displacement which was organised by CBRL and held at the British Academy on 28th and 29th February 2008. The conference assessed research on refugees and forced migration from Afghanistan in the East to Morocco in the West as well as Sudan to the South. The BRISMES President gave the opening remarks. Panel themes included displacement, repatriation, identity in exile and policy. A copy of the programme and abstracts is available from CBRL.

BRISMES has recently accepted an invitation from CBRL to take part in a working party on the possibility of CBRL's opening an institute in Damascus.

(e) Society for Libyan Studies

BRISMES recently submitted a bid for joint research funding with the Society for Libyan Studies, entitled ‘Saharan non-renewable groundwater resources and management: resource use history, potential and policy issues'. Although this bid was not successful, BRISMES will maintain its close links with the Society for Libyan Studies and, funding permitting, collaborate on future projects.

(f) MELCOM (Middle East Libraries Committee)

MELCOM (UK) was founded in the late 1960s as the Middle East Libraries Commitee, against the background of the expansion of Middle Eastern studies in Britain following the Hayter Report of 1961. More resources at that time were being allocated to the development of existing libraries serving the field, and new centres were also being established and building up new collections. The Report itself had recommended the creation of inter-university committees to cover "library needs" in a co-ordinated manner, and MELCOM was the first such venture in the field of Oriental librarianship.

MELCOM has maintained close relations with BRISMES since BRISMES was formed in 1973, seeking to represent the interests and needs of libraries within the field of Middle Eastern studies in Britain, and to enhance its members' awareness of library and bibliographical resources in their field. It has in particular provided a special section in the Society's Bulletin (now the British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies) for reviews of bibliographies and other reference works and occasional articles of a bibliographical nature.

MELCOM founded The Pearson Memorial Lectures in 2000 to commemorate Professor James Douglas Pearson (1911-1997), Professor of Bibliography with reference to Asia and Africa at the University of London, former Librarian of the School of Oriental and African Studies, founder member of MELCOM (UK). Such are the links with BRISMES that this lecture takes place during the BRISMES Annual Conference.

(g) General

In the hope of engendering a multiplier effect, BRISMES intends so far as is practicable to offer opportunities to the other BASIS and non-BASIS societies concerned with Middle Eastern research, and/or their members, to play a role in BRISMES events, for example participating in or organising a panel at our Annual Conference.

6. Communication and Outreach

(a) Annual Conference

The Society's Annual Conference, held at a different University venue every other year, is a distinctive feature of the BRISMES calendar. The conference takes place traditionally in July, shortly after university terms break up for the summer vacation. The timing has been decided on specifically to encourage members of staff and students to attend. A feature of the Annual Conference is the Publishers' Exhibition, which this year attracted a record number of publishers. This affords members the opportunity to purchase books directly from the publishers at a discounted price. It also enables potential authors to meet commissioning editors and other editorial staff. It is envisaged that the number of publishers attending will rise over the period of the plan. The award ceremony for the British-Kuwait Friendship Society Prize (see below) also takes place during the annual conference and attracts high-ranking academics from the host university as well as members of the media and diplomatic circles.

BRISMES refrains from holding an Annual Conference in years in which there is a EURAMES or WOCMES Conference: rather it encourages its members to attend those conferences, and in particular encourages recipients of BRISMES postgraduate research awards to attend and present papers. In practice this means that BRISMES normally holds an Annual Conference every other year.

(b) Annual Lecture

The Annual Lecture, which takes place in November/December, rounds off the year. This usually attracts around 100 attendees.

It is not envisaged that the pattern of Annual Conferences and Annual Lectures will change during the period of the Corporate Plan.

(c) Website

Thanks to money from the BASIS ‘Grant-in-Aid' the website has recently been re-designed. Training for the administrator will ensure that regular updates are undertaken to maintain an up-to-date and easy to navigate website.

(d) Journal

The British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, published by Taylor and Francis, continues to be held in high esteem. Until 2007 two issues were published each year. 2007 saw the introduction of a third ‘themed' edition, with a guest editor. The popular book review section will continue. The editorial board has recently been expanded to reflect the increase in issues. It is envisaged that the success of the Journal will continue. There are many institutional subscribers - mainly libraries in the United States - that are not members of the Society, so that the Journal reaches many more people than the current membership of the Society. The Society is happy with the current contract for publication of the Journal with Taylor and Francis and it is not envisaged that this will change during the period of the plan.

(e) Newsletter

The Newsletter is published three times a year and has maintained its popularity over the years. It contains sections on general news, vacancies, recent and forthcoming events, scholarships and awards and a section detailing recently published books on the Middle East. Professor Anoush Ehteshami (Durham University) has been the editor since 1990. It is expected that his editorship will continue during the period of the plan.

(f) Directory of Expertise

The Society published a Directory of Expertise in 2003. This is a listing of around 350 BRISMES members. The specialists are listed both alphabetically and also by discipline and geographical area of expertise. The Directory is a valuable tool for facilitating networking and communication.

(g) EURAMES Info Service

The EURAMES Info Service is an E-newsletter generated by the President of EURAMES, Prof Dr Gunter Meyer, at the University of Mainz. It is distributed to members of BRISMES and other corresponding European Societies twice a month. It lists vacancies, forthcoming conferences and general information about Middle Eastern studies throughout Europe.

(h) Shi‘ism and Identity

The workshop held jointly with BIPS produced papers for publication. A contract is being negotiated with Cambridge University Press.

(i) Scholarships and Awards

The Society gives a number of annual awards to students. These are:

• Two Abdullah Mubarak/BRISMES research scholarships (each worth £2,000)
• A BRISMES postgraduate research scholarship (worth £1,000)
• One BRISMES Masters' scholarship (worth £1,200)
• A prize for the best poster in a competition run during the postgraduate conference (£500)
• BRISMES also co-funds the Leigh Douglas Memorial Prize, established in 1986 by the Leigh Douglas Memorial Fund in memory of Dr Leigh Douglas, who was killed in Beirut. It is awarded annually to the writer of the best PhD dissertation in the previous year on a Middle Eastern topic in the Social Sciences or Humanities (£500)
• The Society has also recently introduced an award for the best postgraduate article and the best undergraduate essay in the previous academic year. The postgraduate article is judged according to the standards required by the British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies and is published in the Journal. (£500 and £100 respectively)

The Society aims to publicise these awards as fully as possible and to continue to distribute them.

(j) Book Prize

The other main annual event organised by BRISMES is the Book Prize. This is administered by the Society on behalf of the British-Kuwait Friendship Society. Each year, around 50 books are submitted from around 25 publishers. BRISMES provides the panel of judges who select the reviewers and oversee the reviewing process. The presentation of the award, made by Sheikh Mubarak Abdullah Al Sabah and HE Mr Khaled Al Duwaisan, Ambassador of Kuwait, usually takes place during the Annual Conference. This popular event is attended by publishers, members of the society and members of the press. It is hoped that the success of the prize will increase the exposure of BRISMES over the period of the plan.

(k) Award for Services to Middle Eastern Studies

Despite having no monetary value, this Award, voted for by the BRISMES Council, for an individual who has given outstanding service to Middle Eastern studies carries some prestige. The presentation is usually timed to coincide with the conference or annual lecture. Members of the media as well as leading academics attend.

(l) Campaign for Middle Eastern Studies

The Society will continue to campaign to raise the profile of Middle Eastern studies with the relevant government departments. While the focus will naturally remain with Arabic, special attention will also be paid to other Middle Eastern languages, in particular Persian and Turkish.

7. Graduate Section

As mentioned briefly at section 3, the postgraduate students of BRISMES have recently written a set of guidelines and these were ratified during the postgraduate annual conference at LSE in September 2008. The Graduate Conference, first held in 2006, has become an additional annual event for the Society. In 2008 around 60 postgraduate students attended and heard papers presented by fellow students. There was also a careers forum, which proved very popular.

The creation and formalising of the Graduate Section has led to an increase in graduate members. The formation of a committee to oversee the Graduate Section should further encourage postgraduate involvement with BRISMES. The Society will promote this during the period of the Corporate Plan. It is also envisaged that the newly introduced Graduate Conference will continue to expand and the officers of the Society will continue to encourage and facilitate this. The Society will also continue to sponsor the poster competition which is run during the Graduate Conference.

The Graduate Section has plans for an e-journal, and this will be explored during the period of the Corporate Plan.

8. Cost of Operations

Project

Annual Cost - (£)
Annual Conference - £ -
Annual Lecture (including reception and room hire) - £500

Workshops

Resistance, Representation and Identity - £7,000
Faith, Politics and Identity - £7,000
Domination, Expression and Liberation - £7,000
Joint BRISMES/BIPS project (£140,220 over three years) - £46,740

Scholarships and Awards

Leigh Douglas Memorial Prize (half of £500 annual prize) - £250
Abdullah Mubarak/BRISMES Scholarships (funded by the Abdullah Mubarak Foundation) - £4,000
BRISMES Scholarship - £1,000
BRISMES Masters' Scholarship - £1,200
Postgraduate Article Competition - £500
Undergraduate Essay Competition - £100
Expenses re award ceremony - £150
Poster competition - £500

Website design and maintenance

(£7,800 in 2007/8, decreasing to £880 in 2009/10) - £880

Publications and dissemination of information

Journal - £6,800
Newsletter (printing and distribution costs off-set by advertising revenue) - £ -

EURAMES Info Service (currently subsidised by EURAMES)

This may cost £1 per member in future years - £ -

Book prize

All costs covered by the Abdullah Mubarak Foundation - £18,000
Award for Services to Middle Eastern Studies - £250

Administration

Administrator - £24,500
Full economic costing for office space - £2,300
Stationery, postage, telephone, etc - £2,600
Accountancy and audit - £2,167
Council members' expenses - £1,500
TOTAL £134,937

9. Review of Corporate Plan

It has been agreed that the Corporate Plan will be reviewed every two years, ie 2010, 2012, etc.

December 2008

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