The 2nd International Conference on Social Thought in the Middle East and North Africa
Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
June 26-27, 2012
Abstracts: March 15, 2012

The theme of the conference is the origin and development of social thought and theory in the Muslim world. Papers are expected to focus on thinkers and ideas from West Asia/North Africa as well as other parts of the Muslim world that have contributed or that can potentially contribute to building theories and concepts for sociology and philosophy of society. Papers have to go beyond making the claim that this can be done to providing examples of how this is done. The examples of thinkers that are potential sources of social thought and theory are Al-Biruni, Ibn Khaldun, Ziya Gokalp, Said Nursi, Rashid Rıza, Mohammed Abed Al-Jabiri, Allameh Tabatabaii, Ali Shariati and many others. It has frequently been claimed that these are original thinkers who have potential contributions to modern sociology but it has rarely been shown what their sociological contributions are and how sociological concepts and theories can be derived from their works. This conference is expected to provide such focus. Following are the sub-themes of the conference:

1. The creedal/theoretical foundations of social thought in Islam – the papers of these panels would focus on tradition as a source of sociological theorizing.
2. Early Social Thinkers – papers in these panels would focus on the works of early Muslim thinkers like al-Farabi, Abu Talib al-Makki, al-Biruni and Ibn Khaldun discussing their ideas and theories concerning society.
3. Founders of Social Thought and Theory Outside of the Canon – the papers of these panels would focus on theories and ideas of modern thinkers outside of the Western canon who lived in the modern period and contributed to the systematic understanding of the social world.
4. Developing a New Agenda for Sociology and a New Perspective in Philosophy of Society– the papers of these panels would identify and discuss new and original topics of research that arise from local and regional concerns. The purpose of this sub-theme is to present and discuss examples of how original social theorizing can translate into empirical research projects.

Please send abstract of 100 to 150 words for individual papers or proposals for panels of 3 to 4 papers (including abstracts) by March 15, 2012.

Organizers: Yildiz Technical University; Istanbul Foundation for Science & Culture; Ibn Khaldun Society. Supporting orgnizations are Faculty of World Studies, University of Tehran; Institute for Religion and Contemporary Thought, Mashhad; Institute of Humanities and Cultural Studies, Tehran; Iranian Sociological Association; Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, American University of Beirut; and Department of Malay Studies, National University of Singapore.

Submit abstracts to: Mr. Hakan Gulerce hakangulerce@istanbul.edu.tr

Languages: English, Turkish