2012 Critical Languages Institute at Arizona State University

Arizona State University is pleased to announce that its CRITICAL LANGUAGES INSTITUTE is now accepting applications for the 2012 session.

CLI courses combine intensive language instruction in the U.S. with (optional) overseas immersion programs in 10 languages. Courses are tuition free for all participants and range from elementary to advanced mastery.  Graduate and undergraduate funding is available for both U.S. and overseas study.

COURSE STRUCTURE:

MOST COURSES are offered in a 7+4 hybrid format:  7-weeks of instruction at ASU (June 4 – July 20; 8 credits) plus an optional 4-weeks of instruction overseas (July 23 – August 17; 3 credits). The two halves of the program share a single 11-week curriculum. Wherever possible, students study with the same instructors in both locations. The following courses are offered in this format:

-          Albanian (Tirana; Levels 1, 2, 5)

-          Armenian (Yerevan; Levels 1, 2, 5)

-          Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian (Sarajevo; Levels 1, 2)

-          Farsi (Dushanbe, Levels 1, 2, 3)

-          Hebrew (Tel Aviv, Level 1)

-          Macedonian (Ohrid; Levels 1, 3)

-          Polish (Poznan; Level 1)

-          Russian (Kazan; Levels 1, 2)*

-          Tajik (Dushanbe; Levels 1, 2, 3)

-          Uzbek (Samarkand; Levels 1, 2, 3)

*  Russian course dates are May 29 – July 20 (10 credits)

TATAR and ADVANCED RUSSIAN courses are offered in an 8-week program in Kazan, Russia (June 25 – August 17; 8 credits):

-          Russian (Levels 3, 4 only)

-          Tatar (Levels 1, 2)

STUDENT SUPPORT:

Graduate support is available for Arizona and overseas courses through the Department of State’s Title VIII program.

Undergraduate support is available for Arizona and overseas classes through the Melikian Scholars Award program, the Project GO ROTC training program, and ASU Tatar language travel grants.

All CLI participants may apply for overseas study support through ASU’s International Distinguished Engagement Award program.

DEADLINE:

Application deadline: March 2, 2012.

CONTACT:

For more information, see: http://cli.asu.edu or email cli@asu.edu.

ARCS ACADEMIC PROGRAM FELLOWSHIP COMPETITION

AMERICAN RESEARCH CENTER IN SOFIA

THE PROGRAMS

The American Research Center in Sofia (ARCS), Bulgaria, offers three programs with accompanying fellowships for the academic year 2012–2013: a Fall term program (September–November 2012) focusing on the history and archaeology of Bulgaria and neighboring countries, from prehistory to the present day; a Spring term program (February–April 2013) focusing on the history of religion in Bulgaria and neighboring countries; and a nine-month program (September 2012–May 2013) which incorporates the material of both Fall and Spring terms. The programs combine a formal academic curriculum with independent research. ARCS hosts the programs' lectures and seminars; organizes related study trips; facilitates opportunities for taking Bulgarian and other Balkan language classes; and provides logistical support and access to local libraries, museums, and other educational institutions. The Center engages the participants with eminent local scholars relevant to the field of their study and makes arrangements for specialized research at local institutions. Further details about these programs are available on the ARCS webpage (www.einaudi.cornell.edu/arcs) and the ARCS facebook group page.



THE FELLOWSHIPS

ARCS plans to offer three fellowships for the Fall term program, three for the Spring term program, and one for the nine-month program. The fellowships include a monthly stipend ($600/month), housing in Bulgaria, language instruction, travel expenses within the academic program, and up to $1,000 for travel expenses between North America and Bulgaria.



ELIGIBILITY

Graduate students engaged in research on ancient, medieval, or modern Bulgaria or the Balkan peninsula, in any field of the humanities and social sciences, are eligible for all three programs. The Fall term and Spring term programs (but not fellowships) are also open to advanced undergraduate students with similar research interests. Non-U.S. applicants are expected to maintain an affiliation with an educational institution in the United States or Canada. School and university faculty may apply to be admitted for the Fall term or Spring term program, but are ineligible for ARCS fellowships. The American Research Center in Sofia does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, sex, sexual orientation, color, religion, ethnic origin, or disability when considering admission to its programs.



APPLICATION PROCEDURE

A complete application consists of: the ARCS application form (available at www.einaudi.cornell.edu/arcs/annualprogram.pdf); a project proposal describing how participation in the ARCS academic program will serve your research interests (not to exceed three double-spaced pages); a current cv; academic transcripts; and two letters of reference from scholars familiar with your work. These materials must be submitted by email to Professor Kevin Clinton (kmc1@cornell.edu), Chair of the ARCS Fellowship Committee, by February 15, 2012. ARCS expects to notify applicants of the decision of the Fellowship Committee by April 1, 2012.



CONTACT

Please direct any questions about ARCS academic programs, fellowships, or application procedures to

Professor Denver Graninger (graninger.arcs@gmail.com), Director of ARCS.

American Research Center in Sofia, 75 Vasil Petleshkov St., Sofia 1510, BULGARIA

TEL: (+359 2) 947 9498; FAX: (+359 2) 840 1962; www.einaudi.cornell.edu/arcs/

CALL FOR PAPERS: 18th Biennial Conference on Balkan and South Slavic Linguistics, Literature, and Folklore

Abstract Submission Deadline: Friday, November 18, 2011

The 18th Biennial Conference on Balkan and South Slavic Linguistics, Literature and Folklore will take place at The University of Washington in Seattle, WA, USA, March 29-31, 2012.

The conference organizers are now accepting proposals for papers that treat some aspect of Balkan and/or South Slavic linguistics, literature, and folklore, as well as culture. Abstracts should be maximum one page, including examples and bibliography if needed (12-point font, at least 1" margins), and should be anonymous.

Abstracts should be submitted in PDF format, by email, to Bojan Belic (bojan@uw.edu). The paper title, author name(s), affiliation(s), and contact information should be given in the body of the email.

More information is available at http://depts.washington.edu/slavweb/18BSSLLF/index.php.

Questions about the conference may be directed to James Augerot (bigjim@uw.edu) or Bojan Belic (bojan@uw.edu).

Joint Bulgarian-North American conference: abstract deadline Sept. 15

This is a final reminder that the deadline for receipt of abstracts for the Ninth Joint Meeting of North American and Bulgarian Scholars (BSA-BAN conference), which will be held at the University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA, May 31-June 2, 2012, is **SEPTEMBER 15, 2011**. The deadline will not be extended.

Both members in good standing of the Bulgarian Studies Association (BSA), and any other scholars who join the BSA at this time, are invited to submit individual abstracts for consideration for the conference, which is held in the US every 8 years. Individuals wishing to submit an abstract who are not BSA members at this time may register for membership at http://foreninger.uio.no/bsa/applicat.htm before submitting an abstract. Membership dues may be paid by PayPal at the website.

Papers may be in any discipline and on any topic related to Bulgaria. The abstract must not be longer than 300 words, and must not include the applicant's name or otherwise clearly identify the applicant. The abstract is to be submitted in PDF form, attached to a cover e-mail giving the abstract title and the applicant's full name and email address. The e-mail should be sent to the program committee
c/o vakarel@uoregon.edu. Applicants will receive an acknowledgement of their submissions once they are received and will be informed of the decisions of their abstracts by early November.

A refereed web-published conference proceedings volume is being planned.

Conference activities will include a welcoming reception and a farewell dinner, both with music, and an optional excursion on June 2 to Crater Lake or the Pacific Coast. The amount of conference registration fee will be announced at the BSA website
(http://logos.uoregon.edu/bulgarian/home/index.php) in early October, when the abstract decisions are announced.

For further information on the conference, which will be updated as it comes in, see http://logos.uoregon.edu/bulgarian/home/index.php. Please address any questions to BSA president Cynthia Vakareliyska at vakarel@uoregon.edu.

Albanian Studies program at the University of Munich risks closure

DREJT MBYLLJES - Peizazhe të fjalës: "Katedra e Albanologjisë në Universitetin e Mynihut rrezikon t’i mbyllë dyert, për arsye pas gjase financimi dhe burokratike.

Këtë katedër, ku kanë dhënë mësim në të shkuarën Martin Camaj dhe Wilfried Fiedler, e drejton tani Bardhyl Demiraj, ndoshta albanologu shqiptar më i shquar i brezit të vet.

Në mediat po qarkullon një thirrje, e sinqertë, që autoritetet shtetërore në Shqipëri dhe në Kosovë të mos e lënë katedrën të mbyllet, duke ia siguruar të paktën mbështetjen financiare."

Symposium Call For Papers

THE FIRST FREEDOMS:
MIHAJLOV'S QUEST
FOR DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS
HILTON, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, USA, August 4-7, 2011

http://www.jis3.org/symposium2011.htm

All friends, colleagues, students, and admirers of Mihajlo Mihajlov (1934-2010) are cordially invited to participate in a re-assessment of his life, work, and legacy whose significance reaches well beyond Tito's Yugoslavia, the Balkans, and Eastern Europe. Mihajlov's quest for democracy and human rights is an inspiration for all who strive for an open society, pluralism, and tolerance. An indefatigable human rights champion, Mihajlov's example contributed to the rise of dissent, civic culture, and civil society which ushered in momentous changes culminating in the peaceful revolution in Eastern Europe and the demise of Soviet rule. Mihajlov's first freedoms–speech, thought, press, assembly, association, philosophical, political and religious persuasion--remain a continuing challenge, East and West, North and South. Curiously, Mihajlov's thought offers a conceptual bridge between Westernizers and Slavophiles, while his universalism helped him befriend dissidents of all ethnic groups. Indeed, Mihajlov's was a universal message of individual freedom and social justice. His undogmatic spirituality and central conception of human dignity drew on Russian religious philosophy. The question arises: Can the quest for global democracy and basic human rights and freedoms be realized in a world of competing socio-economic, political, and ethno-national interests and ideologies? Can equality be reconciled with liberty? And, can science and technology be harnessed to serve, rather than enslave, humanity?

KEYNOTE: "MIHAJLO MIHAJLOV: HOMELAND IS FREEDOM"
Maria M. Ivusic, Washington (Mihajlo's Sister & Translator)

International Journal of Balkan Policy Research

The new International Journal of Balkan Policy Research (IJBPR) is a double-blinded peer-reviewed Journal published by Universum University College in Kosovo with the financial support of the US Embassy in Kosovo and the US State Department.

It is edited by an International Editorial Board (please see below) which consists of prominent Academics, Scholars and Practitioners from the field and led by the Editor-in-Chief Dr. Adrian Treacher from the University of Sussex in the UK.

IJBPR is a gateway to key policy research on the Western Balkan region and individual countries. Of interest to policy-makers, scholars, and readers of Western Balkan affairs, it aims to address theoretically-informed and empirically-tested economic, legal and political issues which directly shape policy and attitudes in the region.

The review process ensures that the academic quality of the published articles is approved by experienced scholars/practitioners from the relevant field.

Call for Papers

With the purpose to promote comprehensive research and policy options in the Western Balkans, IJBPR invites scholars, researchers, public policy practitioners, and graduate students at advanced stages of research, to submit papers to be published in the first issue of the Journal in November 2011 or in subsequent issues.

Deadline for submission of Abstract Proposals: July 15, 2011
Deadline for submission of Full Paper: September 15, 2011
All contributions together with a short biography of the author(s) should be sent by email to editor@balkanpolicyjournal.net.

Guidelines for Authors

Articles submitted to IJBPR should be double-spaced, be in Times New Roman 12-point font and have a margin of 1.5 inch on both sides. The numbering of pages, tables and figures is required. Tables and figures, besides being set in the text, should be provided separately to the Editor. Every table and/or figure should have a title or header, as to show its function within the article's context.

Articles should also have a title as well as the author(s) name(s), affiliation(s) and highest academic qualification where applicable. In addition, an abstract of up to 200 words should be submitted. The name(s) and other details of the author(s) will be deleted by the Editor, prior to the paper being sent for peer-review.

Referencing system: the IJBPR recommends and encourages that its authors use the University of Chicago Style B system of referencing. For more information on citations click here.

Editorial Team
Editor in-chief:
Dr. Adrian Treacher, University of Sussex, UK

Managing Editor:
Alejtin Berisha, Universum University College, Kosovo

Editorial Board:
Prof. Franz-Lothar Altmann, State University of Bucharest, Romania

Prof. Edna Andrews, Duke University, USA

Prof. Margaret Beissinger, Princeton University, USA

Kujtese Bejtullahu-Michalopoulos, Graduate Institute, Geneva, Switzerland

Prof. Horst Brezinski, University of Freiberg, Germany

Prof. David Chandler, University of Westminster, UK

Prof. Lenard Cohen, Simon Fraser University, Canada

Prof. Rory Conces, University of Nebraska at Omaha, USA

Prof. László Csaba, CEU and Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Hungary

Dr. Anna Di Lellio, New School University, USA

Prof. Donald Dyers, University of Mississippi, USA

Dr. Arolda Elbasani, Wissenschaftszentrum fur Sozialforschung, Germany

Dr. Adam Fagan, Queen Mary, University of London, UK

Prof. Kevin Featherstone, London School of Economics, UK

Prof. Danica Fink Hafner, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

Prof. Tom Gallagher, formerly with the University of Bradford, UK

Dr. Josip Glaurdic, University of Cambridge, UK

Dr. Eric Gordy, SSEES UCL, UK

Dr. Bersant Hobdari, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark

Prof. Leslie Holmes, University of Melbourne, Australia

Dr. Soeren Keil, University of Kent, UK

Dr. James Korovilas, University of the West of England, UK

Prof. Satoshi Mizobata, University of Kyoto, Japan

Dr. Klejda Mulaj, University of Exeter, UK

Prof. Neill Nugent, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK and College of Europe, Belgium

Dr. Dimitris Papadimitriou, University of Manchester, UK

Prof. Slavo Radosevic, SSEES, UCL, UK

Prof. Xavier Richet, University Sorbonne Nouvelle, France & CEFC-CNRS, Hong Kong

Prof. Marcello Signorelli, University of Perugia, Italy