Call for Proposals

The Center for Middle East Studies invites proposals for a thematic initiative to be hosted by CMES in the Fall 2026 semester. Proposals should have at least two organizers, one of whom must be a Brown University faculty member or postdoctoral research associate. Other organizers may include Brown graduate and undergraduate students, as well as faculty members at other institutions. Proposals that are collaborative across discipline and rank are especially encouraged, as are projects that go beyond the range of subjects represented by the Center’s existing research areas. 

The research initiative should focus on a theme relevant to Middle East Studies and may result in a variety of outputs, including but not limited to any combination of the following:

• A conference or workshop
• A speaker series
• A reading or discussion group
• An exhibition or performance
• A publication
• A new course

Guidelines

CMES will provide funding in the range of $8,000 to $13,000 for the initiative, as well as logistical support. The initiative organizers will be responsible for planning its various activities. If additional funding is required, the initiative’s organizers will be asked to secure it from other sources.

Please submit proposals to cmes_director@brown.edu by December 10, 2025. Proposals should include a statement of approximately 1,000 words articulating: 

• The research initiative’s theme and its significance to Middle East Studies
• The activities and outputs that the initiative will present
• A general timeline of events
• A budget, including any additional funding sources that the organizers will use to support the initiative.