• Nominated UKCASA representatives as proposed Chairs /Members of the Research Excellence Framework expert panels including Area Studies (Panel 27).
• Assisted an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) project through which the Council will develop a tool to match research applications with potential referees from the ESRC Peer Review College.
• Participated in a consultation with the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) on the shape of the forthcoming Research Excellence Framework (REF) sub panel for Area Studies from December - July 2010. This process involved two consultations with our member associations over several months, recommendations to HECFE, and planned responses to consultations by HEFCE. This culminated in a meeting with HEFCE’s REF Project Team Manager and UKCASA representatives in July 2010.
• The achievement of a single Unit of Assessment in Area Studies (Panel 27, of 36, Main Panel D, REF 2014) to include broad coverage in relation to RAE 2008 sub-panels 47-50 (American Studies and Anglophone Area Studies; Middle Eastern and African Studies; Asian Studies; European Studies) which received a total of 828 FTE and 3,425 outputs in 2008.
• Contributed case studies for consideration for inclusion in the HEFCE meeting on impact of humanities research, on Monday 14th June 2010. UKCASA later briefed member associations on the content of that meeting.
• Briefed members on the content of HEFCE’s meeting on the impact of Social Sciences Research held on 23rd Sept. 2010.
• Briefed members on the British Academy/ESRC meetings on impact and on the outcomes for research funding post Comprehensive Spending Review held 27th October 2010.
• Consulted member associations and briefed the British Academy on member’s experiences in relation to government changes in regulations for entrance visas to the UK.
• Advised members of the processes of application and deadlines to REF Panels, Chairs, Members and Users.
• Advised members of forthcoming changes in relation to Quality Assurance procedures and the consultation processes involved. Also advised members of forthcoming changes in arrangements for the Higher Education Academy’s Subject Centres post 2011.
• Over the last three years UKCASA has invited members to briefings by the key educational and governmental institutions involved in Higher Education and Area Studies in the UK including HEFCE, ESRC, the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council (SFC) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).
• Contributed to the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) review of the Area Studies Benchmark Statement 2008.
• UKCASA has also worked together with other non member learned societies, agencies and professional associations to promote research and teaching on Area Studies.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Outcomes of the REF Impact Pilots
The outcomes of the REF Impact Pilots are out at : http://www.hefce.ac.uk/research/ref/impact/.
Two reports have been published:
1. Findings of the Pilot Expert Panels
2. Feedback from the HEIs involved in the Pilot
Two reports have been published:
1. Findings of the Pilot Expert Panels
2. Feedback from the HEIs involved in the Pilot
Monday, November 01, 2010
Invitation to comment on future of quality assurance
Joint statement on the future of the quality assurance system
HEFCE, Universities UK, GuildHE and the Quality Assurance Agency invite comments on the development of the quality assurance system.
To read this item in full visit: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/news/hefce/2010/quality.htm
HEFCE, Universities UK, GuildHE and the Quality Assurance Agency invite comments on the development of the quality assurance system.
To read this item in full visit: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/news/hefce/2010/quality.htm
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY FRANCE
France and the Mediterranean: representations, policy, transnationalism
Thursday 3rd September – Saturday 5th September 2009
University of Portsmouth
In 2009, the ASMCF annual conference will take place at the University of Portsmouth on
the theme of ‘‘France and the Mediterranean: representations, policy, transnationalism’.
This three-day conference will seek to reassess, explore and compare the multiple dimensions
linking and/ or opposing modern and contemporary France with its Mediterranean neighbours
both today. Amongst the themes to be considered will be:
• the growing salience of post-colonial issues both in France and in North Africa
• the reassessment of French diplomacy in the Middle East
• the launch of the Union pour la Méditerranée in July 2008
• the renewed interest in the problematic Latin identity of France in a European and
global context
• French trade strategies towards its Mediterranean partners
• the cultural heritage of France in and from the Mediterranean
• transnational links between political parties across the Mediterranean area.
In line with the interdisciplinary approach privileged by the ASMCF, the organisers will
welcome papers from disciplines such as international relations, history, politics, economics,
sociology, anthropology, religious, gender, literary, cultural, film and media studies. Papers
with a comparative or transnational perspective are particularly welcome.
The conference will also bring together researchers working in the field of French studies
with their counterparts in Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, South-East European, Middle Eastern
or North African studies (the list, of course, is not exhaustive). The participation of the
Association for the Study of Modern Italy (ASMI) in the 2009 ASMCF conference will
ensure that particular attention is paid to the transalpine dimension. Other organisations
interested in sponsoring a panel are invited to contact the conference organisers.
The conference will consist of a limited number of plenary sessions and a series of panels
organised around two main themes:
• contributions focussing on the relations between France and specific areas of the
Mediterranean, such as France and the Middle East, or France and Spain.
• contributions focussing on specific themes, such as the constitution of transnational
networks (cultural exchange, police cooperation, etc...), representations of
Mediterraneans and perceptions of France and the French around the Mediterranean.
Individual papers and panels: Individual paper proposals, if accepted, will be grouped in
panels by the conference organisers. Submissions should contain the title of the presentation,
a short abstract (max. 350 words), a one-page CV with the contact details of the presenter.
Proposals for panels, which should usually consist of three presenters and a chairperson, will
be considered. Proposals should be submitted by the organizer of the panel and should
contain: the title of the panel, names and contact details (affiliation, email and postal
addresses) of the organizer, the chairperson and the presenters, a general outline of the panel
and a short (max. 350 words) abstracts for each presentation. Postgraduate students are
strongly encouraged to present papers. Papers should be no more than 20 minutes long and
may be delivered in English or in French.
Deadline: Proposals must be sent to Emmanuel Godin (emmanuel.godin@port.ac.uk) and
Natalya Vince (natalya.vince@port.ac.uk) before 1 February 2009.
Postgraduate Poster Session: Postgraduates in the early stage of their research are invited to
present their work at the conference Poster Session. The Poster Session aims to enable
postgraduate students to participate in the conference programme, receive feedback from
specialists in an informal and friendly setting and to prepare them for presenting papers at
future conferences. If you require further information about presenting a poster at the
ASMCF annual conference, please contact the ASMCF postgraduate representative, Matthew
Moran at m.moran@ucl.ac.uk .
Thursday 3rd September – Saturday 5th September 2009
University of Portsmouth
In 2009, the ASMCF annual conference will take place at the University of Portsmouth on
the theme of ‘‘France and the Mediterranean: representations, policy, transnationalism’.
This three-day conference will seek to reassess, explore and compare the multiple dimensions
linking and/ or opposing modern and contemporary France with its Mediterranean neighbours
both today. Amongst the themes to be considered will be:
• the growing salience of post-colonial issues both in France and in North Africa
• the reassessment of French diplomacy in the Middle East
• the launch of the Union pour la Méditerranée in July 2008
• the renewed interest in the problematic Latin identity of France in a European and
global context
• French trade strategies towards its Mediterranean partners
• the cultural heritage of France in and from the Mediterranean
• transnational links between political parties across the Mediterranean area.
In line with the interdisciplinary approach privileged by the ASMCF, the organisers will
welcome papers from disciplines such as international relations, history, politics, economics,
sociology, anthropology, religious, gender, literary, cultural, film and media studies. Papers
with a comparative or transnational perspective are particularly welcome.
The conference will also bring together researchers working in the field of French studies
with their counterparts in Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, South-East European, Middle Eastern
or North African studies (the list, of course, is not exhaustive). The participation of the
Association for the Study of Modern Italy (ASMI) in the 2009 ASMCF conference will
ensure that particular attention is paid to the transalpine dimension. Other organisations
interested in sponsoring a panel are invited to contact the conference organisers.
The conference will consist of a limited number of plenary sessions and a series of panels
organised around two main themes:
• contributions focussing on the relations between France and specific areas of the
Mediterranean, such as France and the Middle East, or France and Spain.
• contributions focussing on specific themes, such as the constitution of transnational
networks (cultural exchange, police cooperation, etc...), representations of
Mediterraneans and perceptions of France and the French around the Mediterranean.
Individual papers and panels: Individual paper proposals, if accepted, will be grouped in
panels by the conference organisers. Submissions should contain the title of the presentation,
a short abstract (max. 350 words), a one-page CV with the contact details of the presenter.
Proposals for panels, which should usually consist of three presenters and a chairperson, will
be considered. Proposals should be submitted by the organizer of the panel and should
contain: the title of the panel, names and contact details (affiliation, email and postal
addresses) of the organizer, the chairperson and the presenters, a general outline of the panel
and a short (max. 350 words) abstracts for each presentation. Postgraduate students are
strongly encouraged to present papers. Papers should be no more than 20 minutes long and
may be delivered in English or in French.
Deadline: Proposals must be sent to Emmanuel Godin (emmanuel.godin@port.ac.uk) and
Natalya Vince (natalya.vince@port.ac.uk) before 1 February 2009.
Postgraduate Poster Session: Postgraduates in the early stage of their research are invited to
present their work at the conference Poster Session. The Poster Session aims to enable
postgraduate students to participate in the conference programme, receive feedback from
specialists in an informal and friendly setting and to prepare them for presenting papers at
future conferences. If you require further information about presenting a poster at the
ASMCF annual conference, please contact the ASMCF postgraduate representative, Matthew
Moran at m.moran@ucl.ac.uk .
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
UKCASA AGM
UK Council for Area Studies Associations Annual General Meeting
Tuesday, 17th June 2008
Institute for the Study of the Americas
Room 11/12, first floor, Library Building
35 Tavistock Square,
London
WC1H
11 am.
AGENDA
1. Apologies
2. Visiting Speaker: Martin Williamson, Head of Research
Analysts, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, speaking on their new foreign policy strategy and its relevance to people engaged in area studies.
3. Minutes of the 2007 AGM. (file attatched)
4. Matters Arising
5. Election of Officers
6. Treasurer's Report
7 Minutes of last ordinary general meeting of UKCASA (held Dec 2007)
9. AOB.
Tuesday, 17th June 2008
Institute for the Study of the Americas
Room 11/12, first floor, Library Building
35 Tavistock Square,
London
WC1H
11 am.
AGENDA
1. Apologies
2. Visiting Speaker: Martin Williamson, Head of Research
Analysts, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, speaking on their new foreign policy strategy and its relevance to people engaged in area studies.
3. Minutes of the 2007 AGM. (file attatched)
4. Matters Arising
5. Election of Officers
6. Treasurer's Report
7 Minutes of last ordinary general meeting of UKCASA (held Dec 2007)
9. AOB.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
THE LINGUISTS UK Premiere 7-8:30pm 7th May 2008
A Documentary by Seth Kramer, Daniel A. Miller, and Jeremy Newberger
Official Selection 2008 Sundance Film Festival
Khalili Lecture
School of Oriental and African Studies, Russell Square, London
Researchers estimate that there are 7,000 languages spoken across the world, and half are threatened with extinction by the end of this century. On average, one language disappears every two weeks.
THE LINGUISTS follows David Harrison and Gregory Anderson, scientists racing to document languages on the verge of extinction. David and Greg’s round-the-world journey takes them deep into the heart of the cultures, knowledge, and communities at stake.
In Siberia, David and Greg seek to record the Chulym language, which hasn’t been heard by outsiders for more than thirty years. The linguists encounter remnants of the racist Soviet regime that may have silenced Chulym for good.
In India, tribal children attend boarding schools, where they learn Hindi and English, a trade, and the pointlessness of their native tongues. Similar boarding schools for tribal children existed in the US through most of the twentieth century. David and Greg travel to the children’s villages, where economic unrest has stirred a violent Maoist insurgency. The linguists witness the fear and poverty that have driven youth from their native communities.
In Bolivia, the Kallawaya language has survived for centuries with fewer than one hundred speakers. David and Greg trek high into the Andes to unlock its secret.
THE LINGUISTS is a presentation of Ironbound Films, Inc. It is produced and directed by Seth Kramer, Daniel A. Miller, and Jeremy Newberger.
This UK Premiere screening is free and open to all. Prof David Harrison who is featured in the film will introduce it and answer questions from the audience after the showing. Seats are limited and will be available on a first-come first-served basis.
THE LINGUISTS is being shown during Endangered Languages Week 30th April to 8th May at SOAS. For more information about the film and other Endangered Languages Week activities visit our website at www.hrelp.org or email: elap@soas.ac.uk
Official Selection 2008 Sundance Film Festival
Khalili Lecture
School of Oriental and African Studies, Russell Square, London
Researchers estimate that there are 7,000 languages spoken across the world, and half are threatened with extinction by the end of this century. On average, one language disappears every two weeks.
THE LINGUISTS follows David Harrison and Gregory Anderson, scientists racing to document languages on the verge of extinction. David and Greg’s round-the-world journey takes them deep into the heart of the cultures, knowledge, and communities at stake.
In Siberia, David and Greg seek to record the Chulym language, which hasn’t been heard by outsiders for more than thirty years. The linguists encounter remnants of the racist Soviet regime that may have silenced Chulym for good.
In India, tribal children attend boarding schools, where they learn Hindi and English, a trade, and the pointlessness of their native tongues. Similar boarding schools for tribal children existed in the US through most of the twentieth century. David and Greg travel to the children’s villages, where economic unrest has stirred a violent Maoist insurgency. The linguists witness the fear and poverty that have driven youth from their native communities.
In Bolivia, the Kallawaya language has survived for centuries with fewer than one hundred speakers. David and Greg trek high into the Andes to unlock its secret.
THE LINGUISTS is a presentation of Ironbound Films, Inc. It is produced and directed by Seth Kramer, Daniel A. Miller, and Jeremy Newberger.
This UK Premiere screening is free and open to all. Prof David Harrison who is featured in the film will introduce it and answer questions from the audience after the showing. Seats are limited and will be available on a first-come first-served basis.
THE LINGUISTS is being shown during Endangered Languages Week 30th April to 8th May at SOAS. For more information about the film and other Endangered Languages Week activities visit our website at www.hrelp.org or email: elap@soas.ac.uk
Endangered Languages Week 2008
30th April to 8th May 2008, School of Oriental and African Studies
Meet an Endangered Language
Half of the world's 7,000 languages are under threat from larger languages and are not being passed on to children. During Endangered Languages Week you can come face-to-face with an endangered language, learn about where it is spoken and why it is threatened, experience its culture, and pick up some basic words and phrases. Each session lasts 30 minutes and will be held at 1pm on R201 (near the 2nd floor stairs, SOAS main building).
Wednesday 30th April
Guernesias - spoken on Guernsey, Channel Islands
Guernesiais, a variety of Norman French, is highly endangered. According to the 2001 census, there were 1,327 fluent speakers or just 2.22% of the population (and 70.4% of them were over 64). This presentation will include a short language lesson, some cultural images and videos, and discuss recent examples of revitalisation measures in support of the language.
Thursday 1st May
Huave – spoken in southern Mexico
The Huave (Ikoots ‘all of us’) are a minority indigenous people of Southern Mexico comprising 17,000 people settled in four villages on the Pacific Ocean coast. Until a decade ago the Huave language (ombeayiüts ‘our mouth’) was spoken in four, quite divergent, varieties. At present only one of these varieties is still used by everybody, including children, in the village of San Mateo. In another village (San Dionisio) the local variety is obsolescent, and demands to start a revitalization project are currently emerging. In the other two Huave villages local varieties of the language have been replaced by Spanish. This presentation will illustrate aspects of Huave language and culture.
Tuesday 6th May
Talyshi – spoken in northern Iran
Talyshi is an Iranian language spoken in northern Iran near the Caspian Sea and the border with Azerbaijan. The language shows massive dialect variation and is under pressure from Persian. This presentation will discuss the language situation, and present an overview of Talyshi culture and language use.
Wednesday 7th May
Kolyma Yukaghir - spoken in Siberia, Russia
Kolyma Yukaghir is spoken by about 40 people who live in the north-eastern part of Siberia, on the banks of the river Kolyma. The language is linguistically isolated, and little is known of the history of the people who speak it. This will be a brief introduction to Yukaghir language and culture, including images, original music, and learning some basic speech patterns.
Thursday 8th May
Janonke – spoken in Guinea, West Africa
Jalonke is an endangered Mande language mainly spoken in the West African country of Guinea. The taster will give a brief introduction to the language situation and then focus on one of the areas especially elaborate in West African culture and crucial for every fieldworker and language learner to master, ie. greetings.
For more details and a full programme of Endangered Languages Week visit www.hrelp.org/elw
Meet an Endangered Language
Half of the world's 7,000 languages are under threat from larger languages and are not being passed on to children. During Endangered Languages Week you can come face-to-face with an endangered language, learn about where it is spoken and why it is threatened, experience its culture, and pick up some basic words and phrases. Each session lasts 30 minutes and will be held at 1pm on R201 (near the 2nd floor stairs, SOAS main building).
Wednesday 30th April
Guernesias - spoken on Guernsey, Channel Islands
Guernesiais, a variety of Norman French, is highly endangered. According to the 2001 census, there were 1,327 fluent speakers or just 2.22% of the population (and 70.4% of them were over 64). This presentation will include a short language lesson, some cultural images and videos, and discuss recent examples of revitalisation measures in support of the language.
Thursday 1st May
Huave – spoken in southern Mexico
The Huave (Ikoots ‘all of us’) are a minority indigenous people of Southern Mexico comprising 17,000 people settled in four villages on the Pacific Ocean coast. Until a decade ago the Huave language (ombeayiüts ‘our mouth’) was spoken in four, quite divergent, varieties. At present only one of these varieties is still used by everybody, including children, in the village of San Mateo. In another village (San Dionisio) the local variety is obsolescent, and demands to start a revitalization project are currently emerging. In the other two Huave villages local varieties of the language have been replaced by Spanish. This presentation will illustrate aspects of Huave language and culture.
Tuesday 6th May
Talyshi – spoken in northern Iran
Talyshi is an Iranian language spoken in northern Iran near the Caspian Sea and the border with Azerbaijan. The language shows massive dialect variation and is under pressure from Persian. This presentation will discuss the language situation, and present an overview of Talyshi culture and language use.
Wednesday 7th May
Kolyma Yukaghir - spoken in Siberia, Russia
Kolyma Yukaghir is spoken by about 40 people who live in the north-eastern part of Siberia, on the banks of the river Kolyma. The language is linguistically isolated, and little is known of the history of the people who speak it. This will be a brief introduction to Yukaghir language and culture, including images, original music, and learning some basic speech patterns.
Thursday 8th May
Janonke – spoken in Guinea, West Africa
Jalonke is an endangered Mande language mainly spoken in the West African country of Guinea. The taster will give a brief introduction to the language situation and then focus on one of the areas especially elaborate in West African culture and crucial for every fieldworker and language learner to master, ie. greetings.
For more details and a full programme of Endangered Languages Week visit www.hrelp.org/elw
Friday, April 18, 2008
Quebec, Louisiana and the Heritage of French North America- 2 day conference
To register please contact the Eccles Centre direct - details below.
Quebec, Louisiana and the Heritage of French North America
Public Lecture and Conference at the British Library Conference Centre, London
Monday 21st April, 18.30
Public Lecture:
"French North America: a journey through Bibliotheque et Archives Nationales du Quebec"
by Lise Bissonnette, President & Chief Executive of Bibliotheque et Archives Nationales du Quebec.
The lecture will be followed by a reception.
Entrance free by prior reservation. Email eccles-centre@bl.uk, or phone 020 7412 7757
Tuesday 22nd April, 10.00-17.00
Conference:
"Quebec, Louisiana and the Heritage of French North America"
An international conference to mark the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City
Eight speakers from universities in Quebec, the USA, France and Great Britain will examine the history, literature and culture of French North America.
Registration £20 (students £5), includes buffet lunch.
Find more details and links to the full programme and printable booking form at http://www.bl.uk/eccles/events.html
Quebec, Louisiana and the Heritage of French North America
Public Lecture and Conference at the British Library Conference Centre, London
Monday 21st April, 18.30
Public Lecture:
"French North America: a journey through Bibliotheque et Archives Nationales du Quebec"
by Lise Bissonnette, President & Chief Executive of Bibliotheque et Archives Nationales du Quebec.
The lecture will be followed by a reception.
Entrance free by prior reservation. Email eccles-centre@bl.uk, or phone 020 7412 7757
Tuesday 22nd April, 10.00-17.00
Conference:
"Quebec, Louisiana and the Heritage of French North America"
An international conference to mark the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City
Eight speakers from universities in Quebec, the USA, France and Great Britain will examine the history, literature and culture of French North America.
Registration £20 (students £5), includes buffet lunch.
Find more details and links to the full programme and printable booking form at http://www.bl.uk/eccles/events.html
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