An international conference in Cleveland, Ohio; “The Islamic Republic of Iran: Multidisciplinary Analyses of Its Theocracy, Nationalism, and Assertion of Power”

October 26th, 2009 | Posted in Blog | No Comments

Scholars for Peace in the Middle East
invite you to a conference on:

“The Islamic Republic of Iran: Multidisciplinary Analyses of Its Theocracy, Nationalism, and Assertion of Power”cis-event

Marriott Downtown at Key Center Cleveland, Nov. 8-10

The Conference is in conjunction with the Program in Judaic Studies at Case Western Reserve University

Please join us for this exciting and important conference. Keynote speakers include such important scholars, journalists and policy makers such as:

Keynote Speakers

Effie Eitam, MK, Israel
Irwin Cotler, Prof. McGill University, MP Canada, Former Canadian Minister of Justice, Human Rights Activist
Ambassador Jackie Wolcott, Special U.S. Envoy for Nuclear Nonproliferation

Featured Conference Presenters
(subject to change)

Amir A. Fakhravar, Iranian Enterprise Institute, Secretary General of Confederation of Iranian Students   Nikahang Kowsar, Iranian journalist and cartoonist
Vernice Cain, University of Pennsylvania
Patrick Clawson, Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Andrew Apostolou, Iran Desk, Freedom House, Washington DC
Edwin Black, Journalist and author
Avner Falk, Jerusalem, Israel
Yitzhak Kerem, Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Aristotle University, Greece
Andrew Bostom, Brown University
David Menashri, Chair Dept of Iran Studies, Tel Aviv University
Kenneth Marcus, Baruch College
Majid Mohammed, Iranian political sociologist, Stony Brook Institute for Global Studies
Renee Redman, Iran Human Rights Documentation Center
Elihu Richter, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Barry Rubin, GLORIA Center, Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya
Farhad Sabetan, CSU, East Bay
Charles Small, Yale Institute for the Interdisciplinary Study of Anti-Semitism
Philip Steinberg, Florida State University
and many other distinguished scholars and researchers.

The Conference fee is $250 for SPME contributors, $350 for non-contributors and will include lunch and dinner on the 8th and the 9th as well as refreshments. There will be a special day rate of $125 for SPME contributors and $175 for non-contributors. Student rate will be $75 per day.

Those who preregister on or before October 20th will receive a 15% discount. Registration online may be done at http://spme.net/conference-registration or mail your registration and check made payable to SPME to:

SPME Conference
Attn: Elizabeth Gaither
SPME Administrative Assistant
PO Box 48
Grantham, PA 17027

The Marriott Hotel will provide rooms at $109 plus tax and fees per night. Please make reservations on or before October 13th to get the special SPME rate at

Hotel Contact info:

Marriott Downtown at Key Center Cleveland
127 Public Square
Cleveland, OH 44114-1305
216/ 696-9200 (direct)

Reservations: 800/228-9290

Fax 216/ 696-8615

Guests can also call our reservation line at (800) 228-9290 or (440) 542-2313. Please use group code is spespea or reserve a room on line through the following link:

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/clesc?groupCode=spespea&app=resvlink&fromDate=&toDate =

Schedule: Subject to Change

SUNDAY, Nov 8, 2009

12:30-2:00 - Lunch -

The Honorable Effie Eitam (Israeli MK)

Introductory remarks by Israel Consul General, Daniel Kutner (Philadelphia)

2:10- 4:00 - Panel on Journalism and Iran - Edwin Black, Journalist and Author, and Nikahang Kowsar,Iranian-Canadian journalist and cartoonist: the Islamic Republic; God’s gift to political cartoonists

4:15 -5:30 - Patrick Clawson, Washington Institute of Near East Policy

5:30-6:30 - Wine and cheese reception

6:30-8:00 - Dinner - Rabbi Eric Lankin, Jewish National Fund

Edward S. Beck, Walden University and SPME President

The Honorable Irwin Cotler, Member of Parliament, Canada

 

8:15 - Panel on Iranian Anti-Semitism - Charles Small (Yale Initiative for the Interdisciplinary Study of Anti-Semitism) and Kenneth Marcus (Ackerman Visiting Professor of Equality and Justice in America at Baruch College)

 

MONDAY, Nov 9, 2009

8:30-10:00 - Panel on Function of Pride and Humiliation - Avner Falk (Jerusalem) and Philip Steinberg (Florida State Univ.)

10:15- 11:30 -Shiism and Holy War - Yitzhak Kerem, Hebrew University of Jerusalem and AristotleUniversity, Thessaloniki and Majid Mohammed, Iranian political sociologist, Stony Brook Institute for Global Studies Shiite Islamism in Contemporary Iran: Shiite Political Ideologies in Construction and Transition

11:45-1:45 - lunch –Iranian Human Rights -Amir A. Fakhravar, Iranian Enterprise Institute and Secretary General of CIS and Renee Redman, Iran Human Rights Documentation Center and Vernice Cain Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania: Lifting the Veil in the Islamic Republic of Iran: Post Election Unrest, a Prelude to Iranian Reform and Human Rights Movements
2:00-3:00 - Rhetoric of Genocide - Elihu Richter, Hebrew University and and Andrew G. Bostom, Brown University Shi’ite Iran’s Genocidal Jew Hatred

3:30-4:30 - Andrew Apostolou, Head of Iran Desk for Freedom House Washington DC

5:00-6:15 - Iranian Foreign Policy - Barry Rubin (Israel GLORIA Center) -
6:30-8:00 - dinner - The Honorable Ambassador Jackie Wolcott
Iran and Nuclear Proliferation

8:00 - 9:15 - David Menashri, Chair Dept of Iran Studies Tel Aviv University Revolutionary Iran: Radicalism versus Pragmatism — How can the world convince Iran to suspend its nuclear program?

TUESDAY, Nov 10, 2009:

SPME board meeting with Chapter coordinators

What needs to be done

October 7th, 2009 | Posted in UK Federation | No Comments

Let us consider two of the hottest current debates with regards to the West’s approach towards Iran’s Islamic regime and the country’s lack of transparency in its nuclear program and severe non-compliance with human rights. These two approaches are generally discussions of either military actions and/or economic sanctions on the two ends of the stick. Parallel to these options the west has also maintained a degree of incentives for the Iranian regime, should they choose to change their ways.

However the recent uprising in the face of the alleged frauds in the last Iranian presidential elections seems to have paved the way for Iranian people to have their voices heard by the people and governments of the international community. These are voices that long for freedom and democracy from individuals who do not deserve to suffer economically or in military conflict due to the futility of their regime.

Thus the Western governments need to think long and hard before they impose any restraints on the country that is likely to affect the civilians who have already suffered three decades of infliction under the Islamic Regime.

Somi Abedinzadeh

Needs to be done

October 5th, 2009 | Posted in UK Federation | No Comments

Let us consider two of the hottest current debates with regards to the West’s approach towards Iran’s Islamic regime and the country’s lack of transparency in its nuclear program and severe non-compliance with human rights. These two approaches are generally discussions of either military actions and/or economic sanctions on the two ends of the stick. Parallel to these options the west has also maintained a degree of incentives for the Iranian regime, should they choose to change their ways.

However the recent uprising in the face of the alleged frauds in the last Iranian presidential elections seems to have paved the way for Iranian people to have their voices heard by the people and governments of the international community. These are voices that long for freedom and democracy from individuals who do not deserve to suffer economically or in military conflict due to the futility of their regime.

Thus the Western governments need to think long and hard before they impose any restraints on the country that is likely to affect the civilians who have already suffered three decades of infliction under the Islamic Regime.

Somi Abedinzadeh

CIS (UK)

October 5th, 2009 | Posted in UK Federation | No Comments
Confederation of Iranian Students (UK)


Here at the Confederation of the Iranian Students in the UK we hope to create an environment for Iranian students to hold discussions regarding the future of their country with their peers, and with government officials. We hope to be the voice of Iranian students inside Iran who do not have the opportunity to communicate freely and openly with the West and help them achieve a free democratic government in Iran.

Iranian students are aware of a need for mutual aid with the people and governments of the West to send a clear and sound message to the Iranian regime: our country can no longer remain isolated from the rest of the international community and our people demand the observation of their human rights. We hope to achieve a country that is part of the global society not a predicament to it.

Somi Abedinzadeh