Invitation
The Department of Middle East and North Africa, University of Lodz,
and Faculty of Command and Naval Operations, Polish Naval Academy,
in cooperation with Students’ Association “Al-Mashriq”
have pleasure in extending an invitation to a conference entitled
National and International Security in the Region of MENA
Lodz, October 17th, 2011
The region of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is one of the most closely
examined and most unstable regions in today's world and as a consequence extremely
important for international security. Internal and external conflicts, as well as social and
political processes shape its security area in both the domestic and international arenas. The
complexity of these processes, their depth and scope, causes the issues of internal and
international security to overlap.
The aim of the conference is to realize what the main challenges and threats to the
security are, what characteristics they have, and how the global trends changing the
international security paradigm are perceived in the MENA region. The prime intent is to
check whether this region is still functioning in the traditional security area defined by
military and political challenges and threats, or whether new kinds of challenges and threats
are noticeable in the regional system.
The analysis of the problems mentioned above will be conducted in the frames of the
following thematic areas:
1.
Regional security systems and their workings;
2.
National security strategies of the MENA countries;
3.
Challenges and threats to national and international security
(e.g. the Muslim diaspora and security);
4.
External factors and their influence on national and international security;
5.
International conflicts (in the region and the world);
6.
Energetic security and the problems of the environment;
7.
Proliferation of weapons of mass destruction;
8.
Religious fundamentalism;
9.
Education and scientific research.
We encourage Polish and foreign specialists in politics, international relations, history,
cultural studies, as well as other academic disciplines related to the conference theme, to
participate. The conference languages will be Polish and English.
The conference will be held every two years. The organizers’ intention is to create a
forum for Polish and foreign researchers to meet and exchange ideas on problems in the
MENA region.
Registration
In order to register we ask that an application form be completed. This can be obtained
from the web-site of the Department of Middle East and North Africa, University of Lodz
(www.kbwipa.uni.lodz.pl). The completed form, along with an abstract of max. 250 words,
should be sent by June 1st, 2011, to one of the addresses below:
krzysztofzdulski@uni.lodz.pl
martawozniak@uni.lodz.pl
Conference fee
The conference fee is 100 PLN. It should be paid by September 1st, 2011 on the
account of University of Lodz:
Bank Polska Kasa Opieki S. A.
II Oddział w Łodzi
14 1240 3028 1111 0010 0434 7782
with a note „MENA – bezpieczeństwo” (MENA – security)
The conference fee for foreign participants is 50 EUR. It should be paid by September
1st, 2011 on the account of University of Lodz:
IBAN: PL 14 1240 3028 1111 0010 0434 7782
BIC/SWIFT: PKOPPLPW
The conference fee covers the cost of dinner, conference materials and publication, but
does not include the cost of travel.
There is a possibility to reserve accommodation in Hotel Centrum Konferencyjnego
UŁ (University of Lodz Conference Center Hotel). The cost per day (breakfast included) is
110 PLN. We kindly ask you to inform us as quickly as it is possible if you are interested, as
we have to book in advance.
Organizing Committee
Radosław Bania, Ph.D. – Chairman of the Conference Committee
Marta Woźniak, Ph.D. – Secretary of the Conference Committee
Krzysztof Zdulski, M.A. – Secretary of the Conference Committee
Dariusz Kozłowski, Ph.D. – Member of the Conference Committee
Ewa Iwanina, M.A. – Member of the Conference Committee
Natalia Augustowska – Member of the Conference Committee
Karina Bujalska – Member of the Conference Committee
Agata Ciszewska – Member of the Conference Committee