Founded in 1990, the Swiss Society for the Middle East and Islamic Cultures (SSMEIC) has been a member of the Swiss Academy of Humanities and Social Sciences (SAGW) since 1995. Our multilingual society is active throughout Switzerland.
Objectives
The association supports academic teaching and research in the fields of languages, history, arts and politics related to the Middle East and North Africa and Islam. It also aims to bring the results of research conducted in Switzerland on the MENA region and Islam to a wider public. The association also intends to network researchers.
The SSMEIC is politically neutral. In this sense, it does not seek to propagate particular beliefs or ideologies.
Events, publications and networks
Our events and publications aim to create spaces for exchange and encounter that encourage the expression of different perspectives on the Middle East and Islamic cultures. We regularly organise conferences, roundtables and seminars, as well as more informal meetings and visits in different cities in Switzerland. Once a year, the magazine Almanach publishes a selection of the texts posted on our blog, accompanied by an editorial. The archives of the SSMEIC’s former Bulletin are now available online.
The MENA Research Network and the Manazir platform encourage informal exchanges between researchers and promote the sharing of knowledge with the public.
Who are our members?
The association has about 235 members (December 2022) from universities and schools, publishing houses, editorial offices, museums, international institutions as well as from the public administration and the private sector. They share a common (professional) interest in the Middle East/North Africa region and in the manifold manifestations of Islam across historical, social and political contexts.
Committee meetings and General Assembly
The members of the SSMEIC Board meet several times a year to define the activities of the association and to take the necessary decisions. Once a year, the General Assembly is held, open to all members, during which the annual report of the association and the budgets are approved.
Statutes
Statutes (October 2010)