Is this an Academic nightmare.? The World Congress for Middle East Studies (WOCMES) The biggest known gathering of Middle Eastern 'Experts' ever held in the Middle East. 1345 participants from 78 countries, most with long papers up their sleeve boring the hades out of each other. No tower of Babel however. If you don't speak Engliash (or French) you can only bore unintelligbly or be bemused coimprehensively. The French are a tight little bunch presenting odd papers on obtuse Francophone subjects-The effect of female circumcision on the commercial policies and practices of Tunisian noble men in the 2nd Century (Hijra) Sounds much more impressive in French. The other 78 nations struggle on in 78 versions of the English tongue-murdered, distorted, projected, corrupted-and some of them might as well be speaking in Double Dutch for all the sense they make.
We have over a hundred 'panels' a day-20 plus at the same time. The choice is bewildering. If the title of the discussion includes 'Iraq' the room is packed with people bristling with righteous anti-Americanism, including most American academics-if it doesn't you have a handful of tattooed, bearded, sandled scholars (the men are similar) talking to each other with a couple of audience asleep in the corner or noisly sucking Starbuck's coffee through long straws.
Huttonian's panel-all good Brits with the Queen's English-is on Thursday. Prince el Hassan, former Crown Prince, president of WOCMES (an old friend from Diplomatic days)has threatened to attend. He will be very welcome if a bit daunting but I hope he can be persauded to leave behind some of his bodyguards muttering into their lapels, a few private secretaries, at least 80% of his other officials, and the CIA agents marking his every move out of sheer boredom. If not there will be no room for an academic audience.
Mind you, that might not be a bad thing.
