MESA Review of Middle East Studies (RoMES) Editor Sought

MESA announces a search for an editor for the MESA Review of Middle East Studies; the editorship will commence July 1, 2012 and begin with the Winter 2012 issue for a term of five years (negotiable). The current editor will prepare much of the Winter 2012 issue, to be completed by his successor, and will be available to advise the incoming editor on the establishment of the new RoMES editorial office.

The Review of Middle East Studies is MESA’s journal of review, appearing twice a year (July and December) with essays and approximately 100 reviews of books, audiovisuals, music, and software per issue, as well as the annual presidential address and MESA’s financial statement. MESA policy has established the focus of RoMES as the state of the craft in all fields of Middle East studies.

The editor is responsible to the MESA Board of Directors for preparing two issues per year of 160 pages each in a format acceptable to Cambridge University Press. Depending on the technical expertise of the Editor, or his or her assistant, formatting may be executed at the editorial office or in collaboration with the Secretariat in Tucson. CUP prints and distributes RoMES to members and subscribers. The editor’s primary responsibility is to maintain the high quality and representative breadth of the journal; to that end s/he, with approval of the MESA Board, selects associate editors as necessary to help solicit and edit reviews in the field of Middle East studies. The editor receives direction regarding the operation of RoMES, consistent with MESA’s mission statement and with policies established by MESA’s Board of Directors. The editor is an ex officio member of the Association’s Publications Committee, and attends one meeting per year of MESA’s Board of Directors.

Candidates should expect to secure a base of support from their institutions, and no appointment can be made without written commitment of institutional support and other budgetary commitments. Institutional support might include office space and equipment, modest administrative costs and a course release. Support for an editorial assistant will be negotiated with the Secretariat and will depend on the level of technical assistance in formatting required of the Secretariat.

Applications, including statements of institutional support and editorial plans, plus office arrangements and a proposed budget, should be sent to: Dr. Amy W. Newhall, Executive Director, MESA, 1215 N Santa Rita Ave., The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (520 621-5850; fax: 520 626-9095; sbs-mesa@email.arizona.edu).