This page answers frequently asked questions (as of: March 2026).
What is DAVO?
The German Middle East Studies Association (Deutsche Arbeitsgemeinschaft Vorderer Orient, DAVO) is an independent, non-profit, scholarly association dedicated to contemporary research, teaching, and documentation on North Africa, the Middle East, and West Asia. DAVO promotes interdisciplinary exchange and international cooperation. Our members work across a wide range of fields, including anthropology, Arabic studies, cultural studies, economics, geography, history, Iranian studies, Islamic studies, Israel studies, Jewish studies, Ottoman studies, Palestine studies, political science, and Turkology, as well as related disciplines. In addition, they engage with related topics such as anti-Muslim racism, antisemitism, migration, social change, and academic freedom in research and teaching.
Who can become a DAVO member, and how?
Membership is open to all individuals and institutions that support the association’s aims and – where professionally qualified – are willing to contribute to its scholarly activities. This includes, among others, researchers, students, media professionals, as well as staff of political foundations, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, and related fields.
Further information on membership, as well as the application form in Word and PDF format, can be found on the Membership page.
Which disciplines are represented in DAVO?
As an interdisciplinary scholarly association, DAVO brings together a wide range of disciplines related to North Africa, the Middle East, and West Asia, including anthropology, Arabic studies, cultural studies, economics, geography, history, Iranian studies, Islamic studies, Israel studies, Jewish studies, Ottoman studies, Palestine studies, political science, and Turkology.
When does the annual General Assembly take place?
The General Assembly (GA) is held at least once a year. It usually takes place as part of the annual DAVO Congress. Since the GA in September 2025, it is also possible to hold General Assemblies online. All members are informed of the date and agenda with two weeks’ notice. Any member may submit a written request to the Board to add items to the agenda no later than one week before a General Assembly.
Where can I find the current statutes?
The current statutes are linked on the Membership page.
How can I network with other scholars through DAVO and get involved?
DAVO members have many opportunities to connect and actively participate. They can attend events, take part in working groups, or contribute their own ideas. Proposals for workshops, new formats, activities, or website content can be sent at any time by email to info@davo1.de.
How does DAVO support Early Career Researchers?
Supporting Early Career Researchers is a particular priority for DAVO. At present, this support takes mainly the form of workshop discussions (Werkstattgespräche) held as part of the annual DAVO Congress, as well as the awarding of the Dissertation Prize. Information and application deadlines are published on the website and in the newsletter.
Early Career Researchers are also invited to submit their published research contributions to secretariat@davo1.de so they can be highlighted on the homepage. The DAVO Board aims to further expand support for early-career scholars. Suggestions for additional activities or new formats are very welcome and can be sent by email to info@davo1.de.
How can I make my own research visible on the DAVO website?
All DAVO members are invited to submit published research contributions to secretariat@davo1.de so they can be featured on the homepage.
How does DAVO position itself on academic freedom?
Academic freedom is fundamental to DAVO. In September 2024, DAVO established a Committee for Academic Freedom (CAF) by member resolution, whose members were elected for the first time at the general meeting in September 2025. The aim is to monitor and defend academic freedom in research, teaching, and learning related to the study of the contemporary North Africa, the Middle East, and West Asia, both in the German-speaking academic sphere and globally. More information on the DAVO-CAF can be found in Paragraph 16 of the DAVO statutes and on our website: https://davo1.de/de/home/gfw/. The CAF can be contacted at academicfreedom@davo1.de.
Why is DAVO discussing a name change?
Numerous members have proposed renaming DAVO because the term “Vorderer Orient” (“Near East”) is considered outdated and imprecise. Many view the component “Orient” in particular as problematic due to its historical colonial connotations. Discussion of a possible name change took place, among other occasions, during the Open Space session at the General Assembly in September 2025.
The Board is currently working on a participatory process intended to lead to a new name and abbreviation. Any name change must ultimately be approved by the General Assembly.
What principles guide scholarly and collegial interaction within DAVO?
The Board and the Academic Council are currently developing a Code of Conduct. Through this, DAVO commits itself to promoting equality, diversity, respect, and inclusion in all activities and interactions. An inclusive scholarly community is considered essential for open intellectual exchange and the advancement of knowledge.
What is BDS, and what is DAVO’s position on it?
BDS stands for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions. It is a non-violent civil society movement that seeks to exert political and economic pressure on states that seriously violate international law. At present, the movement – including PACBI (the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel) – primarily calls for boycotts and sanctions against the State of Israel due to the illegality of the entire Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory, violations of the prohibition of segregation and apartheid (Article 3 of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination), violations of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, and the ongoing genocide in Gaza (see ICJ Advisory Opinion 2024, International Association of Genocide Scholars Resolution, UN Independent Commission 2025). In concrete terms, this includes calls to suspend cooperation with the State of Israel or with institutions deemed complicit (e.g., universities), and to refrain from participating in events and research programs funded by the State of Israel. There are currently boycott calls against other countries that seriously violate international law as well, such as the United Arab Emirates (see here).
Unlike international scholarly associations such as the British Middle Eastern Studies Association (BRISMES), the European Association of Social Anthropologists (EASA), or the Middle East Studies Association (MESA), DAVO has so far not taken a position in favour of suspending cooperation with Israeli institutions. Such a step would require a decision by the General Assembly. Independent positions taken by individual members with regard to BDS, PACBI, or similar campaigns (such as the German Uppsala Declaration) are guaranteed within the framework of freedom of opinion and academic freedom, regardless of any decision by the membership.