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On the occasion of the 14th SeSaMO        Conference "Paths of Resistance in the Middle East and North        Africa" (University of Turin, 31 January - 2 February 2019), we        invite papers to the panel: "Becoming activists in                  North Africa and the Middle East. Paths of political                  subjectivation during and after the Uprisings"                  Convenors: Francesco Vacchiano                  (Institute of Social Sciences - University of Lisbon),                  fravacchiano@gmail.comAlice Elliot                    (Goldsmiths, University of London), A.Elliot@gold.ac.ukDescription:The events that shook the                      Arab-majority countries in 2011 have been                      scrutinized under a variety of angles: as a result                      of economic stagnation and authoritarianism, as an                      outcome of youth bulge, unemployment and                      frustration, as a response to old and new                      neoliberal experiments, as an effect of the new                      web-based social media, as a new cycle in a series                      of recurring revolutionary moments, as the                      cumulative upshot of a patient grass-roots                      construction, and more. While such perspectives                      are certainly relevant, each of them illuminating                      some specific feature of the phenomenon, they                      focus mostly on social, economic and political                      dynamics, being individual motivation and choice                      often treated as mere consequences of structural                      factors. Far from dismissing the significance of                      historical and political dynamics, we aim to                      explore also the forms in which people understand                      the events and decide to step in and commit for a                      change. This is relevant to introduce a reflection                      on freedom and choice within a theorization often                      marked by social determinism.Our panel welcomes contributions that                      illuminate the individual experience of activism,                      social and political participation and personal                      commitment in North Africa and the Middle East                      during and after the revolts of 2011. We are                      particularly interested in exploring people’s                      motivations and decisions, continuities and                      discontinuities in their life experience, as well                      as their own understanding of activism,                      resistance, rebellion, engagement and politics. We                      ask in particular what are the events that trigger                      a change on a personal level, what are their                      consequences on a longer term and, more generally,                      how a new political subjectivity can emerge within                      a specific social context.A complete list of the open                    and closed panels is available at: http://www.sesamoitalia.it/convegno-2019-torino-2019-conference-turin/call-for-panels/                    Paper proposals must specify the open                      panel for which they are intended and                    must be submitted by email to torino2019@sesamoitalia.it                    by 31 October 2018 (please email                    also convenors in CC).                   Proposals must include a title, a                    250-word abstract and a 50-word profile of the                    proponent/s. The application is required in Word                    format. We look forward to                    reveiving your proposals!Alice Elliot, A.Elliot@gold.ac.uk Francesco Vacchiano,                    fravacchiano@gmail.com