The International Association of Manichaean Studies has its genesis at the First International Conference of Manichaean Studies held in Lund in August, 1987. The success of the conference has generated a genuine spirit of international friendship and inter-disciplinary co-operation which all the participants would wish to preserve and foster through the formation of a learned society. A group of Manichaean scholars had since then met twice in Lund to discuss future plans for collaboration, and the idea of establishing an international association was put forward in the 1988/2 issue of the Manichaean Studies Newsletter. This idea was warmly received by those actively engaged in Manichaean studies and related fields. Further informal contacts and discussions resulted in the drafting of the structure and statutes of this learned society which will henceforth be named as the International Association of Manichaean Studies. An outline drawing based on the famous portrait of Mani published by Albert von Le Coq has been chosen as the Logo of the IAMS.
Art. 1. Name
The name of this learned society in the field of Manichaean Studies shall be the International Association of Manichaean Studies
Art. 2. Purposes of the Association
The Association shall be a non-profit organization designed to foster the study of all aspects of Manichaeism and its relationship with other religions and philosophical currents. It shall promote international cooperation among individual researchers as well as among scientific organizations and institutions. It shall advance the dissemination of information about work in progress and new discoveries; facilitate full access to and rapid publication of source materials; support projects for editing Manichaean sources or dealing with its study; identify priorities for research at a given time; publish the Manichaean Studies Newsletter at least annually; and organize periodic international congresses and symposia.
Art. 3. Membership
The Membership of the Association is open to all individuals and institutions with a research interest in Manichaeism. Applicants for membership will require the support of two members at least. A list of members will be published in the Manichaean Studies Newsletter periodically. Applicants for membership should send their brief curriculum vitae with a list of publications and /or information about their study project(s) to the Secretary. Election to membership will be by a poll of the Board. Institutions of higher education, research centres, academies and other learned societies are entitled to become institutional members. The privileges of Membership include: a free copy of the Manichaean Studies Newsletter; information about and (in principle) access to IAMS-conferences and -symposia; discount of books indicated as such in the Manichaean Studies Newsletter; etc.
Art. 4. Officers
- Honorary Officers
Honorary Members, who may vote in the Business Meeting, are automatically life members of the Association.
- Executive Officers
There will be four non-permanent officers of the Association:
(1) the President;
(2) the Vice-President;
(3) the Secretary;
(4) the Treasurer & Membership Administrator.
The terms of office of the Executive Officers are from one stated Business Meeting to the next, and will expire within the cycle of the rotation system and the subsequent election of new officers. The officers are in charge of fulfilling the purposes of the Association.
- Permanent Officers for special activities of the Association
There will be two permanent officers of the Association. (1) The Director of the CFM & other publications of the IAMS will be responsible for the edition of the Corpus Fontium Manichaeorum and, in principle, for other official IAMS- publications. (2) The Co-Ordinator of Research & Funding will be in charge of the official research activities of the Association and the raising of funds. These officers will be appointed by and are responsible to the Board.
- Non-permanent Officer for special activities of the Association
The organizer of the next International Conference will be the Conference Convener for four years.
Art. 5. Board
As from the Business Meeting in 2001, the Board will consist of all executive officers (four), two permanent officers for special activities, plus two voting members. Decisions will be by the majority vote of those present at the Board Meeting; a quorum shall consist of four members. If there is an equality of votes, the vote of the President will be the deciding one. The Board receives and approves reports from the officers for presentation at the Business Meeting, and is responsible for the Association’s activities between Congresses. In a term of four years (from Conference to Conference), the two executive officers who are the longest time in office will resign and be replaced by the two voting members of the Board. Before the quadrennial Conference, the Board will decide who in the new team of executive officers will take which of the offices. In case of divergent views a decision will be reached by voting. One day before the Business Meeting during the Conference, the decision of the Board will be announced in a short meeting of the members. The participants may suggest members of the society to be elected on the next day as voting members of the Board. The suggested members have to declare their consent. It is allowed to suggest resigned officers for a position as voting member. During the Business Meeting each member of the Association who is able to show his membership card is allowed to get a ballot paper. The first vote will be given for or against the new composition of the team of executive officers. If there are more than two candidates, the second vote will be given for the election of the voting members of the Board. The two candidates will be elected by a simple majority. If someone of the Board will leave the Board before his time according to the rotation system is over, one more candidate has to be elected by the Business Meeting.
Art. 6. Conferences – Business Meeting
The Association will meet normally once every four years at its International Conference. A Business Meeting will be held at each International Conference of the Association. Special Business Meetings may be called by a request of three members of the Board of the Association.
Art. 7. Symposia and Workshops
The Association will also sponsor Symposia or Workshops on specific areas of Manichaean studies to which, in principle, all members are welcome. As a rule, such Symposia and Workshops will not take place in the year of the International Conference.
Art. 8. Fee
The Membership fee for individuals will be USD 25 per annum (as from 2001). Future levels of fees will be fixed by the Business Meeting. The fee will include a free copy of the Manichaean Studies Newsletter. The fee for institutions will also be USD 25. Institutional members will only have one vote at the General Business Meeting. Membership is free to life members, officers of the Board, and to individual members whose main salary is paid in a non-convertible currency.
Art 9. Finances
The expenses of the Association will be borne by the members in the form of annual dues and registration fees at the Conferences, as well as by donations and grants from individuals and institutions.
Art 10. Statutes
The Statutes may be revised by a majority vote at a Business Meeting. Proposals for changes in the Statutes must be submitted in writing to the President and Secretary of the Board, who will publish them in the Newsletter or in another written message addressed to the members before the Business Meeting at which they are to be considered.