Call for Papers: Theorising in PhD Research in Social Science in the SWANA region
The Centre for Lebanese Studies, the REAL Centre and Centre for South West Asian and North African Studies (CSWANA) at the University of Cambridge is organising a two-day residential PhD retreat on Theorising in PhD Research to be held on 27 and 28th of May at the University of Cambridge.
The retreat is aimed at PhD candidates based in the UK and working on social science, humanities and cognate disciplines. We welcome candidates at all stages of their PhD research conducting research on the region.
The retreat will discuss questions relating to how we use theory and theorise in our research and the implications for politics of knowledge production. While theorising in many disciplines may be presented as an abstract practice, in this course, we focus on theorising as an act of knowledge production even in our daily lives and emerging from experience.
Invited speakers who will participate in the retreat are scholars from different disciplinary backgrounds whose work has been prominent on critical theorising in their fields. The speakers will reflect on what theorising means to them and how their approach to knowledge production and theorising have developed since they first started their careers. We aim to go beyond the textbook discussion on methodology and thesis writing: we will discuss the tacit knowledge on theorising that researchers build throughout their journeys. To this end, we aim to gain new insights into how knowledge production takes place, and particularly knowledge that is not confined to mainstream euro-centric theorising and epistemologies.
We invite interested PhD candidates to present their work and become part of the conversation. Participants will make a short presentation to allow for a collective approach to peer and mentors’ review and support. Candidates are required to submit a written piece of 2000 to 4000 words on theorisation in their PhD thesis
The texts that the participants will submit can be a PhD proposal, a draft chapter, a text from a master’s dissertation that the participant is building on in their current research or an op-ed or shorter text that will be developed into an academic text.
Timeline:
25 March: Deadline for applying to attend the retreat.
10 April: Informing successful candidates
10 May: Deadline to submit texts
Eligibility:
PhD candidates from Arabic speaking countries, particularly those in the Southwest Asia region working in social sciences and humanities (and cognate disciplines) and their work is focused on Lebanon or any other global majority country (or SWANA)
Funding:
Each selected student will be given a grant of 300 GBP to cover travel and accommodation. Applicants will have to arrange their own accommodation and train/bus tickets.
Application Process
To apply, please send an email to [email protected] that includes:
1. CV including education details, research and work experience
2. Statement of interest (1-2 pages) that addresses the following questions:
a. What does theorising mean to you?
b. What interests you about the idea of collectively thinking about and discussing theorising?
c. How do you hope to benefit from your participation in this retreat?
Questions?
If you have any questions, please contact Jafia Camara by email at [email protected]
This workshop is part of the British Academy Bilateral Chair Education in Crisis.
