Call for Papers: Conflict & Change

Armed conflicts and their aftermaths – such as the conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan,  renewed post-election fighting in the Central African Republic – affect civilian life across the globe and demonstrate the need for rigorous research on the causes, consequences, and solutions to armed conflict and unrest. Other phenomena – the climate crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, disputed elections and harsh migration policies in Central America and at the Mediterranean Sea – have inspired protests but also raise concerns over authoritarian turns and human rights violations.

How can we make sense of these increasingly complex phenomena? The Conflict & Change annual workshop for PhD and doctoral students across the UK and Europe seeks to tackle this question, showcasing the need for rigorous research – and insights from different disciplines – on the causes, consequences, and solutions to conflict and unrest.

The workshop aims to highlight the work of early career researchers, to provide feedback from senior academics, and to foster a strong community engaged in cutting-edge research. The workshop will be held on 14-15th March. Supported and hosted by the Conflict & Change research cluster at the UCL Department of Political Science and the Institute for Advanced Studies Octagon Fund (IAS), the workshop brings together doctoral students from various disciplines in the social sciences, humanities, and beyond, such as political science, economics, sociology, geography, or computer science. Papers on all issues related to peace and conflict, contentious politics, human rights, and migration are welcome.

The two-day workshop will take place in London at UCL’s Bloomsbury campus and will feature research presentations and discussions, a keynote speech, possibilities to engage with policy-makers and practitioners and opportunities to socialize. The workshop will take place in-person but will be adapted if necessary due to COVID-19 restrictions. Participants are asked to stay informed on potential travel restrictions and necessary documentation to travel to London. We thank you for your understanding that plans might shift and will keep all participants well-informed.

Limited funding for travel to London and accommodation are available and will be distributed to workshop participants after abstract acceptance.

Please submit an abstract (no more than 250 words) by 6th December via the link below. For questions and enquiries, please contact Mr. Finn Klebe (finn.klebe.21@ucl.ac.uk) or see https://www.conflictandchange.org/