The Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies is now accepting proposals for participation in the Sixth Gulf Studies Forum, to be held from 7-8 December 2019. The Forum will be split into the topics of Public Policymaking in the Gulf States (domestic issues track) and Threats to the Gulf States in the Regional and International Environment (international relations track).
Public policy in the Gulf States it has been subordinated – whether in interpretation or policymaking itself – to rentier state models rooted in the vast accumulation of oil wealth in those countries, and has been used to expand control over society. Approaches emphasizing the concept of the rentier state to explain pubic policymaking in the Gulf are important, but have often elided the importance of social forces such as merchants, businessmen, and the private sector more generally to policy. In international relations, meanwhile, the disturbances and uncertainties that are facing the Arab World and internecine differences in the Gulf mean that more attention must be given to policies and strategies to confront the challenges and threats the region is facing rather than continuing to adopt traditional approaches made obsolete by events.
The Forum’s Academic Committee thus invites academics and researchers from the Gulf, the Arab World and the world more broadly to submit papers on topics relevant to these issues. Abstracts (of no more than 400 words) should be submitted at the latest on 1 May 2019, and should clearly show the research question, its importance and its contribution to the field with a list of possible references and sources. Papers approved by the Academic Committee (between 5000 and 6000 words) should be submitted by 1 September 2019 in a form suitable for peer review and in conformity with the Center’s publication guidelines. The Academic Committee will inform the author of its decision, its recommendations to improve the quality of the paper or its requested amendments in due course.
All correspondence should be submitted to: gulf.forum@dohainstitute.org.
The ACRPS will cover the cost of travel and of accommodation in Doha for the duration of the Conference.
Please find the background paper here.
Please find the ACRPS publication guidelines here.