The ACRPS held his first Winter School, titled "Communitarianism, Sectarianism and the State" from 4-14 January 2020, in Doha.

The Winter School brought together 26 academics from 19 countries in Africa, Europe, Asia and the Americas to write research papers on communitarianism, sectarianism and the state, with topics ranging from history of sectarianism in India and religious and confessional conflicts in Nigeria and Ireland to different dimensions of sectarianism in the Arab World.

Participants had the chance to present and receive feedback on their own submissions in sessions held specifically for the purpose.

Topics included: sectarian or regional conflict using contemporary examples from the Arab world (such as Iraq, Yemen, etc); political violence; the history of sectarianism and sectarian thought; post-conflict studies on communitarianism, particularly from a comparative perspective (i.e. outside the Arab world); divided societies and prospects for democracy.

The ten days of the Winter School included lectures by experts from the ACRPS and elsewhere on these issues. Issues covered by lectures include: Alternatives to overcome primitive or instrumental approaches to sectarianism; sectarianism in Ireland; the disappearing Arab state; sectarianisation and the new political map of the Middle East.

The Winter School also organised discussion tables on various subjects such as the definition of sectarianism and communitarianism across different regions, sectarianism and the state, and international relations and sectarianism.