Eighth International Winter School 2027

​​The Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies (ACRPS) is pleased to announce the call for applications for the eighth International Winter School​ (IWS8), titled “Migrant Communities in an Age of Resurgent Nativism: Rethinking the Questions of Citizenship and Belonging.” The event will be held in January 2027 in Doha, Qatar.

The IWS is an annual program that seeks to provide an in-depth and critical examination of selected topics. It offers participants the opportunity to engage with leading international and regional scholars, expand their substantive knowledge, build academic networks, and receive extensive feedback on their research.

IWS8 aims to engage theoretical and empirical research exploring contemporary transformations in migration, citizenship, and belonging in the context of intensifying nativist politics, restrictive migration governance, and shifting boundaries of inclusion and exclusion across diverse global contexts. The school will examine both macro-level transformations —including restrictive citizenship regimes, migration control, and hierarchies of membership— as well as the lived experiences, identities, and practices through which migrants and displaced communities navigate and challenge these conditions. We invite submissions from advanced PhD candidates and early career scholars from various social sciences and humanities disciplines worldwide.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, transformations in citizenship regimes and migration policies; migration governance, bordering practices, and securitization; stratified citizenship and hierarchical forms of membership; refugee governance and differential protection regime​s; transnationalism, identity, and alternative forms of belonging; intersections of race, class, gender, and religion in shaping experiences of integration and belonging; and broader theoretical, conceptual, and methodological approaches to studying migration, citizenship, and belonging. Proposals covering other relevant topics are also welcome. ​Click here​ for the full concept note and list of the school’s suggested topics.

The program will also include an engaging social and cultural component, featuring visits to Doha’s most notable landmarks, museums, and cultural institutions, as well as activities designed to foster exchange among participants.

Participation

Eligibility:

• PhD candidates in social sciences and humanities
• Recent PhD graduates and early career academics

Application Procedures:

Eligible candidates interested in applying should submit the following no later than 1 July 2026:

• Online application form​. This should be accompanied by an up-to-date CV, an abstract of the proposed paper (maximum 500 words). The abstract should outline the research questions, context, theoretical framework, as well as the proposed methodology.
• At least one academic reference. The referee should fill out the recommendation form available on this link and send it directly to the IWS email (winter.school@dohainstitute.edu.qa​​).
• Optional: a writing sample (a previous research paper or published article).

The IWS will notify all applicants about the status of their applications by email.

Please note:

• Accepted participants should submit a research project in the form of a paper (maximum 6000 words – excluding footnotes and references) by 30 September 2026. Papers published elsewhere will not be accepted.
• The initial approval of the abstract does not automatically guarantee participation in the IWS.
• The paper will be reviewed. The IWS will notify you whether your research project is accepted or not.
• Accommodation is provided for all accepted applicants for the d​uration of the program.
• Funding for travel expenses is available on a competitive basis.

For inquires related to the conference, please contact: winter.school@dohainstitute.edu.qa

General Information:

Date: 9-14 January 2027

Location: Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, Qatar.

Language: English