Fieldwork Approaches in Comparative Politics: MENA Region (Virtual) | Apply Here
Join us for a virtual dissertation workshop held in October 2025 (exact dates and times will be determined once participants are selected).
Co-Leaders:
- Ozlem Tuncel, Georgia State University
- Ronay Bakan, Johns Hopkins University
Deadline: Sunday, April 27, 2025. Click here to apply →
Workshop Description
We invite dissertation projects that employ fieldwork methodologies to explore a wide range of political issues in the MENA region. This workshop will be held virtually and is designed for advanced ABD students who have defended their dissertation prospectus and are conducting research in comparative politics with a fieldwork-based approach in the MENA region.
Participants will submit a single dissertation chapter—preferably one focused on analysis—for structured feedback and discussion. The workshop will provide an opportunity for participants to present a brief overview of their broader project to foster intellectual exchange in a collaborative mini-conference setting.
We specifically welcome diverse methodological orientations in conducting fieldwork and innovative methods that challenges traditional knowledge production on/in the Middle East and North Africa. Submissions may address, but are not limited to, the following topics:
• State-society relations and authoritarian governance
• Conflict, post-conflict reconstruction, and transitional justice
• Contentious politics, protest movements, and revolutions
• Political parties, elections, and democratization
• Urban and local politics
• Identity politics, sectarianism, and nationalism
• Refugees, migration, and diaspora politics
• Gender and politics, including feminist and queer perspectives
• Informal institutions, clientelism, and patronage networks
• Comparative political economy of the MENA region
• The role of religion in politics and governance
• Foreign interventions, humanitarianism, and peacebuilding
• Surveillance, digital repression, and the politics of technology
The workshop will be organized into two key sections:
1. Targeted Chapter Feedback – Participants will receive in-depth comments on their submitted chapters from peers and faculty facilitators, fostering constructive discussions about theoretical, methodological, and empirical contributions.
2. Advancing the Dissertation & Professional Development – The second half of the workshop will focus on strategies for completing the dissertation, positioning research for the academic job market, and advancing projects while on the tenure track.
In addition to individual guidance, the workshop will serve as a space for broader discussions on emerging research trends, methodological challenges, and the state of the literature in comparative politics and MENA studies. A key goal of this workshop is to cultivate an intellectual community where participants engage in peer review, receive constructive critiques, and develop lasting professional relationships.
By the end of the workshop, students will leave with concrete revisions to strengthen their dissertations and future research, as well as an expanded network of scholars working in similar areas. We look forward to fostering a dynamic and supportive environment for advancing fieldwork-based scholarship in comparative politics.
APSA sponsors in-person & virtual dissertation workshops annually. Our in-person events are held on the Wednesday prior to the APSA Annual Meeting. Each full-day workshop includes six PhD candidates who present a dissertation chapter, along with two faculty members who lead the workshop and moderate discussions. Our virtual workshops are held over the summer or fall. Please direct any questions about the dissertation workshop program to grad@apsanet.org.