The Journal of Peasant Studies (JPS), College of Humanities and Development Studies (COHD) of China Agricultural University (Beijing), the Collective of Agrarian Scholar-Activists from the South (CASAS), Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS) at the University of the Western Cape and the Initiative in Critical Agrarian Studies (ICAS) at the International Institute of Social Studies at Erasmus University Rotterdam in The Netherlands are jointly organizing the 5th Writeshop in Critical Agrarian Studies for PhD students and young researchers who are based in, or are originally from, the Global South. Applicants must have finished their PhD fieldwork, or be less than five years past PhD completion.

The Writeshop aims to improve young researchers’ strategic knowledge about and practical skills on matters related to international journal publication and impact. This includes choosing journals; building ideas about and framing/writing journal manuscripts; overall preparation and submission of journal manuscripts; dealing with peer review reports, and so on. It will include sessions by leading academics on key debates and literature in critical agrarian studies, and concepts in and practices of scholar-activism. The 5-day Writeshop will include peer review discussions on participants’ draft journal manuscripts, conducted in small groups with mentors and facilitators. Hosted by the College of Humanities and Development Studies at China Agricultural University in Beijing, the writeshop will take place between the COHD campus and the COHD peasant learning center in Yi County.

After the Writeshop, participants will be in a better position to frame their work in relation to critical agrarian studies, to think about international journal publications in the long-term, and finalise journal manuscripts in the short term. They will also benefit from being part of an emerging community of young researchers working in critical agrarian studies from a scholar-activist tradition. Several participants would be invited to submit manuscripts to JPS, and encouraged to submit to other major international journals.

We are looking at a maximum of 30-40 workshop participants. No fee is required. We will provide partial or full fellowships (travel and accommodation financial support) for some of the participants, depending on the availability of funds. We also encourage externally funded participants. Successful applicants must circulate a draft manuscript (based on their accepted abstract) of 8,000-10,000 words in advance of the Writeshop.

For applications, please submit the following:

(1) An abstract of 500 words, related to critical agrarian studies (see JPS aims and scope)

(2) A short bio of 250 words

(3) Names and contact information of 2 academic references

Applications are available at : https://forms.office.com/r/k8NSHiydbg

If you have questions, please do get in touch at jpeasantstudieswriteshop@gmail.com

Deadline for applications: 31 January 2024

Timelines

●    Application results to be announced in mid-February 2024.

●    Successful applicants will be asked to confirm their acceptance of a place at the Writeshop. 

●    Those selected are invited to submit a full draft manuscript of 8,000–10,000 words. This is due on 30 June 2024.

●    Selected participants will be provided with a detailed logistics note including information regarding accommodation, visas and other details, well ahead of the Writeshop date. 

●    Arrival at Writeshop: 31 July 2024

●    Departure from Writeshop: 7 August 2024

For information about the 2019 Writeshop in Beijing, see: https://casasouth.org/sample-page/ (manifesto by participants). For information about the 2021 Writeshop online, see: https://www.plaas.org.za/sarchi-chair/jps-writeshop/

The Writeshop is organised by:

JPS Journal of Peasant Studies

CASAS Collective of Agrarian Scholar-Activists from the South 

PLAAS Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town

IICAS/COHD College of Humanities and Development Studies, China Agricultural University, Beijing

ICAS/ISS, International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands

For queries, please contact any of the organisers, or send an email to the Writeshop email address: jpeasantstudieswriteshop@gmail.com. For regular updates on this, follow JPS on Twitter and Facebook.

*Please note: this event is exclusively in-person. No option of participation online will be provided.

See the attached PDF version of the Call.

Writeshop 2024 - call for applications-COHD.pdf