【Call for Applications】Asia Writeshop in Critical Agrarian Studies and Scholar-Activism 2025

College of Humanities and Development Studies of China Agricultural University, the Journal of Peasant Studies and co-organizers are pleased to announce the

Asia Writeshop in Critical Agrarian Studies and Scholar-Activism 2025

1-12 July 2025, China Agricultural University, Beijing

Call for Applications

College of Humanities and Development Studies (COHD) of China Agricultural University (Beijing), the Journal of Peasant Studies(JPS), Beijing Innovation Center for Rural Revitalization and Integrated Rural-urban Development (BIC-RRID), Collective of Agrarian Scholar-Activists from the South (CASAS), Initiatives in Critical Agrarian Studies (ICAS) and the International Institute for Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands are jointly organising the Asia Writeshop in Critical Agrarian Studies and Scholar-Activism for PhD students and relatively early career researchers (up to 8 years from PhD completion) who are based in, or are originally from, Southeast Asia, South Asia and China.

The Writeshop aims to improve researchers’ strategic knowledge about and practical skills on matters related to international publications and impact, with a particular focus in the field of Critical Agrarian Studies, with particular attention to action research in agrarian and food systems under climate change. This includes sessions by leading academics on key debates and literature in critical agrarian studies, and concepts in and practices of scholar-activism with an Asia focus. It will include thematic sessions on how to conduct action researches and get published in mass media as well as academic journals for policy advocacies. The 10-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 in Beijing and the COHD peasant learning center in Northern China.

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 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 50 workshop participants. For young scholars, they should be within 8 years after they obtain their doctoral degree. For PhD researchers, they should be in their post-fieldwork phase of the study. 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 in one Word file:

(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

Please send your application to: jpswriteshop@gmail.com

Timelines

●      Application results to be announced by 20 April 2025.

●      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 25 June 2025

●      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: 1 July 2025

●      Departure from Writeshop: 12 July 2025

For information about the previous International Writeshops, see: 

2019 Beijing: https://casasouth.org/sample-page/ (manifesto by participants). 

2020&2021 online: https://www.plaas.org.za/sarchi-chair/jps-writeshop/

2022 Cape Town: https://plaas.org.za/sarchi-chair/jps-writeshop-2022/

2024 Beijing: https://cohd.cau.edu.cn/art/2024/8/9/art_47955_1033797.html

Note: JPS and partners organize the International Writeshop once every 2 years. The last one was in 2024, and the next one will be in 2026. In between, it is organizing the regional Asia Writeshop (thus, in 2025). 

The Asia Writeshop is organised by:

JPS Journal of Peasant Studies

CASAS Collective of Agrarian Scholar-Activists from the South 

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

IICAS/COHD, International Institue of Critical Agrarian Studies (IICAS at COHD)

BIC-RRID, Beijing Innovation Center for Rural Revitalization and Integrated Rural-urban Development

ICASEA/COHD, Initiatives for Critical Agrarian and Development Studies on China and Southeast Asia

ICAS/ISS, International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam (ISS/EUR)

     Netherlands (including the Erasmus Chairs Program for positive societal impact at EUR)

ARSA Asian Rural Sociology Association

The Asia Writeshop is primarily funded by EarthCare Foundation.

We also acknowledge the multiple support from CSC International Summer School Program, Chinese Universities Scientific Fund/CAU, The 2115 Talent Development Program/CAU, Journal of Peasant Studies/Taylor & Francis Group, and Erasmus Professorship Program/Erasmus University of Rotterdam. 

For queries, please contact any of the organisers, or send email to the Writeshop email address:

jpswriteshop@gmail.com. For regular updates on this, follow us through: https://www.peasantjournal.org and subscribe, and also through JPS on X and Facebook.

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