Journal of Peasant Studies 2nd Writeshop-Workshop in Critical Agrarian Studies and Scholar-Activism 2020

Call for Applications


The Journal of Peasant Studies (JPS), College of Humanities and Development Studies (COHD) of China Agricultural University (Beijing), Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies at the University of the Western Cape (PLAAS), Young African Researchers in Agriculture (YARA), Future Agricultures Consortium (FAC), and the Global South Young Critical Agrarian Studies Scholars (the emerging association of graduates of this annual writeshop) are jointly organising the Second JPS Annual Summer Writeshop-Workshop in Critical Agrarian Studies and Scholar-Activism for PhD students and young researchers (up to 5 years from PhD completion) who are based in, or are originally from, the Global South.

The JPS-COHD-PLAAS-YARA-FAC Writeshop aims to improve young researchers’ strategic knowledge about and practical skills on matters related to international journal publication and impact (including choosing journals; building ideas about and framing/writing journal manuscripts, and overall preparation and submission of journal manuscripts; dealing with peer review reports, and so on). It will include sessions on key debates and literature in critical agrarian studies, and concepts in and practice of scholar-activism. The 7-day Writeshop-Workshop will include peer review discussions on participants’ draft journal manuscripts.

After the workshop, participants will be in a better position to frame their work in relation to critical agrarian studies and 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 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. We will  provide full fellowships (travel and accommodation financial support) for up to 20 researchers. 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-Workshop.

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: [log in to unmask]

Deadline: 1 March 2020

Application results to be announced on 15 March 2020.

Those selected are invited to submit a full draft manuscript of 8,000–10,000 words. This is due on 31 May 2020.

Writeshop-Workshop date: 25-31 July 2020

Venue: COHD, China Agricultural University, Beijing

After last year’s writeshop, the attendees formed the Global South Young Critical Agrarian Scholars and drafted “Towards a solidarity-based network of agrarian studies global-south scholars: A manifesto”.

For further queries, please contact:

Jun Borras, JPS Editor: [log in to unmask]
Ruth Hall, JPS Editorial Collective member: [log in to unmask]
Chunyu Wang, COHD, Beijing: [log in to unmask]
Cyriaque Hakizimana, YARA (Young African Researchers in Agriculture): [log in to unmask]

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