Register HERE for the Symposium.
Event Information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Date | Tuesday, April 21, 2026 |
| Location | York University (Toronto, Ontario) |
| Submission deadline | MARCH 1, 2026 (through this form) |
| Notification of participation | MARCH 17, 2026 |
| Draft Papers due | April 1 |
The Palestine Research Cluster at York University is pleased to invite graduate students and faculty members from across disciplines to participate in Palestine in Focus: Interdisciplinary Research at York University, to be held Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at York University (Toronto, Ontario).
This symposium is conceived as a collaborative, conversation-driven research space. Its purpose is to bring together scholars working on Palestine, or on issues directly related to Palestine, in order to share work, exchange ideas, and collectively deepen ongoing research through sustained dialogue and feedback. Participants do not need to have a completed paper; works-in-progress are strongly encouraged, including research statements and/or proposals.
Symposium Format
The symposium will follow a pre-circulated paper and workshop model.
- Participants will be asked to submit and circulate a draft paper/research statement/proposal in advance of the symposium.
- Drafts will be shared among participants and grouped thematically according to research interests, methodologies, and areas of focus.
- During the symposium, sessions will prioritize collective discussion, close engagement with one another’s work, and collaborative feedback, rather than formal paper presentations.
- Each session will be structured to allow time for authors to briefly situate their work, followed by in-depth conversation with peers and faculty discussants.
Please note: Participants must submit their drafts by APRIL 1, 2026
Areas of Research Interest
We welcome submissions from graduate students and faculty working on Palestine or on issues directly related to Palestine, including, but not limited to, research engaging with:
- Settler colonialism, occupation, and apartheid
- Law, violence, and state power
- Food sovereignty and environmental justice under occupation
- The ecological and public health effects of war on land, infrastructure, resources, and everyday life
- Political economy, development, and humanitarianism
- Borders, mobility, displacement, and refugee studies
- Memory, archives, history, and historiography
- Visual culture, media, and representation
- Resistance, abolition, and liberation movements
- Strategies/practices of activism and solidarity
- Comparative, transnational, or diasporic perspectives connected to Palestine
Submissions may be theoretical, empirical, methodological, historical, creative, or interdisciplinary in nature. We encourage participants to interpret the scope broadly.
Who Can Participate
The symposium is open to:
- Graduate students at any stage of study
- Faculty members (including contract faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and independent scholars)
Submission Details
Interested participants should submit:
- A brief abstract or project description (approx. 150-250 words)
- A short statement indicating the stage of the project and what kind of feedback would be most useful (approx. 250 words)
Register HERE for the Symposium.
Key Dates
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Submission deadline | MARCH 1, 2026 |
| Notification of participation | MARCH 17, 2026 |
Registration will be free, although advance registration will be required.
Contact
For questions or further information, please contact the Palestine Research Cluster at:
prcsymposium2026@gmail.com
We warmly encourage you to share this call with students and colleagues who may be interested. We look forward to bringing together a vibrant community of scholars committed to critical, engaged, and collaborative research on Palestine.
In solidarity,
Palestine Research Cluster
York University