Dear Researchers,
We are writing to solicit applications from doctoral students and other researchers for our fourth Political Economy Summer Institute to be held in 6-10 June 2019 at George Mason University on the political economy of the Middle East (6 June is arrival day). The aim of the Political Economy Summer Institute (PESI) is both to provide graduate level engagement and instruction as well as to connect doctoral students and independent researchers with mid-career and senior scholars working in the field of critical political economy. The Summer Institute will consist of three main parts: (1) doctoral students presenting their research and receiving written and verbal feedback from the participants, (2) methodological and theoretical workshop sessions led by faculty scholars, and (3) small break-out group discussions that build on the faculty-led sessions.
Anyone interested in submitting an application to attend the workshop should provide the following: [If you are not a Ph.D. student, you may still apply.]
- Title of your current research project.
- Institutional affiliation along with name and contact information for your thesis/dissertation advisor (and any additional committee members if possible).
- Research narrative (2500 words maximum, not including bibliography). Please lay out your primary research question, scope of your research, methodology, and where you are in the research process.
- Personal narrative (500 words maximum). Please explain how your attendance at the Political Economy Summer Institute can support your current research project and how you hope to benefit from participating.
- Expected completion date of Ph.D., if applicable.
- Funding. Please indicate whether you are able to secure funding from your department or home institution.
- List of any relevant publications.
Please submit all applications by 15 November 2018 to the Pedagogy Working Group at the Political Economy Project through the following online form:
The Pedagogy Working Group will review the applications and may request further information from potential participants. All applicants will receive notification about their applications by January 2019. Fellowships may be offered to support travel and lodging, subject to availability. Most meals will be covered for the duration of the Institute.
Pedagogy Working Group
Political Economy Project
PESI@PoliticalEconomyProject.org
Summer Institute Page
[The PESI 2018 Cohort sitting in Adam Hanieh's lecture.]
[Faculty member Sherene Seikaly lectures to the cohort in her session before moving to break-out sections.]
[Students and faculty break into small groups to discuss readings and themes presented within lectures.]
About the Third Annual PESI (2018):
Over the course of four days, June 7th to June 11th 2018, and in conjunction with the Arab Studies Institute, the Political Economy Project held its largest Political Economy Summer Institute (PESI) to date at George Mason University. The Summer Institute brought together a diverse collection of scholars and graduate student fellows from around the world for a series of workshops on the foundational concerns of critical political economy, with special attention devoted to conducting research in the contemporary Middle East.
The Institute served not only as an overview of critical debates and fundamental concepts for student participants, but also as an opportunity for faculty participants to reflect on long-running debates and acquaint themselves with emerging research agendas.
Each student shared their research projects with small working groups headed by one to two faculty members, in which students and faculty alike shared collaborative feedback. The reading lists produced by the faculty session leaders represent an excellent compendium of basic texts and citations in the tradition of critical political economy. We are working on compiling a public PESI reading list in coordination with PEP’s annotated bibliography project. Stay tuned by visiting our PEP Blog here.
More information on the Summer Institute can be found on our website:
http://www.politicaleconomyproject.org/summer-institute.html
The Political Economy Project has also held several workshops and conferences in the United States, the Middle East, and Europe. These events can be accessed here. We have also launched a yearly Book Prize competition.
We are looking forward to host the fourth cohort in Summer 2019, as detailed above.
[The PESI cohort and members of the community gather for PESI's public event presented by Professor Zeinab Abul Magd, who presents on the relationship between Egypt's military, business class and interests, and the 2011 revolution.]
[Final group picture of the cohort.]