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International Studies of the Mediterranean, Middle East & Asia paper prize for early career scholars

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We are pleased to announce the new International Studies of the Mediterranean, Middle East & Asia Paper Prize for Early Career Scholars.

Prize

The prize is intended to support early-career members of the International Studies of the Mediterranean, Middle East & Asia (ISMMEA) Working Group in developing their research and presenting new findings from the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Asia which are relevant to global studies and international relations. The prize is awarded annually to the best paper presented through the ISMMEA Working Group at the previous BISA annual conference.

Selection process

Articles will be judged on their rigour, originality, and significance to the field. The winning paper will be chosen by the award committee (listed below). The winner will be announced during the annual BISA conference.

Eligibility

  • The applicant must be a current member of BISA and the ISMMEA working group at the time the paper was presented.
  • Applicants must either be registered in a PhD programme or in the early stages of their career (no more than three years post-submission of their thesis, and not in a permanent or tenure track post) at the time the paper was presented. For multi-authored submissions, all contributors must be early-career scholars.
  • The paper must have been presented at the previous BISA annual conference that year.
  • The paper must be on a topic related to ISMMEA’s main thematic interests. ISMMEA provides an interdisciplinary forum for studies of the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Asia which develop new theoretical insights in global studies and international relations.
  • Submissions should be up to 8,000 words (including all bibliographic references and notes), submitted in 12-point font and double spaced.

How to apply 

Please send your paper, a nomination letter explaining the paper’s relevance to ISMMEA’s thematic focus, and a CV to ismmea.group@bisa.ac.uk. 

Deadline: Friday 31 October 2025

Award Committee Members

• Professor Bahar Baser (Durham University)

• Dr Betul Dogan-Akkas (Ankara University)

• Dr Rory McCarthy (Durham University) 

Learn more about the international Studies of the Mediterranean, Middle East and Asia Working Group

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