World Conference of Humanitarian Studies

Dates: 4-8 February 2009

Location: University of Groningen, The Netherlands

The Universities of Bochum, Groningen and Wageningen are organising the first World Conference of Humanitarian Studies to encourage debate and dialogue between different research groups, policy actors and implementing agencies over a wide range of disciplines related to humanitarian action.

The World Conference aims to reflect one of the key characteristics of humanitarian studies: the close collaboration and dialogue with policy makers and practitioners. Hence, it is open to participation by all these groups.

As a World Conference, it aims to establish a global representation of humanitarian studies and foster interdisciplinary debate on a grand scale. Its central aims are:

• to provide a meeting ground for academic communities and practitioners concerned with in-depth research on humanitarian issues;
• to take stock of the current theory, debates, and issues of humanitarian studies;
• to reflect on current practice and identify opportunities for improving humanitarian practice; and
• to involve Southern scholars and practitioners more strongly into humanitarian politics, responses, debates, and studies.

An estimated 500 participants from a variety of institutions, universities, NGOs and other relevant organisations, associations, governmental departments, and intergovernmental agencies will participate.

The organisers have issued a call for paper and panel proposals. The deadline for submission for panels is 1 February 2008, for abstracts is 1 September 2008 and for early bird registration is 1 November 2008.

The conference fee is 200 euro (150 euro for early bird registration) and 100 euro for PhD students.

Guidelines for Participants on the Conference and updated details can be found at the website http://www.humanitarianstudies2009.org

For more information, email: info@humanitarianstudies2009.org