7th Congress of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies

For its seventh edition, the Scientific Research Group ‘Middle East and Muslim Worlds’, the Institute for the Study of Islam and Societies of the Muslim World, the Society for the Study of the Middle East and Muslim Worlds, and their partners will organise the Congress on Middle Eastern and Muslim World Studies at the University of Montpellier Paul-Valéry during the week of 14–18 June 2027.

The conference will take place on the UMPV’s Route de Mende campus and will be co-organised by the research units affiliated with GIS MOMM (CRISES, ReSO, CEMM) and all research units and bodies within the Montpellier university cluster wishing to participate.

PhD students, recent PhD graduates, postdoctoral researchers, researchers and lecturers are invited to submit proposals for thematic workshops (maximum of 4 papers in addition to the introduction by the organiser or panel chair – double panels are permitted with a maximum of 8 papers) by 30 June 2026 at the latest, using the form provided in the attached template.

The conference programme is presented in French and English. Presentations may be delivered in the language of the speaker’s choice (Arabic, Kurdish, Persian, Turkish, etc.), provided that the abstract is translated into French or English (at least one of these two languages).

Proposals may relate to one or more fields within the humanities and social sciences (anthropology, archaeology and art history, law, economics, geography, history, Islamic studies and religious studies, linguistics, literature, philosophy, sociology, political science, etc.), from a global or regional perspective. Proposals must be classified under one of these fields, without prejudging how the organising committee will group them according to thematic affinities. As in previous years, the conference is an invitation to transcend disciplinary and institutional boundaries by bringing together contributors from diverse backgrounds, working in France and around the world. Joint proposals from early-career researchers, PhD students and postdoctoral researchers are encouraged. Individual paper proposals, however, will not be eligible.

NB: In order to encourage participation by researchers from the Maghreb and the Middle East, financial assistance towards travel and accommodation costs may be granted at the discretion of the GIS Scientific Council, subject to available funding. Priority will be given to the participation of early-career researchers from these regions.

 

Proposals will be reviewed by the GIS Scientific Committee, which will notify participants of its decision in early November 2026. Once the workshop proposal has been accepted, the list of participants may be finalised or amended until 15 December 2026. The final workshop programme must be submitted by this date.

For further information: gismomm-contact@services.cnrs.fr

 

Registration fees (to be paid by the first term of 2027):

 

- €50 for all participants (workshop participants and members of the public)

- €25 for PhD students and junior researchers without a permanent post

- Exemption for UMPV students, but registration is compulsory