Theme
Contemporary Issues in Area Studies: Changing Orders, Regional Reconfiguration, and Knowledge Production
Dates
November 28–29, 2026 (Saturday–Sunday)
Venue
Tsinghua University, Beijing
Organizer
Institute for International and Area Studies, Tsinghua University
I. About the Forum
To further advance the development of area studies as an academic field and to foster dialogue among regional studies, country studies, and global studies, the Institute for International and Area Studies at Tsinghua University will convene the 5th Tsinghua Area Studies Forum on November 28–29, 2026, at Tsinghua University in Beijing.
Since its inauguration in 2019, the Tsinghua Area Studies Forum has been held four times and has developed into an influential platform for scholarly exchange in the field of area studies. The previous four forums addressed, respectively, common challenges, regions and the world, developing countries in an age of uncertainty, and emerging issues concerning the Global South. They brought together scholars from universities, research institutions, and think tanks in China and abroad, and have continuously promoted cross-regional comparison, interdisciplinary dialogue, and the exchange of fieldwork-based knowledge.
The 5th forum will take place over two days, with intensive and highly interactive parallel panel discussions at its core. It will adopt a dual-track submission format, accepting both complete panel proposals and individual paper submissions. Scholars are encouraged to organize panels around shared research concerns and to foster substantive academic dialogue across institutions, disciplines, and regions.
II. Forum Theme and Suggested Topics
The theme of this year's forum is "Contemporary Issues in Area Studies: Changing Orders, Regional Reconfiguration, and Knowledge Production." The international order is undergoing accelerated change, while regional power configurations, interstate relations, and mechanisms of cooperation continue to be reconfigured. Global issues are taking different forms across particular countries and regions. At the same time, the histories, institutions, social structures, and intellectual traditions of different regions continue to shape the evolution of the world order. Understanding this two-way process requires both in-depth knowledge of particular countries and regions and a cross-regional perspective capable of identifying their connections, interactions, and differences.
Changes in the international order and regional reconfiguration not only generate new real-world questions but also place new demands on knowledge production in area studies. How can global change be understood from the vantage point of particular countries and regions? How can commonalities and differences be identified through cross-regional comparison? How can fieldwork, multilingual sources, historical archives, and locally grounded empirical knowledge be brought together to produce robust and explanatory knowledge about different countries and regions? These are among the central questions of this forum. We welcome scholars from across the humanities and social sciences to engage in interdisciplinary dialogue on countries, regions, and global issues and to address the contemporary challenges facing area studies.
Topics include, but are not limited to:
1.Changes in the International Order and Regional Reconfiguration
2.State Governance and Political and Social Change
3.Developmental Transformation and Regional Cooperation in the Global South
4.Regional Security, Conflict Governance, and Cross-Border Risks
5.Restructuring of Global Industrial and Supply Chains, Regional Economic Governance, and Geoeconomic Competition
6.Empires, State-Building, and the Historical Evolution of Regions
7.Historical Archives and Collective Memory
8.Regional Literature, Language, and Culture
9.Ethnicity, Religion, and Identity Politics
10.Theories, Methods, and Fieldwork in Area Studies
III. Modes of Participation
The forum accepts applications in two formats:
1. Complete Panel Proposals
Scholars wishing to organize a panel should submit a complete proposal through the panel convener. The proposal should include:
1) A panel title and a statement of approximately 300 words explaining the proposed topic;
2) The name and CV of the proposed discussant. The convener will normally serve as the panel chair, and may also serve as the discussant;
3) For each of the four to five presenters: the paper title, an abstract of approximately 300 words, a CV, and a completed application form (see Annex).
Please compile all materials into a single compressed file and send it to the submission email address (Email Subject Format: Panel Proposal + Convener's Name + Panel Title), the panel convener is also required to complete the questionnaire via the link below: https://v.wjx.cn/vm/mBmLacs.aspx.
Priority will be given to panel proposals that are thematically focused, coherently structured, and of high academic quality. Cross-institutional panels are strongly encouraged. As a general rule, presenters from any single institution should not constitute more than half of the panel.
2. Individual Paper Submissions
Individual applicants should submit:
1) A paper title and an abstract of approximately 300 words;
2) A CV and a completed application form (see Annex).
Please compile all materials into a single compressed file and send it to the submission email address (Email Subject Format: Individual Submission + Applicant's Name + Paper Title), the applicant is also required to complete the questionnaire via the link below: https://v.wjx.cn/vm/mBmLacs.aspx.
Accepted individual papers will be assigned by the Organizing Committee to appropriate panels on the basis of thematic relevance.
General Requirements
The working languages of the forum are Chinese and English. Submissions must be unpublished scholarly papers for which the applicant is the principal author. They must not infringe upon third-party rights or contain confidential or classified information. Authors bear full responsibility for the content of their submissions. The Organizing Committee may recommend selected papers for publication.
IV. Important Dates
·September 28, 2026: Deadline for complete panel proposals and individual paper abstracts
·October 16, 2026: Notification of acceptance and issuance of formal invitation letters
·November 9, 2026: Deadline for full papers
-Chinese papers: at least 10,000 Chinese characters
-English papers: at least 6,000 words
V. Forum Size and Format
The forum will comprise 18 panels, with no more than five papers on each panel. Each presenter will generally have 10–15 minutes for their presentation, followed by a total of 40–50 minutes for comments and open discussion. Each panel will last no more than two hours.
The forum will take place over two days. The full program will be released prior to the forum.
VI. Fees and Expenses
No registration fee will be charged. The organizer will provide two lunches and one dinner for invited participants during the forum. Participants are responsible for their own transportation and accommodation expenses.
VII. Contact
Email for submissions and inquiries: iias-research@tsinghua.edu.cn
Annex
The 5th Tsinghua Area Studies Forum Application Form
