Pre Conference & Mentoring Workshop 

The Pre-Conference & Mentoring Workshop is an event preceding the main conference for Young and Early-Career Scholars. In addition to networking, the Pre-Conference and Mentorship Workshop serves as a place for young scholars to lead the discussion in and around the central theme for the main conference. The 2025 Pre-Conference Workshop will be held on the afternoon of July 2, 2025 at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

The workshop is open to all registered participants of the main conference. Kindly confirm your participation at this year's Pre-Conference by filling out the google form below. Please note that the deadline for confirmation is June 24, 2025.

Confirm your participation here

Program 

1:15pm – 2:15pm: Gallery Walk
Imagine walking through an art gallery, but instead of seeing art, you see research work. Yes, research work! Gallery Walk provides a unique opportunity for young scholars to present their ongoing research at the pre-conference, with the key objective of fostering scholarly engagements and dialogue around their research ideas. Each presentation, lasting a maximum of 4 minutes, will be followed by feedback from both senior and young scholars, providing constructive criticism
and diverse perspectives on the research. The aim of this exchange is to help refine and improve the presented work, offer opportunities for collaborations across career stages and encourage academic growth. Join us on this walk through the gallery of research work.

2:30pm – 4pm: Panel Discussion on the Politics of Publishing
This panel discussion explores the complex nature of the politics of publishing. Among other things, this session will focus on discussing the systemic and structural barriers that shape scholarly production and dissemination of research output. Central to the discussion are the power relations embedded within the global publishing industry, where institutions in the Global North influence most editorial decisions regarding journal rankings and access. The panel will also focus on the
challenges young scholars face – particularly those from the Global South – in assessing research grants and publishing in high-impact journals, which in most cases are financially or institutionally inaccessible. By discussing these issues, the session aims to generate a dialogue around strategies and reliable support systems that young scholars and young career researchers can use to navigate these barriers while promoting equitable and inclusive scholarly practices.

4:30m – 5:30pm: Panel Discussion on the Politics of Research Methodologies
This panel session explores the politics of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies and, in so doing, highlights how methodological choices are often influenced by power dynamics within academic, research and funding institutions. Indeed, while quantitative methodologies are often privileged for their perceived objectivity and generalisability, qualitative approaches are often undervalued despite their depth and contextual richness. This imbalance shapes research by influencing what is considered legitimate knowledge, who gets to produce it and where it is published. The session will also explore the growing discussions around interdisciplinary research methodologies, particularly in addressing complex social problems that require insights from multiple disciplines. A key focus of this session is to discuss the challenges and opportunities of collaborating across fields, including negotiating epistemological differences, methodological
integration, and co-authorship dynamics. By examining these issues, the session aims to encourage thoughtful consideration of research methods while supporting inclusive, creative, and adaptable research practices that meet various academic and societal needs. 

Speakers: Carmen Diana Derre, Sarah Small, Naila Kabeer 
Moderated by Ana Laura Jaruf