Doha: The Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, in collaboration with the American Political Science Association (APSA), recently organized a four-day workshop entitled 'Engaged Research in the Middle East and North Africa.'
According to Qatar News Agency, the workshop brought together 20 advanced doctoral students, postdoctoral fellows, and early-career PhD-holding practitioners from the MENA region. These participants are engaged in research projects that utilize participatory and engaged research methodologies relevant to the region.
The initiative aimed to address the growing interest in the practical and ethical considerations involved in political science research conducted in non-academic or semi-academic settings. It sought to provide support to political science graduate students and practitioners engaged in applied research. The workshop was led by Lara Khattab from Doha Institute, Stacey Philbrick Yadav from Hobart and William Smith, Sarah E. Parkinson from Johns Hopkins University, and Ammar Shamaileh from Doha Institute.
The sessions included thematic seminars, discussions with experts, panels, and collaborative group exercises. These activities were designed to equip participants with methodological tools and a shared professional vocabulary, enhancing the legibility, rigor, and relevance of applied and engaged research in both academic and policy settings.
The workshop covered a range of topics, including research and human rights advocacy, research collaboration for track II diplomacy, ethical challenges in participatory research, and data reliability for applied research.
Organized through APSA's Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Program, the workshop is part of a multi-year effort funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. This initiative aims to support political science research and foster networking among early-career scholars in the Arab MENA region.
Upon completion, participants received a complimentary one-year membership to APSA, joining an expanding network of MENA workshop alumni. This was the fourth methods training workshop organized by APSA's MENA Program, following the launch of the MENA Methods Program Initiative in 2023.