“Contentious Politics Workshops”

The purpose of the workshops is to discuss with the researchers who are currently working on their papers, so that we offer the opportunities to learn the latest ideas and to improve the quality of their papers.

Unlike ordinary lectures, conference presentations, research reports, etc., we do not spend time on the presenter’s own presentation, but spend most of the time discussing the paper. In order for this type of workshop to be successful, it is important for all participants to read the papers carefully beforehand and ask questions and make comments at the workshop.

This provides a valuable opportunity for researchers to get feedback on ways to improve their drafts from various angles, and for participants to know the latest research results that have not yet been published.

In this way, the ultimate goal is to produce higher quality academic results and also to build a network of researchers and students working on Contentious Politics.

－ Workshop Prepration －

(1) Presenters are requested to upload the draft papers in PDF format to the designated shared folder at least one week before the workshop. If you have any problems uploading your paper to the shared folder, please send it as a PDF attachment to info[replace with atmark]lainac.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp. In order for workshop participants to read the paper in advance, it is preferable to make it available at least one week in advance, so please be on time. The length of the paper should be no more than about 50 pages, including the list of references, tables, and graphs. The length of the paper might vary depending on the purpose of the paper, so please contact us if you need to exceed this limit.
 
(2) Participants are required to read the draft of the paper before the workshop starts. There are no presentations on the papers during the workshop and the workshops start from a question and answer session and discussion about the paper . Therefore, it is essential that you understand the content beforehand. Please be prepared to give constructive feedback in terms of how the draft can be improved. If you are interested in participating, please register by clicking on the link provided in the workshop schedule section of this page. You will receive (1) the URL of the shared folder where you can get the paper and (2) the ZOOM information for the day of the workshop to your email address. The paper will be available about one week before the workshop date.

－ Workshop Process －

(1) In the first three minutes of the workshop, the presenter can explain the background of the paper and any other information that he/she would like the participants to know. In particular, the purpose of writing the paper (submission to a journal, chapter in a book, application for research funding, annual conference, etc.) is one of the useful information for participants to comment on. If you do not have anything in particular to explain, that is fine.
 
(2) Commentators will comment on the paper in about 5 minutes following the presenter’s explanation. 1-2 students will be asked to be commentators. One or two students will be asked to serve as commentators. There will be an opportunity for the presenter to respond to the commentators’ comments.
 
(3) Students (non-PhDs) will have an opportunity to make initial comments and ask questions. PhD holders should wait for a few students to make comments.
 
(4) Open the opportunity for all participants to comment until the workshop wraps up.