Dubai Humanities is a nine-month festival that celebrates the work of Khaleeji scholars and scholars based in the Gulf, supports scholars at all stages of their careers in developing their skills, creates opportunities for members of the public to engage with new scholarship and ideas, and helps build community among scholars. We aim to make scholarship accessible to a diverse group of people, including people outside of academia, parents with young children, and people who cannot travel to participate in international conferences in Europe and the United States.

You can find past lectures from 2023-2024 Dubai Humanities here.

CALL FOR PAPERS

The 2024-2025 Dubai Humanities festival of scholarship invites proposals for papers, panels, round tables, and symposia on a variety of topics in history, philosophy, literature, art history, and other disciplines in the humanities. Proposals and presentations may be in Arabic or English. We especially welcome studies that relate to the United Arab Emirates, the Gulf, and the Middle East. We also welcome research and scholarship that address the realities, meanings, and possibilities for scholarship in times of war. We welcome topics including but not limited to:

• Philosophy and philosophers of the UAE and the Gulf
• Cultural and literary studies and studies about literary culture in the UAE and the Gulf
• Histories of cultural, literary, and philosophical exchange between the UAE and Palestine or Lebanon
• Studies of Arab art and artists, especially those currently on exhibit at Kutubna Cultural Center
• How scholarship can be reimagined to serve communities that face injustice and violence
• Histories, philosophies, and other studies of art and literature in times of war
• The ethics of scholarship in times of war
• Histories of the idea of justice and how definitions of justice contribute to violence or restoration
• Research on understudied communities

Dubai Humanities is not a traditional conference in its format. Recognizing that scholars are human beings with bodies, families, communities, histories, and complex lives, presenters and participants may bring members of their families, including babies and small children, parents, siblings, etc. Events may be organized in conjunction with activities for small children, such as sensory play for toddlers, painting for children of all ages, etc. so that parents can discuss ideas and research in community with their families without the need to leave children behind.

This call is open to scholars in the UAE and worldwide. Priority will be given to Emirati scholars and scholars from countries affected by war. We are not able to cover the costs of travel to participate in Dubai Humanities at this time, however, we welcome sponsorships to fund travel and/or stipends for scholars from countries where support for research and scholarship is not available.

Please submit your proposals here. Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis.

Dubai Humanities events will be held at Kutubna Cultural Center in Nadd Al Hamar, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The festival extends from November 2024 to May 2025. Please send inquiries to info@kutubna.ae.