EUSOC - CALL FOR PAPERS - 15th International Doctoral Seminar in Social Sciences 13 – 16 October 2016

PhD students in sociology, political science, European studies, public policy (or public economics), social policy and social work, media studies, social psychology and other social sciences from universities associated in EUSOC are invited to submit their papers to the 15^th EUSOC international seminar.

How to enrol

Send an abstract and extended abstract of the paper written in English.  Length of the abstract: 5 – 10 lines, extended abstract 550 – 750 words.

The abstract should characterize the problem and research question in focus, method, key hypothesis and, if possible the main finding(s).

The structure of the extended abstract:  the problem, theoretical background, the research question and its relevance in context, hypotheses, methodology, findings (assumptions about findings), conclusions and discussion in a broader context.

What is expected to be done in the abstract:

1) formulation of the research question in clear terms and in a short sentence;

2) brief introduction of the research guiding/sensitizing concepts of the research;

3) explanation of why you have chosen exactly the cases/have collected exactly the data on which you  (want to) work

4) demonstration that the approach / strategy / technique of data analysis that you (want to) use is exactly the one which (a) squeezes (better than any conceivable alternative) the relevant information out of the data collected and (b) is highly probable to allow a clear answer to the research guiding question.

A paragraph characterizing the content of your PhD thesis and another paragraph which indicates how your paper fits into your PhD thesis (which part, how it helps to develop the thesis).

Deadline for the abstract:  1st July, 2016

Abstracts will be evaluated by members of the EUSOC Steering Committee until 15 July, 2016. Abstracts and extended abstracts are regarded as proof of the applicant’s ability to write clearly about the topic, to organize the paper, and to convey sufficient information to readers. The abstracts which meet the quality standards will be selected and their authors invited to submit their full papers.  

Full Paper: length  5 000-8 000 words, written in English, format MS Word, double spaced, font Times New Roman 12, references, tables and graphs in appendix.

The papers should be structured as follows:

1. Introduction with clear-cut research question and the relevance of it
   2. Theoretical background
   3. Methods
   4. Results, findings
   5. Conclusions and discussion
   6. References

Since the seminar is interdisciplinary, professorial feedback will focus above all else on the methodology and epistemology of student research. Professors will also provide advice on how to do sound, interdisciplinary research.  The relevance of the research problem and research question will be contextualized within the broader disciplines of contemporary social science.

Deadline for the final version of the paper:  30^th September 2016

Participation in the seminar will enable you:

- to get useful feedback on your thesis from eminent European professors;
- to establish contacts with the best qualified specialists from European Universities;

- to have the opportunity to compare your work with students from other European Universities;

- to get ETCS credits when you take part in the seminar. This applies to students of Faculty of Social Studies (Brno). Students from other universities can also ask for the same possibility at their universities/departments.

EUSOC/Masaryk University fully covers the costs of stay in Brno. Depending on the resources available, the contribution towards travel costs will also be provided (up to the limit of 130 EUR). Applicants are expected to at least partially cover their travel costs (we recommend asking their universities to contribute to their travel costs).  

For more information please see section news/European School for Social Sciences on the website: http://www.fss.muni.cz and our web: http://www.eusoc.eu/

Where to submit the abstract

Please, send your abstract by 1st July 2016 to the following e-mail addresses:

               
Tomáš Sirovátka sirovatk@fss.muni.cz  EUSOC  Executive Director

Daniela Jaklová Střihavková djs@fss.muni.cz EUSOC   Manager