Call for Papers

The organizing committee is pleased to invite applicants to submit their proposals for papers for this event. Applicants should be engaged in research on the Arab region, or any of its countries. Comparative papers are welcome, provided that their main focus is on the Arab region. The conference seeks to present original, high-quality research papers that highlight the traditions and policies that shape the family in the Arab world, examining it from a variety of disciplinary traditions, research paradigms and practices. In recognition of outstanding contributions, DIFI will present a Best Paper Award of $1,500 in each of the three specified sub-topics that constitute the conference themes.



Conference Themes

Proposals are welcome on the following sub-topics:
Political, economic, and cultural challenges facing the Arab family in different regions of the Arab world.
Marriage and divorce in the Arab world; responses to challenges in terms of marriage practices (such as misyar, ‘urfi, mut’aa, mixed, marriage of minors, and living together-apart marriages); the causes and consequences of separation and divorce.
The role of state policies on family formation and stability, including the effect of the absence of such policies.

Criteria for Papers

The paper proposals must meet the following criteria;
The proposal is clearly written in Arabic or English and logically organized, with one page of references.
Proposals can be based on qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods of research, or analyses of methodologies.
Proposals should explicitly articulate a strong connection to existing research and theory.
The paper should have the potential to stimulate new knowledge and/or innovative practices.


Required outline for Papers
A paper proposal of nine hundred (900) words must include the following elements:
Significance - Provide a clear statement of the problem at hand, the knowledge gap the paper will address and how the proposed research will contribute to advancing our knowledge about the subject.
Methodology and analysis - Identify the research question, hypothesis to be tested and proposed research methodology. Outline data sources, time span for variables and describe the analytical technique and rationale for using selected methodology.
Policy Implications - Describe preliminary results and policy implications of the proposed research. Alternatively, explain how the findings will contribute to the understanding of the topic under investigation.