Call for papers and posters is now extended to 31 March.

The ARC-UNHCR Conference on Refugee Studies and Forced Displacement invites submissions of papers and poster presentations on a wide range of topics related to refugees and displaced populations, with a special additional population of focus for this year: stateless persons. 

Suggested themes include, but are not limited to: 

• Protection and Legal Frameworks for Refugees and Stateless Persons

• Livelihoods, Health and Education for Refugees and Stateless Persons

• Empowerment, Agency, and Community-Led Advocacy Among Stateless and Displaced Groups

• Mobility, Borders, and Regional Cooperation in Refugee and Statelessness Governance

• Public Perceptions, Media Narratives, and Social Attitudes Toward Refugees and Stateless Persons

We commit to a multidisciplinary approach and welcome original contributions from any field and methodological approaches, as long as they align with the conference focus on refugees, displaced populations, and statelessness.

In addition to full-length paper presentations, we also welcome poster presentations from graduate students, researchers, practitioners, academics, and members of refugee communities.

People are welcome to submit proposals for a paper, a poster, or both. For those who select “both,” if the paper is not accepted, we will consider the poster for inclusion. For those who select only “paper” or “poster,” submissions will be evaluated solely within the chosen category.

Submission Criteria:

• All proposals must include a title and a 300-word abstract.

• The abstract should clearly state the research question, describe the methodological approach, and summarise the research findings.

• For coordination purposes, please ensure that the paper submitter is also the paper presenter.

Paper Presentation Format:

• ​Paper presentations will generally be 15–20 minutes, followed by a 10-minute Q&A. A total of 30 minutes will be allocated to each presenter.

• Accepted paper presenters will be contacted and must submit their presentation slides by 1 June 2026.

  • Selected presenters must be able to attend the full conference in person from 9–11 June 2026 (tentative).

  • Travel to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, will be at the presenter’s own expense, as the conference does not provide funding for travel.

Poster Presentation Format:

• The conference will feature a walk-through display of selected posters, with dedicated sessions for presenters to discuss their work and engage with participants.

• Accepted poster presenters will be contacted and must submit their posters by 1 June 2026, following the guidelines below:

  • A3 size

  • Portrait orientation

  • PDF format

  • Research-focused poster

  • One poster per submission

  • Colour posters are preferred