Merry Christmas Everyone!
As the new year is just around the corner, it is natural to be excited about the new year and the academic plans ahead. Conferences and workshops are an important part of an academic career. They have more value than just adding another line in the CV or fulfil some institutional requirement.
I had attended a few conferences prior to 2023 but they were in online mode due to Covid restrictions. However, 2024 was radically different as I travelled to attend these conferences in-person.
As an ECR, I have grown to value these opportunities with each event that I attend. Therefore, I encourage more and more young scholars to participate in these.
Speaking from my limited experience, in India, the utility of conferences and presentations has often been reduced to meet certain UGC requirements for the award of the PhD. This is rather a reductionist approach. Yet, I strongly believe that if done right, academic conferences are a treasure trove, especially for young scholars.
Reconnecting with the Academic Community: Pursuing a PhD can often feel like a solitary journey, marked by isolation. Academic conferences and workshops provide a valuable opportunity to re-engage with the broader academic community. They offer a platform to step out of the confines of individual research and interact with a network of scholars sharing similar pursuits.
Learning from Peers and Senior Scholars: Interaction at these events takes two enriching forms. Firstly, presenting your work and receiving feedback helps refine your ideas and approaches. Secondly, attending panels and presentations of other scholars keeps you abreast of the latest debates and academic discussions, some of which may not be in your immediate field of study. Observing how other scholars approach their research and methodology is particularly insightful.
Opportunities to Diversify Your Research: Conferences often have specific themes and calls for papers that might prompt you to explore new areas of interest. For instance, while my thesis focuses on populism and diaspora strategy, my participation in conferences has led me to present papers on topics like the Indo-Pacific and Myanmar, broadening the scope of my research interests.
Becoming a Part of the Community: I view these events not just as networking opportunities but as a way to become an integral part of the academic community. Engaging in conversations with new scholars, discussing each other's research, exploring joint project possibilities, or connecting with other faculty members are invaluable aspects of these gatherings.
A Fun Break and a Chance to Travel: Conferences are not just academically beneficial; they're also enjoyable and offer a welcome break from the monotony of research and writing. The chance to travel, explore new places, meet diverse people, and gain fresh perspectives is an invigorating part of the PhD journey, especially during the attritional phases of research.
I hope these points will motivate many of you to participate in conferences with a new perspective. I truly believe that workshops and conferences can help one become a better scholar. Over the next few weeks and months I shall also discuss the process of drafting proposals/abstracts for these conferences. I also regularly share calls for different conferences on my social media, please check it out if you're interested.
Thank you.