MA Workshops

Copenhagen University, 6 November 2026

NSMES invites MA students at Nordic universities to a workshop designed to facilitate work on the MA thesis. The speakers and facilitators are members of the NSMES board from the Nordic universities. Participation is free, but NSMES cannot cover travel costs or lodging. We will however cover the costs for the dinner in the evening.

Registration and submission of idea for research/abstract: Please write to secretary@nsmes.org to register for the workshop. Binding registrations, including a one-paragraph sketch/abstract of the research idea must be sent no later than 15 October.

Participants are expected to read the student abstracts and the articles provided beforehand. All are welcome to a reception with drinks and a dinner after the program is finished. 

Program: 

12:30-12:45 Welcome and introductions

12:45-13:15 Lecture: How write an MA thesis in MENA area studies (Jacob Høigilt).

13:30-15:00 Presentation and discussion of student abstracts

• Each student presents their idea and challenges they face, and NSMES board members offer their comments and advice.

15:00-15:30 Coffee/Tea

15:30-16:30 Methodological tricks of the trade

20 minutes quick presentations and Q&A - attend as many or few as you want:

• 15:30-15:50 Fieldwork (with Tiina Hyyppä, Tiina Järvi, Thomas Brandt Fibiger).
• 15:50-16:10 Archives (with Pelle Valentin Olsen).
• 16:10-16:30 Discourse-centred theses Society and Media ( with Jacob Høigilt, Christine Aster Crone).

16:30-17:00 Reception

18:00 Dinner 

Instructions to find the venue: We will meet in the room 5B.2.06, located on the Southern campus of the University of Copenhagen. The closest metro stop is ”Islands brygge”. If you get lost, call Christine Aster Crone: +45 27593391.

Map of the venue