Calls for Papers

International conference in History of architecture organized by SAFIR Institute and the Department of Art History and Archeology, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, 28 October 2026

The conference examines architectural and urban production in the Arab Gulf countries from the 1950s to the present, in the context of post-oil urbanization and accelerated modernization. It explores how architectural practices, planning models, and international exchanges have contributed to processes of nation-building, and the negotiation of modernity in the region. Particular attention is given to the circulation of ideas, actors, and models across regional and international contexts.

This international conference, organized by the SAFIR Institute and the Department of Art History and Archaeology at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, aims to bring together local and international researchers in order to explore the significance of late-colonial and post-independence architecture in post-oil Gulf countries in relation to globalization and postcolonial issues. The papers are expected to address a range of topics, including the dynamics of dependency and autonomy in architectural discourse and practice in relation to engineers or planners; the possible emergence of a specifically Gulf model in building production; climatic design; the role of the welfare state; differentiated processes of globalization, internationalization, and transfer through architecture, urban planning, or specific typologies such as museums; and, finally, the ways in which architects negotiate between postcoloniality and the imperatives of nation-building. Contemporary issues—including heritage preservation, as well as the challenges of housing production and building stock—are also included. Learn more about the conference.

The call is open to scholars at all stages, including graduate and PhD students in the history of architecture, art history, urban planning, and related fields. Papers must present original research and must not have been published previously.

Paper proposals of a maximum of 300 words must be submitted no later than March 2, 2026 to the following email address: [email protected]

A limited number of scholarships, in the form of travel and accommodation coverage, will be allocated on a priority basis to independent and emerging scholars and/or those coming from low- to upper-middle-income countries, as defined by the World Bank in 2025. Applications for support may only be submitted after notification of acceptance. Participants will have the option to present their papers remotely via videoconference.

Conference organizer

Dorian Bianco

Postdoctoral Fellow in Art history

Department of Art History and Archaeology

Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi

Schedule (2026)

• Deadline for the call: March 2

• Notification date: April 27

• Paper submission date: July 6

• Returned comments date (if any): September 7

• Conference: October 28