Call for Contributions | Un-siloing Pedagogy and Research: Intersecting Harms and Risks in International Security
The Global Nuclear Order Working Group, in collaboration with the University of Glasgow’s Atomic Anxiety Project, is pleased to announce a call for contributions to our co‑badged workshop. The event will bring together colleagues interested in thematic discussions on un‑siloing pedagogy and research, with a focus on examining often complex intersections between teaching and research practices. By opening space for shared reflection, the workshop aims to unpack how these practices shape one another, the frictions that emerge when they are treated as separate domains, and the possibilities that arise when they are approached as mutually informing. Participants will be encouraged to consider both the structural challenges and the transformative opportunities that such intersections present within contemporary higher education.
We will be focusing primarily on nuclear issues, but not exclusively: we are also interested in other cross-cutting topics and challenges in international relations and security, and are keen to "un-silo" the study of nuclear weapons. We welcome contributions from all angles.
The workshop will explore questions such as:
- Teaching as a theory of change: opportunities and challenges for addressing global challenges
- Research versus teaching: how can we meaningfully reconcile research and teaching practices in the face of institutional pressures?
- Teaching strategies and approaches: innovative pedagogies
- Teaching challenges amid ongoing geopolitical instabilities: how to support critical engagement and thinking
This will be an informal, face-to-face event aimed at fostering collaboration and providing networking opportunities, particularly to members who are just beginning to establish themselves in their careers.
When and where
The event will be held at the University of Glasgow, Advanced Research Centre, on 26 May 2026, from 10:00 to 17:00.
Refreshments and lunch will be provided during the day, in addition to an evening dinner.
Submit your proposal
Please send a 200‑word statement, explaining why you would like to take part and how you would contribute to the workshop discussions, to gno.group@bisa.ac.uk.
We are not requesting abstracts for full papers. We welcome proposals which include 1) prompts for conversation or loose collections of ideas, 2) works-in-progress, 3) creative exercises, 4) teaching technique demonstrations, 5) other kinds of activity not mentioned (please contact us if you are unsure).
Sessions will be structured based on the proposals we receive and led by participants’ interests.
Applicants must be BISA members to participate. A full breakdown of BISA membership options is here: https://www.bisa.ac.uk/become-a-member
The deadline for proposals is Friday 20 April 2026.
Travel bursaries
Thanks to generous support from BISA, the Atomic Anxiety project, and the University of Glasgow, we are pleased to offer a finite number of travel and accommodation bursary for postgraduate research (PGR) and early-career research (ECR) colleagues.
Each bursary will contribute towards accommodation in Glasgow and return travel, up to a value of £200.
If you would like to be considered for a travel and accommodation bursary, please indicate this in addition to your 200-word proposal statement. Bursaries will be allocated according to greatest need, so please briefly detail your funding situation.
If you think you will require less than the full £200, we would appreciate it if you would also indicate this alongside your proposal, so we can allocate the extra funds to someone who needs them.
Questions?
For any queries, please contact us at gno.group@bisa.ac.uk.