CESLAM
Labour and Migration Workshop 2026
Call for Papers
The Centre for the Study of Labour and Mobility (CESLAM) invites submissions in the areas related to labour and migration for the inaugural CESLAM Labour and Migration Workshop to be held on 7–8 December 2026.
The workshop has been conceived to provide intellectual space to both emerging and established researchers who are seeking to find a platform to discuss their work. Designed as a mentoring and peer learning forum, the workshop will select a maximum of 15 participants who will present their research-based paper developed from research projects as well as ongoing or completed dissertations. The participants will receive structured and in-depth feedback from scholars working on labour and migration, practitioners, and fellow participants during the workshop with the objective of helping improve either the research or presentation of findings or both.
Thematic focus areas
The proposed papers can deal with any aspect of labour and mobility related to Nepal, including but not limited to the following themes:
- iinternational labour migration, including to India,
- internal migration,
- labour market,
- student migration,
- gender and migration,
- social protection of workers,
- recruitment infrastructure,
- remittances,
- digital labour platforms,
- health and wellbeing of workers,
- climate change and migration,
- diaspora communities and transnational identities,
- methodological innovation in migration research, and
- migration law and legal frameworks.
Who should apply
This call is primarily for:
- Early-career and independent researchers,
- Master’s and PhD students who have completed or are completing a dissertation on a labour and migration-related topic, and
- Researchers affiliated with I/NGOs, policy institutes, or government bodies who are engaged in labour and migration research.
How to apply
Interested applicants are required to submit the following documents to [email protected] by 25 September 2026:
- An abstract of no more than 500 words, clearly stating the research question, methodology, key findings or arguments, and relevance to the workshop themes,
- A one-page CV, and
- A brief statement of 100–150 words indicating what kind of feedback would be most valuable for your work at this stage.
Please use the subject line: CESLAM Workshop 2026_Applicant’s Full Name
Key dates
| Date | Activity |
| 25 September 2026 | Submission of abstract (maximum 500 words) and CV |
| 30 September 2026 | Notification of selection |
| 25 November 2026 | Full paper submission (no more than 5,000 words) |
| 7-8 December 2026 | Workshop at Social Science Baha |
Selection criteria
Abstracts will be considered by a review committee, and selection will be based on:
- originality and contribution to existing knowledge on Nepali labour and migration,
- clarity of research question and methodological rigour,
- relevance to the workshop’s thematic focus areas, and
- stage of research development.
Workshop fees
Selected participants will be required to pay a registration fee of NPR 1,500 to contribute towards workshop material costs and refreshments.
Workshop date and venue
The workshop will take place on 7–8 December 2026 at Social Science Baha, Battisputali, Kathmandu.
Note: The participants will be guided to submit and present their papers at the Annual Kathmandu Conference on Nepal and the Himalaya 2027. Following a review by a committee consisting of senior migration scholars, a selection of papers will also be offered an opportunity for publication as research papers through CESLAM.
Further note that the annual CESLAM Kathmandu Migration Conference will not take place henceforth. It has been restructured into this workshop.
For further information, please contact:
Centre for the Study of Labour and Mobility (CESLAM)
Social Science Baha
345 Ramchandra Marg
Battisputali, Kathmandu
Email: [email protected]
