Third DCA Graduate Student Symposium

Call for Papers: The 3rd Annual DCA Social Sciences Graduate Student Symposium

Dear Graduate Students,

The Diyanet Center of America (DCA) is pleased to announce the 3rd Annual DCA Graduate Student Symposium, to be held May 2–3, 2026, at the Diyanet Center of America in Lanham, MD. Scheduled shortly after Ramadan 2026, this two-day conference brings together graduate students to present their work, engage in interdisciplinary dialogue, and build lasting scholarly networks.

The symposium is organized by the Diyanet Center of America (DCA) and the Diyanet Islamic Research Institute (DIRI), in academic collaboration with:

• Center for Islamic Studies (İSAM)
• Center for Islam in the Contemporary World (CICW) at Shenandoah University
• Istanbul University Institute of Islamic Studies

The symposium is generously supported by the Zakat Foundation of America Institute and Turkish Airlines, whose commitment to education, research, and community development makes this academic gathering possible.

The symposium forms part of DCA’s broader academic mission to promote rigorous social-science scholarship, highlight the contemporary relevance of Islamic thought, and foster cross-institutional intellectual exchange in the United States and internationally.

This year’s symposium will feature:

• Integrated thematic panels across the social sciences
• Roundtable discussions
• Assigned discussants providing structured feedback
• Hybrid participation options (in-person + online)
• Opportunities for cross-institutional collaboration

We particularly encourage graduate students from the DMV area to participate and contribute to regional academic engagement.

Symposium Themes

The symposium welcomes research presentations from all disciplines within the social sciences, including but not limited to:

• Religious Studies & Theology
• Sociology & Anthropology
• Political Science, Public Policy & Law
• History & Cultural Studies
• Islamic Art, Literature & Architecture
• Economics & Development Studies
• Psychology, Behavioral Sciences & Education
• Communication & Media Studies
• AI and Islamic Studies
• Interdisciplinary Studies

This year especially encourages interdisciplinary work that bridges Islamic Studies with broader social science methodologies and debates.

Submission Guidelines

Graduate students (MA & PhD) are invited to submit:

• Abstract (250–300 words) outlining their research topic, methodology, and key findings.
• Short bio (max 150 words)
• Institutional affiliation

Panel Proposals & Institutional Sessions

In addition to individual paper submissions, the symposium welcomes thematic panel proposals. Panels may be proposed by:

• A group of graduate students with a designated chair, or
• An academic institution, research center, or scholarly organization hosting a parallel session aligned with the symposium themes.

Panel proposals must include:

• Panel title and brief description (max. 300 words)
• Name and affiliation of the panel chair
• Individual abstracts (250–300 words) for each participant
• Names and institutional affiliations of all presenters

The panel proposal deadline is April 1, 2026, the same as the Abstract Submission Deadline. Accepted panels will be scheduled as parallel sessions, subject to review and program availability. .

Manuscript Preparation & Submission Guidelines

• Papers must be original, unpublished, and conform to academic standards.
• Manuscripts should be submitted in Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) format.
• Use 12-point Times New Roman font throughout.
• Center the title at the top of the first page, followed by the author’s name.
• Indicate the author’s institutional affiliation in a footnote (*) using a 10-point, single-spaced font.
• Submissions are expected to be single-author papers, and all accepted papers must be presented by the author.
• Include five keywords directly below the abstract.
• Follow APA citation style for in-text citations and references.
• Extended abstracts (1,000 words) and full papers (3,000–5,000 words), excluding bibliography and footnotes, must follow the same formatting and citation guidelines.

Registration and Participation

Participation is free of charge. Presenters are encouraged to seek institutional travel support; however, DCA may provide accommodation and meal assistance for accepted speakers upon request and subject to availability.

Note: Priority for accommodation assistance will be given to presenters who submit an extended abstract by April 20, 2026.

Hybrid (online) participation is available for those unable to attend in person.

Symposium Language

The official language of the symposium is English. All presentations, papers, and panel discussions will be conducted in English.

Awards & Certificates

Best Paper Award
The Best Paper Award will be granted to the best full paper submitted in advance of the symposium, as determined by the Scientific Advisory Board. The award will be announced and presented during the closing ceremony.

Best Presentation Award
The Best Presentation Award will recognize the most outstanding oral presentation delivered during the symposium, based on scholarly quality, clarity, and engagement.

Certificates of Participation
Certificates of Participation will be provided to presenters who submit a full paper in accordance with the symposium’s submission guidelines.

International Participants & Visa Support

Presenters traveling from outside the United States are strongly encouraged to submit their extended abstracts or full papers as early as possible. Early submission will facilitate the review process and allow the symposium committee to assess eligibility for institutional support.

Based on the submission and review of the full paper, the Symposium Committee may issue an official invitation letter upon request. Such letters may be used by presenters for visa applications or faculty/institutional travel support, subject to committee approval.

Support the DCA Graduate Student Symposium

The DCA Graduate Student Symposium is free of charge for all participants and audience members. Donations help support accommodation, meals, and other symposium-related expenses.

Publication Opportunity

We plan to publish symposium proceedings featuring extended abstracts and selected papers presented at the symposium.

Symposium Committee

Scientific Committee

• Fatih Kanca – Associate Professor of Qur’anic Studies; Religious Services Counselor of Türkiye (Washington, DC); Chairman of the Advisory Board, Diyanet Center of America
• Mürteza Bedir - Professor of Islamic Law, President of ISAM - Centre for Islamic Studies
• Yaşar Çolak - Associate Professor of Islamic History - Centre for Islamic Studies
• Cemil Aydin – Professor of Global History, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
• Hayrettin Yücesoy – Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies, History (Affiliate), and Global Studies, Washington University in St. Louis
• Ahmet T. Karamustafa – Professor & Chair, Department of History, University of Maryland
• Asım Yapıcı – Professor of Islamic Psychology, Ankara Social Sciences University
• Cengiz Şişman – Professor of History, College of Human Sciences and Humanities, University of Houston-Clear Lake
• İsmail Demirezen – Professor of Islamic Studies, Religious Services Attaché of Türkiye, Los Angeles
• Halide Rumeysa Küçükköner – Associate Professor, Faculty of Theology, Dicle University, Türkiye
• Ahmet Selim Tekelioğlu – Executive Director, CAIR-Philadelphia & Research Fellow, Abu Sulayman Center for Global Islamic Studies
• Huzeyfe Çeker – Associate Professor, Faculty of Theology, Necmettin Erbakan University; Religious Services Attaché of Türkiye, Chicago
• Mahmut Salihoğlu – Associate Professor, Faculty of Theology, Istanbul University; Religious Services Attaché of Türkiye, Houston
• Zainab Alwani – Associate Professor of Islamic Studies, Howard University
• Mehmet Salih Sayilgan – Assoc. Prof., Department of Theology and Religious Studies, Georgetown University
• Ermin Sinanović – Executive Director, Center for Islam in the Contemporary World at Shenandoah University; Faculty Associate in Research, Cornell University
• M. Fatih Çalışır – Associate Professor of History, Istanbul University Institute of Islamic Studies
• Mehmet Emin Gulecyuz – Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies, Loyola University Chicago
• Hatice Koç Kanca – Assoc. Prof. of Islamic Psychology, Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University
• Muhammed Usame Onuş – Associate Professor of Islamic Law, Department of Islamic Law, Faculty of Theology, Marmara University
• Zishan Khalid Siddiqui – Assistant Professor of Medicine & Senior Physician Advisor, Johns Hopkins Hospital
• Ali Tos – Religious Services Attaché of Türkiye, New York
• Kadir Ustun – Executive Director, SETA Foundation at Washington, DC

Organizing & Executive Committee

• Ramazan Oduncu – PhD, Political Science, Indiana University
• Yusuf Yapıcı – Visiting Scholar, University of California, Davis; Research Assistant in Islamic Studies, Ondokuz Mayıs University
• Nisa Yağmur Yapıcı – Visiting Scholar, University of Maryland & Research Assistant in Islamic Studies, Kilis 7 Aralık University
• Okan Uzunöz – Visiting Scholar, Brandeis University & Research Assistant, Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University, Department of Islamic History
• Aygün Yılmaz Uzunöz – Visiting Scholar, Harvard University; PhD Candidate, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Department of Islamic History

Symposium Secretariat & General Coordination

• Yılmaz Acar – Research Fellow, Diyanet Islamic Research Institute (DIRI), Diyanet Center of America; Secretary-General & Symposium Coordinator

We look forward to welcoming you to the 3rd Annual DCA Social Sciences Graduate Student Symposium 2026!