Special Conference Highlights

AAS-in-Asia 2026 will feature a rich program of pre-conference workshops, special sessions, exhibitions, receptions, and cultural activities designed to create conversations beyond the formal academic program.

Development Writing Workshop: Villanova University’s Journal for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies

Led by Dina Baslan and Samer Abboud, this workshop will focus on strengthening academic writing and developing research for publication, offering participants an opportunity to engage with editorial perspectives and scholarly communication.

Migration, Trade and Security Pre-Conference Workshop: LUMS/CHSS

Featuring Furrukh Khan, Jerónimo Delgado-Caicedo, and colleagues, the workshop will bring together conversations around migration, trade, security, and their interconnected implications across Asia.

Disjointed Feminist Futures: Reframing Turbulence, Mobility, and Intimacy across South and Southeast Asia by CHSS

Led by Vilashini Somiah, Dina M. Siddiqi, and colleagues, this pre-conference workshop will examine feminist futures through questions of mobility, intimacy, disruption, and changing social realities across South and Southeast Asia.

Wiley Women Scholars Roundtable — Centralizing Marginalized Voices

Featuring Professor Niki Alsford, this roundtable will create space for discussion around women scholars, representation, and the importance of bringing marginalized voices to the centre of academic conversations.

Nanyang Technological University Singapore Reception

Hosted with Dr. Jon Wilson, the NTU Singapore reception will provide an informal space for conference participants to connect, exchange ideas, and build new academic and institutional relationships.

American Institute of Pakistan Studies Open House

The AIPS Open House will give participants an opportunity to learn more about the Institute, its work, and opportunities for engagement within the field of Pakistan Studies

Islamic Calligraphy Workshop — Hast-o-Neest Pakistan

This interactive workshop will introduce participants to the artistic traditions of Islamic calligraphy, adding a creative and cultural dimension to the conference experience.

Book Launch with Dag Yngvesson

Join Dag Yngvesson for a special book launch and an opportunity to engage with his latest scholarly work and the ideas informing it.

“Mobile Lives” Exhibition — The Migration Collective

Featuring Noor Shahzad, Mobile Lives will explore experiences and narratives of movement and migration through an exhibition format that brings research and lived experience into conversation.

“Endangered Imprints Carved in Stone” Exhibition

Featuring Jason Neelis and Murtaza Taj, the exhibition will spotlight endangered material and cultural histories preserved through inscriptions and carved landscapes.

LUMS Global Fair

The Global Fair will bring universities and institutions together in one space, giving participants an opportunity to discover academic programmes, build partnerships, and connect across borders.

Together, these events make AAS-in-Asia 2026 more than a conference programme — creating spaces for learning, exchange, creativity, networking, and cultural engagement throughout the three days in Lahore.