DOCTORAL AND EARLY-CAREER SCHOLARS’ COLLOQUIUM
A Pre-conference Activity of the SMS Special Conference in Palermo
LUMSA Palermo, Italy
Wednesday May 21, 2025
9:30 AM- 1:00 PM

Organizers:
- Giovanni Battista Dagnino, University of Rome LUMSA
- Pasquale Massimo Picone, University of Palermo
- Shaz Ansari, University of Cambridge
This Doctoral and Early-Career Scholars’ Colloquium is part of the SMS Special Conference in Palermo, Italy, providing attendees with a unique opportunity to connect with leading scholars in an engaging and supportive environment. Participation in the workshop is exclusive to registered attendees of the conference.
Publishing in a leading academic journal is an inspiring and demanding challenge for doctoral students and early-career scholars. Success in the publication process requires advanced writing skills, effective planning and organization of revisions, the ability to critically and proactively respond to reviewers’ feedback, and close collaboration with co-authors.
Given the high rejection rates and the critical importance of publications for an academic career beginning and advancement, the publication process also poses emotional challenges. Beyond the technical and professional demands, managing the emotional pressures of the pervasive “publish or perish” culture is equally important.
To share a well-informed perspective, this colloquium brings together a group of senior scholars who will share their experience as editors, reviewers, and authors, thus providing a suite of invaluable insights into navigating the publication process. Following the panel, doctoral students/candidates and early-career researchers will engage in roundtable discussions, receiving personalized feedback and guidance from expert mentors.
Schedule:
Introduction
9:30 – 9:34
Speaker: Pasquale Massimo Picone
PART 1: Mastering the Peer-Review Process: Insights from Editors, Reviewers, and Authors
What is an editor looking for in a paper?
9:34 – 9:54
Speaker: Lucia Piscitello
I want to be Reviewer 1. Quantitative studies
9:54 – 10:14
Speaker: Tina C. Ambos
I want to be Reviewer 1. Qualitative studies
10:14 – 10:34
Speaker: Giovanni Battista Dagnino
How should I approach a “Revise and Resubmit”?
10:34 – 10:54
Speaker: Madeleine Rauch
Q&A
15 minutes
BREAK
10 minutes
PART 2: Roundtable Discussions for Feedback and Insights
For each paper 5 minutes of presentation and 15 minutes of discussion