Calls for Papers, Conferences, and Events

If you wish to have a conference announcement posted, please send an email to ssspgra@utk.edu (Microsoft Word files and PDFs preferred). Please include a URL for more information, if available.

There is no charge to place an announcement on this website. Calls for papers will be posted until the submission deadline. Conference announcements will be posted until the date of the conference has passed.   

Calls for Papers and Articles
Call for Participants
Call for Proposals
Call for Nominations
Call for Applications
Call for Chapters
Ongoing Calls
Conferences and Events
Virtual Events
Other Opportunities
Fellowships and Scholarships

Calls for Papers and Articles

Decoloniality in Media and Cultural Studies
Special Issue of International Journal of Cultural Studies

Submission Deadline: 7 April 2026 (extended abstract)

This special issue also wants to pursue more reflexive conversations about the various ways that decoloniality has also become hollowed out, co-opted, and/or de-radicalized when invoked in academic programs. This collection also builds on conversations from the panel “Mainstreaming Decolonality in Media and Communication” in the 2025 Annual Conference of the Association for Internet Researchers, co-organized by Thomas Poell and Jonathan Corpus Ong, which gave particular focus on applying decolonial principles when building global networks and centers.

Since its first issue nearly 30 years ago, the International Journal of Cultural Studies has been a consistent home for decolonial analysis in media and cultural studies. We have published papers and special collections about indigenous media and cultural production (e.g., Jaramillo-Dent & Arora 2025; Moylan 2022), critical geopolitics (e.g., Anthique 2022), right-wing nationalisms (e.g., Baishya 2024), theoretical dialogues between Western and non-Western theory (e.g, Schorch & Hakiwai 2013; Fornas 2020; Szulc 2022), global suffering and vulnerability (e.g., Chouliaraki 2010; Ong 2019), and the place of critical theory and cultural studies in global academia (e.g., Hartley 2014). Read the full call.

Back to Top

International Human Rights Art Movement
Magazine Edition Q2: Stories of Land, Climate & Resistance

Submission Deadline: 1 May 2026 

IHRAM Press provide the platform for creative activists at risk to speak up about urgent social-justice issues in their environments, providing readers with their unique perspectives on issues of human rights. As global warming accelerates and climate change deepens, we are witnessing more frequent and devastating environmental disasters, often unrecognized or unaddressed by governments, leaving countless people homeless, vulnerable, and disadvantaged. Read the call and learn more.

  • The beauty and importance of protecting our land, air, and waters.

  • Stories of resilience, care, and cultural traditions tied to the environment.

  • The consequences of environmental destruction and neglect.

  • Hopeful visions of renewal, stewardship, and intergenerational responsibility.

Back to Top

Sixteenth International Conference on Health, Wellness & Society
University of Guadalajara, Mexico + Online, 9-11 September 2026

Submission Deadline: 9 June 2026

Founded in 2011, the Health, Wellness, & Society Research Network is brought together by a common concern in the fields of human health and wellness, and in particular their social interconnections and implications. We seek to build an epistemic community where we can make linkages across disciplinary, geographic, and cultural boundaries. As a Research Network, we are defined by our scope and concerns and motivated to build strategies for action framed by our shared themes and tension. Learn more about registration and submission. 

2026 Special Focus—Nourishing Societies: Bridging Nutrition, Wellness, and Sustainability for a Healthier Future

Back to Top

Twenty-Third International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability
University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, 20-22 January 2027

Submission Deadline: 19 October 2026

The special focus of the Twenty-Third International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability examines how societies imagine, design, and enact transitions toward more just and resilient futures. Across environmental governance, social movements, circular economies, climate adaptation, public policy, technological innovation, and cultural change, new forms of sustainability work are emerging—some promising, others precarious, all deeply consequential.

We invite proposals that reflect on these transformations: how communities respond to ecological disruption; how technologies reshape systems of production and care; how cultural knowledge, indigenous practices, and local priorities inform sustainable action; and how equity, justice, and participation must frame any move toward sustainable futures.

Proposals may also address the Network’s ongoing themes: Ecological Realities; Participatory Process; Economic, Social, and Cultural Context; and Education, Assessment, and Policy. Contributions can be theoretical, empirical, methodological, practice-based, or community-engaged. We welcome interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches that confront real-world challenges and complexities. Read more and submit a proposal.

Back to Top

Call for Nominations

2027 Florian Znaniecki Lecture

Submission Deadline: 1 May 2026

The Department of Sociology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign announces its call for nominations for the 2027 Florian Znaniecki Lecture. The recipient of this distinguished honor will visit our campus in Urbana-Champaign, meet with faculty and students, and give the Florian Znaniecki Lecture. The recipient will receive a $5,000 honorarium and a plaque at the conclusion of their visit.

The Illinois Department of Sociology’s annual Florian Znaniecki Lecture was launched in 2007, with the twin purposes of remembering Znaniecki’s scholarly legacy and bringing distinguished sociologists to Illinois to interact with Znaniecki’s home department. The annual lecture takes place on the spring semester reading day in early May, and its invited high-profile speakers over the years include four American Sociological Association presidents and other influential scholars. The lecture aims to highlight speakers with significant sociological contributions to the broad areas of research that Znaniecki is known for—culture, theory, methodology, and immigration/migration studies.

For more information, please visit our site. 

Back to Top

Call for Applications

Canada Impact + Research Chairs Program

Submission Deadlines: 29 June 2026

The Canada Impact + Research Chairs program is a one-time initiative designed to support institutions in attracting world-leading researchers whose work addresses critical national and global challenges. The program puts an emphasis on tangible impacts that are expected to move beyond discovery to generate social, economic and policy impacts, working in close collaboration with partners across various sectors. There total competition budget is ~$1 Billion which is anticipated to be distributed across the councils: NSERC: up to $530 million, CIHR: up to $340 million and SSHRC: up to $198.5 million. It is anticipated that ~100 chairs will be awarded. Full details of each of these areas can be found on the program website and the attached flyer.

Back to Top

Call for Participants

Qualitative Research Survey

Dr. Rebecca Hanson (University of Florida) and Dr. Patricia Richards (University of Georgia) invite you to participate in a survey exploring the experiences researchers encounter while conducting qualitative research that may be awkward, uncomfortable, or even dangerous. We are particularly interested in understanding how these experiences are shaped by researchers' identities. Please note that the survey is designed for anyone who has conducted qualitative research, not only for those who identify as qualitative researchers. 

This study is part of a research project led by Dr. Rebecca Hanson and Dr. Patricia Richards. The project has been designated exempt by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at both universities. Your participation is completely anonymous, and you will not be asked to provide any identifying information.

We have prepared two versions of the survey: 

The survey takes approximately 5 to 20 minutes to complete, depending on your experiences. If you have any questions or concerns about the survey, please contact Dr. Rebecca Hanson at r.hanson@ufl.edu.

Back to Top

Sociology Career Paths Study

Dr. Stephanie Medley-Rath (Indiana University Kokomo) is asking for your help with a research project she is conducting on sociology career paths.

The Project: I'm surveying sociology alumni to better understand how BA/BS graduates in sociology use their degrees in their careers. This research will help us:

  • Document the diverse career trajectories of sociology graduates
  • Identify which skills are most valuable in the workforce
  • Provide data-driven insights for improving our programs
  • Help current students make informed career decisions

I'm looking for graduates who have completed a BA or BS in Sociology and have held at least one job or significant volunteer position since graduation. The survey takes 10-15 minutes to complete. All responses are completely anonymous. This research is IRB approved by Indiana University (#29332). Learn more.

Back to Top

Call for Proposals

Call for Chapters

Handbook of Environmental Racism: A Graduate-Level Introduction
Submission Deadline: 1 August 2026
  
We are pleased to invite chapter proposals for the forthcoming Handbook of Environmental Racism: A Graduate-Level Introduction to be published by Anthem Press. This volume presents an important and timely opportunity for a new generation of critical race and environmental justice scholars to expand the scholarly and pedagogical reach of foundational environmental justice frameworks and epistemologies to better reflect and assess the transforming dynamics and ongoing frontiers of racial capitalism, structural racism, and white supremacy working to structure and normalize environmental racism today. This anthology is conceived as a comprehensive pedagogical tool designed to equip emerging scholars with the critical, methodological, and ethical grounding needed for meaningful research and effective praxis on environmental racism in the social sciences and humanities. Read the full call.

Please submit a single document containing:

  1. A chapter proposal/abstract of 300-500 words.
  2. A brief author biography of no more than 150 words.

All proposals should be sent to mascarenhas@berkeley.edu by August 1st, 2026.

Back to Top

Ongoing Calls

Spark Magazine

Spark Magazine is now accepting pitches for essay ideas on a rolling basis. Spark offers essays grounded in research that can inform readers to make decisions for themselves, their families, and communities. The essays are meant to spark curiosity — whether by encouraging deeper questions about society, challenging taken-for-granted ideas, or inspiring greater empathy and support for marginalized communities. Submit a pitch.

Sociology of Race and Ethnicity

The Sociology of Race and Ethnicity series provides a venue for international, pioneering scholarship that moves our understanding of race, racism, ethnicity, and ethnic oppression forward. The series features books that engage in contemporary social issues in a meaningful way, advocating intervention and action in social justice and social transformation. While theoretically and empirically grounded in sociology, books in this series intersect a wide array of social sciences (geography, history, political science, anthropology, philosophy). We seek book proposals that accomplish the dual goals of speaking to the public square and pushing the intellectual conversation forward. To inquire about publishing in the series, please contact Mick Gusinde-Duffy at mickgd@uga.edu.

Back to Top

Bedside Books Column in Sociological Review

Editor Emma Craddock is seeking contributions to our Bedside Books column, which offers readers’ short takes on books of all kinds: old and new, fiction and non-fiction, academic and general interest. Read the latest Bedside Books column. Contribute your own short review.

Back to Top

Sociological Fiction in Sociological Review

Editor Ash Watson is currently inviting submissions of creative short fiction that is sociological in style, scope and sensibility. Read our new short stories by John D. Boy and Lara Monticelli. Learn more about what we publish.

Back to Top

Sociology of Race and Ethnicity

The Sociology of Race and Ethnicity series provides a venue for international, pioneering scholarship that moves our understanding of race, racism, ethnicity, and ethnic oppression forward. The series features books that engage in contemporary social issues in a meaningful way, advocating intervention and action in social justice and social transformation.  

While theoretically and empirically grounded in sociology, books in this series intersect a wide array of social sciences (geography, history, political science, anthropology, philosophy). Aimed at both academics and practitioners through thought-provoking and teachable manuscripts, we are particularly interested in “engaged scholarship.” We encourage theoretical perspectives (and methods and methodologies) that are intellectually engaged, rigorous, and critical. Such perspectives include, but are not limited to, Du Boisian analysis, Afrocentrist/-futurist, and Latinx critical theory, as well as other intersectional epistemologies.  

We seek book proposals that accomplish the dual goals of speaking to the public square and pushing the intellectual conversation forward.  

Back to Top

Conferences and Events

Digging Wells While Houses Burn: Academic Responsibility and the Study of Religion
Cambridge University, UK and online, 23-24 April 2026

In a provocative article titled Digging Wells While Houses Burn (2006), David Gordon White argues that certain studies of religion actively stoke supremacist ideologies and politics. The only way to avoid this unsavoury collaboration is to rethink the way we do our work — the stories we choose to tell, and the methods we use to tell them. According to White, academics of religion who fail to engage with this responsibility are “digging wells while houses burn”, ignoring devastating realities that urgently demand their attention. In this context, we invite scholars of all religions, across all disciplines, to reflect on the relationship between their academic work, on the one hand, and violence and supremacy, on the other. Read more.

Back to Top

Moving Objects: Modes of Conveyance & the  Making of Global Asias
New York University, New York City, New York, 24 April 2026

The Asian/Pacific/American Institute at NYU and Pennsylvania State University’s Global Asias Initiative are pleased to present “Moving Objects: Modes of Conveyance & the Making of Global Asias,”  a one-day symposium at NYU and a Convergence feature for a special issue of the journal Verge: Studies in Global Asias. “Moving Objects” examines  the varied modes of conveyance and the material infrastructures that facilitate the movements of people, cultural objects, and materials, by which Global Asias come into existence.

What are the objects, vehicles, and vessels of migration, circulation, and exchange that connect Asians to one another and to others? What are the platforms and material environments through which Global Asias are built? How do cultural and political representations of such moving objects serve to make diasporic passages possible? How are such passages re-routed with the arrival of new modes and technologies of travel and transit? How do moving objects shape the national, ethnic, racial, and religious subjectivities of those who inhabit Global Asias? What cultural and political meanings attach to the objects of movement and the paths they take?

Back to Top

2026 Conference on Discrimination in the 21st Century: Fostering Conversations Across Fields
Chicago, IL, 28-29 April 2026

The 2026 Conference on Discrimination in the 21st Century: Fostering Conversations Across Fields welcomes submissions. This year’s conference will be held April 28–29, in Chicago, Illinois.This conference will bring together researchers from different fields to discuss crucial themes around discrimination. Experts from economics, sociology, law, behavioral sciences, healthcare, artificial intelligence, and more will interact with each other through presentations and open panel discussions. The organizing committee welcomes submissions on the broadest range of themes. All interested researchers are invited to send submissions for consideration by January 16, 2026, using the link below.

If you have any questions, please contact bfi-events@uchicago.edu. Learn more.

Back to Top

Gaming Asia: Asian Nationalism Through the Lens of Video Games
National University of Singapore @ KRC, 28-30 April 2026

Marking the tenth anniversary of the agenda-setting call for Regional Game Studies, this workshop invites papers that critically examine the evolving nexus of video games, nationalism, and geopolitics across and beyond Asia, past and present. It aims to investigate Asian nationalism through the lens of video games, offering a nuanced perspective on the proliferation of new gaming materialities, modalities, and mobilities, and their intricate entanglements with national politics in Asia. The workshop asks how gaming technologies and data infrastructures shape whose nations gain visibility, and how national trends across Asia, in turn, influence the supposedly apolitical landscapes of digital technology. On the one hand we focus on how games reflect and actively shape (geo)political, historical, and cultural dynamics. On the other hand, by approaching games as assemblages of economy, technology, history, infrastructure, and emotion that generate geocultural power for diverse Asian actors, we welcome papers that rethink the trans-Asian linkages and disjunctures produced through gaming practices, along with the competing concepts of “Asia” and “nation” they bring into being.

Back to Top

Global Futures of Higher Education: Autonomy in the Crosshairs
University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 7-9 May 2026

The Schnitzer School’s Center for Global futures invites proposals for its second annual international conference, Global Futures of Higher Education: Autonomy in the Crosshairs, to be held May 7–9, 2026, at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon. This conference examines the future of higher education in an increasingly authoritarian global environment marked by democratic backsliding, political polarization, and intensifying state efforts to control knowledge production. Across regions, universities face intersecting pressures: geopolitical instability, new technologies, shifting patterns of mobility, growing demands for measurable “impact,” and deepening contests over truth, history, and public trust. 

A central concern of this convening is systemic autonomy in higher education: the capacity of teaching and research to be guided by scholarly standards rather than direct political instruction. Universities are never separate from politics, law, the economy, or media. The question is which institutional arrangements allow these relationships to support, rather than undermine, free inquiry. 

We invite proposals from faculty, graduate students, and independent scholars across disciplines. Submissions may take the form of individual paper proposals as well as creative or experimental presentation formats. Read more.

Back to Top

CfP: 16th International Conference on the Constructed Environment
Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain, 14-15 May 2026

The Sixteenth International Conference on The Constructed Environment invites participants to explore the intersections between spatial design, human experiences, and contemporary global challenges. Under the theme From the Home to the City: Designing Spatial Experiences, this conference addresses how thoughtfully designed environments—from intimate domestic interiors to expansive urban landscapes—can foster human well-being, community connection, and environmental sustainability.

At the domestic scale, we examine how homes shape daily routines, emotional health, and social interactions, highlighting the critical role of design in creating spaces of care, comfort, and dignity. Amidst ongoing global shifts such as remote work, aging populations, and housing crises, we invite research to consider both technical dimensions—including sustainability, adaptability, and healthy materials—and sensory experiences involving spatial form, natural light, and tactile qualities. Echoing architect Kazuo Shinohara, we reflect on how domestic spaces are deeply embedded in human identity and cultural expression.

At the urban scale, we aim to understand how cities can cultivate inclusive, resilient, and engaging environments amidst rapid urbanization, climate change, and socio-economic disparities. We invite contributions investigating participatory urban planning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and empathetic design practices that foster safety, accessibility, and belonging. As urbanist Jan Gehl observed, thriving cities are spaces of joyful human interaction designed for lingering, sharing, and meaningful connection.

Additionally, we welcome research on intermediate scales—such as shared community spaces, transitional interiors, neighborhoods, and collective housing—that bridge private and public realms. These environments represent thresholds of care and encounter, requiring responsive design strategies that address complex and overlapping needs.

Proposals are invited across disciplines including architecture, urban planning, interior design, engineering, environmental psychology, and interdisciplinary fields. We particularly encourage submissions aligned with the following four thematic areas:

1. The Design of Space and Place: Exploring how spaces are defined not only by physical boundaries but by rituals, memory, and emotional connections, emphasizing the choreographic role of design in fostering meaningful inhabitation.
2. Constructing the Environment: Examining the role of everyday objects and material systems in shaping human experiences, from small-scale domestic artifacts to flexible, adaptive structures that support both rootedness and mobility.
3. Environmental Impacts: Investigating how the built environment mirrors and influences our ecological relationships, emphasizing aesthetics and sustainability as interlinked values guiding ethical design practices.
4. Social Impacts: Reflecting on how spatial design can promote inclusivity, equity, and social justice, addressing critical questions of belonging, care infrastructures, and community visibility in built environments.

We invite innovative, multidisciplinary contributions that critically engage with these themes, advancing the discourse on designing resilient, empathetic, and sustainable spaces for contemporary life.

Back to Top

Twenty-First International Conference on the Arts in Society
Department of Theatre Studies, School of Philosophy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece, 10-12 June 2026

We are pleased to share with you the Call for Papers for the Twenty-First International Conference on the Arts in Society, to be hosted by the Department of Theatre Studies, School of Philosophy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece, 10-12 June 2026.

All presenters are also encouraged to submit their paper to the companion journal collection The Arts in Society Journal Collection. Find out more about the journal collection.

2026 Special Focus—Modeling Life Systems: Art, Algorithms, Ecologies

Back to Top

Seventeenth International Conference on Sport & Society
University of Inland, Norawy, 11-12 June 2026

As societies confront accelerating crises such as ecological instability and political fragmentation, sport stands at a critical juncture. Can it remain a progressive force, or is it increasingly outpaced by societal transformation? We invited contributors to the conference to explore how the future of sport hinges on its ability to confront tensions between innovation and control, inclusion and exclusion, care and commerce. More information can be found at the conference website.

2026 Special Focus—Innovation, Transformation, Contestation: Can Sport Keep Up with Society’s Future?

Back to Top

Eleventh International Conference on Tourism and Leisure Studies
Department of Tourism Management, University of Patras, Greece, 15-17 June 2026

The tourism and leisure sector, a vital part of global economies and cultural exchange, faces rapidly evolving challenges. The conference, "Pathways to Resilience: Sustainable Practices in Tourism and Leisure," will highlight the need for transformative, resilient approaches to address emerging mega-trends in tourism. Climate change, geopolitical instability, and shifting traveler expectations—particularly the demand for responsible experiences—call for a shift beyond mass tourism. This shift involves embracing alternative models, such as ecotourism and community-based tourism, emphasizing environmental protection, local empowerment, and cultural preservation.

The conference will examine the social dimensions of sustainable tourism, exploring ways to foster inclusive growth and community well-being. In addition, it will address the role of technology, including AI, in shaping tourism’s future through personalized experiences and sustainable resource management. The conference aims to bring together academics, industry professionals, policymakers, and local communities to showcase innovative strategies that minimize environmental impact, maximize socio-economic benefits, and enhance the visitor experience. Participants will discuss cutting-edge research, best practices, and emerging trends, contributing to a more resilient and responsible future. This global forum will tackle critical issues such as overtourism, resource depletion, cultural commodification, equitable benefit distribution, and the ethical implications of AI. By integrating sustainable practices and transitioning toward alternative tourism models, the sector can navigate uncertainties, enhance long-term viability, and contribute to a more equitable, environmentally conscious society. Learn more. 

2026 Special Focus—Pathways to Resilience; Sustainable Practices in Tourism and Leisure

Back to Top

Work and Family Researchers Network
Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, 17-20 June 2026

The next Work and Family Researchers Network Conference will be held June 17-20, 2026 at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. The conference theme is Centering Care Across the Life Course. More than 500 stakeholders in the work-family field are anticipated to attend, with a dynamic program focused on meaningful exchanges. Submissions open in July and close November 1, 2025. More information can be found at the conference website.

2026 Special Focus—Centering Care Across the Life Course

Back to Top

Sixteenth International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society
Universidad Antonio Ruiz de Montoya, Lima, Peru and Online, 22-23 June 2026

Founded in 2011, the Religion in Society Research Network explores the relationship between religion in society and the changing nature of spirituality. We seek to build an epistemic community where we can make linkages across disciplinary, geographic, and cultural boundaries. As a Research Network, we are defined by our scope and concerns and motivated to build strategies for action framed by our shared themes and tensions. Learn more about submission and registration.

2026 Special Focus—Indigenous Spiritualities in Global Perspective

Back to Top

Twenty-First International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences
University of Galway, Galway, Ireland + Online, 15-17 July 2026

In an era defined by globalization, transnational interdependencies, and rapid change, the importance of cooperation across academic, civic, and community spheres has never been more urgent. Bridging Boundaries— Collaborative Solutions to Complex Social Issues in an Interconnected World invites perspectives on how social scientists, policymakers, practitioners, and community members can work together across borders to address today’s most pressing global challenges. As economic, political, and technological forces reshape societies, how can we develop solutions that transcend national and disciplinary silos to confront systemic inequality, climate change, political polarization, digital transformation, and the evolving nature of work on a global scale?

We seek papers investigating how interdisciplinary research, participatory engagement, and policy development can align to foster lasting and inclusive approaches to complex global issues and societal well-being. Contributions from scholars in sociology, psychology, political science, anthropology, economics, law, education, international relations, global studies, and related fields are encouraged, with an emphasis on fresh insights and tangible examples of transnational and globally networked approaches. We welcome both empirical studies and theoretical reflections that push the boundaries of conventional thinking. By bridging boundaries—between disciplines, nations, and sectors—this conference aims to set an agenda to advance our collective understanding of today’s urgent social problems and illuminate pathways to transformative solutions that promise lasting, positive impacts on communities worldwide. Learn more.

Back to Top

Criminal Justice Association of Georgia (CJAG) Annual Conference
Albany State University, Albany, Georgia, 25-26 September 2026

We welcome proposals for research presentations, roundtables, panels, workshops, and student-led sessions.
Submit your abstract here. CJAG’s official peer-reviewed journal, The Pursuit, is currently accepting manuscript submissions. Presenters and non-presenters alike are encouraged to submit original research, practice-based articles, and scholarly essays related to criminal justice, criminology, or public safety. More information found on the website.

2026 Special Focus—The Future of Criminal Justice: Navigating the New Normal

Back to Top

Seventeenth International Conference on the Image
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore + Online, 1-2 October 2026

This year’s special focus examines how visual media serve as agents of cultural dialogue, activism, and change, particularly within complex and pluralistic societies. Images do more than reflect the world; they intervene in it. Whether mobilised to document injustice, amplify marginalised voices, reframe dominant narratives, or inspire solidarity, images hold or possess the capacity to advocate. As technologies evolve and the circulation of images intensifies, so too does the need to critically assess how they shape public consciousness and cultural meaning. This conference invites an exploration of how visual forms, across analogue, digital, and emerging mediums, operate as tools of advocacy within their own cultural contexts and in dialogue with others, placing an emphasis on practices that are situated, responsive, and ethically engaged. We ask: What are the possibilities and limits of the image as advocate? How does visual advocacy operate across linguistic, societal and cultural thresholds? And what pedagogies, platforms, or ethics are needed to support such work? In gathering diverse voices, we aim to cultivate a conversation on how images not only represent but also actively shape the cultures from which they emerge. More information can be found at the conference website.

2026 Special Focus—The Image as Advocate: Shaping Cultural Conversations

Back to Top

SVRI Forum 2026
Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Centre, Centralworld, Bangkok, Thailand, 5-9 October 2026 

The SVRI Forum 2026 will be held at the Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Centre, Bangkok, Thailand from 5 – 9 October 2026

The SVRI Forum is the Sexual Violence Research Initiative’s flagship event and the world’s leading conference on research, evidence, and solutions to prevent and respond to violence against women (VAW), violence against children (VAC), and other forms of gender-based violence (GBV). 

Back to Top

The 28th Canadian Ethnic Studies Association (CESA) Biennial Conference
Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity, Banff, Alberta, 9-10 October 2026

The Canadian Ethnic Studies Association (CESA) invites panel and/or paper proposals for its upcoming 28th conference on the theme of “Ethnic Dynamics and Immigration in a World in Flux”. There is little doubt that the world we are living in is going through a major transformation, driven by powerful economic, political, cultural, and social forces, and reflected through many unprecedented developments at global, regional, national, and local levels. This includes new wars, economic rivalry, cyber-attacks, redrawn political maps, electoral surprises, the rise of populism, new resistance movements, new technology, and so on. Some have begun suggesting new names for this emerging world, from ‘new world order’, to ‘cyber world order’, to the ‘post-liberal era’, and so on. This transformation has had undeniable implications for international Immigration, as well as race and ethnic relations, in many different countries, including Canada; and it calls for new theorizing efforts to understand it and to ameliorate the serious problems that come with it. Learn more on the English and French sites.

Back to Top

Sixteenth International Conference on Food Studies
University of Osaka, Osaka, Japan, 10-12 October 2026 and Online 

The Sixteenth International Conference on Food Studies will be held in Osaka, Japan—a city whose identity, culture, and cuisine have been shaped by water for centuries. Known historically as the “Kitchen of the Nation,” Osaka flourished as a hub of trade and food distribution, made possible by its extensive river and canal networks. Today, this rich heritage offers a powerful context for exploring the conference’s special theme: Living with Water: Food and Life.

In Osaka, water is more than a resource—it is a foundation for food culture, daily life, and ecological understanding. From the soft water used to make dashi, to the thriving markets that once received goods from across Japan, the city embodies a deep connection between water systems and sustainable food traditions. As global food and water crises intensify, Osaka offers a compelling site to examine how local knowledge, urban infrastructure, and culinary heritage can inform more resilient and equitable food futures.

Along with our papers that speak to our annual themes, we invite proposals that explore food sustainability, water security, health and nutrition, and the politics of food systems, especially about urban ecologies and historic foodways. Join us in Osaka to reflect on the past and reimagine the future of food in a world increasingly defined by its relationship to water. Learn more about registration.

Back to Top

Aging & Social Change: Sixteenth Interdisciplinary Conference
Akdeniz University in Antalya, Turkey, 15-16 October 2026

Care environments for aging populations must move toward more individualized, person-centered models. Yet across diverse national contexts, many systems remain fragmented or under-resourced, with gaps at the intersections of medical, social, and familial care arrangements. At the same time, promising new approaches are emerging around the world—ranging from dementia care innovations and age-friendly community programs to lifelong learning institutions for older adults.

This international dialogue will be hosted in Turkey, a country that both reflects these global challenges and serves as a site of experimentation in gerontological practice and policy. The conference offers an opportunity to exchange cross-national insights, share institutional innovations, and collaboratively reimagine the social contract across generations. Learn more about registration. 

2026 Special Focus—Demographic Futures: Political and Social Transformations

Back to Top

Queer Ecologies Across Socialisms
University of Regensburg, 15-16 October 2026

We invite academic and artistic contributions from Environmental Studies, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Life Sciences, Literary Studies, Visual and Performance Studies, Cultural Studies, and related fields for Queer Ecologies Across Socialisms. We especially welcome interventions from Indigenous Studies and work grounded in environmental justice. Possible topics include (but are not limited to):

  • queer ecological readings of literature, visual art, and performance created under state socialisms
  • trans* ecologies and trans-corporealities: embodied transitions, technoscience, and queer materialisms
  • reproduction, health, disability in their environmental entanglements
  • anti-queer mobilizations and backlash politics
  • housing, labor, leisure, and their more-than-human ecologies
  • archives, institutions, popular science, education
  • ecosocialist, proto-degrowth imaginaries: utopian/dystopian imaginaries and alternative models of planetary care, including transnational solidarities and activism
  • comparative, transnational, and decolonial approaches to “state socialism” as a global formation

Back to Top

Virtual Events

Sociology of Race and Ethnicity Meet the Editor Meetings

The Sociology of Race and Ethnicity series provides a venue for international, pioneering scholarship that moves our understanding of race, racism, ethnicity, and ethnic oppression forward. The series features books that engage in contemporary social issues in a meaningful way, advocating intervention and action in social justice and social transformation.  This semester we are offering four (4) MEET THE EDITORS Zoom meetings for anyone who wants to meet us, chat through ideas, discuss the series, anything! These will be on the 2nd Thursday of each month, February-May, during the 2:00 to 3:00pm (EST) window. All are welcome. Join these free sessions via Zoom. The dates for these are:

  • April 9
  • May 14
Virtual Writing Retreats
The Diversity Scholars Network is hosting monthly writing retreats via Zoom. These events are co-sponsored by the Anti-Racism Collaborative and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Writing retreats are scheduled throughout each month on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. We are offering writing sessions designed for faculty, staff, and graduate students. We hope you drop in for silent writing with optional breakout rooms for discussion and feedback.
 

Back to Top

Other Opportunites 

Diversity Scholars Network Lunch and Learn
Sessions will be small with ample time for questions and individual attention. This professional development opportunity is perfect for scholars pursuing grants and other funding opportunities as well as those currently working toward tenure. Seating is limited, so we encourage you to register early. Lunch will be provided. Click here to register.
Scholars at Risk and Amnesty Course 

Scholars at Risk and Amnesty International have released a new, free, 90-minute course titled “Dangerous” Questions, Why Academic Freedom Matters. Created with input from academic and legal experts, this self-paced course explores what academic freedom means, how it connects to human rights and higher education values, and why it matters for scholars, students, and society. You’ll leave with the tools to defend academic freedom in your classroom, institution, or community and to stand up for education spaces that are free, inclusive, and open to all. Learn more and enroll.

Back to Top 

UNRWA USA's 2026 Advocacy Days
20-21 April 2026

You are invited to join us in Washington, DC on April 20–21 for UNRWA USA's 2026 Advocacy Days. Right now in Gaza and across the region, Palestine refugee families are facing extreme hardship and instability. It is easy to feel helpless during these dark times, but you are not. Your voice matters, and you can make a difference.

As this month calls many of us to reflect on justice, compassion, and responsibility, advocacy is one way to carry those values forward into action. This is your opportunity to speak out and make sure Congress hears directly from the people they represent. We'll be advocating to restore US government funding for UNRWA to support millions of Palestine refugees in Gaza, the West Bank (including East Jerusalem), Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.

Here's why you shouldn't miss UNRWA USA's Advocacy Days:

  • You'll develop your advocacy skills: Expert-led training will help you become a confident advocate.
  • You'll meet your reps: Meet face-to-face with elected officials and/or their staffers to express your support for UNRWA. If you don't  show you care, why should they?
  • You'll connect with like-minded community: Network with fellow UNRWA USA advocates and make new friends from across the country who share your passion for advocating for Palestine refugees.
  • You'll gain skills to bring back home: Bring back the skills and strategies you’ve learned to your state, organize your local community, and inspire others to speak up for Palestine refugees.

Back to Top