The following frequently asked questions are designed to help you prepare for the 2026 SSSP Annual Meeting. If your question isn’t addressed here, please contact the Administrative Office at sssp@utk.edu.

→ Will the 2026 meeting include a virtual component?

No. The 2026 Annual Meeting will be held fully in-person, as approved by the Board of Directors.

→ Who selects the theme of the annual meeting?

The SSSP President selects the theme for each annual meeting. The 2026 theme is Resisting Colonization of Lifeworlds.

→ What are divisions?

Within SSSP, there are subgroups organized around specific topics, interests, or subdisciplines—known as Divisions.

The Divisions:

• Help shape the annual meeting by organizing paper sessions and panels
• Provide opportunities for scholars to present their work to other scholar advocates
• Foster connections among members with shared research and action interests
• Offer pathways to leadership and service roles withing the Society

→ What are the different types of sessions listed in the program?

Paper presenters and panelists should adhere to the time frames stipulated for the different types of sessions and be respectful of the time of other presenters. Since there is never enough time to fully develop an argument, the audience will be most engaged by a presentation that highlights the question you are addressing and offers your main insights into the issue. The question-and-answer period that follows will permit greater elaboration if questions are addressed directly to the presenter or panelist.

Regular Sessions: These sessions consist of presentations of five to six research papers that relate to the theme of the session and time for feedback and discussion. Presenters should take up to 15 minutes to discuss their contribution, followed by discussant comments in some instances. Afterward, the presider will open the floor for discussion and questions from the audience.

Plenary Sessions: Plenary sessions are sessions to which everyone attending the meeting is invited. In New York City, there will be five plenary sessions: Opening Plenary, SSSP Business Meeting, Town Hall: An Open Forum, Presidential Address, and Awards Ceremony. The Opening Plenary will be held on the pre-meeting day. The SSSP Business Meeting and Town Hall: An Open Forum will be held on the first day and the Presidential Address and Awards Ceremony will be held on the second day. Because these sessions are considered important to the membership and the structure of the organization, no other sessions are scheduled concurrent with these sessions.

Thematic Sessions: Topics covered in the thematic sessions reflect the theme of the annual meeting.

Special Sessions: Topics for the special sessions are typically generated by members of the Program Committee (this is the committee that helps the president organize the program for the annual meeting). Sometimes the Program Committee members organize the sessions but arrange for others to be the discussants; other times, they lead the sessions themselves. Special sessions typically include events with high-profile sociologists, author meets critics sessions, networking events, teaching workshops, film exhibits, and panels on particularly timely topics.

Papers in the Round/Works in Progress/Research Feedback Forum Sessions: These session types are usually comprised of several tables, each with a different theme. Each roundtable consists of five to six paper presentations and may have an established scholar serving as presider and/or discussant. Discussion proceeds simultaneously at all tables.

At each table, the discussant leader(s) will introduce the topic and facilitate discussion among all participants. These are informal opportunities to present and discuss works in progress, and are somewhat self-organized. Authors in turn should start out detailing their projects or papers for about 10-15 minutes, after which participants around the table (authors and others) are invited to offer suggestions, reflect on content, and provide constructive feedback.

Papers in the Round, Works in Progress, and Research Feedback Forum sessions will not have audio-visual equipment.

Critical Dialogue Sessions: This format includes short (5 minute) presentations by up to eight authors followed by facilitated dialogue that critically explores connections among the papers. The audience will have an opportunity to participate in the dialogue as well. Emphasis is placed on exploring interesting connections between papers with a broadly similar theme. This provides the opportunity for both presenters and the audience to make new and deeper connections from their own unique insights and presented ideas.

The presider/discussant (same person serves in both roles) has an important role of moderating and facilitating the dialogue, while ensuring the presentation times are followed.

Critical Dialogue sessions will not have audio-visual equipment.

Panel Sessions: Moderators will facilitate a free-flowing interaction or dialogue among the panel members as they explore and expound upon the panel’s theme. Panelists should not see this as a platform to dominate the discussion. After about an hour, the moderator should invite participation from the audience as the conversation continues.

→ The program lists three types of roles: facilitator/moderator/presider, paper presenters and panelists, and discussants. What do individuals in each role do?

The role of the facilitator/moderator/presider is to keep the session moving forward. That means maintaining time limits of speakers, facilitating audience participation, and wrapping up the session in time so the next session can start promptly. Prior to the conference, contact your presenters to make sure they provide material to discussants whenever one is listed. To encourage broad participation during the open discussion period, presiders should ensure no audience member monopolizes the time with an ad hoc presentation.

Paper presenters and panelists should adhere to the time frames stipulated for the different session types and be respectful of the time of other presenters. Since there is never enough time to fully develop an argument, the audience will be most engaged by a presentation that highlights the question you are addressing and offers your main insights into the issue. The question-and-answer period that follows will permit greater elaboration if questions are addressed directly to the presenter or panelist.

Important: All program participants must send a copy of their paper to the session presider and/or discussant by June 30.

Discussants should reflect on the papers or summaries they receive prior to the session, and should lead the subsequent discussion by raising interesting points or asking questions gleaned from each presentation. Discussants should request written material from all presenters prior to the conference, so they have more time to prepare their remarks.

→ What audio-visual services will be available?

LCD projectors and screens will be available for all traditional sessions. Panel, Works in Progress, Research Feedback Forum, and Critical Dialogue sessions will not have audio-visual equipment.

Presenters and/or session organizers must bring their own laptops and necessary adapters (e.g., Apple or HDMI connection cords) for all traditional/regular sessions. SSSP does not provide laptops or cables for use.

We recommend saving your presentation to a thumb drive in case you need to use another participant’s computer. Powered speakers for audio will not be available for any sessions; as such, we discourage the inclusion of short video clips in your presentation due to accessibility purposes (it will be difficult for the audience to hear them).

Complimentary internet access will be available in all conference meeting spaces. To ensure those with virtual presentation accommodations have the ability to engage, we ask that you refrain from using the shared Wi-Fi for high bandwidth purposes (i.e., streaming videos, Zoom meetings, etc.).

→ The program lists the committee and divisional meetings. Which ones can I attend?

Committee meetings are only open to members of that particular committee unless stated otherwise in the program or by invitation by the committee. However, divisional meetings are open to all. If you want to get involved in a division(s), these are great meetings to attend. Note: Committees and Divisions can hold business meetings virtually before the annual meeting and/or meet in-person during the annual meeting.

→ How do I organize or participate in sessions at the annual meeting?

To present your research, respond to the Call for Papers by submitting an extended abstract or paper online. The deadline for submissions is January 31. The session organizers and the Program Committee work collaboratively to place submissions in appropriate sessions.

In addition to presenting papers, consider serving as an organizer, presider, or discussant. See descriptions below:

Organizer: If you wish to organize a session for the following year’s annual meeting, the brainstorming process usually begins in divisional meetings. If you cannot attend the divisional meetings, you may submit your session theme to a Division Leader prior to the annual meeting. Organizers are encouraged to present themes that are broad enough to invite participation yet specific enough to provide the foundation for a meaningful conversation to occur in the session. After the Call for Papers submission deadline has passed, you will also be involved with selecting papers for the session.

Presider: Presiders ensure that sessions run smoothly. Presiders make sure that session participants stay within their allotted time. Sessions last 1 hour and 40 minutes, unless noted otherwise. Presiders should alert the session participants to how long they will have to present their papers and make sure they provide materials to discussants (if applicable) prior to the annual meeting. Presiders should remember to leave time for questions and answers at the end of the session. We recommend that presiders bring index cards to sessions that indicate how much longer the session participant has left within their allotted time (i.e., cards that read 5 minutes, 2 minutes, and 0 minutes. To encourage broad participation during the open discussion period, presiders should be careful not to let an audience member excessively monopolize the time by essentially making their own ad hoc presentation.

Discussant: Discussants should remember that their tasks are both to reflect on the papers or summaries they should have received prior to the session, and to lead the subsequent discussion by raising interesting points or asking questions gleaned from the presentations. It would be a good idea for each discussant to contact their presenters to make sure they receive some written material prior to the conference, so they have more time to prepare their remarks.

→ What are the registration deadline dates for the 2026 SSSP Annual Meeting?

Registration will open in early 2026.

All participants (except individuals from community, labor, and comparable organizations working on social problems or social justice issues who have been invited by a session organizer to serve on a panel or to make a presentation) must be current members of the Society (you may join upon acceptance of your presentation) and must register (paying the guest registration fee is not an option for program participants) for the annual meeting by June 1. Persons failing to register by June 1 will have their presentations deleted from the final program.

• Early Bird Registration is valid until June 1.
• Pre-registration is valid June 2 – July 16.
• Online registration will close at 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time) on Thursday, July 16.

Those who miss the online registration deadline may register on-site at the conference hotel. On-site registration will be open at the following times:

• Thursday, August 6: 2:00pm–6:00pm
• Friday, August 7: 8:00am–6:00pm
• Saturday, August 8: 7:00am–6:00pm
• Sunday, August 9: 8:00am–5:00pm

→ Which participants are exempt from paying the registration fees?

Exemptions from paying registration fees will be considered for:

• Non-students who are unemployed and/or receiving monthly financial assistance to meet living expenses;
• Program participants from community, labor, and comparable organizations working on social problems or social justice issues who have been invited by a session organizer to serve on a panel or to make a presentation. The exemption applies only to one individual – the paper presenter – when there are multiple authors on the paper;
• Non-U.S. and non-Canadian scholars residing in economically disadvantaged countries who without these funds would be unable to attend the meeting;
• Co-authors of papers who will not be attending the meeting. One of the co-authors must be a paid registrant. Both co-authors must pay if both expect to attend the meeting; or
• Persons excused by direct request of the Program Chair

All exemption requests must be submitted by May 15. A maximum of 20 exemptions may be granted per year, processed in the order received; exemptions beyond this amount require Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee approval.

→ What is SSSP’s annual meeting refund policy?

Registration fees will be refunded to individuals who notify the Administrative Office that they will not attend the annual meeting prior to July 15. Once the participant packets have been prepared, processing costs have occurred. Unfortunately, under no circumstances will SSSP issue refunds for no-shows.

→ Does SSSP offer a Mentoring Program?

The SSSP Mentoring Program is designed to facilitate virtual interaction between members of SSSP who wish to be paired with a mentor or mentee. The primary objective of this program is to facilitate connections between mentors and mentees for at least 1 year (summer 2026-summer 2027). If you are interested in serving as a mentor or being matched with a mentor, please complete the online application. The application deadline is June 30.

→ Does SSSP offer a Meeting Mentor Program for annual meeting attendees?

The SSSP Meeting Mentor Program is designed to facilitate interaction between new members or graduate students and meeting veterans at the annual meeting. If you are interested in serving as a meeting mentor or being matched with a meeting mentor at the annual meeting, please complete the online application. The application deadline is June 30.

→ Does SSSP offer roommate matching services for the meeting?

When registering, you will have the option to participate in our roommate matching opportunity. Roommate requests must be submitted by June 30. The Administrative Office will send you a list with contact information for those who are interested in sharing a room on July 1. While we are happy to connect you with other registrants, please note that the Society will not vet anyone on this list and cannot make recommendations. If you have preferences for specific roommates (e.g., sharing a room with a fellow student), you will need to seek out that information directly from the registrant, as SSSP does not place roommates together.

→ Does SSSP offer childcare services for the meeting?

The SSSP does not provide childcare services; however, we offer a childcare matching opportunity. You must make your request to participate in the childcare matching opportunity by June 30. The Administrative Office will send you a listing with contact information for those who are bringing children on July 1 so you can coordinate childcare/outings/etc., if desired. Please note that the Society will not vet anyone on this list, nor do we provide direct childcare services. We simply make the list available to all interested registrants.

→ Does SSSP provide accessibility services for meeting participants?

The SSSP strives to make our annual meeting as accessible as possible. Registrants with disabilities may request accessibility services such as sign language interpreters, sighted guides, and other communication avenues to facilitate their full participation when they register for the annual meeting. If you need accessible accommodations or other services, alert us to your needs no later than June 30. Every reasonable effort will be made to assist attendees; however, SSSP may not be able to provide all services or equipment due to availability and budget and time constraints. The Accessibility Committee Chair will contact you about service arrangements.