Calls for Papers, Participants, 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
Participants
Nominations
Conferences and Events
Other Opportunities

Calls for Papers

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

Submission Deadline: 10 August 2025

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 and submission process.

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

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

Submission Deadline: 22 August 2025

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

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Sixteenth Annual International Conference on Stigma
Howard University, Washington, D.C., 18-20 November 2025

Submission Deadline: 1 September 2025

This hybrid conference aims to increase awareness of the stigma of HIV and other health conditions and to explore interventions to eradicate this stigma. This conference also serves to educate healthcare providers and the general public about stigma as both a major barrier to prevention and treatment of illnesses and a human rights violation. We are looking for original research that addresses HIV stigma or other mental or physical health-related stigma to be presented as a virtual poster during the conference virtual poster session on Wednesday, November 19, 2025. During the virtual poster session, each presenter will have the opportunity to give a live or pre-recorded presentation of their work with a live Q & A session to follow. Abstracts that focus on this year’s theme of, “Beyond the Labels – Living and Thriving” are particularly encouraged. A limited number of non-research, community-based project posters may be accepted for presentation during the virtual poster session.

For questions about abstracts, contact Victoria Hoverman and the Scientific Committee at HU.Stigma.Conference@gmail.com. For general questions about the conference contact Patricia Houston at phouston@howard.edu. Learn more.

2025 Special Focus—Beyond the Label - Living and Thriving

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Mid-South Sociological Association Annual Meeting
North Augusta, South Carolina, 15-18 October 2025

Submission Deadline: 1 September 2025

Globally, in a world of interlocking networks, the likelihood that most residents will experience a major disaster in their lifetimes is increasing significantly. Whether caused by natural, technological, synergistic, social, cyber, or new means, disasters are becoming more complex, frequent, stronger, longer-lasting, and more devastating in their impacts. As each disaster receives only limited national attention, the extended, slow recovery process forces change and transition at all levels of society, reshaping the pathways forward. Disasters force endings and offer new beginnings. Their destruction spotlights human losses, community ties, deep social change, power dynamics, gender inequalities, wealth and poverty disparities, as well as themes of security, insecurity, and civil rights across varied geographies and cyberspaces. For this conference, we encourage you to submit papers around the theme of disaster with a focus on the humanistic impacts, to understand the texture of loss, the emergence of care and love amidst such devastation, and the process of recovery in a myriad of social and cultural contexts. We are also interested in ways disaster concepts and theorization can apply to new social contexts, expanding our understanding of the theories and bridge the gap between disciplines and perspectives. Learn more about submission and registration.

2025 Special Focus—Disasters: Understanding the Textures of Loss, Love, and Recovery Amidst Forced Social Change

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Call for Papers and Sessions for the 2026 Work and Family Researchers Network Conference

Submission Deadline: 1 October 2025

Submissions are now open for the Work and Family Researchers Network 8th Biennial Conference, June 17-20, 2026, Concordia University Montreal Canada. More than 400 scholars are anticipated to attend. The conference theme is Centering Care Across the Life Course.  Submission deadline is October 1, 2025. Upon request, submissions received by September 1, 2025 will be expedited to facilitate Canadian visa approval. To submit your paper, poster, or session proposal, follow this link: https://wfrn26.mymeetingsavvy.net/. For more information on the 2026 conference and travel to Canada, visit the conference webpage: https://wfrn.org/2026-work-and-family-researchers-network-conference/.

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"Police Response to Violence Against Women"
Policing: An International Journal

Submission Deadline: 1 October 2025

This special issue seeks to address contemporary challenges, highlight unexplored areas, and identify innovative police responses to violence against women across the world. While there is an established academic literature on violence against women, the issue remains prevalent and unresolved despite initiatives from the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and country specific responses. The World Health Organization estimates 1:3 women worldwide have been subjected to physical and/or sexual violence. Violence against women continues to have serious implications for public health and human rights across the globe. This special issue explores police practices across different countries and cultures, highlights universal challenges, and identifies successful strategies. Read the full call for papers.

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

Submission Deadline: 1 November 2025

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

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Sociology of Race and Ethnicity

Submission Deadline: On-Going Call

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.

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Participants

Teaching About Race
Dr. Sarah Friedman, Senior Lecturer of Sociology at Georgia State University, is recruiting participants for a study about experiences instructors have when they teach about race in Introduction to Sociology classes to gain information about teaching challenges to better understand pedagogical needs.
 
If you have taught an introductory sociology course at a US college or university within the past 5 years, and are at least 18 years old, you are eligible to participate. Participants will complete an online anonymous survey that asks about your teaching background, classroom environment, and bigger institutional context. The survey takes approximately 15-20 minutes.
 
If you are interested in participating, please use this link to learn more and to begin the survey.
 

Nominations

Mid-South Sociological Association (MSSA) 
Dr. Thomas C. Calhoun Excellence in Mentoring Award
Deadline: 15 September 2025
I am pleased to announce that the Mid-South Sociological Association (MSSA) is now accepting nominations for the Dr. Thomas C. Calhoun Excellence in Mentoring Award. The Dr. Thomas C. Calhoun Excellence in Mentoring Award honors a member of MSSA who provides an exceptional level of support to the professional development and career advancement of their mentees (undergraduate students and/or graduate students). Candidates will be assessed on their record of assisting mentees matriculate through undergraduate and/or graduate programs and develop their own academic and professional paths.
A letter of nomination (addressing the criteria listed below) can be submitted by any MSSA member in good financial standing that. Self-nominations are not accepted. Criteria for the award include:
 
1. Service as a role model for integrity and professionalism within the discipline of Sociology and Sociological Practice

2. Evidence of mentoring that promotes the profession/discipline.

3. Impact of mentoring: A) Number of Mentees, B) Accomplishments of mentees (e.g. current position, grant support, publications, regional and national recognition, leadership, etc), and C) Approaches to mentoring.
 
The DEADLINE for nominations is SEPTEMBER 15, 2025. All questions and nomination information, as outlined above, should be sent (via email) to the Committee Chair, Dr. Earl Wright II  (wrighte@rhodes.edu). For more information on this award visit https://www.midsouthsoc.org/calhoun-excellence-in-mentoring-career-award/.

Conferences and Events

Sociologists for Trans Justice (S4TJ) Social 
Lizzie McNeill's Irish Pub, Chicago, Illinois
10 August 2025

Sociologists For Trans Justice will host a social at ASA on Sunday August 10th at 9 pm for trans, nonbinary, and intersex sociologists and their accomplices! The social will be held at Lizzie McNeill's Irish Pub, which is less than a 10-minute walk from the conference hotel; it is wheelchair accessible, has an outdoor patio, and serves food until midnight. More information. 

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ASASWEI INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
University of the Free State, 10-12 September 2025 (in person)

In a world facing increasing social inequalities, environmental crises, and geopolitical conflicts, the role of social work and related disciplines has never been more vital. As communities grapple with challenges such as climate change, forced displacement, poverty, and human rights violations, social workers, educators, and researchers must actively engage in solutions that promote justice, peace, and sustainability. This international conference provides a platform for critical reflection, knowledge-sharing, and action-oriented discussions on how social work education, research, and practice can drive transformative change in addressing these global issues. This conference theme recognises the interconnectedness of social and environmental justice, peacebuilding, and sustainable development. It highlights the importance of integrating green social work perspectives, conflict resolution strategies, and development frameworks into social work education, policy, and field interventions. As the world strives to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), social work must evolve to respond effectively to these global challenges. Learn more.

Key Focus Areas:

  • Socia, economic, and Environmental Justice
  • Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution
  • Sustainable Development and Social Work
  • Teaching and Research, and Practice for Social Change

Theme—Advancing Social, Economic and Environmental Justice, Peace building, and Sustainable Development through teaching, research and practice

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Eighteenth International Conference on the Inclusive Museum 
Hosted by University of San Jorge, Zaragoza, Spain
15-17 September 2025

Founded in 2008, The Inclusive Museum Research Network is brought together by a shared concern for the future role of the museum and how it can become more inclusive. 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 registration.

2025 Special Focus—Museums, Galleries, and Archives: Engines of Innovation and Social Participation

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SAR - Register for the US General Assembly!
New York University
October 8-10, 2025
Register today for the Scholars at Risk 2025 US General Assembly to be held October 8-10, 2025 at New York University! US higher education is experiencing unprecedented pressures on admissions, hiring, research, teaching content, departmental structures, policies on speech, disciplinary policies, and finances. Together, we will learn about the impacts of these pressures, apply lessons from SAR's global network and partners, and explore strategies for responding on our own campuses and across the US section. 

The schedule will feature pre-conference workshops as well as keynote and plenary sessions, with topics including responses to pressures on US higher education, supporting at-risk scholars and practitioners at US institutions, introductory sessions for new and prospective member institutions, and lessons learned from history and SAR’s international experience. 

Join SAR network members, partners, and guests as we share best practices and develop skills for navigating the current challenges. Together we can make a difference: defending at-risk scholars and protecting everyone's freedom to think, question, and share ideas. 

SAR will continue to share registration and programming updates through the SAR US Bulletin and monthly newsletters, as well as on the conference webpage. Please direct any questions to SARUSGeneralAssembly@nyu.edu. 

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Fifteenth International Conference on Food Studies
Hosted by University of Pretoria in Pretoria, South Africa and Online
8-10 October 2025

The Fifteenth International Conference on Food Studies, “Fed Up: Learning From Tradition, Imagining New Futures,” will be hosted in the vibrant heart of Pretoria, South Africa. The conference is dedicated to unraveling the intricate threads of food, culture, and sustainability that shape not only our local landscapes but also the global food discourse. In a world marked by abundance and scarcity, this conference serves as a forum to explore the multifaceted dimensions of food in contemporary society, transcending borders and boundaries.

We invite scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and food enthusiasts to join us to engage with renowned experts and thought leaders. Foster cross-cultural collaborations and share innovative research. Gain insights into South Africa's culinary heritage and its global impact. And be part of shaping sustainable and equitable food futures. Together, let's embark on a culinary journey that transcends boundaries, unlocking the wisdom of tradition and harnessing the power of imagination to pave the way for a more sustainable, nourishing, and inclusive world. Prepare to be inspired, challenged, and nourished in mind and body. We look forward to welcoming you to this transformative conference. Learn more about registration.

2025 Special Focus—Fed Up: Learning From the Past, Imagining New Futures

55th Annual Conference of the Association of Black Sociologists
Sheraton Memphis Downtown Hotel, Memphis, Tennessee
October 9-11, 2025

Since its historic founding in 1970, the Association of Black Sociologists has remained a professional organization at the vanguard of struggling with and for Black people globally towards liberation through using sociological methods to study race, social structures, intersectionality, and the experiences of Black communities. Given the changing landscape of higher education, along with the broader shifts and needs of Black communities, the theme for the 55th Annual ABS Conference is grounded in our founding roots. We invite papers, presentations, conversations, sessions, and sessions after the sessions that focus on “advancing a Black sociological tradition of scholar activism” that can deepen and broaden understandings of Black people, Black life, and Black communities and all those who we co-labor and co-struggle with in our work and efforts. How might we account for our current statuses and experiences across social institutions, spaces, and places? How can we look back to learn from the past to better understand the present, while also holding space for looking forward as well? And, how do we make space for our multidimensional Blackness? Let us use our convening as an opportunity to be in and sustain community, to learn and share knowledge and research, and to engage with and build on ABS’ tradition of scholarship and service.

All program participants must be current 2025 ABS members. The ABS membership year runs from January 1 through December 31 each year. To be included in the final program, all participants must join and register no later than August 1, 2025. Membership renewal can be completed online here.

2025 Special Focus—All Black Everything: Advancing a Black Sociological Tradition of Scholar Activism

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2025 Conference of the Peace & Justice Studies Association @ Swarthmore
October 9-12, 2025

This year the Peace and Justice Studies Association is joining with the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies at Swarthmore College outside of Philadelphia, PA.

We will feature 4 days of engaged scholarship, action-orientated research, and building capacities for intersectional social change.

Day 1: Pre-conference trainings

Days 2-4: Conference sessions--panels, keynotes, plenaries, workshops, and more!

All registration fees include three breakfasts, three lunches, coffee service, and two banquet/keynote dinners. Shuttle service will also be provided free of charge between conference hotels and Swarthmore College.

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Twentieth International Conference on Design Principles and Practices
Sapienza University of Rome, Italy + Online
25-27 February 2026

The Twentieth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices offers an interdisciplinary forum to explore the meaning and purpose of design. Our aim is to build an epistemic community where we can make linkages across disciplinary, geographic, and cultural boundaries. The 20th anniversary of DPP provides a valuable opportunity to assess how well our principles and practices have performed and to envision how Design must adapt to meet the challenges of the near future. This moment invites us to reinforce Design’s cultural role as a catalyst for meaningful, lasting change. We call on researchers across all domains of Design to explore the concept of Time, reflecting on its influence in any aspect of Design practice or research. What changes would you advocate for in the next 20 years? Learn more about registration.

2025 Special Focus—Design Across Time

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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.

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Other Opportunites

Call for Work and Family Researchers Network Early Career Fellowship Applications

The Work and Family Researchers Network (WFRN) is seeking applicants for its 2026-2027 Early Career Work and Family Fellowships. The goal of the program is to help promising young scholars establish career successes and integrate them within the WFRN research community. Fellows receive a 2026 membership in the WFRN, conference registration, and $250 to attend an Early Career Fellowship Preconference (June 17, 2026) and the 2026 WFRN Main Conference (June 18-20, 2026) in Montreal, Canada. To be eligible, candidates must have received their doctorate in 2023 or later and have yet to progress into tenured or secure senior-level positions. The deadline for applications is October 1, 2025. Questions about the program can be addressed to the program co-directors, Nicole Denier (ngdenier@gmail.com) and Yang Hu (prof.yanghu@gmail.com). Application submission information and further details on the Early Career Fellowship program can be found on this link: https://wfrn.org/early-career-fellowship/.

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Call for Work and Family Researchers Network Predoctoral Preconference Applications

On June 17, 2026, the Work and Family Researchers Network will hold a Pre-Doctoral Preconference at Concordia University in Montreal Canada during its 8th Biennial Conference. The Predoctoral Preconference will provide workshops intended to help graduate students form meaningful connections with diverse scholars, learn about publication strategies, as well as how to engage with stakeholders such as organizational leaders or policy advocates. Questions can be directed to organizers Wen Fan (wen.fan@bc.edu) and Jaeseung Kim (jkim1203@o365.skku.edu). Space is limited. Applications close January 15, 2026. Those selected to attend the preconference will be notified in February 2026. Information about the 2026 WFRN conference and the preconference application can be found at this link: https://wfrn.org/2026-work-and-family-researchers-network-conference/. 

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