Calls for Papers and Panels
2026 Conrad M. Hall Symposium for Virginia History Join us on Saturday, October 3, 2026.
This year, the Virginia Museum of History & Culture explores how generations of newcomers have contributed to Virginia’s culture, economy, and identity. Virginia and the United States have long offered opportunities to build new beginnings through work, education, and community support, reflecting the Revolutionary promise of an exceptional nation where individuals could succeed by merit. We The People: The World in Our Commonwealth highlights the many people who, over centuries, have made Virginia the unique place it is in the United States and in the world.
Migration defines Virginia. Before colonization, seasonal migration was a fundamental part of Indigenous life, and Virginia Indians were soon forced to adapt to displacement. Colonists arrived seeking opportunity and dominion, while Africans were forcibly transported into bondage. Later waves of immigration from around the world reshaped Virginia’s culture, economy, and political life. As new communities took root, debates sparked about what it meant to be “American,” how belonging should be defined, and who should have access to rights, resources, and representation. These conversations continue as Virginians today welcome refugees, support new diasporic communities, and confront legacies of exclusion. But migrations within and out of Virginia have also been transformative: from westward expansion, industrialization, and the Great Migration, to shifting labor markets, transportation networks, and cultural landscapes. Movement, both voluntary and involuntary, has been a constant force for change.
Submit a Proposal for the 2026 Symposium:
In 2026, the VMHC will host the return of the Conrad M. Hall Symposium for Virginia History, a one-day event in which historians, practitioners, and the public gather to explore our shared past. Featuring panels and presentations that highlight groundbreaking work on migration in Virginia history, tailored gallery tours that illuminate the journeys of those who shaped the Commonwealth, and a special keynote lecture, the symposium bridges past and present to inspire future generations.
The VMHC welcomes presentations and panels from public and academic historians alike that address the theme of “migration” in Virginia history. Presentations may focus on:
• People, places, or events in Virginia that reflect migration or immigrant experiences
• New methods and perspectives that represent innovative change in the way we archive, research, interpret, and educate about migration
Our symposium provides an opportunity for historians to share their work in a supportive, public-centered environment that values accessibility and compelling storytelling. The VMHC looks forward to welcoming you and to sharing new perspectives on the history of migration and belonging in Virginia.
To Submit a Proposal: The deadline for presentation submissions is Friday, March 6, 2026. Decisions will be communicated in April 2026. Please direct any questions to symposium@virginiahistory.org. For all submissions, please provide a presentation title, a 250-word abstract, and a biographical paragraph or CV (no more than 250 words) in a single PDF/Word document and upload it via the link below.
https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=CG79hqYix02kya5eGoK54wmdCAQwaVRAkr3PWnVBCtBUMVdDUk5SWVNUVUlQTEUwWUtaSVdPVUxYVC4u&route=shorturl
When reviewing proposals, the VMHC will value the contemporary relevance of the topic and the public speaking experience of the presenters. You may include links to examples of past public speaking (such as recorded presentations or podcasts), though this is not required.
Exhibitor Hall:
Now in its fourth year, the VMHC Symposium draws approximately 200 guests from diverse backgrounds to the museum. Attendees are academics, public historians, K-12 educators, undergraduate and graduate students, and history loving members of the public. The VMHC is excited to offer organizations the opportunity to engage with symposium guests by reserving a spot in our exhibitor hall.
Commonwealth Level - $250
2 symposium registrations
2 6ft tables
Listed in symposium program (print and digital)
Ability to sell products to symposium attendees, with prior VMHC approval
Dominion Level - $150
2 symposium registrations
1 6ft table
Listed in symposium program (print and digital)
The deadline for exhibitor submissions is Monday, June 1, 2026. Decisions will be communicated later in June 2026. Please direct any questions to symposium@virginiahistory.org.
https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=CG79hqYix02kya5eGoK54wmdCAQwaVRAkr3PWnVBCtBUQVJLUkUzNTVFMk1QVFFSRUdEVjZSMDMwNy4u&route=shorturl
Please note, the application and review process for exhibitor space and presentations/panels are separate. If interested in both opportunities, you must submit separate applications.
CALL FOR SPEAKERS
RAF Museum 2026 Call for Speakers: Lecture Series
Organiser: Royal Air Force Museum
Place and Date: Virtual, or onsite at the Royal Air Force Museum’s Midlands site. Dates and location TBC upon selection of applications.
Application Deadline: 23 January 2026.
Submission Type: Abstract, plus a biography and talk title.
Form of Submission: Abstract (Maximum 300 words in English) and Talk Title (no more than 70 characters). Biographies should be no more than 200 words.
Applications to be sent to: ResearchNews@rafmuseum.org
General Information:
The RAF Museum seeks proposals from postgraduate students, early-career and establishedvresearchers for our 2026 Research Lecture Programme. Lectures will be hosted online and the RAF Museum’s Midlands site, and will share new research being undertaken in the fields of Air Power, aviation history and histories of air forces. The lectures enable those interested in these fields of study to share their knowledge, and to highlight the interdisciplinary approaches and research methods being utilised.
The Museum’s 2026 Research Programme will examine Air Power in its broadest sense, encompassing the history of air warfare and the RAF as well as related fields such as archaeology, law and ethics, museology, international relations and strategic studies. Papers relating to the future direction of Air and Space Power are particularly welcome.
For online lectures, speakers have forty-five minutes to present; for lectures held in-person, speakers have up to one hour to present. Lectures will be followed by a question and answer section of 30 minutes. All lectures will also be streamed online via Crowdcast.
As part of the Museum’s ongoing commitment to encourage debate regarding Air Power and the history of the RAF, we also host research panels involving a series of shorter-talks followed by an open discussion.
If you are interested in delivering a lecture, or proposing a discussion panel, please send a lecture title, abstract and biography to the Museum’s Historian and Academic Access Manager Dr Megan Wang (ResearchNews@rafmuseum.org) by Friday 23 January 2026.
If you would like to informally discuss the opportunity of presenting a lecture, then you are warmly encouraged to contact the Museum’s Historian and Academic Access Manager.
CALL FOR PAPERS
Empires and War
Newman House
University College Dublin
17-18 September 2026
Empires have a long association with war. Since Antiquity, wars have been fought to build empires and to destroy them, to expand them and to get out of them, to gain wealth and to consolidate power, to assert ideologies and to mete out punishments. And empires have waged war with conquered peoples in their armed forces and with imperial coalitions of the so-called willing, with allies and without them.
University College Dublin and the Royal Military College of Canada will co-host a conference to examine facets of war and empire since Antiquity. The event will convene at Newman House (St. Stephens Green), Dublin, 17-18 September 2026. Keynote speakers include Jonathan Fennell (King’s College London), Martin Thomas (University of Exeter), Yasmin Khan (University of Oxford), and Brian MacAllister Linn (Texas A & M).
We invite proposals that consider imperial war in any or all of its military, political, social, intellectual, economic, gendered, diplomatic, racial, and indigenous dimensions. Preference will be given to panel proposals.
Panel proposals should consist of:
• rationale and presentation of the panel (300 words maximum)
• abstract for each paper (250 words maximum)
• short biography for each contributor and the panel chair (150 words maximum)
Individual paper proposals should consist of:
• abstract (250 words maximum)
• short biography (150 words maximum)
Deadline for submissions: 15 March 2026
Notifications of acceptance: 10 April 2026
All submissions should be made to Professor Doug Delaney, Doug.Delaney@rmc.ca.
Space is limited to sixty (60) on-site attendees.
CALL FOR PAPERS
Call for Papers
Military Welfare History Network Conference 2026
Civil Society, Civic Engagement and Its Impact on Military Welfare
Thurs 18 to Sat 20 June 2026 – Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Overview
The 5th International Conference of the Military Welfare History Network will be hosted by Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, in Summer 2026 (Thurs 18 to Sat 20 June 2026).
Centring on the theme of “Civil Society, Civic Engagement and Its Impact on Military Welfare” , the conference seeks to explore the transformative influence of civil society (in its institutionalised form), as well as of various other types of civic engagement on the development and evolution of military welfare. This event aims to bring together scholars from history, sociology, military studies, social policy, and related fields to examine how civil society shaped—and was shaped by—the changing practices of welfare within military institutions across different countries and contexts. The main focus will be directed towards the complex and dynamic interactions between civilian organizations, philanthropic initiatives, reformers, public opinion, and state-supported initiatives (including the legal background) and actors in redefining the care, support, and rights provided to serving soldiers, veterans, and their families.
We look forward to papers analysing how shifting societal values, the rise of voluntary associations, advocacy movements, and growing public engagement affected military welfare reform—ranging from healthcare and pensions to education, housing, and psychological support. Proposals engaging critically with the less studied or more troubling aspects of military welfare, including but not limited to the entanglement of veteran support systems with radical nationalism, eugenics, and biopolitical projects are also of interest. We particularly welcome contributions using innovative sources or methodologies and encourage early-career researchers and postgraduate students to apply.
Suggested topics (not limited to)
- The role of philanthropic and charitable organizations in shaping military welfare systems
- Case studies of key reforms influenced or initiated by civil society actors
- Biographies of civic actors involved with the field, with emphasize on their work’s impact on the topic
- Public campaigns and their impacts on legislative or institutional change in military welfare
- Comparative analyses of military welfare in different national, colonial, or imperial contexts
- The interplay between state and non-state actors in providing support to veterans and military families
- The transformation of military welfare in response to war, demobilization, and post-conflict periods
- Gender, race, ethnicity or class dynamics in the advocacy for and benefits from military welfare reform
- The legacy of 18th–20th century civil society interventions on contemporary military welfare policies
Submission Guidelines:
Abstracts: Please submit an abstract of 250 words outlining your proposed paper’s theme, approach, and sources.
Bio: Include a brief biographical note (max 50 words) with your institutional affiliation and contact details.
Submission email: militarywelfarehistory@gmail.com
Deadline: 28 February 2026
Notification of acceptance will be provided by early April 2026.
Full details at https://militarywelfarehistory.com/2026-conference/
CALL FOR PAPERS
Conference on Joint Warfare
21-22 January 2027
Venue: Maynooth University, Ireland
On Thursday/Friday 21-22 January 2027 the Centre for Military History and Strategic Studies at Maynooth University will hold a conference to explore the historic and modern challenges of conducting joint warfare.
The conference is designed to examine the ways in which different groups and organisations approach the conduct of joint warfare, exploring the ways and means at their disposal, historical challenges to success, and the place for joint operations in light of new capabilities that challenge traditional concepts of manoeuvre on the modern battlefield. The CMHSS welcomes topics from all related disciplines including military history, strategic studies, international relations, politics, etc. The aim is to bring together scholars and practitioners, to share ideas and to debate possibilities in order to better develop our understanding of the challenges and lessons learned from past attempts to conduct joint warfare, and their meaning for future operations.
We invite proposals from anyone interested in presenting papers, or organising panels, related to this topic. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
· Theory related to Joint Warfare.
· Historic cases of joint operations with a look towards lessons learned.
· Challenges to conducting joint warfare in the age of drones.
· Institutional apathy to working jointly.
· How the military works jointly with others levers of government.
· Coalition warfare.
· The challenge of alliances.
· Leadership in Joint Operations
· Joint Doctrine/Multi Domain Operations.
· Joint efforts in Peacekeeping operations.
· Joint Warfare in the age of AI.
We are particularly keen to achieve a mix of academic and professional military speakers, able to address the topic from all relevant angles and with a view to informing the theory and practice of future joint operations. We are also interested in papers that can explore the history of Joint Warfare, particularly with reference to the evolution of combined arms warfare to modern conceptions of how to incorporate all levers of national effort in a multi-domain battlespace.
The conference will take place on campus at Maynooth University, and we encourage speakers and delegates to attend in person, as this will enable lively discussion and debate. However, to facilitate the participation of speakers from overseas who are unable to travel, we are willing to consider the inclusion of an online panel should there be sufficient interest.
At this point we invite applicants to submit a short proposal (of no more than 300 words) for presentations of 15 minutes. Submissions can be either complete panels or for individual presentations.
Panel proposals should consist of:
- 3 papers and 1 chair/discussant
- 500 words rationale and presentation of the panel
- 300 words abstract for each paper
- 1page CV
Individual paper proposals should consist of:
- 300 words abstract
- 1 page CV
The submission deadline is 31 March 2026. The organising committee will inform potential participants on whether or not their paper/panel has been accepted by 1 July 2026.
The conference fee will be set at €50 for professionals and €25 for graduate students, which will cover coffee breaks and lunches.
Contact: please send proposals for papers and/or panels, or requests for additional information, to Dr Jeremy Maxwell by email at jeremy.maxwell@mu.ie, noting Joint Warfare Conference as the Subject.
About Maynooth: Maynooth is a historic town situated just 25km from Dublin city centre and 35km from Dublin Airport. The airport can be reached in 40 minutes by car, and the university has good public transport links (bus, coach, train) to the city centre and airport. The university campus lies in the heart of the town, adjacent to a 13th century castle. There are numerous hotels within easy reach of the university and accommodation can be booked on campus (subject to availability) using the following link, https://sppu.ie/hospitality.
CALL FOR PAPERS
Maritime Margins: Missing Voices, Overlooked Places, and New Perspectives
New Haven, Connecticut
May 27-29, 2026
The North American Society for Oceanic History invites you to its annual conference at the Canal Dock Boathouse and Hotel Marcel in New Haven, Connecticut, May 27-29, 2026. From the Black engineer William Lanson, who once made New Haven’s Long Wharf the longest structure of its kind in North America to the birth of industrialized oystering in the waters between river, harbor, and Long Island Sound, New Haven sits at multiple margins of human and natural histories. The city is also the “cultural capital of Connecticut,” boasting renowned museums, research libraries, and some of the best “apizza” outside Naples.
All scholars of the history or archaeology of fresh and saltwater, maritime cultural landscapes, navies, maritime security and strategy, and maritime actors (including the natural environment itself) are encouraged to submit proposals. We particularly seek presentations that highlight historically marginalized people, places, and subjects, including papers that consider race, class, gender and imperial, colonial, and environmental histories.
The program committee invites panel proposals of at least three and no more than four papers. We also welcome roundtable and individual paper proposals. The committee will consider a limited number of remote presentations from international participants only on a case-by-case basis. Participants from the United States must present in-person.
Proposal submissions should be in a single document (.doc or .docx) and include: A) panel or paper title; B) 150-200 word abstract for the full panel and for each paper submitted; C) a 150 word (maximum) biographical statement for each presenter; D) phone number, address, affiliation, and email of presenter(s); and E) any special requests to include remote participation by international presenters or any physical or technical accommodations required beyond a basic projector, laptop, and screen. Conference registration is required for all participants.
Proposals should be submitted electronically to nasoh.conference@gmail.com by February 2, 2026. Contact Dr. Jason W. Smith at smithj131@southernct.edu for general questions about the conference.
Student Grants and Awards
All students applying to present are automatically considered for NASOH's Chad Smith Travel Grants. Students are also encouraged to submit their paper to be considered for the Clark G. Reynolds Student Paper Award. Additional information on award guidelines can be found on the NASOH website at smithj131@southernct.edu.
