The Society for Military History

Calls for Papers and Panels

CALL FOR BOOK PROPOSALS
Boydell Studies in War and Military History is an international book series by Boydell & Brewer, dedicated to publishing innovative scholarship on warfare, armed forces and military institutions across all periods and regions. The series advances the study of war and the military in its broadest sense – from Antiquity to the present, and across the globe.
Reflecting the mission of the Military History Consortium, the series promotes research that situates war and the military within wider political, economic, social and cultural contexts. We particularly welcome proposals that:
·       Address under-represented periods and regions, including the Medieval world and the Global South
·       Adopt comparative, transnational or interdisciplinary approaches
·       Engage with emerging historiographical debates
·       Offer new methodological or conceptual perspectives
·       Provide high-quality operational, strategic or institutional analyses based on strong empirical foundations

The series publishes both original research monographs and intellectually coherent, high-quality edited volumes that make significant contributions to the field. We are committed to fostering international scholarly exchange and strongly encourage submissions from early career researchers as well as established scholars.

By deepening historical understanding of war and military institutions, Boydell Studies in War and Military History also seeks to inform contemporary debates on security and policy, underscoring the enduring value of rigorous historical analysis in understanding present challenges and shaping future strategy.

Submission Guidelines:
Prospective authors are invited to submit a book proposal including:
·       Completed Boydell Proposal Form (https://boydellandbrewer.com/submitting-a-book-proposal/)
·       Raison d’être/rationale, 4-6 pages, with a focus on your manuscript’s fit for the series
·       Chapter outline plan: abstracts for each chapter.

The initial peer review stage will need to see the proposal submission plus sample writing.

Proposals and enquiries should be sent to the series editors at:
·       Prof Evert Kleynhans (kleynhans@sun.ac.za) ·       Prof Timothy Stapleton (timothy.stapleton@ucalgary.ca) ·       Prof Marco Wyss (m.wyss@lancaster.ac.uk)

For general enquires regarding the series, contact the Commissioning Editor:
·       Michael Middeke (mmiddeke@boydellandbrewer.com)

We look forward to receiving proposals that push the boundaries of military history and contribute to a vibrant and globally engaged scholarly field.

CALL FOR PAPERS
Kansas State University Department of History is announcing our third annual Flint Hills Military History Symposium for 2026. The symposium’s theme is Alliance and Coalition Warfare.

We are again partnering with the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum. This year’s conference will be held September 25-27, 2026, in Manhattan and Abilene, Kansas. Events will be held at both the Kansas State University campus and at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum.

Understanding the dynamics and relationships of coalitions and alliances is crucial for any concept of warfare. Cooperation between allied nations or military branches profoundly shapes the course of conflicts. The symposium is open to papers exploring diplomacy, intelligence, military, and economic factors that have determined the outcome of military struggles. The symposium welcomes papers and panels concerning partnerships in warfare at any level and from any period or discipline, including those of social scientists and practitioners.

Abstracts should be between 250 and 300 words and be turned into our website, www.flinthillsmilitary.com, by April 24th.

We appreciate CVs, but they are not mandatory. This year our registration fee will be $25. If you have any questions, please reach us at our website, www.flinthillsmilitary.com.

CALL FOR PAPERS
The LBJ Presidential Library and Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library are inviting emerging scholars to submit a presentation abstract to be a featured speaker during the National Archives & Records Administration's second annual virtual Vietnam War Symposium, held on September 8 - 9, 2026.

For the purposes of these submissions, the term emerging scholars includes, but is not strictly limited to: PhD students, postdoctoral fellows, and early-career faculty.

The 2026 Emerging Scholars: Vietnam theme is "The Many Voices of War." 

The Vietnam War lasted almost 20 years, with the conflict drawing in soldiers and civilians, young and old, from many nations and backgrounds. The committee is looking to structure a symposium that shows the many facets of the wartime experience.  Delving into the human stories of the war, applicants are encouraged to use sources such as National Archives records or oral histories to supplement their research.

This symposium seeks to explore stories of the war not related to combat strategy and tactics. Our goal is to enhance the future of Vietnam War scholarship by examining the human experience and showcasing new and emerging scholars. Presentations might examine, for example, the everyday realities of service in Vietnam, relations between Americans and Vietnamese, veterans’ experiences after returning from Vietnam, and the literature, film, and music of the war

Each scholars' virtual program is scheduled for one hour. The guest speaker will present their topic for approximately 40 minutes, allowing time for audience participation and questions at the end. Each program also includes a Scholar Spotlight where we get to know a little bit more about each of the up-and-coming scholars.

Submission packets should include the presentation abstract, applicant contact information, education status, and academic goals summary. Email submission packets to the National Archives care of richard.weld@nara.gov with the subject line "Vietnam Symposium" no later than May 29, 2026. Selected participants will be notified by July 4, 2026, and will receive a modest honorarium for their participation.

CALL FOR PAPERS
Material Matters: It’s in the Details
January 23, 2027

The vast majority of participants in the military events of the long 18th century left no written traces of themselves. Fortunately for scholars, and the public, evidence of their presence survives in material form. From the arms they carried, to the archaeological evidence of their presence, the material experience of soldiering extensively survives if we look carefully. Often seen as mementos or souvenirs of war, or as distinct areas of avocational collecting, military material culture is pervasive, yet understudied, as a rich body of material culture.

However, “military material culture” is not limited to the weapons men wielded or the uniforms they wore. The dense networks of manufacturing supporting early modern militaries connected civilians across the world and expands our definition of this area of study. Furthermore, militaries left their impact on societies through the appropriation and re-use of materials, as well as physically on landscapes shaped by the presence, or absence, of soldiers. Thus, material culture provides a unique and compelling way to engage with topics and individuals for which no written sources survive.

The Fort Ticonderoga Museum seeks papers relating broadly to material culture made, used, or altered in a military context. From soldier’s encounters with domestic furnishings on campaign, to the weapons designed and built for battle. We are seeking new research from established scholars in addition to graduate students, professionals, and artisans that relate to material culture made, used, or altered in a military context between roughly 1609-1815. Papers may engage but are not limited to:
 
·       Objects made for military purposes
·       Civilian objects used in military contexts
·       Archeological research into sites of military occupation
·       Ephemeral material cultures such as food or fuel
·       Military material culture crossing cultural, national, and geographic lines
·       Construction and fabrication of material culture
·       Craft, trade, experimental archeology, or living history perspectives on material culture
·       Art and representations of material culture in military contexts

This conference takes place online, using Zoom Webinars, on Saturday, January 23, 2027. Sessions are 30 minutes in length, followed by 10 minutes for audience questions. Traditional illustrated papers, combined with live or recorded videos of trade practice or object analysis, will all be accepted for consideration. Fort Ticonderoga may provide speakers with an honorarium. Please submit a 300-word abstract and CV by email by July 1, 2026, to Richard M. Strum, Director of Academic Programs: rstrum@fort-ticonderoga.org

CALL FOR PAPERS
Society for Military History Panels at the 61st Northern Great Plains History Conference

The 61st Annual Northern Great Plains History Conference will be held 28–31 October 2026 at Bozeman, Montana. The Society for Military History sponsors a full slate of sessions at the NGPHC, and proposals for all types of military history papers are welcomed. Both individual proposals and session proposals are encouraged. For individuals, send a cv and short one-page proposal. For sessions, send a one-page session proposal, a short one-page proposal for each paper, and short cvs for all participants. Deadline for proposals for SMH panels is 29 May 2026. Send proposals, cvs and inquiries to Dr. Mike Burns at smhatngphc@gmail.com. If you would like to volunteer to chair a panel or comment, please contact Mike.

For non-SMH sponsored panels, you can send proposals to Dr. Micah Chang at ngphc2026@gmail.com by 17 April 2026, indicating “NGPHC” in the subject line. For additional information on the conference, you can visit ngphconference.org.

The Society for Military History sponsors the SMH award for the best graduate student paper in Military History at NGPHC. This prize is valued at $400 dollars. For information on competing for this prize please send inquiries to Mike Burns.

In addition to the panels, the conference will hold a luncheon for SMH participants and attendees and the SMH will again be sponsoring a SMH huddle happy hour. Hope you can make it to Montana!