Call for Proposals

The American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies (ASECS) is pleased to announce our Call for Proposals for the 56th Annual Meeting, to be held April 9 – 11, 2026 in Philadelphia. The Society, established in 1969, is the foremost learned society in the United States for the study of all aspects of the long eighteenth century, the period from the later seventeenth through the early nineteenth century.

ASECS is committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming conference environment in which all members participate fully in the exchange of knowledge and ideas. The society welcomes scholars pursuing all aspects of eighteenth-century studies and in all careers and career stages: in graduate studies; in tenured, tenure track, or non-tenure track academic positions; in part-time or temporary positions in the academy; and colleagues in contexts beyond the academy including libraries, museums, publishing, and teaching, as well as independent scholars.

The Annual Meeting has 2 main parts: submission of session proposals by chairs (Rounds 1 and 2) and applications to participate in the sessions by individuals (Rounds 3 and 4).

• Round 1, May 19, 2025-June 9, 2025: Call for guaranteed sessions (panels, roundtables, poster sessions, and special sessions) by caucuses and affiliate society chairs.
• Round 2, June 16-July 28, 2025: Open call for session proposals by chairs (panels, roundtables, project sessions, special sessions).
• Round 3, August 4-September 22, 2025: Open call for individual paper abstracts to chairs’ sessions.
• Round 4, Sept. 1-15, 2025: Open call for individual paper abstracts to become part of sessions (“rehomed” submissions and new individual papers).

Please direct any questions to Executive Director Benita Blessing (director@asecs.org).

Please join us whether you are a long-time member, or new to ASECS!