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CfP: 14th Biennial European Society for Environmental History (ESEH) Conference

CfP: 14th Biennial European Society for Environmental History (ESEH) Conference

Call for Papers- Environmental History Beyond Disciplinary Boundaries

The European Society for Environmental History (ESEH) is pleased to invite proposals for panel sessions, individual papers, book presentations, posters, roundtables, and more experimental presentation formats for its upcoming biennial conference. The conference theme – Environmental History Beyond Disciplinary Boundaries – aims to highlight and reinforce the interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary nature and culture of environmental history.

The Conference will be held in
Salzburg, Austria, from 7 to 10 September 2027.

It is organised by the ESEH and the University of Salzburg.

The deadline for submissions is 15 October 2026, 23:59 CET.

Notifications will be sent out in February 2027.

Conference Theme

Environmental history deals with the mutual interactions between humankind and the rest of nature in the past. It studies people and the rest of nature as intertwined. It includes material, cultural, intellectual and political aspects. Environmental history has been an interdisciplinary endeavour from its beginnings. The field developed in conversations between historians and scholars from other disciplines in humanities, social and natural sciences. In addition to its distinct interdisciplinary nature, environmental history is characterized by transdisciplinarity – research at the intersection of academia and non-academic actors. Environmental history has emerged in tandem with environmental movements and continues to place high value on science communication and public engagement. The strong inter- and transdisciplinary traditions make environmental history a unique field of research looking at the past and its relevance today.

The complexity of environmental history as an inter- and transdisciplinary field is, however, also a challenge. This is particularly true in times when academic debates face populist attacks and budget cuts disadvantage interdisciplinary endeavours as funding is to a certain degree ring-fenced in disciplinary silos. Against this background it is especially important to foster research practices that transcend such boundaries in order to raise the understanding of the complexities of the real world.

Following the conference theme, the call for papers is directed at participants from a wide range of disciplines as well as practitioners in the realm of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary environmental history research, teaching, and outreach. It invites contributions dealing with socioecological formations over time (such as past environments as a result of coevolution between humans and the rest of nature; human attitude toward the rest of nature, etc.), and more-than-human approaches. The conference invites empirical and/or reflexive theoretical, methodological, or epistemological contributions, as well as those dealing with research ethics in environmental history.

Environmental history can be written by experts in humanities, natural, or social sciences but best results are often achieved by interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary teams. We encourage the organisers of panels, roundtables and ‘different world’ sessions (see below) that link more than one presentation to frame sessions in ways that bring multiple disciplines and diverse perspectives in dialogue. At the same time, authors are encouraged to think of possible co-authors to increase the inter- and/or transdisciplinary nature of their contributions. As for the ‘different world’ sessions, the conference particularly welcomes transdisciplinary workshops with non-academic participants, presentations focused on science outreach, knowledge co-production and teaching.

We will consider all historical periods, all geographical areas and all disciplines. To bolster diversity at the event and promote new forms of networking, we strongly encourage panels/interventions where the presenters come from different regions, generations, genders, different institutions or different disciplines. We also encourage demographic balance and the engagement of emergent scholars as facilitators or session chairs. Graduate students will be offered a special reduced fee.

Presentation Formats

Conventional presentation formats are indispensable and constitute much of the conference, but we also need new modes of conversation (see section ‘Different World’ Sessions). Therefore, we encourage submissions that introduce a productive conflict of views, interpretations, or methodologies:

Conventational Presentation Formats

We invite panel sessions, co-authored or single-authored individual papers, posters, book presentations, and roundtables. For all presentation formats include the author(s), affiliation(s), title, abstract, and keywords in your submission:

Panel Sessions

Sessions consist of 3 papers of 20 minutes each, 4 papers of 15 minutes each, or 3 papers of 15 minutes each plus a commentator/discussant. Session proposals include a session title and session abstract of 250 words; a list of contributors and the chair/organiser; and individual paper titles and abstracts of around 250 words each. All sessions should book enough time for a general discussion in the end.

Individual Papers

Individual papers can be co-authored or single-authored. In case of acceptance, the Program Committee will combine them into sessions of three to four papers. Paper proposals consist of the name(s) of the author(s), the presentation title and an abstract of 250 words. The authors of accepted individual papers will be notified by late spring 2027 whether their contributions can last for 15 or 20 min, depending on the number of papers in the respective session.

Book Presentations

We encourage authors to present their recent books. Authors are invited to choose a suitable format to present their book, focusing on methodologies and a selection of main results. The presentation will be followed by a discussion with the audience. Submit an abstract of 250 words that includes the book author, the full reference of the book and indicates how you plan to present it.

Posters

Poster proposals will include the name(s) of the author(s), the poster title and an abstract of 250 words. Poster sessions will be on-site only. There will be a designated display area, and a session for all poster authors to present their research in 5 minutes per poster. The Environment & History Poster Prize sponsored by The White Horse Press is awarded to the best poster (€ 100.– award) and the 2nd place poster (€ 50.– award).

Roundtables by Researchers

A 90-minute roundtable, consisting of panels ranging from 3–6 researchers and a chair who speak to a common question or theme. Successful roundtables involve interaction between the panellists, an active chair who shapes the conversation, and time for the audience to interact with the panel. Roundtable proposals consist of the title, an abstract of 250 words and list the names of the chair and panel members.

Roundtables are welcome to examine a wide range of topics, such as the role of environmental history research in relation to present and ongoing environmental crises, our own academic practices, activism, or unconventional contents.

Different World Sessions

In the spirit of rethinking the conventional, we welcome proposals for full sessions with creative formats, focused on environmental history research, writing, teaching, knowledge co-production or outreach. To submit a proposal for a different world session, please name the organiser(s) and colleagues involved, and provide a 250-word abstract (unless its length is specified otherwise below) that describes the activity and mentions any special logistics you might need (please be modest in this regard). Ideas include, but are not limited to:

Transdisciplinary Workshops

Chaired workshops involve environmental historian(s) and non-academic participants. Such a workshop can be a transdisciplinary roundtable discussion, a craftivist workshop presenting the work and goals behind, or any other kind of a transdisciplinary workshop you can think of within environmental history. Creativity in the workshop design will be cherished. Invite relevant non-academic participants, such as artists, farmers, politicians ...

Teaching Environmental History

Explain the tips and tricks of your success in environmental history classes to inspire others and be inspired by their comments. Proposals consist of the author, presentation title, and an abstract of 250 words.

Meet a Scientist

Researchers who submit contributions of this type will be approachable in informal settings (pubs etc.) during one evening. Your abstract targets the general public. In your 250-word abstract, (1) list 1 to 5 keywords that designate the topics you want to discuss, and (2) do your best to persuade the general public of the relevance of these topics.

Speakers Corner/Poetry Slam

In this rapid dissemination format, you have 5 minutes to represent your project idea/results or a research problem without digital tools. Proposals consist of the author, title, and an abstract of 100–200 words.

Small Exhibitions or Films

Small exhibitions/films presented by authors/film directors. All of them should deal with/are relevant for environmental-history outreach, show results of transdisciplinary knowledge co-production (e.g., collaborations with historical museums and film makers) or teaching, or present works of art relevant from the vantage point of environmental history. Proposals consist of the author(s)/production team, title of the exhibition/film, film duration/size of the exhibition, and a 250-word synopsis.

Skills Workshop

  • Teach others your skills (e.g. in sources interpretation, writing, GIS, or digital humanities) or offer mentorship or field-work tips
  • Demonstrate new research tools
  • Pedagogy, andragogy, and dissemination workshops
  • Policy interaction workshops

Proposals consist of the name(s) of the facilitator(s) and a 250-word abstract of the workshop.

Abstract Guidelines

The criteria for the evaluation of abstracts will be environmental history content, quality, originality, and thematic relevance (in the context of existing environmental history scholarship and/or relevance of the topic today). Environmental history scholars evaluating the abstracts are committed to open-minded, inclusive and welcoming definitions of our research field.

Each research-based proposal should present (at least some) new research insights, based on primary research or sophisticated literature reviews. In your submissions, please describe the sources and methods (details are welcome) used to develop these insights. We discourage presentations of research proposals or research plans.

If the presentation is not research-based but has different objectives, such as environmental history teaching, outreach, knowledge co-production or scholarly debates, different world sessions (see above), roundtables, or posters are more suitable presentation types than panel sessions or individual papers. Such abstracts clearly state what the content will be, what the goal of the contribution is, why that goal is relevant from an environmental history perspective, and how that goal will be achieved.

The official conference language is English. If your transdisciplinary guests are not fluent in English, simultaneous translation into English is expected.

Maximum number of submissions per person: Each participant can be first author of only one panel paper OR one individual paper OR one book presentation OR one poster. In addition, the same person can participate in one roundtable OR in one ‘different world’ session OR serve as commentator in a second session proposal.

If you participate only in different world sessions/roundtables, the upper limit is two contributions per person.

The number of chairings is unlimited.

The number of second, third … authorships is unlimited.

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Call for Panels for the Eighth Biennial Conference of the European Rural History Organisation

Call for Panels for the Eighth Biennial Conference of the European Rural History Organisation

Call for Panels for the Eighth Biennial Conference of the European Rural History Organisation

Organisers: University of Primorska, Faculty of Humanities

7 – 10 September 2027, Koper, Slovenia

EXTENDED DEADLINE for Panel Proposals: 15 October 2026

The 8th biennial conference of the European Rural History Organisation (EURHO) will be held in Koper – Capodistria, Slovenia, from 7 to 10 September 2027, hosted and organized by the University of Primorska, Faculty of Humanities.

In a relatively short time, the EURHO Rural History Conference has become the central event in this field of study bringing together scholars and students from Europe and other continents. Through the years, after its inception in Brighton (2010), followed by conferences in Bern (2013), Girona (2015), Leuven (2017), Paris (2019), Uppsala (2021/2022), Cluj (2023) and Coimbra (2025), participants have built and strengthened collaborations, discussions and networks that have enabled the steady and fast development of modern rural history research, in particular by addressing the people who lived in the countryside as active actors in history. In recent years, the EURHO conferences have managed to expand the participation of researchers from all regions of Europe, as well as from other continents. The Rural History 2027 conference aims to continue these trends.

Nestled in Koper on the Northern Adriatic coast, the University of Primorska well represents Slovenia's position in Europe, bridging North and South, East and West. Panels will also take place in the premises of the Faculty of Management and of the Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies. All three faculties are located in the historic centre of Koper, a picturesque coastal town in Northern Istria offering a charming blend of Venetian and Slovenian heritage, historic architecture, and scenic seaside views that make it an enticing destination to explore.

The Rural History 2027 conference website provides information on deadlines, calls for panels and papers, registration, and accommodation. We encourage all participants to apply and register as early as possible.

Researchers working on any aspect of the history of the countryside are invited to submit panel proposals. A panel should focus on a specific topic and include participants from at least two countries. Panel proposals will be assessed by the Conference Scientific Committee which will accept or refuse them, or suggest modifications.

  • Panels may be organized in a single session or in double sessions.
  • A panel session will last two hours and include four papers; a maximum of five papers is possible.
  • Double panels may not exceed eight papers in total.
  • Panels will be led by a chair. In case the panel includes a discussant, it may not exceed four papers.
  • The presentation of new research and of work in progress is particularly relevant. Long-run perspectives and comparative approaches are particularly welcome.
  • Proposals from all the regions and countries of Europe are invited.

A panel proposal may be presented by up to three scholars and should include a title, the full name and affiliation of the organiser(s), a short abstract (up to 500 words) introducing the discussed topic, the area and period it addresses, the approach, as well as the names and affiliations of at least two panel contributors.

The extended deadline for panel proposals is October 15th, 2026.

Before you begin, please ensure you have the contact information and affiliations for all your co-proponents ready. You will receive an automated confirmation email with a link to review or modify your submission once it is complete.

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CFP - Borders and Sustainability: Human and Natural Resources across Time and Space (Seminar Series 2026–2027)

CFP - Borders and Sustainability: Human and Natural Resources across Time and Space (Seminar Series 2026–2027)

Call for Papers: Entangled Histories Seminar Series 2026–2027

Following the success of the current edition, the Entangled Histories Seminar Series invites abstracts for its 2026–2027 cycle: 

"Borders and Sustainability: Human and Natural Resources across Time and Space."

This edition explores sustainability not as an exclusively environmental concern but as a multifaceted concept that intersects with borders across diverse cultural, material, and ecological contexts. 

The series adopts a diachronic and interdisciplinary perspective, spanning from prehistory to the contemporary world.

Sustainability and Borders: A Broad Perspective. We seek to investigate sustainability in its multiple dimensions:

  • Material sustainability: recycling of resources (manuscripts, architectural structures, waste, and landscapes).
  • Ecological sustainability: relationships between humans, animals, and environments; balance between preservation and exploitation.
  • Social, linguistic, and cultural sustainability: transmission of knowledge, endangered languages, healing practices, migration, and community resilience.
  • Symbolic sustainability: representations of ecological limits, hybrid beings, and cultural imaginaries of nature and borders.

Conceptual Framework At the heart of the series lies the concept of borders, understood as dynamic thresholds that shape access to resources and regulate interactions. Borders are not only physical or political: they can be ecological, cultural, social, linguistic, political and material. While we encourage long-term temporalities and global spatial entanglements, we also offer the elements (earth, water, air, fire, ether, wood, etc.) as a possible heuristic framework to explore these dimensions across different historical strata.

Topics of Interest: We encourage contributions from a wide range of disciplines, including but not limited to:

  • Archaeology and Prehistory: Resource use, landscapes, indigenous practices, and environmental interactions over time.
  • Medieval Studies, Philology, and Manuscript Cultures: Material sustainability of manuscripts, palimpsests, intellectual ecologies, literatures and languages, and the transmission of knowledge.
  • Art History and Visual Culture: Representations of nature, landscapes, borders, and material practices across different periods.
  • Anthropology and Folklore: Vernacular ecological knowledge, oral traditions, liminal beings, and environmental imaginaries.
  • History of Science and Medicine: Healing practices, scientific knowledge, and environmental understanding across cultures.
  • Environmental Humanities and Ecology: Human–non-human relations, ecosystems, climate, and resilience.
  • History of Economy, Trade, and Food Systems: Circulation of resources, subsistence, scarcity, and sustainability practices.
  • Architecture and Infrastructure Studies: Built environments, water and soil management, roads, and material borders.
  • Geography, Cartography, and Media Studies: Spatial representation, mapping, and communication of environmental knowledge across borders.

? High-Impact Publication Opportunity: A selection of the most significant contributions will be published in a dedicated edited volume or a special issue with a leading international publisher (past collaborations and ongoing projects include prestigious venues such as Brill, De Gruyter, and Routledge). This ensures that the research presented reaches a global audience of specialists.

Submission Guidelines

  • Format: Online seminar (approximately 30-minute talk + discussion).
  • Schedule: October 2026 – Summer 2027.
  • Required: Title, Abstract (250–300 words), Short Bio (100–150 words), Affiliation, email address, and preferred months of availability.
  • Deadline: 31 August 2026.
  • Send to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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CFP: Congreso Internacional Agua y Territorio - Il valore dell’acqua: stato dell’arte e nuove prospettive di ricerca

CFP: Congreso Internacional Agua y Territorio - Il valore dell’acqua: stato dell’arte e nuove prospettive di ricerca

Dopo i congressi internazionali di Évora (2024) e di Jaén (2025), la sede di Milano del CNR Istituto di Studi sul Mediterraneo con l’Università degli Studi di Milano hanno accolto l’invito ad organizzare il III Congresso Internazionale Agua y Territorio, che si terrà l'8 e il 9 giugno 2026 a Milano.

PROPOSTE DI COMUNICAZIONE

•    Data limite: 30 gennaio 2026.

•    Accettazione: 15 febbraio 2026.

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CFP: Locating Knowledge: Science and Technology in Commodity Frontiers

CFP: Locating Knowledge: Science and Technology in Commodity Frontiers

CALL FOR PAPERS

Commodities of Empire Annual International Workshop

2-3 September 2026, Spanish National Research Council, Madrid

Locating Knowledge: Science and Technology in Commodity Frontiers

Organisers: ‘Commodities of Empire’ British Academy Research Project, ERC Consolidator Grant WILDHIST, and the AMBTEC project funded by the Spanish State Research Agency.

Deadline for abstract submissions: 14 February 2026.

The scientific and technological dimensions of commodity history have long attracted attention, with recent work offering comprehensive accounts of the transnational movement of experts, technologies, and scientific ideas. Yet the skills, techniques, and expertise required for resource extraction and processing in and around commodity frontiers remain less thoroughly explored. This workshop seeks to redirect attention to these frontiers of commodity production as sites of knowledge generation, codification and exchange from early modern times to the present. While remaining attentive to imperial, trans-imperial and transnational knowledge networks, the primary aim of this workshop is to examine commodity frontiers themselves as key locations for the development of techno-scientific knowledge and practice by both local and transnational actors. We are especially interested in historical research on indigenous technologies and traditional practices of commodity production, many of which held central economic and cultural significance.

The workshop also welcomes works that reflects on the historiographical and epistemological implications of recognizing local protagonists –such as indigenous peoples, colonized populations, and migrants at commodity frontiers– as active contributors to the production and circulation of knowledge. The workshop further examines the role of institutions and associations (cooperatives, workers’ unions, botanic gardens, agricultural stations, etc.) that operated in these regions as generators, intermediaries, translators, and sometimes gatekeepers of knowledge.

The workshop aims to contribute to ongoing efforts to make the history of science and technology less Eurocentric and US-centric by explicitly broadening inquiry into knowledge histories in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, while remaining open to cases from all geographical regions. By placing local knowledge at the center of global commodity history, it frames commodity frontiers as complex technological landscapes and sites of experimentation shaped by plural socio-economic and ecological contexts as well as by unequal power relations. The workshop therefore invites papers that critically engage with these trans-local dynamics and local-global articulations, while also illuminating alternative histories of the making of scientific and technological knowledge.

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