Call for papers for the 1st ESSA conference

The Early Slavic Studies Association (ESSA) announces its first conference to be held at The Ohio State University, 7-8 March 2025.

The conference is supported by the Hilandar Research Library (HRL) and the Resource Center for Medieval Slavic Studies (RCMSS).

The 2025 theme is “Archive”.

The conference aims at introducing and analyzing previously unknown archival sources (manuscripts and early printed books) that contribute to our understanding of the field of Early Slavic studies. We also invite contributions that address the topics of

• lost and forgotten sources,
• authorship attribution,
• readership circles,
• ongoing digitization projects,
• as well as contributions on the role and scope of archival research in Early Slavic studies.

Papers that do not explicitly address these topics are welcome and encouraged. Scholars from all disciplines are invited to participate.

Either panel proposals (three papers) or individual paper proposals can be submitted.

Paper and panel proposals with abstracts of 150-200 words for each paper, and a brief one-page curriculum vitae for each participant should be sent to Maria Ivanova (maria.ivanova[at]mcgill.ca), Inés Garcia de la Puente (inesgdlp[at]bu.edu), and Iulia Nițescu (iulia.nitescu[at]icub.unibuc.ro).

The deadline for proposals is September 15, 2024.  Graduate students are strongly encouraged to apply.

REGISTRATION: To participate in the conference, all panelists must be members of ESSA and must register. The registration fee is $ 45 and will be used towards the graduate student travel grant. Thereis no fee for graduate students, although registration is still required.

SCHEDULE: The panels will be held at the Pfahl Conference Center of The Ohio State University. The conference starts on Friday morning and features an evening banquet shortly after the final Friday panel. The last conference panel ends on Saturday afternoon. All sessions are plenary.

GRADUATE STUDENT TRAVEL GRANT: Limited funding will be available to provide graduate students with assistance for travel expenses. Further information on the graduate student travel grant will be available in October 2024.

PUBLICATION: Conference participants will be asked to submit their papers shortly afterwards for publication in the Canadian-American Slavic Studies.

For more information on the conference, please contact Maria Ivanova (maria.ivanova[at]mcgill.ca) and Inés Garcia de la Puente (inesgdlp[at]bu.edu). Regarding the venue, please contact HRL curator and RCMSS director Mary-Allen “Pasha” Johnson (hilandar[at]osu.edu).