The EIR is thrilled to announce the theme of our 2025 Regional Meeting! Join us from April 4-6 at St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY for a conference around the theme The Futures of Religious Studies. For more information about this topic, see the full text of our Call for Papers below, or view it as a PDF.
Proposals can be submitted by completing this online form: https://forms.gle/vxUhXtcysjzKA8X76. If you have any questions, please contact Chris Miller at
CALL FOR PAPERS
Annual Conference of the American Academy of Religion Eastern International Region
April 4-6, 2025 | St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY
Deadline for submissions is December 16, 2024
Proposals can be submitted via this form: https://forms.gle/vxUhXtcysjzKA8X76.
The Eastern International Region of the AAR invites you to submit proposals for the 2025 Regional Meeting. This meeting will be held at St. Lawrence University Hotel in Canton, NY. We are also thrilled to be hosting this year’s conference in collaboration with the New York Six Liberal Arts Consortium. The theme for the 2025 Conference is The Futures of Religious Studies.
The Humanities in general and Religious Studies in particular face difficult challenges amid the uncertain future of higher education. Nevertheless, the understanding of religion seems crucial to comprehending present conflicts and future developments in our social, economic, and political worlds. We contend that our members are best served by approaching these challenges collaboratively, drawing from multiple perspectives and areas of expertise. We therefore welcome papers and panels that broadly engage the theme across regions, traditions, historical periods, theories, and methods.
Some possible prompts include:
- What is the future of religion, especially in North America and Europe? How might this future be shaped by shifting demographics and transforming technologies?
- What is the future of secularism and nonreligion? How are scholars of religion equipped to understand these changes?
- What is the future of Religious Studies, as a department and a field of research?
- What does the future hold for Religious Studies graduates, and how might scholars prepare students for these roles?
- What is the future of religious nationalism, in Canada, the US, and other regions across the globe?
- How is religion implicated in present global conflicts and how might we imagine the future of religion in conflicts at home and abroad?
- What methods and theories from outside the field might scholars of Religious Studies integrate in their work? How can perspectives and tools from Religious Studies enrich other fields or endeavours?
Proposals that do not relate to the 2025 conference theme are also warmly welcomed.
AAR membership is not required to submit a proposal. Scholars from any region or association may apply to present. We are especially excited to host members from the newly-created AAR Northeast region. Only proposals received by the deadline will be considered for inclusion in the program. Undergraduate-only panels are encouraged – please see instructions below.
FORMAT FOR PAPER or PANEL PROPOSALS
Proposals can be submitted through this link: https://forms.gle/vxUhXtcysjzKA8X76. Please include the following elements:
PAPERS:
- Title and abstract (250 words maximum) describing the nature of the paper
- Submitter’s name, institution, position (undergraduate/graduate student, faculty, staff, etc.), and email address.
PANELS:
- Title and abstract for panel theme (150 words maximum)
- Title and abstract for each paper (200 words maximum, up to 4 papers)
- Submitter’s name, institution, title (undergraduate/graduate student, faculty, staff, etc.), and email address.
Proposals must be submitted by the December 16, 2024 deadline. Proposals will be evaluated through blind review
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Paper presentations are limited to 20 minutes, with 10 minutes allowed for questions; Panels are limited to 4 papers each, or 3 papers with a respondent.
EIR PARTNERS
SCRIPT invites proposals on any aspect of iconic and performative texts. Examples include but are not limited to their display as cultural artifacts, their ritual use in religious and political ceremonies, their performance by recitation and theater, their depiction in art, and their display in museums.
Send proposals consisting of a title, abstract, and the presenter's academic affiliation directly to
UNDERGRADUATE PANELS
The EIR welcomes submissions from undergraduates in the field of Religious Studies or on the theme of the conference. Presentations in undergraduate sessions must be 15 minutes long. In addition to the standard form for submissions, undergraduate students must also arrange a letter from a faculty member who has supervised the student’s work. Please send this letter to
STUDENT PAPER COMPETITION
Graduate and undergraduate students are invited to enter the student paper competition. Please note that to be eligible, the student must attend a college or university in the Eastern International Region. The graduate student award and the undergraduate student award will be formally presented at the business meeting during the conference.
To enter the competition, please indicate when you submit your proposal that you wish to enter your paper into the contest. While the deadline for proposals is December 16, the final draft of the paper must then be submitted to Chris Miller, Chief Regional Officer for the EIR at