Conferences

The Medieval and Early Modern German Studies Network invites abstracts and session proposals for the 50th Annual Conference of the German Studies Association (GSA) in Phoenix, Arizona, September 24-27, 2026.

Flora and Fauna: Premodern Approaches and Imaginaries

This panel invites considerations of flora and fauna broadly defined: from florilegia to veterinary treatises and beyond. We welcome contributions across multiple disciplines: the theological meaning of bees, the uses of birds in art, and the medicinal purposes of plants would all contribute to the conversation of this panel. Gardens under cultivation and the imagined gardens of Christian and classical traditions might also be included. We are interested in papers that examine unusual source genres, or approach familiar sources from new methodological or theoretical perspectives. The sources under examination might be in German vernaculars, and/or in other languages (e.g. Yiddish, Latin) commonly in use within German-speaking regions. We invite analysis of how the flora and fauna of the natural world were interpreted and utilized, and how focusing on these topics can be fruitful for medieval and early modern German studies. Please submit abstracts of 350–500 words to Lucy Barnhouse, lbarnhouse@astate.edu, by Friday, February 25, 2026.

Strangers in a Strange World: Journeys and Encounters in Premodern Central Europe

This panel invites contributions exploring how identity and culture in the premodern German-speaking world were shaped by encounters with (perceived) difference. Submissions might examine difference within political, commercial, religious, and cultural frameworks, and from multiple disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives, including e.g. performance studies. We are interested in how these encounters -- whether experienced within German-speaking regions or beyond them -- manifested in art, literature, and historical records. Papers might examine visual or textual representations of real or imagined journeys, accounts of travelers, or chronicles and documents reflecting encounters between individuals or communities of different cultural, linguistic, and/or religious backgrounds. We welcome analyses of how such interactions influenced identity-forming discourses and/or shaped social, political, and cultural structures and approaches that challenge Eurocentric perspectives or explore the complex dynamics of cross-cultural exchange in the premodern world.

Please submit abstracts of 350–500 words to Annegret Oehme, oehme@uw.edu, by Friday, February 25, 2026.

Call for Complete Sessions in Medieval and Early Modern German Studies

Submission of complete sessions on any topic in medieval and early modern German studies for which sponsorship from the MEMGS network is sought are most welcome. Panels typically feature three speakers (four is the maximum), a commentator, and a moderator. In proposing panels, please follow the submission guidelines of the GSA for the 2026 conference, which can be found through this link. If you are interested in proposing a complete session, or are seeking additional speakers for a panel that you wish to propose, please contact Annegret Oehme, oehme@uw.edu as soon as possible. Organizers of complete sessions should submit a 350-word description of the panel along with 350-word abstracts for each paper in the session. Proposals for complete sessions should be submitted by Friday, February 25, 2026 to Annegret Oehme, oehme@uw.edu.