Culture in Translation – History, Literature, and the Transcultural Movement of Ideas
Interdisciplinary Conference
Zurich, 1–4 October 2026

Submission Deadline: 31 March 2026

The conference's aim is to discuss from an interdisciplinary perspective how ancient traditions from Jewish, Christian, ancient Near Eastern as well as Greek and Roman contexts shaped the culture and discourses of their time, and how some literature could develop into particularly enduring and influential repositories of a history of ideas, both within antiquity and beyond, through processes of transmission, translation, and the formation of tradition. In short, we want to ask how and why precisely those ancient materials that we today consider particularly enduring and influential succeeded in achieving their lasting impact across history.

There is an open call for papers, and we hope to encourage a broad range of scholars, specifically including early career researchers, from a range of subjects (Ancient History, Biblical Studies, Classics, History of Judaism and Christianity, Ancient Near Eastern studies, including reception history etc.) to propose a paper. There is some funding available to support junior scholars’ expenses towards travel and accommodation in Zurich. This is to ensure the accessibility of the conference. Details will be communicated to participants upon the acceptance of their short paper.

Organisation 
Moritz F. Adam, Jörg Frey, and Daniel Maier

Contact
culture@theol.uzh.ch

The complete Call for Papers can be found at the conference website.

Piecing Together Body and Death: Construction – Deconstruction – Reconstruction
DAI, Cluster 3 “Body and Death. Concepts – Practices – Media”
Frankfurt am Main/hybrid, 28–30 September 2026

Submission Deadline: 31 March 2026

Cluster 3 Body and Death invites contributions that deal with the construction, deconstruction, and reconstruction of bodies, especially after death, both on a theoretical and practical level. The three-day conference will be held from 28th to 30th September at the RGK in Frankfurt (Palmengartenstraße 10–12, Frankfurt am Main).

Submissions for papers and posters are invited in English and German and should include an abstract of no more than 300 words. Oral presentations may last up to 20 minutes. Poster presentations are also encouraged; posters should be prepared in A1 format (portrait orientation). The meeting will be held in a hybrid format and will be streamed online. The abstracts should be sent to koerperundtod.sprecher@dainst.de by no later than 31.03.2026.

Kontakt
Prof. Dr. Mayke Wagner, Stellvertretende Direktorin, Leiterin der Außenstelle Peking 
Mayke.Wagner@dainst.de

The complete Call for Papers can be found at the conference website.

Dynamics of urbanity. Configurations of boundaries in pre-modern cities
Conference
Kiel, 17-18 July 2026

Submission Deadline: 28 February 2026

The conference seeks to approach boundaries and boundary-making as a ubiquitous and pervasive facet of the urban phenomenon and aims to explore this phenomenon by bringing together archaeological and text-based perspectives. Especially in premodern urban contexts (c. 1–1200 CE), we can observe how boundaries were created, maintained, shifted, crossed, or broken, and how they impacted urban societies and urban dynamics. The conference invites archaeologists (Classical Archaeology, Historical Archaeology) to explore the role of the configuration of boundaries and boundary-making in the urban historical landscape. We will address the topic in four closely interconnected sections, focusing on (Roman) Antiquity, Mediterranean Late Antiquity as a transitional phase (“long Late Antiquity”), and the European Middle Ages. In addition, we will examine transitional urbanity, including Sub-Saharan and East African as well as Central Asian perspectives.

While the contributions will primarily focus on archaeological approaches to the analysis of material and immaterial boundaries—especially when developed in dialogue with cultural studies concepts of boundary-making—we explicitly encourage contributions that approach the topic from a comparative or intercultural perspective.

If you are interested in joining us in the summer on the Firth of Kiel, we kindly ask you to contact the chairs by 28/02/2026.

Chairs
Patric-Alexander Kreuz (Urban Archaeology) / Ulrich Müller (Historical Archaeology)

Contact
Patric-Alexander Kreuz
Institute of Classics, Classical Archaeology
kreuz@klassarch.uni-kiel.de

Ulrich Müller
Institute of Prehistoric and Protohistoric Archaeology, Historical Archaeology
umueller@ufg.uni-kiel.de

The complete Call for Papers can be found at the conference website.

International Association for Coptic Studies (IACS)
13th International Congress of Coptic Studies
Göttingen, 27 July – 1 Aug 2026

Extended Deadlines for submission: 
March 31, 2026 September 30, 2025 (panels) 
March 31, 2026 December 31, 2025 (panel contributions, individual short papers, and posters)

Interested colleagues are again invited to propose thematic panels, which should contain at least three papers per panel, as well as individual papers. Both the individual papers and the panels will be divided into 6 parallel sessions, typically running from mid-morning (11:00 am) until the evening.

Each paper is allotted a time slot of no more than 20 minutes, followed by 5 minutes for discussion and questions. Prospective panel conveners should submit the title of the panel and a short description to coptic-congress-2026@uni-goettingen.de, as soon as possible, but no later than September 30, 2025 March 31, 2026.

Posters (A0 format) are recommended for the presentation of work in progress, research tools, and similar topics. A dedicated space will be available near the main lecture theatres. Participants unable to bring their posters to the congress should email coptic-congress-2026@uni-goettingen.de. The organisers will provide assistance with the printing.

Short abstracts (ca. 200 words) for panel contributions, individual short papers, and posters need to be sent to: coptic-congress-2026@uni-goettingen.de before December 31, 2025 March 31, 2026. Participants who wish to give a short paper, or to present a poster will be able to indicate this during the online registration process in the menu Contribution Type. Papers can be presented in English, German, or French. The congress committee reserves the right to decline any paper or poster proposal in light of time and capacity constraints.

Contact
coptic-congress-2026@uni-goettingen.de

The complete Call for Papers and further information can be found here.

Human-environmental connectivity in pre-modern times of conflict
Exploring environmental archives across disciplines, methods, and materials
Interdisciplinary conference
Kiel, 7-9 October 2026

Submission Deadline: 17 April 2026

This interdisciplinary conference will examine the complex relationship between war and the environment in the context of conflict. The event will focus on antiquity and is aimed at researchers in the fields of ancient history, classical philology, and archaeology. Contributions relating to other eras and from the natural sciences that open thematic, methodological, or theoretical connections to the topic are expressly welcome.

Format: Presentations are scheduled to last 20 minutes, followed by a 10-minute discussion. In Panel 5 on the connection between findings from the natural sciences and literary studies, there is the option of a short keynote presentation (10 minutes) or the presentation of an interdisciplinary project (10 minutes).

Proposals for presentations (max. 1 page as a PDF document, specifying the desired presentation language: English, German, or French and including a short biography) can be submitted by email to samantha.philips@email.uni-kiel.de by Friday, April 17, 2026. The accommodation costs of the speakers can be covered, and if necessary, a subsidy for travel expenses to Kiel can also be paid. A publication of the conference results is planned.

Organisation
Prof. Dr. Andreas Schwab & Samantha Philips
Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel
Exzellenzcluster ROOTS
Subcluster Knowledge

Contact
samantha.philips@email.uni-kiel.de 

The complete Call for Papers can be found here as PDF-Download.

20. JungakademikerInnen-Tagung
„pro salute imperii. Gesellschaft, Heer und Wirtschaft der römischen Kaiserzeit.“
Graz, 19. November 2026

Einreichungsfrist: 30. April 2026

Das Institut für Antike (FB Alte Geschichte und Epigraphik) der Universität Graz veranstaltet jährlich die sogenannte „JungakademikerInnen-Tagung (JAT)“, dieses Mal zum Thema „pro salute imperii“. Im Fokus stehen dabei allem voran Fragen militärischer, administrativer, prosopographischer, wirtschaftlicher und religiöser Natur zum imperium Romanum von Augustus bis Iustinian.

Der Kongress dient der Förderung des wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchses, das heißt, es soll allem voran Masterstudierenden und DissertantInnen resp. nicht-habilitierten Personen die Möglichkeit geboten werden, ihre Ergebnisse vor einem internationalen Publikum zu präsentieren. Die Vortragsdauer beträgt 45 min (30 min Präsentation, 15 min Diskussion). Die Organisatoren werden sich um die Sicherstellung einer Refundierung der Kosten (Nächtigung / Reise) bemühen.

Interessierte senden ihre Abstracts (max. 1 Seite) bitte bis spätestens 30.04.2026 an: anton.skrinjar@uni-graz.at 

Kontakt
anton.skrinjar@uni-graz.at 

Den vollständigen Call for Papers finden Sie hier als PDF-Download.

Totally (Ab)normal?!
Bodily Norms and Body Metaphors in Medieval Latin Literature
Workshop
Göttingen, 4–5 September 2026

Submission Deadline: 15 February 2026

The human body stands at the centre of medieval European culture, serving as a fundamental point of reference for social, scientific, and theological reflection. Conceptions of bodies permeate diverse spheres of medieval life and learning, and they continue to shape discourses on bodies today—whether in political theory, social history, gender studies, or literary scholarship.

In medieval literature, bodies are rarely depicted in a purely descriptive manner; rather, they are evaluated with reference to explicit or implicit norms. Categories such as “well-formed”, “ugly”, “ill”, “deformed”, or “monstrous” constitute the vocabulary of this evaluative process. Since antiquity, conformity to—or deviation from—an idealised exterior has often been linked to the disposition of the “inner” self. At the same time, representations of the body frequently serve figurative or allegorical purposes.

The workshop explores this distinctly literary mode of conceptualisation, which brings
together body metaphors and the normative evaluation of bodies.

We particularly encourage proposals that combine close textual analysis with broader theoretical perspectives. Contributions from Medieval Studies, Classics, History, Gender and Queer Studies, and Digital Humanities are welcome. Papers should be 20 minutes in length, followed by 10 minutes of discussion, and may be presented in German or English.
Abstracts of up to 300 words, including the title of the paper, contact details, and a short biographical note, should be submitted by 15 February 2026. Please send proposals to: total-abnormal@uni-goettingen.de. Travel and accommodation expenses for speakers will be covered within the usual limits.

Organisation
Lumen Hinterholzer, M.A.
Dr. Alexander Schulz

Contact
total-abnormal@uni-goettingen.de 

The complete Call for Papers as a PDF can be found here as PDF-Download.

Elites.Representations.Entanglements in Afro-EurAsia, 1200 BC to AD 800
Workshop
Innsbruck, 13-14 November 2026

Submission Deadline: 30 April 2026

The goal of the workshop is to bring together scholars of various disciplines and historical periods to attempt to answer overarching questions, including how elites are formed within these structures and manage to uphold their status, which strategies and media were used for their representations, and how connections within and between the groups arise and manifest themselves. In order to explore these questions in a broad yet comparable framework, the workshop focuses on the extended Mediterranean (Afro-EurAsia) between 1200 BC and AD 800.

We especially welcome abstracts from early career researchers (PhD candidates and Postdocs) in the historical and archaeological disciplines. Please submit proposals for papers as a PDF abstract of 300 words in English.

Depending on the thematic coherence of the submitted abstracts, the workshop will take one of two formats:
(1) Workshop format: Participants will prepare a short written essay (approx. 5-10 pages) prior to the event. During the workshop, each contribution will be introduced by a brief presentation, followed by an extensive discussion based on the pre-circulated essays.
(2) Conference format: Contributions will be presented as individual 20-minute papers followed by discussion.
We aim to choose the format best fittng to the participants and their research interests. Naturally, the decision of either format will be communicated well in advance.

Abstracts may be sent until 30th of April 2026 to the complete organisation board.

Organisation Board
Amelie Jochmus (amelie.jochmus@uibk.ac.at)
Jehan Hillen (johann.hillen@uibk.ac.at)
Raphael Szeider (raphael.szeider@uibk.ac.at)

The complete Call for Papers can be found here as a PDF-Download.

BernBabylon 2026
From Bern to Babylon and about everything in between and beyond
Bern, Switzerland, 1–2 October 2026

Submission Deadline: 10 March 2026

There is no theme for the conference. You choose the topic of your talk.

The only prerequisite is that your talk last not more than 15 minutes (+ 5 minutes of discussion), your book presentation 10 minutes and/or your workshop 3 hours. You are here to share insights with scientists from other disciplines, so keep it sharp but make it simple! The spirit of BernBabylon is open and informal. Use this opportunity to test ideas, advertise projects, and engange in collaborations with a wider peer group.

Do you have a new take on an old question? Are you working on ancient text and would like to know if similar texts exist in neighbouring languages? Are you recruiting team members for an excavation? Did you develop a computer programme for your field that can be used in other fields as well? Are you active in public outreach and would like to share what you do? Would you like to present your latest book? ... You are at the right place. Submit an abstract and get started!

Website
https://bernbabylon.unibe.ch

Contact
info-bernbabylon.iaw@unibe.ch

The complete Call for Contributions can be found at the conference website.

Old Ideas in New Minds: Strategies of ‘Autonomy’ from Antiquity to the Renaissance
International Conference
Jena, 14-16 September 2026

Deadline for submissions: 29 March 2026

heteronomy, autonomy, dependence, reception, interpretation, transformation, re-use, commentaries, compendia, collections, translations, encyclopaedias, re-narration, re-creation, imitation, improvement, authority, authorship, materiality

When engaging with ‘pre-texts’ – the source texts used in the composition of new texts – authors employed various adaptive strategies, from faithful translation to wholesale reinterpretation.

All the above textual strategies have one thing in common: they consciously rely on a pre-text or source. We refer to this phenomenon as heteronomy. Our Research Training Group focuses on heteronomous texts that still are original, autonomous products through their commentary, continuation, compilation, or adaptation. Building on our first international conference, ‘(Re)Create. Towards a Theory of Heteronomous Texts’, we seek to explore the concept of ‘autonomy’ through interdisciplinary examination of texts from various fields of research.

We invite contributions from (but not limited to) the following fields:
Theology and Biblical Studies, Latin, Middle and Neo Latin Studies, Greek and Byzantine Studies, Syriac Studies, Ancient and Medieval History and Philosophy, German Medieval Studies, and Roman Law.

Proposals may take the form of either:
• a 30-minute presentation followed by 15 minutes of discussion, with the possibility of publication in the conference proceedings, or
• a 10-minute project pitch followed by a short discussion (especially encouraged for early career researchers).

In your abstract (max. 300 words) please specify your chosen presentation format and include, on a separate page, your name, profession, affiliation, short academic CV, and email address or equivalent contact information. Please submit your abstracts to Daniele Bonino and Jonathan Trächtler via email at: oldideasinnewminds@uni-jena.de 
We very much look forward to your proposals and will aim for gender parity in our selection. The language of the conference is English. Reimbursement for hotel and travel costs can be made available.

Contact
Daniele Bonino and Jonathan Trächtler
oldideasinnewminds@uni-jena.de

The complete Call for Papers can be found here as PDF-Download.