Author: editor

CFP – Environmental and Economic Challenges in Global Asia

The Center for East Asian Studies (CEAS) at the University of Kansas (KU) invites submissions for its annual spring symposium, to be held in a hybrid format—both virtually and in person—on April 3–4, 2026, at the KU Lawrence campus. This year’s theme, “Environmental and Economic Challenges in Global Asia,” examines how countries and communities across Asia are responding to intensifying environmental pressures, climate change, natural disasters, resource scarcity, energy transitions, and economic volatility. By focusing on long-term planning, infrastructure development, and regional cooperation amid global uncertainty, the symposium seeks to explore how Asian societies—both at micro and macro levels—work toward more sustainable, resilient, and equitable futures. We welcome individual paper abstracts from faculty, independent scholars, and students across disciplines. Please submit a 250-word abstract no later than January 15, 2026. You will be notified of your paper’s acceptance status by January 26, 2026. networks.h-net.org

CFP ‘Collections & Collectives’ (18th-19th c.)

The 34th Annual 18th- and 19th-Century British Women Writers Conference: Auburn University, May 7-9, 2026 “Collections & Collectives”. Keynote Speakers: Elizabeth Miller (UC Davis), Julie Park (Penn State), and Julian Whitney (Wabash College). Proposals for individual papers and panels are due January 15, 2026.

For the submission: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdyzaC2PYRl_tsU9QJNNg3OGeM75ZK7AlK3KOdEfPyehcFBTA/viewform

In/Visibilities: Materiality, Practice, and Representation in Energy History, May 7-9, 2026

Annual Conference of the Gesellschaft für Technikgeschichte (gtg) 2026. LWL Museum Zeche Zollern (Zollern Colliery), Dortmund, Germany, 7–9 May 2026. The Gesellschaft für Technikgeschichte gtg invites abstracts (max. 300 words in German or English) and CVs (max. 1 page) for individual contributions, sections or – by arrangement – formats other than the traditional presentation. Please send your proposal by 11 January 2026 to: jahrestagung@gtg2026.de networks.h-net.org

CfP: Engineering the Planet – Ethnographies of Experiment – Panel Proposal for the AES Spring Conference at University of British Columbia (May1-3, 2026)

Ethnographies of geoengineering have recently looked at discourse (Bellamy and Lezaun 2015, Whyte 2019, Paudel 2024), public perception (Merk 2019, Raimi 2021, Baum 2024), and relations of geoengineering with various ontologies (Hulme 2015, Bellamy and Palmer 2018, Bulk 2019), but rarely at practice and the role of experiment (Stillgoe 2015) in a field of science that is deeply critiqued for its relationship with experimenting. How can ethnographers of geoengineering fill this gap? Because ethnography is often co-created with our interlocutors, the panel seeks to explore two sister questions: First, how do scientists involved in geoengineering think with experiment? Second, how must ethnographers experiment with their own practice in order to properly capture the everyday lives of geoengineering? The Call for Panels closes Jan 15, 2026, so please send your proposal (paper title, 150-word abstracts, name, contact, and affiliation) to alexandra.cotofana@gmail.com by Jan 10, 2026.

New Year’s Greetings from the ICOHTEC President

As we begin a new year, we are pleased to share the New Year’s message from the ICOHTEC President, Dr. Nelson Arellano-Escudero:

“As we embrace the spirit of new beginnings around the world, let’s celebrate the rich diversity of cultures and traditions that mark this special time. On January 1st, we joyfully welcome the Gregorian New Year, wishing everyone joy and prosperity in the year ahead. As we approach the festive celebrations of Chinese New Year, since February 17, may the Year of the Horse bring you dynamic change, passion, and opportunity for bold actions and new beginnings.
For those celebrating Rosh Hashaná past September 22-24, we wish you a sweet and fulfilling new year during the days of Tishri. As Diwali lights up our lives in 20th October, may the Festival of Lights illuminate your path with joy and prosperity. Embracing the Islamic New Year during Muharram, June, may this season bring peace and blessings to you and your loved ones.
The Thai New Year, celebrated through the joyful water festivities of Songkran from April 13 to 15, invites us to wash away our worries and welcome renewal. Similarly, as we celebrate Thingyan in April, may your new year be filled with happiness and joy. On October 31, as we honor the Celtic New Year (Samhain), let us reflect on the past and eagerly welcome the future. Lastly, during the Cambodian New Year in April, may your celebrations be joyful and bright.
In South America and Polynesia, as part of the southern hemisphere, the first nations celebrated their new years with the winter solstice last July: Wiñol Tripantu (Mapuche), Inti Raymi (Andean people), Aringa ora o koro (Rapa Nui).
Wherever you are and whatever culture you celebrate the New Year with, while the Northern Hemisphere has experienced its longest night and the Southern Hemisphere its shortest, the planet keeps turning. Our thoughts are with all those who passed away, and also with those who suffer the worst consequences of violence and deserve justice in so many places around the world. From the history of technology, we wish that peace and brotherhood will prevail.

Dr. Nelson Arellano-Escudero
President ICOHTEC”

ICOHTEC Newsletter No. 226 (December 2025) is out — our most substantial issue yet

The new ICOHTEC Newsletter (No. 226, December 2025) marks a clear step forward in both scope and format: a richly curated, 77-page “digest” designed not just for quick scanning, but for a relaxed, holiday-style read.

What’s new is the breadth and editorial ambition. Alongside core ICOHTEC updates, the issue brings together interviews, themed features, and carefully organised resource sections—creating a genuinely interdisciplinary panorama of the history of technology community and its conversations.

Highlights include:

  • ICOHTEC 2026: the Call for Papers for the 53rd Annual Meeting in Alexandroupolis (Greece), 8–11 October 2026, plus an interview with the Programme Committee Chair.

  • Voices from the community: an interview with Martino Davide, recipient of the ICOHTEC Turriano Prize.

  • ICON (Journal of ICOHTEC): a special issue call on “Plastic Environments”, along with updates on the current issue and a “throwback” feature.

  • Research in action: a detailed report on MoPRA 2025 and its outcomes, bridging heritage, controversy, and public engagement around plastics.

  • A stronger “what’s next” section: expanded Funding & Job Opportunities and Calls for Papers, spanning topics from digital waste and sustainability to green transitions and beyond.

  • In the Loop: fresh items on podcasts, courses, and digital humanities resources—perfect for browsing between commitments.

You can read the full issue on the ICOHTEC website:https://www.icohtec.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Icohtec_Newsletter_226_December-2025.pdf

Call for Papers | 2026 Baltic Conference on the History and Philosophy of Science (Riga)

The 2026 Baltic Conference on the History and Philosophy of Science invites paper proposals for the theme “Making and Remaking Science.” The conference explores how science has been made, remade, and transformed in the Baltics across different political regimes and historical periods—while giving special attention to the post–Second World War restructuring of science under Soviet rule, and to comparative perspectives from the wider Baltic Sea region (including the Nordic countries).

We welcome contributions on how scientific knowledge, practices, and communities have been reshaped through political change, institutional reorganization, and shifting ideological frameworks, across the natural sciences, medicine, applied sciences, and the humanities.

Key information

  • Location: Riga, Latvia

  • Dates: 10–12 June 2026

  • Abstract length: up to 2000 characters

  • Submission deadline: 15 February 2026

  • Submission format: online (Google Form – see the full PDF)

  • Registration opens: 15 March 2026

Full details and the submission link are available in the complete CFP PDF (link below).

Call for Papers BCHPS 2026

Call for Papers — ICON Special Issue “Plastic Environments”

ICON (ICOHTEC’s peer-reviewed journal) is preparing a special issue titled “Plastic Environments” and invites paper proposals exploring plastics and their environmental, social, economic, and cultural dimensions from historical perspectives.

We welcome contributions across a wide range of topics, including (but not limited to) plastic production and recycling, consumer cultures, intended and unintended impacts, and heritage/museum contexts.

Submission: Please send a 300–400 word abstract + short CV by 5 January 2026.
Contact (guest editors): Florian Bettel and Stefan Poser.

📎 The official CFP is attached for full details and guidelines:

cfp icon plastic environments 2025-final

Icohtec 2026 Conference Website Now Online

We are pleased to announce that the official website for the Icohtec 2026 conference is now online and available to the public.

The webpage includes initial information about next year’s conference and will be updated regularly with further details in the coming months.

We encourage the Icohtec community to visit the site and stay informed about upcoming news regarding the programme, participation details, and practical information.

Official website: https://icohtec2026.hs.duth.gr/