Proposal Guide

We welcome proposals for individual papers, full panels, roundtables, workshops, and poster sessions. The program committee evaluates submissions carefully to build a program that is intellectually rigorous, historically grounded, and broadly representative of the field. Strong proposals present original historical research while engaging broader scholarly conversations in women’s, gender, feminist, queer, and trans history. Particularly encouraged are submissions that fill historiographical gaps, introduce new sources or archival materials, or bring previously overlooked histories into scholarly discussion — as well as those that reframe or advance ongoing debates through new interpretations, methodologies, or forms of historical practice, including archival recovery, public history, museum work, digital projects, and K–12 curriculum. Those submitting full-panel proposals are also strongly encouraged to make sure that panels are diverse in terms of identities and career stages.

The following guidelines outline the characteristics of a strong proposal.

1. Present Original and Compelling Research for a Broad Audience

Strong proposals clearly communicate:

• An original research question, argument, or interpretive intervention, whether grounded in traditional historical scholarship or in practices such as archival work, public history, museum interpretation, or digital history projects
• A compelling rationale for why the topic matters, including how the work contributes to broader historical conversations or public understandings of the past
• A clear sense of the intervention the work makes in the field, such as advancing historiographical debates, introducing new sources or archival collections, or demonstrating how public history practice reshapes historical interpretation
• Using accessible and precise language that explains the historical contribution without relying on jargon or terminology specific to a narrow field or area of study

The strongest proposals make clear both what new knowledge the project produces and how it expands the ways historians research, interpret, preserve, or share the past with wider audiences.

2. Demonstrate Coherence (for Panels, Workshops, and Lightning Sessions)

Panel abstracts should show clear connections among the individual papers. Strong panels:

• Share a common theme, question, or historiographical intervention
• Demonstrate how the papers speak to one another
• Contribute to a cohesive conversation rather than a collection of unrelated presentations
• Reflect a mix of periods, geographic areas, and historical methods/approaches

3. Build Meaningful Conversations (for Roundtables)

Roundtable proposals should outline a focused discussion that is timely, important, and engaging for conference attendees. Strong submissions:

• Clearly explain the central question, theme, or pedagogical intervention
• Indicate what each participant will contribute
• Demonstrate why the conversation is important for the field, public history, or teaching
• Reflect debates and differing opinions/methods/sources

4. Engage Historiography

Proposals should situate the work within existing scholarship and show how the research:

• Fills a historiographical gap, or
• Reframes or advances ongoing scholarly debates or public history interventions
• Reflects diverse and intersectional approaches

The strongest proposals demonstrate how both scholarly research and public-facing historical work contribute to evolving historiographical conversations and expand how historical knowledge is produced, preserved, and shared.

5. Engage Scholarly Networks Across Multiple Institutions and Practices of History

• Pre-constituted panels are strongly encouraged, though individual paper proposals are also welcome
• Strong panels often bring together scholars from multiple institutions and career stages, including graduate students, early-career scholars, and senior researchers
• Panels may also integrate diverse practices of history, including work in higher education, archives, public history institutions, museums, digital humanities, and independent research
• Prospective presenters are encouraged to use the publicly available collaboration form to connect with others interested in organizing panels, workshops, or lightning sessions