Call for Papers

 

54th Annual Conference of

SouthWest Conference on Asian Studies

 

Pasts and Futures:

Rethinking Asian Studies in the New Global Landscape

 

November 7-9, 2025

Texas A&M University-San Antonio

San Antonio, Texas, USA

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keynote speaker:

Joseph Alter 

Professor of Anthropology

Director of the Asian Studies Center

University of Pittsburgh

Editor, The Journal of Asian Studies

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In an era of rapid geopolitical shifts and technological advancements, SWCAS invites scholars to critically examine the changing contours of Asian Studies under the theme “Pasts and Futures: Rethinking Asian Studies in the New Global Landscape.” We invite reflection on the intersection of historical legacies, contemporary challenges and opportunities, and Asia’s role in shaping global futures. The conference welcomes individual and panel proposals on all topics related to Asian Studies, with a particular emphasis on submissions that engage with one of the following subthemes:

 

• Asian historical narratives with global connections

• geopolitics and Asian futures

• cultural movements and Asian identities

• environmental issues and sustainability in Asia

• migration, diaspora, and transnationalism

• gender studies in Asia

• body and age in Asia

• Asian Studies across the disciplines

• innovations in Asian Studies pedagogy

• teaching and researching Asian Studies in the SWCAS region (Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana)

 

Roundtables, pedagogically focused panels, and submissions from graduate students and early career scholars are highly encouraged. The conference will primarily take place in person but will include a special presentation block for all-virtual panels. Space for virtual presentations is limited and priority will be given to scholars based outside of the United States. Please also note that scholars who submit for an in-person presentation will not be eligible for virtual participation.

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Student Awards and Travel Support

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SWCAS awards a $200 prize for the best graduate student paper and another $200 for the best undergraduate student paper. To be considered for the awards, graduate and undergraduate students must submit a proposal by June 1, 2025 and email a full paper to swcas2025@gmail.com by October 1, 2025. The award winners will be announced at the conference.

 

SWCAS also provides a limited number of $100 travel grants to graduate students presenting papers in person at the conference. No separate application is required. All graduate student presenters will be automatically considered, and awardees will be notified via email before the conference.

 

To encourage student participation, SWCAS offers significantly discounted registration rates. For details, please visit the SWCAS website https://www.swcas.net/

 

 

Submission Guidelines

 

Individual Paper proposals should include the following: (1) a paper title and 150-word abstract; (2) the presenter’s name, affiliation, and e-mail address; and (3) mode of presentation (in-person of virtual).

 

Panel Proposals of three to five papers should include the following: (1) a 200-word summary, including a brief description of each paper and the connection between them; (2) a list of participants, paper titles, affiliations, and e-mail addresses; and (3) mode of presentation (in-person or virtual) [Note: All panelists must present in the same mode.]

 

Please submit your proposal using the following links:

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• Individual Submission

• Panel Submission 

 

Submission Deadline: June 1, 2025

 

For questions regarding submissions, conference logistics, or local arrangements, please contact the conference organizers at swcas2025@gmail.com or visit the SWCAS website https://www.swcas.net/