55th Annual Conference of
SouthWest Conference on Asian Studies (SWCAS)
November 6-7, 2026
Angelo State University
San Angelo, TX
Conference Theme:
Asian Studies in Motion:
Place, Power, and Possibility Across Asia
and Its Diasporas
Registration will be open on August 1, 2026!
Early Bird Rates: August 1–September 15, 2026
Regular Rates: September 16–October 15, 2026
Late Registration: October 16–November 8, 2026
* Please register by October 15, 2026 to keep your presentation on the program.
Travel Directions and Accommodations
The Houston Harte University Center is located on campus at Angelo State University (ASU) at 1910 Rosemont Drive, San Angelo, Texas, 76909.
San Angelo is easily accessible via U.S. Highways 67, 87, and 277. Angelo State University is located about 20 minutes away from San Angelo Regional Airport (SJT).
SWCAS has arranged a free shuttle between the conference hotels and the Houston Harte University Center (ASU) for Saturday, November 7. Parking passes will be provided for participants driving to campus.
SWCAS has arranged discounted room blocks at the following hotels:
Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites
1459 Knickerbocker Rd.
San Angelo, TX 76904
Staybridge Suites
1355 Knickerbocker Rd.
San Angelo, TX 76904
Schedule
A draft of the conference schedule and program will be posted on the SWCAS website in the coming weeks. To assist with travel planning, please note that all in-person panels will be held on Saturday, November 7.
A welcome reception is scheduled for Friday, November 6, from 5:30 to 7:00 pm at the Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites (1459 Knickerbocker Rd., San Angelo, TX 76904).
Undergraduate and Graduate Student Awards
SWCAS awards a $200 prize for the best graduate student paper and another $200 for the best undergraduate student paper. Additional $100 prizes will be awarded to runners-up.
To be considered for awards, graduate and undergraduate students must submit a proposal for a paper by July 1, 2026, and email a full paper to swcas2026@gmail.com by October 1, 2026. The award winners will be announced at the conference.
Submission Requirements
-
For the Undergraduate and Graduate Student Awards, full paper must be submitted to swcas2026@gmail.com by October 1, 2026.
-
Submissions must be in Word or PDF format, with the author’s name and institutional affiliation on the title page.
Evaluation Criteria
-
Originality and significance of the research
-
Clarity and coherence of the argument
-
Engagement with sources and literature
-
Quality of writing and organization
Questions?
If you have any questions about the conference, please contact the 2026 SWCAS leadership team at swcas2026@gmail.com.
SWCAS Board of Directors
Aryendra Chakravartty (2028)
John Barnett (2028)
Melody Yunzi Li (2027)
Min Suk Kim (2027)
Allison J. Truitt (2026)
Miao Dou (2026)
SWCAS Officers 2025-26
Laurie Dickmeyer, President
Allison J. Truitt, Vice President
Zhaojin Zeng, Past President
Leah Renold, Secretary-Treasurer
Miao Dou, Director of Communication and Social Media
Melody Yunzi Li, CoC Rep
2026 SWCAS Leadership Team
Program Chair: Allison J. Truitt
Outreach and Special Initiatives Committee: JongHwa Lee, Min Wha Han, Melody Yunzi Li
Local Organizing Committee: Laurie Dickmeyer, JongHwa Lee
Director of Communication and Social Media: Miao Dou
Annual
Click here to access former programs and other information about SWCAS Annual Meetings.
Past Meeting:
Nov 8-10, 2025
Texas A&M University-San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
In Person & Online
The 2025 SWCAS conference was a huge success. It drew over 150 in-person and about 60 online registered participants from across the U.S. as well as India, China, Taiwan, the Philippines, and several other Asian countries. We welcomed scholars from national institutions such as MIT and Boston College, along with colleagues from major Texas universities, including UT-Austin, Rice University, SMU, and UNT. We had faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates all engaging with one another, and the energy throughout the conference was fantastic.
SWCAS 2023, at University of Houston
Click here for a PDF of the directory. If you would like to join the SWCAS Mailing List, all you will need is an institutional email address. Send a request to the SWCAS administrator in the contact form below.
Journal of the Southwest Conference on Asian Studies
Click HERE to access the Call for Submissions to the 2021 edition of the Journal.
* Our logo depicts a tree bending in the prevailing southwest wind, inscribed in a red ochre circle symbolizing the southern sun. Our conference in general encompasses Asianists located in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana, although anyone is invited to join.