Call for Papers | The Society for Military History

Call for Papers

93rd Annual Meeting of the Society for Military History
March 10-14, 2027, New Orleans, LA
Deadline for submissions: Friday October 17, 2025

The Society for Military History is pleased to call for papers for its 93rd Annual Meeting, hosted at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel.

The Society is also very happy to announce that due to a large donation from the late Graham K. Cosmas, we will waive the registration fees of all first-time attendees who are enrolled in a graduate program. One does NOT have to be on the program to receive this benefit. This fund is not unlimited and will be made available on a first-come, first-served basis during the early bird registration period only. Recipients will be designated as Cosmas Fellows in the program.

The Program Committee seeks to create a slate of panels that represent the breadth of expertise and interests, as well as the overall diversity of the Society’s wide-ranging membership. Proposals on all facets of military history (broadly defined) will be considered for inclusion. We encourage new and existing Society members, whether in academic institutions, the armed forces and governmental agencies, museums and archives, independent scholars, or employed internationally, to participate.

Priority will be given to complete panel or roundtable submissions that highlight the presentation of original research, new interpretations, topics of immediate interest to our membership, and cutting-edge trends and subject matter.

Types of Proposals and Requirements:

Panel proposals must include: a panel title, paper titles, full names and professional affiliations of each participant, 300-word abstract summarizing the theme of the panel; 300-word abstracts for the three papers proposed; and a one-page professional curriculum vitae for each participant panelist. Standard panels consist of three papers and a chair, with an optional commentator.

Roundtable proposals must include a title, full names and professional affiliations of each participant, a 300-word abstract summarizing the theme and questions; and a one-page professional curriculum vitae for each participant (including the moderator). Roundtables consist of a moderator and three or more expert participants. The moderator facilitates the discussion amongst the participants and audience. Roundtables are not the venues for individual presentations.
Individual paper proposals will also be considered and must include a paper title, 300-word abstract of the paper, and one-page professional curriculum vitae. If accepted, individual papers will be assigned by the program committee to an appropriate panel. The denial rate for individual papers can be high. Applicants are encouraged to instead consider a poster (if material is suitable) or a “Lightning Talk”—both discussed below.
Young Scholars Papers B.A. and M.A. students are encouraged to submit individual paper proposals which must include a paper title, 300-word abstract of the paper, and one-page professional curriculum vitae. If accepted, individual papers will be assigned by the program committee to an appropriate panel.
Lightning Talks are 5-minute presentations in which the presenter summarizes their ongoing research; two sets of up to ten presentations each will be grouped with time reserved for Q&A and discussion. Proposals must include a paper title, 300-word abstract of the paper, and one-page professional curriculum vitae.
Poster proposals allow military historians (especially, but not limited to, graduate students) to share their research through visual materials. Proposals should clearly explain (in no more than 300 words) the poster’s topics and arguments, as well as how the information will be presented visually and include a one-page curriculum vitae. This year we also especially encourage posters on the teaching of military history at all levels. The poster format is well suited to conveying information about teaching tools, tricks, and materials. In coordination with the SMH committee on teaching, and with the author’s permission, select posters may be displayed at an SMH table at conferences for educators (such as the National Council for History Education and the National Council for Social Studies).
Volunteer Chairs. Those who wish to volunteer to serve as chairs should send a one-page professional curriculum vitae to the program committee chair at the email listed below.

Proposals will be judged according to the following criteria:

Proposal (panels, roundtables, individual, young scholar, posters and lightning talks) explains the topic, research questions, methodologies, and historiographic significance in ways that specialists and non-specialists alike can understand. (5 points)
Proposal (panels and roundtables) clearly articulates the rationale for bringing their specific set of papers or speakers together. (5 points)
Proposal (panels and roundtables) reflects the SMH’s desire to sustain and expand the vibrancy and diversity of its membership. (5 points)

Appearance Limits:
You may only apply to appear as a speaker one time on the program unless invited to appear on a presidential, vice presidential, or SMH committee-sponsored panel. In addition, you may also serve as a panel chair or a roundtable moderator. It is the responsibility of the submitting organizer that all participants (speakers, chair, moderator, and commentator) adhere to this requirement. Submissions in violation of these limits will be required to adjust the proposal before it will be considered.

Submission Procedures and Deadline:
All submissions must be made via email to smhmeeting2027@gmail.com. One person will need to gather all required information for panel and roundtable submissions and provide the information preferably in a single combined document. For questions about the submission process, contact the Program Committee at smhmeeting2027@gmail.com.

Finally, we would like everyone to think carefully before applying on whether they will have the financial support to attend the conference. We require registration and membership to present at the conference. Additionally, you must attend the conference in person to present. Substitutes are not generally allowed. Moreover, due to the high cost of operating an online forum, SMH will not provide one. So please refrain from applying without some reasonable expectation of attending. Grad students applying for a travel grant (Weigley, Cosmas) should note their application in their conference proposal.

All proposals must be submitted by October 10, 2026. All accepted participants must be members of the Society for Military History by December 31, 2026, to be placed on the conference program. In addition, registration for the conference is required for participation.