CfP: Nations and Nationalism in Science and Technology

The Canadian Science and Technology Historical Association (CSTHA-AHSTC) invites proposals for its biennial meeting, to be held at York University, 7–9 November 2025. 

We encourage scholarship that engages broadly with the topics of nations and nationalism as they relate to scientific and technological change. These are classic questions for Canadian historians of science and technology, but also timely ones in the current era of profound, rapid, and unpredictable global change. 


Proposed topics include but are not limited to the following:

  • Where and when have Indigenous knowledges or practices intersected or interacted with colonial scientific or technological ones? 
  • What roles have political or geographic borders played in the development of science and technology in Canada, nationally, internationally, or provincially? 
  • How have different sciences and technologies interacted with the way Canadians have understood and aligned themselves with their national or regional identities, or matters of sovereignty? 
  • How have external international policies or institutions encouraged or discouraged Canadian scientific or technological activities or practices? 
  • What new lessons can be drawn from past scientific or technological rhetoric within Canada especially those related to protectionist, free-trade policies, or “nation-building” enterprises? 

The Program Committee welcomes presentations addressing a broad range of areas related to the history of Canadian science and technology, including research, teaching, curation, and research-creation, describing in-progress or completed projects. 

We invite participants to propose alternative, innovative, and experimental session formats, including workshops, activity-based experiences, and presentations of creative works, such as visual essays, photography, poetry, or sound-and-image projects. 

The Program Committee welcomes proposals of several types:

  • Individual papers: proposals must include a title, an abstract (up to 250 words), a list of 3­-5 keywords, as well as the author’s name, email, and brief bio (no more than 50 words). The program committee will organize individual papers into thematically related sessions composed of three 20-minute presentations or four 15-minute presentations.
  • Traditional sessions or panels: proposals should include the session title and abstract (up to 350 words), names of participation authors, and a list of 3­-5 keywords, as well as abstracts for each of the proposed session papers, which include the title of proposed paper (up to 250 words), author’s name, email, and a brief author bio (no more than 
    50 words).
  • Alternative sessions: please feel free to contact the Program Committee.

Proposals for in-person and virtual presentations will be considered. Please indicate your preference on your proposal. 

CSTHA accepts proposals for papers or panels in French and English, as well as those which include components in other languages. Similarly, CSTHA welcomes proposals from scholars and researchers of all ranks and constituencies, working in traditional domains of history as well 
as adjacent fields.

Selected conference contributors will be encouraged to publish their work in a future issue of the CSTHA journal, Scientia Canadensis. 

Travel grants
The CSTHA welcomes the participation of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows at the conference. A limited number of travel grants will be available. Information about eligibility and how to apply will be posted to the CSTHA website soon.

Graduate Student Artefacts Workshop, 7 November 2025
The CSTHA will host a workshop for graduate students interested in material culture approaches to the study of technological and scientific artefacts and objects. The workshop will be held on 9:00 – 13:00 on Friday 7 November. Lunch will be served.

CSTHA Student Writing Workshop, Spring 2026
Students presenting at the 2025 CSTHA Biannual Conference are encouraged to participate in CSTHA’s student writing workshop in Spring 2026. The workshop offers students the opportunity to develop conference presentations into publishable works, such as journal articles, blog posts, or commentaries. Please indicate your interest in participating in the 2026 Student Writing Workshop in your response to this CFP. Workshop organizers will contact interested students with more information about the workshop prior to the 2025 Conference.

URL: https://cstha-ahstc.ca/biennial-conference/cfp-nations-and-nationalism-in-scien…