CfP: Childhood and Youth Network of the Social Science History Association
We invite you to participate in the annual meeting of the Social Science History Association (SSHA) by submitting a session proposal or paper to the Childhood and Youth Network of the SSHA. The conference will take place at the Hilton Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia, between November 19-22, 2026. For more information on the conference, please see the SSHA website: ssha.org. The deadline for full panel or individual paper proposals is March 1, 2026.
The association particularly emphasizes interdisciplinary and transnational research, and the annual meeting provides a very supportive environment in which to present new work. The theme of the 2026 conference is “Decentering Modernity” though papers on any other aspects of the history of children and childhood are also certainly welcome. Some possible topics include (but are not limited to):
- Finding Children in the Archive
- Children’s Letters and Writings
- Teaching the History of Childhood
- Child Migration and Border-Crossers
- Youth Sports and Games
- Children and Youth on the Peripheries of Modernity
We especially encourage complete panels, which should include at least three papers and presenters from more than one academic institution and discipline. Other formats, including roundtable discussions and book sessions, are also possible. Please do get in touch with the network chairs if you have an idea for a session but need help organizing it or recruiting presenters.
Proposals can be submitted directly to the online conference management system at ssha2026.ssha.org. If you haven’t used the system previously, you will need to create an account. The Network co-chairs are happy to submit the session for you if you prefer. Graduate students presenting at the conference may apply for a travel grant from the SSHA.
If you have any questions, please contact the Childhood and Youth network co-chairs: