Our 2026 Virtual Conference

Call for Papers 2026

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CALL FOR PAPERS
New Approaches to the History of Caring and Curing
VIRTUAL CONFERENCE

21-22 May 2026

The Canadian Society for the History of Medicine invites paper proposals for its online conference, to be held on 21-22 May 2026. The theme of this year’s conference is New Approaches to the History of Caring and Curing. Potential participants are encouraged to interpret this theme broadly.

We particularly encourage submissions from:

  • Graduate students, postdocs, and early career scholars
  • Established scholars developing novel methodological approaches and perspectives

In keeping with the longstanding practices of the society, we also welcome papers on all topics from different geographical areas and periods of the history of healthcare and medicine.

All sessions will be held online and scheduled to maximize participation from colleagues across Canada. For participants joining abroad, please note that the conference will follow Canadian time zones. This year’s conference will feature a smaller number of papers than usual to better suit the online format.

The CSHM/SCHM invites individual papers, as well as submissions for panels. We also welcome roundtables, and are open to other formats:

  • Individual papers:

Abstracts for 12-15 minute individual papers may be submitted in French or English and should be a maximum of 250 words.

  • Full panels:

The proposals must include a 250-word rationale for the panel, a list of panel participants, and a description for individual papers (not exceeding 200 words for each paper). Sessions are structured to include four papers of 12–15 minutes each, with a Q&A period following the presentations. This format may be modified at the request of participants, but such requests must be indicated at the time of abstract submission.

  • Roundtables and other formats:

The proposal must include a 250-word rationale for the overall session and a list of roundtable participants. Proposals for alternative formats will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the selection committee.

Each proposal — whether an individual paper, full session, or roundtable — must include three keywords to assist with conference planning, along with a 150-word biography for every participant.

Presenters are encouraged to indicate whether they are willing to record their sessions for those unable to attend in real time.

In addition to our regular paper sessions and president’s address, two new initiatives are being introduced in this year’s conference:

  • Mentoring sessions pairing early-career researchers with senior scholars
  • A Living History Forum focusing on the Asubpeeschoseewagong Netum Anishinabek (ANA or Grassy Narrows) First Nation’s decades-long struggle against mercury contamination of the Wabigoon-English River system, as a result of upstream pollution from Reed Paper Mill in Dryden, Ontario. Ground was finally broken on a specialized treatment facility in March 2025

The program committee will notify all applicants of its decision regarding proposals in late January 2026. For all accepted papers, panels, and roundtables, abstracts in both French and English will have to be submitted to the program committee. All presenters at the conference must be — or become — members of the CSHM/SCHM. Becoming a member is simple: just visit the following page on the Society’s website: https://cshm-schm.ca/en/about/membership/

We look forward to your proposals!
James Hanley and Martin Robert