The Polish Institute of Arts & Sciences of America (PIASA) is pleased to invite proposals for its annual conference, which will be hosted by Columbia University’s Harriman Institute from June 6-8, 2025. Proposals are solicited for complete in-person sessions or individual papers in any of the disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, or business/economics. The general theme of the conference is “Democracy and Its Discontents.” New York City is a fitting site for this conference, as it is also the seat of PIASA, an institution that became an important site where ideas of freedom of expression and scientific inquiry for Poles in emigration thrived while standing in contrast to the limitations on democracy and the rule of law that post-World War II Poland experienced. Because it has long been a destination for immigrants, New York City has likewise been a breeding ground for both radical and progressive movements. The constant tensions between the two make it a powerful symbol of discontent and distrust in institutions.
Therefore, we particularly welcome panel and paper proposals which address these issues. Since we value comparative sessions that place the Polish and East Central European experience in context, papers need not focus specifically on Poland or Polish themes. Finally, papers do not necessarily have to address the main conference theme and are welcome for consideration in separate and cohesive panels.
Each session is scheduled for 90 minutes to accommodate three papers or about 20 minutes per paper, with suitable time left for discussion. As the conference language is English, all panel and paper submissions are expected to be in that language. All conference rooms will be equipped with AV for PowerPoint presentations. Presenters are invited to submit their final conference papers to be considered for possible publication in The Polish Review after the conference.
