06/26/2025

CSCA 2026 Convention - Performance Studies and Autoethnography Interest Group Call for Submissions

Performance Studies and Autoethnography Interest Group
Call for Papers and Panels

Central States Communication Association (CSCA)
Annual Convention-Minneapolis, MN
April 14th -19th, 2026

Translate! 

The Performance Studies and Autoethnography Interest Group invites the submission of competitive papers, panels, roundtable discussions, and innovative programming for the 2026 CSCA convention in Minneapolis, MN. The purpose of the Performance Studies and Autoethnography Interest Group is to promote academic engagement and discourse through the lens of performance. A range of topics encompassing rhetorical, interpersonal, organizational, inter/cultural, performance, auto/ethnographic, media, and/or critical scholarship are welcome, and we especially encourage members to address issues related to the convention theme, Translate! Modes of connecting performance ethnography with the theme could include translating experiences for wider audiences as well as interpreting less visible experiences across multiple disciplines. Emphasis will be placed on interdisciplinary methods of connecting with the conference theme.

Submissions that reflect the conference theme are especially welcomed. Regarding panels, preference will be given to those with panelists representing multiple institutions.

Awards:

The Performance Studies and Autoethnography Interest Group would like to invite members to submit nominations for a variety of awards that are presented at the annual business meeting:

• Top Paper
• Top Student Paper
• Outstanding Article or Book Chapter in Performance Studies and Outstanding Article or Book Chapter in Autoethnography
  • These awards are intended to reward high-quality scholarship published within the preceding two calendar years (2024 & 2025). Please submit a copy of the article or book chapter, along with a letter of support, and specify whether the submission is to be considered for the Performance Studies or Autoethnography
• The Outstanding Book in Performance Studies and/or
  • This award is intended to reward exceptional book-length work published within the preceding five calendar years (2020-2025). Please submit a copy of the book (electronic preferred), along with a letter of support to leblancs@pfw.edu with the title of the award in the subject All nominations and submissions should be directed to the interest group chair.
• The Outstanding Scholar in Performance Studies & Autoethnography
  • This award recognizes a scholar who has made significant contributions to performance studies and/or autoethnographic scholarship and has been a significant contributor to/from the Central States region.

Guidelines for Submissions:

Papers: Only completed papers will be accepted.

• Include a title and a brief abstract (required).
• Graduate students should type “STUDENT” on the upper right-hand corner of the title
• If the paper will be a single authored graduate student debut, please type “DEBUT STUDENT” in the upper right-hand corner of the title page.
• To be considered a graduate student debut paper:
  • the author must be a graduate student,
  • the paper must have single authorship, and
  • the paper must be the author’s first paper to be presented at
• If you would like your paper to be considered for the Inclusive Scholarship Award, type

“INCLUSIVE SCHOLARSHIP” in the upper right-hand corner of the title page.

• To be considered as an exemplar of inclusive scholarship, the paper must demonstrate academic rigor in the examination of communication and historically marginalized communities/populations.
• If you would like to be considered for this award, please clearly articulate, in at least one paragraph in your abstract, how the respective scholarship explicitly addresses equity and inclusion.
• Additionally, be sure to select the Inclusive Scholarship option when you submit your paper.

Panels: Panel submissions should include a panel rationale (maximum 500

words) and a brief abstract for the conference program (maximum 75 words), and should identify a Chair, Respondent, and panelists, along with institutional affiliations. Strong preference will be given to submissions with panelists from multiple institutions.

*Please note: Panel proposals that do not meet these submission guidelines may not be distributed for review. Additionally, preference will be given to proposals with panelists representing multiple institutions rather than representing a single institution.

Extended Abstracts and Working Papers: Abstracts should be 1000 to 5000 characters outlining a performance, the type of space needed, and how it fits with the conference theme.

• The abstract should include an introduction, method, results (if applicable), and
• Working papers are especially encouraged by early scholars seeking feedback and These papers are incomplete and will not be considered for the interest group’s top paper panel.

Any and all technology requests must be made at the time of submission. Submitters will have the opportunity to make technology requests as part of the submission process.

Submissions must be received by 11:59 PM, CDT, October 10, 2025. Please submit submissions electronically through our CSCA online submission system site.

If you have any questions, please contact Vianna Isbister via email: isbisterv13@gmail.com