CESS Annual Conferences have been held at universities around North America since 2000, with conferences as large as 70 panels and attracting around 300 participants from all over the world. Registration is now open for the upcoming conference to be held in Pittsburgh in October 2023.
For CESS 2023, we invite submissions relating to all aspects of humanities and social science scholarship across the region. The geographic domain of Central Eurasia encompasses Central Asia, the Caucasus, Iran, Afghanistan, Tibet, Mongolia, Siberia, Inner Asia, the Black Sea region, the Volga region, and East and Central Europe. Practitioners and scholars in all fields are encouraged to participate.
We encourage in-person participation but the conference will be fully hybrid, so proposals are welcome from those who will be unable to attend.
Panels
We highly encourage all participants to form their own panels; however, individual proposals are also welcome. In addition to “traditional” (chair, 3-4 presenters, discussant) panels and roundtables, we encourage other proposals, including:
- Scholarship-in-Progress panels or ones on recently published works of scholarship (including author-critic forums)
- Events-in-Progress panels on the evolving political, social, economic and cultural situation in the region
- Pre-conference workshops (see details below)
Our website provides more information about the requirements of each proposal type.
To connect with colleagues and plan a panel, members can post in the CESS Facebook Group.
The CESS Annual Conference in 2023 is being hosted by The University of Pittsburgh. The conference will run from October 19 to 1pm on October 22, 2023 with pre-conference workshops held in the morning of October 19.
Conference Host
Call for Proposals and Proposal Submission
Conference Rules and Guidelines
Conference Logistics (ARRIVAL INFO)
Travel Grants
Next Steps If Your Proposal Is Accepted
Registration
Program
Keynote Speaker
Travel, Accommodation & Local Information
Key Dates and Deadlines
Conference Host: The University of Pittsburgh Center for Governance and Markets
This year’s conference will be hosted by the Center for Governance and Markets at the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs.
Launched in 2019, the Center for Governance and Markets (CGM) is a multidisciplinary research center that analyzes the diverse institutions and governance arrangements that affect social order and human well-being around the world. From a bottom-up perspective, CGM generates knowledge of ways individuals and communities overcome challenges to living free, prosperous, and peaceful lives. It is a hub of a global network of researchers and practitioners in the areas of governance and institutional analysis, whose work focus on three key themes: political order and conflict, governance of emerging technologies, and economic institutions and property rights. The center achieves its mission through cutting-edge research, development of real-world policy applications, and through deep engagement with the public and communities where it conducts research.
CGM is home to the Afghanistan Project, an effort to preserve the intellectual communities of Afghanistan. Since 2021, the center has hosted a range of social scientists and practitioners from Afghanistan who were displaced after the collapse of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and subsequent Taliban takeover. The Afghanistan Project is a hub for Afghanistan-related research and policy work, providing mentoring and support to scholars with the goal of amplifying and supporting their voices.
How to Submit a Proposal
The deadline for proposal submissions has passed. Applicants were notified of the outcomes of their submission during the first week of May 2023.
Conference Rules and Guidelines
Before submitting a proposal, please read CESS’ conference rules and guidelines.
The primary language of the CESS Annual Conference is English; however, proposals for panels to be conducted primarily in a non-English language are welcome and encouraged. Panel proposals should indicate the planned working language in brackets after the title (e.g. [Uzbek], [Russian], etc.) and submit an abstract in English followed by the abstract in the non-English language. Individual paper proposals can only be accepted if they will be delivered in English. Please read the CESS conference language policy for more information.
Conference Logistics
The University of Pittsburgh main campus located 18 miles from the Pittsburgh International Airport can be reached by public transportation or taxi. Numerous convenient accommodations and restaurants are located within walking distance from campus.
Conference venue address: 230 South Bouquet Street, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Panel locations: see timetable (forthcoming)
On arrival: In-person participants: registration location:
The University of Pittsburgh main campus located 18 miles from the Pittsburgh International Airport can be reached by public transportation or taxi. Numerous convenient accommodations and restaurants are located within walking distance from campus.
Conference venue address: 230 South Bouquet Street, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Panel locations: see timetable (forthcoming)
On arrival: In-person participants: registration location: 230 South Bouquet Street, Center for Governance and markets
Internet and printing: Free Pitt Guest Wi-Fi (Anyroam) is available for guests in academic and administrative buildings on campus.
CESS Annual Conference 2023 on social media: The conference hashtag on Twitter is #CESS2023. Find CESS on Twitter @CESS_news and on Facebook at facebook.com/groups/cess.info.
Travel Grants
Applications are now closed.
Next Steps If Your Proposal Is Accepted
All proposal submissions must be received by CESS by March 12, 2023. Proposal outcomes will be sent by email in May 2023. If your proposal is accepted for inclusion in the conference program, your next steps will be:
1. Ensure you are an active CESS member by the registration deadline. This is a requirement for all those who present at the conference. If you are not currently a member, you can (re)join by paying the invoice you were emailed in early 2023 or joining as a new member.
2. Register for the conference by the presenter registration deadline of October 2, 2023 .
Note: CESS membership and conference registration are two separate processes with two separate fees. Both are mandatory for presenters.
3. If you need a letter of acceptance from CESS, log into Cocoa, then, after confirming your contact details, select the “A” button next to your paper title.
4. Visa invitation letters will be issued by The University of Pittsburgh once presenters are accepted.
5. If you have any accessibility requirements or scheduling requests, please contact CESS before the presenter registration deadline. We will do our best to accommodate your needs but cannot make a guarantee.
Please contact CESS as soon as possible if you can no longer attend the conference.
Registration
CESS2023 conference takes place in Pittsburgh, PA from October 19 – 22. Registration is now open.
Conference Pricing
Members:
Early Bird Rate (Before July 1, 2023 )
- In-person participation, members with annual income <$25K — $70/person
- In-person participation, members with annual income $25-49K — $100/person
- In-person participation, members with annual income $49-75K — $125/person
- In-person participation, members with annual income over $75K –$140/person
- Online rate – $70/person
Regular Rate (After July 1, 2023)
- In-person participation, members with annual income <$25K — $85/ person
- In-person participation, members with annual income $25-49K — $120/person
- In-person participation, members with annual income $49-75K — $145/person
- In-person participation, members with annual income over $75K –$175/person
- Online Rate — $85/ person
Non-Members – Early Bird Rate (Before July 1, 2023)
- In-person participation, members with annual income <$75K –$130/ person
- In-person participation, members with annual income over $75K –$150/person
- Online rate – $100/person
Non-Member – Regular Rate (After July 1, 2023)
- In-person participation, members with annual income <$75K –$155/ person
- In-person participation, members with annual income over $75K –$185/person
- Online rate – $120/person
One Day Walk-in Pass will be available for Saturday only, $35.
Non-presenting delegates are welcome to register right up to the start of the conference.
Membership is valid from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023.
During registration, conference delegates are given an opportunity to sponsor conference attendance for a scholar from the region ($70 per person). The registration sponsorships will go toward free vouchers to the participants who applied for this year’s travel grants but did not receive any funding from CESS.
Visa Support Letters for the CESS2023 Conference presenters
Accepted conference presenters who need to obtain a US visa to attend the upcoming conference in Pittsburgh may request a letter of support from the conference organizers.
To obtain the letter, please email CESS info@centraleurasia.org the following information:
1. Name as it appears on your passport
2. Your country of citizenship
3. Your professional affiliation (institution and position)
4. Title of the paper to be presented at CESS2023 conference
All letters will be forwarded to the applicants over email in .pdf format. Please allow up to 2 weeks for processing.
Please note that the letter from conference organizers does not guarantee approval of a US visa application.
2023 Conference Transfer, Cancellation and Refund Policy:
If you would like to transfer a registration to a colleague, please contact the CESS Office at info@centraleurasia.org. Additional charges may apply if a registration is transferred from a member to a non-member.
All cancellations and refund requests must be received in writing.
- Any refund requests received before July 31 (5 PM EST) will receive a full refund minus the $25 administrative fee.
- Any requests received after July 31 at 5 PM EST will receive no refund.
- No-shows at the CESS conference are not eligible for a credit or refund.
If the conference may be cancelled or postponed due to unforeseen circumstances, registration fees will be refunded; however, CESS will not be responsible for additional costs, charges, or expenses, including cancellation/change charges assessed by airlines, hotels, and/or travel agencies.
CESS is not responsible for weather-related travel delays or other issues in regard to personal travel and no refunds will be given due to these occurrences.
Please note that to be sent your registration invoice, you must be a member of CESS for 2023.
Program
The conference program will be posted online and made available to download after the entries are confirmed.
Keynote
Information on the Keynote speaker is TBC.
Travel, Accommodation & Local Information
The costs of registration, transportation, hotels and other expenses are each delegate’s responsibility.
Hotel Options
Wyndham Pittsburgh University Center for $199 USD per night
Residence Inn Pittsburgh Oakland/University Place for $174 USD per night
Hilton Garden Inn for $189 USD per night
Key Dates and Deadlines
| Call for proposals opens | December 30, 2022 |
| Deadline for proposal submissions | March 12, 2023 |
| Proposal outcomes communicated | May 5, 2023 |
| Conference registration opens | May 2023 |
| Preliminary conference program published (Online program will be continuously updated from this date) | September 15, 2023 |
| Presenter registration deadline Any presenters not registered by this date will be removed from the program | October 2, 2023 |
| Final conference program published | TBC |
| Deadline to send paper to panel members | Confirm with convener |
| Annual Conference | October 19-22, 2023 |