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The 49th Annual Meeting of the Society for Utopian Studies<\/h1>\n

Interconnections between Utopia and Dystopia in Times of Crisis<\/em><\/h1>\n

\ud83d\udcc5 November 12\u201314, 2026<\/strong>
\n\ud83d\udccd Embassy Suites Portland Downtown<\/strong>
\nPortland, Oregon, USA<\/p>\n

Proposal Deadline:<\/strong> June 30, 2026<\/p>\n

Conference Organizers<\/strong>:
\nSangita Gopal (Local Chair, University of Oregon)
\nEdward K. Chan (Program Co-Chair, Waseda University, Tokyo)
\nPatricia Ventura (Program Co-Chair, Spelman College)
\nDonald Zarate (Graduate Assistant, University of California, Riverside)<\/p>\n

Conference Co-chairs email<\/strong>:
\nsusprogramchair@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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Key Information<\/h2>\n

Call for Papers<\/strong>
\nRead the full call and submission guidelines.
\n\u2192 View Call for Papers<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Submit a Proposal<\/strong>
\nIndividual papers, panels, roundtables, workshops, posters, and creative presentations are welcome.
\n\u2192 Submit an Individual Proposal<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\u2192 Submit a Pre-formed Full Session Proposal<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Registration & Membership<\/strong>
\nConference registration and Society membership information.
\n\u2192 Registration Details<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Venue & Hotel<\/strong>
\nInformation on the conference venue and accommodation with discounted rates. (With the understanding it is not always possible, the organizers encourage attendees to stay at the conference hotel, which helps prevent the Society from losing money.)
\n\u2192 Hotel & Venue Information<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Travel to Portland<\/strong>
\nTransportation information and directions.
\n\u2192 Travel Information<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Local Guide<\/strong>
\nDining, cultural sites, and attractions in Portland.
\n\u2192 Local Information<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

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Conference Theme<\/h2>\n

A common assertion in utopian studies recognizes the dialectical relationship between utopia and dystopia. As several people have observed, every utopia contains elements of dystopia, and every dystopia contains the seeds of utopia: visions of how things might be otherwise intertwined with the realities of how things could be worse.<\/p>\n

In times of crisis\u2014marked by war, authoritarianism, deepening inequalities, ecological collapse, and widespread social upheaval\u2014the relationship between utopia and dystopia becomes especially urgent. Rather than imagining utopia as an escapist ideal or perfect destination, this conference explores utopia as a horizon: a framework for critical thought, collective action, and envisioning alternatives to present conditions.<\/p>\n

The 2026 meeting of the Society for Utopian Studies invites scholars, artists, activists, and practitioners from diverse fields to reflect on the interconnections between utopian and dystopian thought, representation, and practice. Contributions from any academic discipline as well as creative, activist, and community-based perspectives are welcome.<\/p>\n

\u2192 Read the Full Call for Papers<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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Proposal Information<\/h2>\n

The program committee invites proposals of 250\u2013300 words<\/strong> for:<\/p>\n