Call for Papers: Willa Cather Foundation Panels for the American Literature Association Conference
The Willa Cather Foundation seeks proposals for 1-2 panels at the 37th annual conference of the American Literature Association, held at the Palmer House in Chicago from May 20-23, 2026.
Topics could include (but are by no means limited to) race and ethnicity, indigeneity, settler colonialism, Queer histories, labor and leisure, Cather and other writers, teaching Cather, urban/rural spaces, philosophy and religion, approaches to Cather’s letters, ecological issues, and material culture.
While proposals on any topic pertaining to Cather’s life and writing are welcome, 2026 marks the centennial of the publication of My Mortal Enemy, so papers on that novel would be of particular interest.
Please submit abstracts of approximately 300 words and a brief bio or CV no later than Friday, January 16, 2026, to Kelsey Squire at squirekelsey@gmail.com
Call for Submissions: The Willa Cather Review
The Willa Cather Review seeks essays for our upcoming mid-year 2026 issue; this is an open call for scholarship on any area of Cather’s life and works. Scholarly essays should generally not exceed 5,000 words, but we also welcome shorter pieces in the form of notes, news items, and letters. We encourage authors to submit using our new online portal, linked here. While the submission portal is always open, we encourage those interested in the mid-year 2026 issue to upload submissions by January 15, 2026. Queries about submissions for this issue can be directed to Kelsey Squire at squirekelsey@gmail.com. More information about the Willa Cather Review, including previous issues, can be found here.