2026 anthropology colloquium
Horizons of hope
Call for Abstracts
Present at the annual Graduate Anthropology Colloquium in May!
the 2026 theme: horizons of hope
How does hope appear on the horizons in the world around us in uncertain times? What does it mean to ‘have’ hope, and how is this embodied and enacted in everyday life? Hope can be understood through an affective lens (hopefulness), but also in relation to people’s hopes for something that might occur (Jansen & Thorne 2026). How can we try to make sense of hope using an anthropological lens? For the 2026 colloquium, we invite contributions that engage with keywords relating to the theme of horizons of hope, which include but are not limited to:
community; solidarity; inclusion/exclusion; alterity; connection; networks; fragmentation; unity; assemblages; patchworks; collaboration; multiplicities; future; change.
This event aims to bring together graduate students, PhD candidates, and others involved in the department of Social and Cultural Anthropology at KU Leuven to present some of their research with peers, to share experiences and insights in doing ethnographic research. This is an opportunity to discuss your work in an informal setting with fellow (aspiring) anthropologists, to inspire and learn from each other. For those students aspiring an academic career, it is also an ideal chance to get a taste of presenting papers at conferences, albeit in a more relaxed and informal setting.
- During the colloquium, you will present your paper in a poster presentation session among a group of peers and get the opportunity to have stimulating conversations about anthropological concerns and matters regarding the theme.
- After the colloquium, your work can be submitted to a special edition of the anthropology magazine.
If you wish to present at the colloquium, you can submit your abstract via the button below or by scanning the qr code in the poster. Abstracts should be no more than 400 words. Group works are also welcome (not all authors are required to be present at the colloquium; all authors must consent to the shared work being presented).
For any questions regarding submissions or the colloquium itself, get in touch with a student rep.
Deadline for submission: april 1st
References
Jansen, Stef, and Judy Thorne. 2026. “Hope in Anthropology”. In The Oxford Compendium of Hope, edited by Anthony Scioli and Steven C. Van Den Heuvel. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780197618240.003.0034.
