Renaissance Society of America

As an Associate Organization of the Renaissance Society of America, the Kinney Center for Interdisciplinary Renaissance Studies sponsors sessions at the annual RSA conference. All proposals for sponsored sessions must undergo an internal review before advancing to the RSA. For information about how to prepare a session proposal, see www.rsa.org. If you are interested in applying for a sponsored session at RSA, please contact Center Director, Marjorie Rubright, at @email.

The Kinney Center for Interdisciplinary Renaissance Studies will sponsor up to 4 panels at the next Annual Meeting of the Renaissance Society of America in Philadelphia, March 11–13, 2027.

We welcome proposals for lightning-talk panels, seminars, paper sessions, roundtables, and workshops from members of the Kinney Center's community. Prospective organizers should establish a critical theme to unite the work and solicit and select the papers or participants as appropriate for each format. Eligible session formats are outlined on the RSA website. Proposals from all disciplines will be considered, but themes/topics that lend themselves to interdisciplinary engagements are strongly preferred.
 

Please provide detailed information and upload your complete proposal to our Kinney Center-sponsored Sessions submission portal by Wednesday, July 1, 2026. 

Proposals should include the following:

1. Session title (15-word max.)
2. Names of panel coordinator(s)
3. Session abstract (300-word max.)

4. For each paper, a paper title, paper abstract (200-word max.), CV, full name of presenter, current affiliation, email address, and (if applicable) completion date of PhD.

    

Please note the following guidelines from the RSA: "All session proposals must include at least one Presenter or Discussant who has received the PhD or other terminal degree in their field. Sessions composed entirely of predoctoral speakers will not be considered. The RSA Professional Conduct Committee respectfully requests that graduate students not serve as session Chairs."

The Kinney Center for Interdisciplinary Studies is now accepting applications for its RSA Membership Award, designed to support graduate students whose scholarly and creative investments connect with the Renaissance period. Recipients of this award will have their RSA membership dues fully covered for one year. 

Awardees will have the opportunity to actively engage in all of the RSA’s diverse range of programming, from professional development webinars and online seminars to in-person conferences and regional events. This is a wonderful chance to deepen your academic connections, enhance your expertise, and immerse yourself in a global scholarly community.

The award is open to graduate students from all disciplines who are currently enrolled in a PhD program and whose research explores the period from 1300–1700 around the world. Recipients of this award will have their RSA Membership paid for the 2026-2027 year.

For more information on the RSA, visit: www.rsa.org
Application Deadline: June 1, 2026
Please complete your application via our RSA Membership Award submission portal.