CALL FOR PAPERS

The 25th Biennial Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Dutch American Studies

The Association for the Advancement of Dutch American Studies (AADAS) invites submissions for papers to be presented at its 25th biennial conference, to be held at Central College in Pella, Iowa, June 23-26 (Wed.-Sat.), 2027. 

As an organization made up of both academics and the general public, AADAS welcomes a variety of proposals related to the theme below. 

Conference Theme: Fifty Years…Still More Stories to Tell

To celebrate 50 years of AADAS, the board is excited to present a broad theme with the goal of discovering new topics, examining familiar topics from a unique perspective, and encouraging first-time presenters to join us in exploring Dutch America. 

After 25 biennial conferences, there are still areas of Dutch-American studies which have not received much attention: stories from or about people, places, and organizations heretofore untold at AADAS and stories which explore areas of study outside of the more typically-represented history, geography, and linguistics. We encourage the submission of stories that expand our understanding of Dutch America and deepen our understanding of Dutch Americans’ impact and legacy in North America.

Potential Stories To Consider Include:

• Stories of Community: How did Dutch communities develop or how have they been maintained? Potential topics might include the study of a particular Dutch community or the discussion of how communities relate(d) to one another.

• Stories of Migration: What was the Dutch migration experience? This might include memoirs, immigrant experiences, family and community histories. 

• Stories of Dutch Americans’ Endeavors: How have Dutch Americans, either individually or collectively, impacted a variety of fields? Examples might include: agriculture, business and industry, education, healthcare, law, literature, or the media.

• Stories of Dutch American Identity: What does it mean to be Dutch in North America and/or how has that meaning changed? Potential topics include culture, ethnography, communal study, cultural festivals, or religious developments.

• Stories from Diverse Voices: Are there voices within the Dutch-American community that have not been heard from yet or not enough? This might include women, youth, the working class, religious groups other than CRC or RCA, Dutch colonial immigrants or communities, other marginalized groups, dissenters, or outsider views of Dutch immigrants or communities.

The list above is not intended to be exhaustive but to serve as a starting point for considering ways to explore the story of the Dutch in North America. We welcome presentations from the general public, as well as scholars from a variety of disciplines. Other proposals on topics related to Dutch migration or Dutch in North America will also be considered. 

We invite abstracts for 30-minute presentations (20 minutes + 10 minutes for questions).

Please submit abstracts of no more than 250 words and a brief CV or resume to AADAS President, Lisa Jaarsma Zylstra at zylstrabrianlisa@gmail.com by February 1, 2027. Proposals will be evaluated by a subcommittee of the AADAS board. In keeping with AADAS’ typical practice, presenters will have the opportunity for their work to be published in a post-conference edited collection.