Society for the History of Technology (SHOT)
Annual Meeting – New Orleans (Louisiana)
10-13 November 2022

The extended deadline for submissions is 24 April 2022

Unconventional session proposals

SHOT actively encourages unconventional sessions. In addition to formats like work-in-progress sessions, roundtables, flash-talks, unconference sessions, and interactive workshops, we will consider other known and unknown session formats including but not limited to Pecha-Kucha, Syllabus sharing, video screening and discussion, and author-meets-critic sessions (for books published within the past two years), as well as sessions and workshops held outside of normal conference hours.

Our sessions generally run 90 minutes. If you are unsure about the acceptability of an unconventional session format or require specific resources, please feel free to reach out directly to the members of the Program Committee.

Unconventional session proposals should have a length and content comparable to traditional session proposals, including a diversity and inclusion statement, where applicable.

Proposals for Unconventional Sessions

Each session proposal should be accompanied by an abstract that details:

1. Session title;
2. Organizer(s): name(s), affiliation(s), e-mail adress(es);
3. Chair: name, affiliation, e-mail address;
4. Commentator (if any): name, affiliation, e-mail address, the role if a commentator;
5. Panelists/presenters: names, affiliations, e-mail addresses, title of paper (if applicable);
6. 200-300 word description of the session;
7. 150-250 word individual abstracts (if applicable);
8. A diversity and inclusion statement (see below);
9. Whether any of the presenters are candidates for SHOT’s Robinson Prize (For Robinson Prize eligibility rules, click here).
10. Proposals sponsored by one of SHOT’s special interest groups (SIGs) must note this in the session abstract.

The session organizer should combine all elements into one pdf file with numbered pages. Please name this file with your last name and the word “proposal,” e.g., “smith_proposal.pdf “.

Guidelines and advice for preparing an abstract for SHOT can be found here.

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

SHOT seeks to expand our membership base and to extend the scope of those who participate in our annual meeting. As such, those assembling organized sessions, whether based on a traditional or open session proposal, are encouraged to take a proactive stance in including individuals such as:

• Graduate students; early career scholars; independent scholars; emeritus faculty;
• Scholars from different disciplines who have different kinds of engagement with History and historical evidence;
• Scholars from underrepresented groups including, but not limited to race, class, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, age, neurodivergence, or geographic location;
• Specifically, scholars from different regions of the world, including places where History of Technology scholarship is still emerging as a recognized field of study;
• Scholars and those practicing in and with the practical, policy, and social action implications of Historical scholarship.

Those organizing session proposals are asked to submit a brief statement separate from their session description as part of their session proposal that describes the composition of their panel in a way that addresses such approaches to inclusion as described above, and the efforts made to create an inclusive environment for historical scholarship.

Go to online submission portal for unconventional sessions