2026 Ohio Presidential History & Politics Conference
Call for Papers
The Departments of History and Political Science, the School of Communication, and the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at The University of Akron, are pleased to announce the inaugural Ohio Presidential History and Politics Conference, which will occur September 17 - 18, 2026, at the William McKinley Presidential Library and Museum in Canton, Ohio.
The conference will be an even-handed, non-partisan, and scholarly examination from a variety of perspectives of the actions, consequences, and legacies of Ohio presidents and their administrations, and/or topics that connect the American presidency in some way to Ohio. We are soliciting paper proposals from across academic disciplines on a wide range of topics, including, but not limited to: legacy, appointments, international and domestic issues, constitutional and legal questions, national security and foreign policy, campaigns and elections, race relations, communication, media relations, rhetoric and speech making, economic and societal inequality, economic policy, immigration policy, congressional relations, first ladies, vice presidents, the executive branch, and White House staff.
We encourage conference participants to engage in conversations and research beyond the customary disciplinary territory, and welcome panels that include multi- and interdisciplinary scholars across all fields.
Proposals should include a tentative paper title, a brief description of the paper (250 words maximum), institutional affiliation, and contact information including an email address and cell phone number.
Proposal deadline is March 1, 2026. Please put “Ohio Presidential Conference” in the subject line. Proposals should be submitted via email to bliss@uakron.edu.
Selected papers from this conference may be included in an edited volume published by The University of Akron Press.
Questions:
David B. Cohen, Ph.D.
Professor of Political Science
Director, Applied Politics Program
The University of Akron
O: 330.972.6045
E: dbcohen@uakron.edu
Kevin F. Kern, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of History
The University of Akron
O: 330.972.7215
E: kkern@uakron.edu