ASCJ 2027 Conference
Call for Papers
International Christian University, Tokyo
3–4 July 2027
Submission period: 1 September–31 October 2026
The Executive Committee of the Asian Studies Conference Japan (ASCJ) invites proposals for organized panels, roundtables, and individual papers for the ASCJ 2027 Conference, to be held at International Christian University on Saturday and Sunday, 3–4 July 2027.
ASCJ provides an interdisciplinary forum for researchers working across the broad field of Asian Studies. ASCJ welcomes proposals from advanced doctoral students, early-career researchers, independent scholars, and established academics representing a wide range of disciplines, regions, periods, and methodological approaches.
Proposals should clearly communicate the subject, significance, and contribution of the proposed research to an interdisciplinary academic audience.
Please note that ASCJ 2027 will be held entirely in person. Online and hybrid participation will not be available.
Submissions will be accepted through the ASCJ submission system between 1 September and 31 October 2026.
Applicants will be informed of the outcome of the review process in early January 2027.
Guide for Submissions
General Information
All sessions at ASCJ are conducted in English and are 90 minutes in length.
By submitting a proposal, all named participants confirm that they are available to participate on either day of the conference, 3 or 4 July 2027.
It is incumbent upon all participants to understand the ASCJ participation rules and the Code of Conduct. Failure to adhere to the rules and/or the Code of Conduct may result in the participant in question being deemed ineligible for participation.
Please note that an account must be created in the ASCJ ConfTool Pro submission system before a proposal can be submitted (see the guide embedded below).
To start the process, go to: https://www.conftool.pro/ascj2027/
Submission Categories
1. Individual Papers
Accepted individual papers will be grouped by the Program Committee into sessions addressing related themes where possible.
Individual paper proposals must include:
- paper title
- abstract of no more than 250 words
- presenter’s name, affiliation, position/title
- relevant subject/area categories (see “Subject/Areas” below)
2. Panels and Roundtables
Organizers of panels and roundtables should take the session time limit of 90 minutes into account when determining the number of speakers and planning the structure of the session.
Before submitting a proposal, organizers are responsible for:
- confirming the participation of all proposed panel or roundtable members
- ensuring that all participants understand the ASCJ participation rules and Code of Conduct
- gathering and confirming the names, affiliations, email addresses, position/title, and other required information for all participants
- informing all participants that ASCJ 2027 will be held entirely in person
- informing all participants that accepted sessions may be scheduled on either conference day
- confirming that all participants comply with the two appearances/one paper rule
- noting the relevant subject/area categories (see “Subject /Areas” below)
A. Organized Panels
An organized panel brings together individual research papers addressing a shared theme, question, region, methodology, or body of material.
Panels (max. 5 participants) consist of 1 chair; 3–4 presenters; and (preferably) 1 discussant. The chair may also serve as a presenter or discussant. ASCJ encourages panels that bring together participants from different institutions and career stages.
Each proposal must include:
- panel title
- panel abstract of no more than 250 words, explaining the overall theme and coherence of the session
- title of each paper
- abstract of no more than 250 words for each paper
- name, affiliation, and position/title of all participants, including the chair and discussant
- relevant subject/area categories (see “Subject/Areas” below)
For two-part panels, mark “Part 1”/“Part 2” in the title, abstract, and submission comment box.
B. Roundtables
A roundtable provides an opportunity for focused discussion and exchange on a shared topic, question, problem, publication, project, or emerging area of research. Roundtables should prioritize interaction among participants and engagement with the audience rather than a sequence of formal papers. Short opening remarks may be used to introduce the participants’ perspectives, but roundtables should allow substantial time for discussion and audience participation.
Roundtables (max. 5 participants in total) should include one chair and three to five speakers. While one role per participant is strongly preferred, the chair may also serve as a roundtable speaker if necessary; in such a case, there must be at least 4 roundtable speakers.
Each proposal must include:
- roundtable title
- abstract of no more than 350 words, explaining the topic, purpose, and intended structure of the discussion
- brief indication of the perspective or contribution of each participant
- names, affiliations, and position/title of all participants, including the chair
- relevant subject/area categories (see “Subject/Areas” below)
“Two-Appearances/One-Paper” Rule
ASCJ follows a two-appearances/one-paper rule. A participant may appear in no more than two sessions in any role (presenter, chair, discussant, or speaker) and may present only one paper. Presenting a paper on an organized panel counts as the paper appearance and precludes also presenting an individual paper. The rule is based on the number of sessions, not the total number of roles: a participant may, for example, present a paper in one session and serve as both chair and discussant in a second, totaling three roles within two sessions. The role of organizer does not count toward the appearance limit.
Subject/Areas
Submitters will be asked to select the subject/area categories that best represent their proposal. Where a proposal crosses disciplinary or regional boundaries, submitters should select all categories directly relevant to its subject and approach.
Disciplines: Arts / Visual Culture; Economics / Political Economy; Film / Media Studies; History; Intellectual History / Philosophy; Literature; Politics / International Relations; Religion; Sociology / Anthropology Regions: Northeast Asia; South Asia; Southeast Asia Time Periods: Contemporary; Modern; Premodern Keywords: at least 3 and up to 5 keywords for the contribution
Review and Selection
All eligible proposals will be reviewed by members of the ASCJ Evaluation Committee. Selection is competitive; acceptance decisions reflect the comparative strength of submissions and the overall balance and capacity of the program.
Proposals should communicate their research questions, materials, methods, significance, and contribution clearly enough to be understood by scholars working outside the proposer’s immediate field.
Proposals will be considered with reference to:
- relevance to the broad field of Asian Studies
- intellectual quality and significance
- originality and contribution to existing research
- clarity, coherence, and organization
- suitability for presentation to an interdisciplinary academic audience
- feasibility within the proposed session format
For organized panels, reviewers may also consider the relationship among the individual papers, the overall coherence of the session, and the suitability of the structure for a 90-minute session.
Questions and Contact
For questions, please use the ASCJ website contact form.
The ASCJ Executive Committee looks forward to welcoming participants to International Christian University in July 2027.