50th Annual Appalachian Studies Association Conference
Where Do We Go from Here?
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Bucknell University and
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
March 4-7, 2027
In 1978, the first Appalachian Studies Conference gathered at Berea College in Kentucky under the theme “Appalachian Studies: Where Do We Go from Here?” In 2027, for the 50th annual meeting, Bucknell University and the town of Lewisburg welcome the Appalachian Studies Association to Pennsylvania for only the second time. As ASA prepares to celebrate this milestone at an atypical site, we will revisit the original conference theme to encourage both retrospection and theorization.
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“Appalachian Studies: Where Do We Go from Here?” invites submissions that critically evaluate the state of Appalachian studies; advance new directions for our field; and explore the past, present, and future struggles and successes of our region and its diverse communities. We invite research, performances, and art installations as well as political, economic, and cultural analysis that explore the following questions: How has our discipline dealt with challenges and shifts in higher education in the past? How can we adapt to face present and future challenges confronting our discipline, the academy, and Appalachia itself? How are current political, economic, and environmental crises (at local, national, and global scales) manifesting within the Appalachian region? And, from our unique regional perspectives, what alternative futures can we imagine?
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To enact our call for exploring new directions in Appalachian studies, Bucknell University and Lewisburg will serve as co-hosts for the 2027 conference. We recognize this will present new challenges, but it will also create new opportunities, experiences, and partnerships. In that spirit, we welcome all participants, approaches, and perspectives—from community members, activists, artists, scholars of all disciplines, teachers, students, and anyone interested in Appalachian studies—to gather and celebrate our growth and accomplishments, to evaluate our history, and to consider the future of our discipline, our organization, our region, and our collective existence.
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For more information, please contact:
Kenton Butcher Mayor Kendy Alvarez
Conference Chair Local Events Coordinator