Annual WJSA Conference 

The WJSA is a nonprofit organization founded in 1995 to organize a Jewish Studies conference every Spring at alternating sites in the western United States and Canada. The conference serves as a forum for Jewish Studies scholars in this region to present their research, discuss pedagogical issues, network with colleagues in their disciplines, and share information about the funding and organization of Jewish Studies programs.

 
Title: Western Jewish Studies Association 26th Annual Conference
Location: University of Oklahoma
Date(s) of Event: March 27-28, 2022
Deadline for Submission: November 15, 2021


Description:

Note: Although it is planning for a predominantly in-person conference, the WJSA will feature virtual panels.  If you want to present virtually, you are encouraged to form a panel with other likeminded presenters.  Individual virtual proposals will only be accepted if a thematically coherent virtual panel can be formed or if the COVID situation necessitates the holding of the conference virtually.

Call for paper and panel proposals on all areas of Jewish Studies regardless of discipline, geographical focus, or time period.  The WJSA usually includes panels about Jews in the American West, pedagogical aspects in Jewish Studies, and contemporary Jewish issues.  It welcomes panels devoted to the major anniversaries of events in Jewish history or important Jewish individuals in 2022, for example: 

1972: Ordination of First American Female Rabbi; Munich Olympic Games Massacre                                       1947: United Nations Partition Vote Creating Israel 
1942: Wannsee Conference
1922: Death of Eliezer Ben Yehuda
1897: Founding Congress of the World Zionist Organization
1822: Publication of the first issue of Zeitschrift für die Wissenschaft des Judentums                                        1772: Birth of Nachman of Breslov
1572: Death of Isaac Luria                                                                                                                         

Paper proposals should be no longer than one double-spaced typed page and should be submitted with a short CV that contains contact information. The submission of panels on a common topic is encouraged.  Organizers of panels should submit a cover sheet with the title of the panel and the titles of each of the papers and contact information for each presenter, followed by the individual paper proposals and brief CVs.  Scholars of Jewish Studies including graduate students are invited to submit proposals for papers/presentations/workshops.  A limited number of partial travel stipends are available for graduate students and overseas scholars who will be presenting papers.  Individuals wishing to chair a session should submit their CV.

The WJSA annually awards the Baron Award to the best student paper presented at the conference. The winner receives $200. 

Although there is no WSJA membership requirement for participation in the conference, a higher registration fee is charged for non-members. 

Proposals should be emailed to Lawrence Baron at: lbaron@sdsu.edu   The deadline for submission of proposals is November 15, 2021.