Call for Papers
International Conference Jointly Organized by the Historical Society for Twentieth-Century China and the Institute of Modern History, Academia Sinica Taiwan
Reframing Modern Histories Across the Taiwan Strait: Entanglements, Divergences, and Global Connections
August 4-6, 2026, Institute of Modern History, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
We are pleased to issue a call for papers for an international conference on all aspects of modern Chinese history. The conference will be held in 2026, jointly organized by the Historical Society for Twentieth-Century China (HSTCC) and the Institute of Modern History (IMH) of Academia Sinica in Taipei. HSTCC is the premier international professional organization for modern Chinese studies and is affiliated with the journal Twentieth-Century China (Johns Hopkins University Press). Having just celebrated its 70th anniversary, IMH has long served as a prominent center for longue durée research on modern history spanning the past four centuries. With China and Taiwan at its core, the Institute’s scholarship extends across worldwide Chinese-speaking communities and into the broader interconnected landscapes of modern East Asia. We encourage submissions that employ innovative narratives and methodologies to critically investigate and reframe modern histories across and beyond the Taiwan Strait. This includes subjects on all aspects of modern Chinese and Taiwanese history as well as related transnational histories.
Participants will travel to Taipei at their own expense, while accommodation and meals will be provided by the Conference (four nights starting 3 August). Participants should plan to arrive on 3 August and to leave on 7 August. The Conference can help find housing for participants who wish to stay in Taipei longer at their own expense.
Please note that you must be an active member of HSTCC (and up to date on your dues payment) to take part in the conference as a presenter. The annual membership fee of USD $67 (waived for graduate students) includes conference registration and digital access to Twentieth-Century China.
Submission Deadline 15 October 2025:
We encourage the submission of bilingual abstracts in English and Chinese Bilingual abstracts will be made available online and included in the program booklet. Presentations may be conducted in either English or Chinese. The word limits below apply only to English-language abstracts.
Panels: Panel title, panel abstract (250 words), participants’ names (three plus a chair and a discussant, who may also be paper-givers), affiliation and contact information, individual presentation titles, and abstract for each paper (250-400 words). Each presentation should be 15-20 minutes in length.
Roundtables: Session title, session abstract (350 words), organizer’s name, participants’ names, affiliation and contact information, titles, or subjects to be discussed by respective participants. A roundtable should consist of 4-5 participants, each of whom should prepare to speak for 5-7 minutes.
We encourage panel and roundtable submissions over individual papers
Individual papers: Paper title, paper abstract (250-400 words), author’s name, affiliation, and contact information. Accepted individual papers will be organized into panels.
Proposal Submission
1. Application form (download here)
2. Application form (PDF) submission:
– Panels: (dropbox link)
– Roundtables: (dropbox link)
– Individual papers: (dropbox link)
If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Lin Hsiu-chuan: schuan@as.edu.tw