Call for Papers
The State of African Studies in the 21st Century: The Lagos Studies Association@10
The 10th Annual LSA Conference
June 16-20, 2026 (Hybrid: Lagos/Zoom)
Abstract Deadline: December 1, 2025
When Abosede George, Saheed Aderinto, and Ademide Adelusi-Adeluyi organized the first LSA Conference in 2016, little did they or any of the participants know it would, within a decade, become one of the biggest African studies conferences in the world. How a modest 9-panel conference in 2016 became a massive 255 in 2025 underscores the enormous investment and commitment of scholars and practitioners from across the world.
While the Conference has significantly expanded in ten years, the LSA has maintained a consistent intellectual vision. Through its annual Conference, the LSA remains committed to building and sustaining a community of scholars and practitioners dedicated to the best practices in intellectual community building, and knowledge production and dissemination.
As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the LSA, we call for a critical assessment of the state of African studies in the 21st century. In addition to emerging directions in the subfields, we want to reflect on major thematic matters, including but not limited to academic publishing, academic freedom, Artificial Intelligence, COVID-19 pandemic, and political developments across the world that continue to shape what constitutes knowledge, and how scholars research and teach Africa.
What are or should be the new directions in African studies? How best should scholars and practitioners prepare or position themselves for these changes? How are developments, epistemic and otherwise, in one field of African studies influencing others, and vice versa. What are the limits of growth, and how do we assess the ambivalent consequences of transformations in our various disciplines?
Submission Rules
Individual Submission: Individual proposals should include a 250-word abstract, a short bio, and the email and phone contacts of presenters. Please do not submit more than one abstract. Abstracts cannot have more than two presenters. You cannot present more than one paper, either solo or joint.
Submit your abstract here:
Local participants/Nigeria-based: https://forms.gle/Sv2Rn6iD5NWrJLty9
International participants: https://forms.gle/Wc4LnQfrow6kNH5k7
Panel Submission: Panel, roundtable, and workshop proposals should comprise a 250-word summary, and the email and phone contacts of all panelists. Please email panel proposals to LSA at lagosstudiesassociation@gmail.com, latest December 1, 2025
Submission Deadline: December 1, 2025. Notification of acceptance of abstracts on January 1, 2026. Payment Deadline: February 1, 2026
Registration Fee:
Local (Nigeria-based) (N10,000)
International (Full-time academics and practitioners) ($150)
International Graduate Students ($100)
Registration fee is required, whether presenting physically or virtually. The registration fee covers 15 full meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) throughout the five-day conference. Everyone listed on abstracts must pre-register by paying the registration fee after acceptance of an abstract.
If you have any questions about the conference, contact LSA at:
Email Address: lagosstudiesassociation@gmail.com
Website: Lagosstudies.org
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LagosStudies
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lagos-studies-association/?viewAsMember=true
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/431357430001497