Student Conference

Fort Garry Lectures

2026 Conference Details

The History Graduate Students’ Association (HGSA) at the University of Manitoba invites proposals for the 2026 Fort Garry Lectures, an annual graduate student conference designed to foster community, intellectual exchange, and interdisciplinary exploration. This fully in-person event will take place May 1-2, 2026, at the University of Manitoba.

Theme: History +

This year’s theme, History +, highlights the dynamic intersections between historical research and other disciplines, methodologies, and modes of analysis. Historical scholarship rarely exists in isolation; it is enriched by conversations with the social sciences, humanities, sciences, arts, and community knowledge systems. With History +, we encourage participants to consider how their work expands, challenges, or reimages traditional boundaries of historical study. We welcome presentations that explore—but are not limited to—connections between history and:

  • Indigenous studies and decolonial methodologies
  • Environmental studies and sustainability
  • Digital humanities, technology, and media studies
  • Law, policy, and governance
  • Gender studies, queer studies, and critical theory
  • Education, memory, and public history
  • Health, science, bodies, and environment
  • Material culture, literature, and the arts
  • Migration, labour, and global/transnational studies

Our goal is to create a warm, supportive, and academically rigorous space where emerging scholars can share their work, test ideas, and engage across disciplinary boundaries—whether this is their first conference or one of many.

Submission Guidelines

We invite proposals from graduate students, undergraduate students, and emerging scholars in any field. Individual papers, works in progress, course-based research, thesis chapters, and early-stage projects are all welcome. Please submit:

  • A 250-word abstract outlining your proposed paper
  • 3-5 keywords
  • A short bio (approx. 100-150 words)
Submission form

Submissions close March 15, 2026.

Keynote Speaker

The 2026 Fort Garry Lectures will feature a keynote address by Kristine Alexander, associate professor of history at McMaster University, and director of the Wilson Institute for Canadian History.

We look forward to receiving your proposals and welcoming you to Winnipeg in May 2026.

Upcoming Conferences

May 1-2, 2026 - Rooms TBD, University of Manitoba

Past Conferences

May 2, 2025 - St. Johns' College, University of Manitoba