How the ACLA Annual Meeting Works and How to Participate

The ACLA Annual Meeting is a three-day conference of seminars, roundtables, and conversation that brings together comparative literature scholars from around the world. The next meeting, ACLA 2027, is scheduled for May 20–23, 2027, at the University of Houston. To take part as a presenter, you browse the proposed seminars and then submit a paper proposal through the online portal, which for 2027 is open through September 22, 2026.

What the Annual Meeting Is

According to the American Comparative Literature Association (ACLA), the Annual Meeting gathers scholars internationally for three days of seminars, roundtables, and conversation. The seminar format is the core of the meeting: rather than presenting isolated papers to a passive audience, participants join a seminar organized around a shared topic and discuss their work within that group over the course of the conference.

The 2027 meeting runs May 20–23 at the University of Houston.

How to Participate as a Presenter

Participation as a presenter happens in two stages: choosing a seminar, then proposing a paper to it.

1. Browse the proposed seminars. Seminars are proposed in advance of the meeting and posted for browsing. Each seminar has a topic and organizer, and you submit your paper to a specific seminar rather than to the conference at large.
2. Prepare your proposal. A proposal is a short statement of the paper you intend to present, framed to fit the seminar's topic.
3. Submit through the portal. ACLA states that the portal for proposing a paper for the 2027 Annual Meeting is open and will remain open through September 22, 2026.
4. Wait for the seminar organizer's decision. Acceptance is determined at the seminar level, so the fit between your proposal and the seminar's topic matters more than the paper's standalone merits.

Key dates for ACLA 2027:

What Else the Association Offers

Beyond the Annual Meeting, ACLA runs programs that matter if you are deciding whether to join:

• Membership — described as joining a community of scholars dedicated to comparative literature and the study of languages, literatures, and cultures.
• Book Subvention Program — the Tartar First Book Subvention supports first-book manuscripts by ACLA members in comparative literature.
• Prizes — ACLA prizes open for submissions on a recurring cycle; the site has announced winners for 2025–2026.
• Job Board and Calls for Papers — ongoing resources for members.
• Donations — gifts support scholar development programs, prizes, and travel grants.
• Newsletter — signup for news, calls for papers, prize announcements, and member updates.

Practical Notes Before You Commit

• Membership and registration are separate from proposing a paper. The site lists a registration purchase link and a membership join path; check current terms on each before assuming what a proposal requires.
• The proposal deadline is the binding constraint. September 22, 2026 is the stated close of the 2027 portal, so seminar browsing and proposal drafting need to happen before then.
• Seminar fit drives acceptance. Since proposals go to a specific seminar, read the seminar description carefully and frame your paper accordingly.
• Dates can be updated. ACLA has posted an "ACLA 2027: Updated Dates" announcement, so confirm the schedule on the meeting page closer to the event.

For current details on registration, membership, and the 2027 meeting, go directly to acla.org and follow the Annual Meeting and Membership links.