In so many ways, San Francisco exemplifies the radical possibilities of the American West. It has been an LGBTQ+ sanctuary; a destination for immigrants from around the world; a haven for cultural, artistic, and political expression; a birthplace for leftist, anti-racist, anti-colonial, hemispheric, and pan-Indigenous movements; and a symbol of sexual freedom. Yet, in other ways, San Francisco also typifies a more mainstream American West: a site of unbridled capitalism that has generated great wealth and great poverty; a realm of nearly obscene beauty punctuated by brutal disasters; a place of extralegal political violence directed at people of color, including Chicanx and Asian American communities; and, though it remains a Native homeland where tribal peoples still survive, a location marked by dispossession and genocide.

As we prepare for the 2027 WHA meeting in San Francisco, the Program Committee calls for papers, panels, roundtables, and workshops that engage the theme “Resistant, Rebellious, and Radical Wests.” Here, we emphasize the plurality and dynamism of the West—its varied and contested meanings, the extreme and the quotidian, its possibilities and perils, and the region’s many contradictions. And, though “the West” holds significance for scholarly and popular audiences alike, we also recognize that descriptor as a colonial construct. The Program Committee therefore welcomes submissions from scholars who may not primarily identify as western historians, but whose work engages key themes in our field, including colonialism, diasporas, the built and natural environment, gender (including fluidity), immigration and migration, Indigenous studies, law, labor, politics, sexuality, and many others.

We are eager to see submissions from established and emerging scholars, as well as public historians, K-12 educators, and community members. Travel scholarships, support, and prizes for students and public historians are awarded annually by the WHA. For more information and submission guidelines, visit westernhistory.org/2027. Submit proposals via the Western History Association website by Dec. 5, 2026. 


Policy: Diversity of Program Participants Statement

1) The Program Committee will actively promote the full and equitable inclusion of racial and ethnic minorities, diverse Indigeneities, religious minorities, people with disabilities, women, LGBTQ+ people, and people with various ranks and career paths on the Annual Meeting program.

2) Although not all sessions can reflect the entire diversity of the profession, the Program Committee will encourage proposers of sessions to include diverse sets of participants, addressing gender diversity, racial and ethnic diversity, sexual diversity, religious diversity, disability-based diversity, and/or LGBTQ+ diversity.

3) The Program Committee will encourage session proposers to consider the benefits of including on their panels historians in various career paths and of various ranks (i.e., senior scholars, public historians, graduate students, independent historians, etc.) within their organizations/institutions.

2027 Program Committee Co-Chairs
Erika Pérez, University of Arizona, Co-Chair
Christina Snyder, The Pennsylvania State University, Co-Chair

2027 WHA President
Ari Kelman, University of California, Davis

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

The CFP deadline is December 5, 2026. Guidelines for submitting full sessions (preferred) will be available at https://westernhistory.org/2027/proposals when the paper and panel submission process opens on September 1, 2026. If you have questions, please contact the 2027 Co-Chairs listed above. You can also contact the WHA office: wha@westernhistory.org

SUBMIT YOUR WORK HERE--Link opens September 1, 2026!

If your work is accepted for the conference program, you must become a WHA member and pay a registration fee for the conference. The WHA Policy on Conference Participants requires all conference program participants, regardless of professional status, to register for the conference if your work is accepted.

WHA PARTICIPANT POLICY