The Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World (JIAAW) at Brown University is accepting collaborative proposals for a symposium to be held in the spring semester of 2026.
Joukowsky symposia are one- or two-day affairs organized around a topic relevant to the central mission of the Institute. This includes a core strength in archaeological and allied approaches to the study of the ancient Mediterranean and the Near East, complemented by scholarship focused on the ancient Americas and East Asian antiquity. Proposals should focus on either: 1) a geographical area of particular relevance to the JIAAW; or 2) a methodology or theme relevant to JIAAW research, while bringing together scholars working in a variety of regions, including (but not limited to) those relevant to the JIAAW.
Proposals should be submitted by a pair of scholars who practice in relevant disciplines, at least one of whom must hold a Ph.D. At least one organizer should be based outside Brown University; the other should be a JIAAW Academic Faculty member, Faculty Fellow, Postdoctoral Fellow, or Ph.D. candidate or Graduate Student Fellow (ABD status only, in both cases). Proposal authors will serve as the organizers of the symposium, which will be held at Rhode Island Hall, the home of the JIAAW at Brown University. The JIAAW will cover all programming costs related to the event, including costs of travel and lodging for symposium organizers and all speakers at the event. JIAAW symposia typically have budgets of $15,000 to $30,000 and involve a mix of local, national, and international scholars.
Symposium organizers are encouraged to identify why the symposium is a good fit for the JIAAW and Brown University more broadly and to develop a plan for publication of the symposium, either in a special issue of a journal or an edited volume.
The proposal should include the following:
- A one- to two-page narrative outlining the scope and aims of the symposium and its potential impact on scholarship on archaeology and the ancient world
- A bibliography of relevant sources cited in the proposal (no more than 2 pages)
- A list of the names of 8-12 proposed speakers, including their current academic or professional affiliations
- Curriculum vitae of both organizers
Proposals will be evaluated by a committee of JIAAW Academic Faculty based on the following criteria:
- Innovativeness
- Potential impact on scholarship related to archaeology and the ancient world, including publication plans
- The synergy of the proposed lineup of speakers relative to the proposed topics
- The symposium’s relevance to the central mission of the JIAAW and potential links to other ongoing academic initiatives at Brown University
- The relevant experience of the organizers, their history of publication, and prior experience planning and overseeing conferences.
A successful proposal will demonstrate capacity to meaningfully impact scholarship on a particular topic, help create or support meaningful partnerships with colleagues at other institutions, while also enriching the greater intellectual community of archaeology and the ancient world at Brown University.
The 2026 symposium is being considered a pilot event and if successful will lead to further calls for supported symposia in the future. Questions and completed proposals should be directed to jiaaw@brown.edu.
