We are very excited for the EASA2026 conference, which will take place from 21–24 July 2026 in Poznań, Poland. The theme of this year’s conference is “Anthropology: Possibilities in a Polarised World”, and the full programe is already online. Visit the EASA2026 website to find out more about the exciting range of events, talks, performances, and films that will unfold throughout the conference, and, if you haven’t already, register for one of the labs that are still open.
We are also delighted to share that childcare services have been arranged on campus for this year’s conference. Your conference badge will also give you free travel on Poznań’s buses and trams, so please carry it always with you. The conference badge also unlocks discounts at selected museums and clubs – perfect for exploring the city, mingling with fellow delegates, and keeping the conversations going after the day’s last panel.
As the Executive Committee, we will also host the EASA Mentorship Programme lunch during the conference, bringing together current mentors and mentees, along with members preparing to participate in the programme’s next cycle. Finally, we would like to draw your attention to four events especially close to our hearts: two sessions organized by the Social Anthropology/Anthropologie Sociale journal and two events organized by the Working Group on Human Rights and Academic Freedom. Please see below for more details!
See you all in Poznań!
Two Social Anthropology/Anthropologie Sociale Events Not to Miss!
Session: From Submission to Publication: What Editors Want You to Know
Thursday, 23 July, 13.45–15.00
What really happens after you hit submit? Join Social Anthropology/Anthropology Sociale for a session on the inner workings of academic publishing – brought to you in collaboration with editors from five journals across the discipline. Topics will include journal ecology and differences between journals, the peer review process, the role of AI in publishing, and more. Whether you are a seasoned author or preparing to submit for the first time, this is your chance to ask questions and gain a clearer picture of how publication decisions are made.
Social Anthropology / Anthropologie Sociale Reception
Friday, 24 July, 17.30–19.00
Wrap up the conference in style at the SA/AS reception an informal gathering before you head to the Conference Party. Come and meet the editors, put faces to names, and enjoy a conversation over drinks. All are welcome.
Two Academic Freedom Events Not to Miss!
Open Mic: Voices for Academic Freedom
Organized by the EASA Working Group on Human Rights and Academic Freedom
Wednesday, 22nd of July, 1.30pm-3pm
An open, informal space for anyone who wants to speak, listen, or simply stand alongside others on questions of academic freedom and human rights, from departments shuttered in the name of educational reform to budget cuts that quietly hollow out critical scholarship, to more direct forms of repression and censorship. It is an invitation to name what threatens the university as a critical space, and anthropology’s place within it, and to reflect together on the dignity, integrity, and ethics that should underlie how we produce knowledge. Just as importantly, it is a chance to hear one another’s struggles across different contexts and find ways to stand behind and support each other. Anyone is welcome to bring a story, a concern, or a few words, or simply to be present. No formal program, just an open floor and a shared commitment to solidarity.
Anthropology and Anthropologists at a Time of Repression, Genocide, and Militarization
Organized by the EASA Working Group on Human Rights and Academic Freedom
Thursday, 23rd of July, 1.30pm-3pm
What does it mean to produce knowledge at a moment defined by repression, genocide, and militarization? What can “knowledge” even be under such violent conditions, and what responsibility does that place on those who produce it? These questions are sharpened by the precarity and attacks on academic freedom increasingly shaping anthropological work itself.
This session takes up several intertwined threads: the politics of boycott and severing institutional ties with Israeli academic institutions in the context of the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people, the dissonance of “business as usual” scholarship amid the destruction of lives and worlds, the mounting precarity of academic life under funding cuts and rising anti-intellectualism, and the politics of care and support in the face of all this.
The Mentorship Programme Meeting
Friday, 24 July, 13:30 – 14:30
EASA’s Mentorship Programme invites all current mentors and mentees, as well as EASA members interested in learning more about the programme, to join the Mentorship Programme Meeting during the conference in Poznań on Friday, 24 July, from 13:30 to 14:30.
Grab your EASA lunch bag and join us in the room indicated in the programme, for an informal meeting to connect with fellow participants, exchange experiences, and learn more about the programme. Sultan Doughan (mentor) and Charlotte Al-Khalili (mentee) will share how they tailored their mentorship journey, while Panas Karampampas will present the upcoming mentorship webinar series.
Current mentors and mentees are warmly invited to attend, and EASA members interested in joining the next cycle of the Mentorship Programme – particularly as mentors – are especially encouraged to join!