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2026 Conference on Historical and Underwater Archaeology
January 7-10, 2026
Detroit, Michigan
Call for Papers opens May 1, 2025.
SOCIETY FOR HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY CONFERENCE CODE OF CONDUCT
PREAMBLE
The Society for Historical Archaeology is committed to providing a safe, respectful environment for all attendees at its conferences. To that end, the SHA will work to provide a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, ethnicity, religion (or lack thereof), or any other category. The SHA will not tolerate harassment in any form at any SHA-sponsored events. This policy applies to all SHA members and non-members who participate in an SHA activity.
DEFINITION AND EXAMPLES OF IMPERMISSIBLE CONDUCT
Harassment includes offensive comments or behavior related to gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion, technology choices, sexual images in public space, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention. Outside of research presentations that include specific considerations of sexuality or sexual representations in the past, sexual language and imagery is not appropriate for any conference venue, including talks, workshops, parties, social media and other online media.
Harassment under this Policy refers to any behavior by an individual or group that contributes to a hostile, intimidating and/or unwelcoming environment. Such conduct is harmful, disrespectful, and unprofessional.
OBLIGATION
All participants and attendees at the conference accept the obligation to treat everyone with respect and civility and to uphold the rights of all participants and attendees, including SHA staff, temporary staff, contractors, volunteers and hotel staff, to be free from harassment.
Attendees are bound by the SHA Ethics Principles, the SHA Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Policy, and this Conference Code of Conduct. Attendees should also be aware that they are also bound by the codes of conduct at their home institution(s). This policy, which is consistent with the professional ethics statement of the SHA, does not supersede institutional codes but is intended to reinforce their message.
By obtaining SHA membership, registering to present or attend SHA meetings, members and participants commit to maintaining respectful and ethical relationships in accordance with this policy. The SHA reserves the right to remove an individual violating this policy from the SHA annual conference without warning or refund and prohibit attendance at future SHA conferences and/or activities.
Should the SHA have concerns regarding an individual’s attendance at its conference creating a safety issue, the SHA can bar the individual from registering and attending the conference. In the case of proven violations that took place prior to the annual meeting and that have been reported and documented prior to pre-registration, proven harassers/assailants will be barred from participation. Late and on-site registrations will be rescinded immediately should information be received documenting a proven violation. The SHA will not conduct its own investigation but will accept the investigations of law enforcement agencies, RPA, universities, EEOC and employers. Documented harassers/assailants should be identified to SHA staff or leadership by survivors or other reporters as early as possible. Identification with documentation of adjudication needs to be provided to bar participation in SHA events.
REPORTING AT THE CONFERENCE
Conference attendees, who experience or witness harassment as defined by this policy, or who are aware that a conference participant is currently or has been sanctioned for assault or harassment by an adjudicating body and can provide documentation of the outcome, are encouraged to contact one of the following:
- SHA Executive Director directly at 240-753-4397;
- A member of the SHA Board of Directors ; or
- A member SHA Code of Conduct Committee, whose name and contact information are listed at the end of this document.
These individuals will provide appropriate support to those who witnessed or who have experienced harassment or feel unsafe for any reason at the conference. The Executive Director or a member of the SHA Code of Conduct Committee will advise on the formal complaints process and, if requested, forward complaints to the full SHA Code of Conduct Committee for resolution.
Formal complaints should be as specific as possible about how alleged behavior constitutes harassment, as defined in this SHA policy. Any report received will remain confidential to the maximum extent possible when the SHA Code of Conduct Committee considers and investigates the complaint.
Rebecca Graff
Associate Professor of Anthropology, Lake Forest College
Jade Luiz
Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Samantha Ellens
Archaeology Collections Manager, Michigan State University Museum
Preservation Associate, Preservation Detroit
Nathan Nietering
Project Coordinator, Michigan State Historic Preservation Office
Download the SHA 2026 Call for Paper
There are two important options for the 2025 Conference, as follows:
- OPEN vs. CLOSED SYMPOSIA. Symposium organizers can choose whether their session is “open” to additional presenters in the session or “closed” to additional presenters. Organizers will need to indicate this when they submit their session. For OPEN symposia, the title, abstract and organizer contact information will be posted to the SHA Conference page at https://sha.org/conferences/. Individuals interested in submitting their paper to a particular “open” symposium must contact the organizer to request permission to submit to the session prior to submitting their abstract. The Conference Program Committee may also assign relevant general submissions to an open symposium, subject to the approval of the organizers. For CLOSED symposia, only presenters identified by the organizer at the time the session abstract is submitted will present in that session.
- IN-PERSON vs. PRE-RECORDED PRESENTATION. You will be asked to indicate whether you will be presenting your paper/session in person at the conference in Oakland or whether you wish to pre-record your paper/session and have it uploaded to a website platform for viewing by conference registrants. All forum and poster presentations must be in-person. It is at the discretion of a symposium organizer or general submission paper author as to whether their contribution is pre-recorded or in-person, but there will be no mixing and matching of formats within a session. This means that all papers in an in-person symposium must be presented by an individual in Oakland; no pre-recorded presentations will be permitted for in-person symposia (or vice versa). All pre-recorded papers and sessions will be included in the conference program.
Submit your abstract at: www.conftool.com/sha2026
For questions on the Call for Papers, contact the 2025 Program Chairs at shaDetroit2026@hotmail.com.
Symposium organizers can now choose whether their symposium is closed or open to other submissions. If a session is designated as ‘open’ by the symposium organizer, then other authors can submit individual papers to that session once approval has been given by the symposium organizer; the 2025 Program Committee may also direct appropriate papers to the session. Additional papers will be subject to approval by the symposium organizer. Please contact the symposium organizer directly by email before submitting your abstract to an open symposium.
Title: Mobility in French America
Organizers: Andrew R. Beaupre andrew.beaupre@maine.gov, Erika K. Hartley erika.k.loveland@wmich.edu
Abstract: During the exploration and colonization of the New World, the theme of “mobility” can be recognized across the Americas. The French navigated vast territories and diverse social settings, where resourcefulness and adaptability contributed to their survival and success. Landscapes, material culture, and identities were often manipulated and transformed, resulting in social impacts on the French and Indigenous peoples that lasted beyond the colonial era and can be seen today. Participants are invited to discuss their colonial research with an emphasis on mobile aspects recognized in the archaeological record.
Title: Hearts in Transit: Emotional Journeys in Historical Archaeology
Organizers: Tania Casimiro tania.casimiro@gmail.com , Susana Pacheco susanalfsdpacheco@hotmail.com
Abstract: This session explores the emotional dimensions of mobility in historical archaeology. While movement across landscapes, borders, or social roles is a core theme in archaeology, its emotional aspects are often overlooked. How did people feel when they moved? What material traces reflect emotions like longing, grief, relief, or hope? We invite papers that engage with the affective experiences of mobility: migration, forced displacement, travel, exile, and return. Topics may include emotional attachments to place, identity in motion, memory and mourning, or the sensory and material expressions of emotional resilience. By focusing on emotional mobility, this session seeks to explore understandings of past lives and mobilities, and to explore new ways to interpret the entanglement of movement, material culture, and affect.
https://book.passkey.com/go/SHAAnnualConference
Check-In: Check-in time is 4:00 PM, and check-out time is 11:00 AM. For contactless arrival, use Mobile Check-In and Mobile Key through the Marriott Bonvoy app if you’re a Bonvoy member.
Food & Beverage: The hotel restaurant and bar, Fuell, is currently open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Motor City Pantry opens daily from 6:00 AM – midnight and offers grab-and-go options. Illy Cafe is currently open daily from 6:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
Housekeeping: The hotel has resumed providing daily stayover housekeeping service. If you need extra towels or any additional amenities, they are available at the front desk for pick-up, or you may dial “0” from any house phone to request these items be delivered to your hotel room.
Wi-Fi: $14.95 a day. Complimentary Basic Internet in guest rooms with individual Bonvoy membership. You can join by using this link: http://www.joinmarriottbonvoy.com/DTWDT
Cancellation Policy: Cancellations must be made 48 hours prior to arrival. Please note that we will assess a one-night fee if you cancel after the deadline.