Elmira 2026: The Tenth International Conference on the State of Mark Twain Studies

Conference Theme: Irreverence, Rebellion, and Resilience

Established in 1989, the quadrennial International Conference on the State of Mark Twain Studies is the oldest and largest gathering of scholars interested in the field of Mark Twain Studies. The host of the event is the Elmira College Center for Mark Twain Studies (CMTS). The 3-day conference will be held from Thursday, July 30 to Saturday, August 1 on the Elmira College campus in Elmira, New York. The conference will consist of traditional paper sessions, a keynote address, a number of special presentations, and comradery with old and new acquaintances.  The conference will culminate in an evening picnic at Quarry Farm, one of the most important structures in the life of Mark Twain and for American Literature.

Call for Proposals for Participation in Traditional 3-Person Paper Panel

 We encourage you to connect your proposal to the theme of “irreverence, rebellion, and resilience.” However, we invite proposals on any aspect of Mark Twain’s works, life, circle, and legacy.

A developed proposal for 20-minute paper presentation (700 words maximum) should be emailed as a Word document to Joseph Lemak at jlemak@elmira.edu by Friday, February 20. Include an email containing your contact information (name, mailing address, email, address, etc.) in the body of the email. Proposals will be reviewed by members of the conference planning committee.

Notes

• In the spirit of growth and transparency, CMTS is experimenting with the 2026 quadrennial’s planning process. CMTS has already begun reaching out to sister organizations and asking them to independently organize one 3-person paper panel and/or one roundtable.  CMTS has also asked the organizers of the past four Quarry Farm symposia (Abolition Studies; Science Fiction, Technology, and Invention; Gilded Age Humor; and Energy Studies) to organize one 3-person paper panel.  As a result, papers from the CFP will make up 60% of all paper presentations.
• A participant can only present one paper at the event, but may participate in as many roundtables as organized by the conference planning committee and/or sister organizations.

Important Dates and Deadlines

• Proposal submission deadline – Friday, February 20, 2026
• Decisions deadline – Friday, March 20, 2026
• Conference online registration opens for participants with an accepted proposal and/or a conference planning responsibility – Monday, March 30
• Conference online registration opens to the general public – Monday, April 13
• Conference online registration deadline – Friday, July 17, 2026
• Elmira 2026 Conference – Thursday, July 30 to Saturday, August 1, 2026

Conference attendees will benefit by an option to stay in Elmira College’s Meier Hall, an air-conditioned dormitory, conveniently located immediatly adjacent to all conference event spaces.  Meier Hall is organized into singles and doubles.  Selection of specific room types will be based on a “first come, first serve” basis.