Call for Papers

ATHE Theory & Criticism Graduate Student Essay Contest 

The ATHE Theory & Criticism Focus Group seeks papers for its annual Graduate Student Essay Contest. The contest presents an exciting opportunity for an emergent theatre and performance studies scholar. It introduces the winning writer to the ATHE conference and provides them with a venue in which to showcase their work. 

The contest prizes are intended to support the development of the student’s academic work, ease financial challenges related to conference attendance, and connect the student with appropriate scholarly resources for the paper’s development and impact. 

The winning scholar will receive: 

• ATHE 2026 conference registration fee waiver

• Participation in a Theory & Criticism-sponsored roundtable 

• A mentoring session with a senior scholar at ATHE 2026

• A book of their choice from the Studies in Theatre History and Culture Series at University of Iowa Press.

Submissions due: Tuesday, 21 April 2026

Submissions can reflect on any aspect of theory or criticism relating to theatre, performance, dance, or dramatic literature (you may use performance or dance theory, or apply queer theory to your case studies, for example). 

Essays are to be unpublished and conference length (4000 words maximum, excluding bibliography). 

The contest is open to any current graduate student. Please remove your name from the submission and attach a separate cover letter with your name and the title of your essay. 

Papers are judged on: originality of research, originality of argument, sophistication of engagement with theory and criticism, and overall quality of writing. 

ATHE Theory & Criticism Focus Group members-at-large judge the papers anonymously. 

A winner will be announced in June 2026.

Please send submissions to: 

Pannaga Jois (pjois001@ucr.edu)