AABS 2026 at UIUC
The 30th Biennial AABS Conference
“Diasporas: Building Bridges Across Nations”
May 28–30, 2026
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Since the 19th century, Baltic diaspora communities from around the world have played a pivotal role in sustaining and preserving their countries of origin. From the streets of Chicago to Rio Novo in Brazil, the diverse transnational networks of Baltic diasporas have withstood empires, world wars, Soviet occupation, and the Cold War to help forge new identities and memory as independent peoples and nations. Therefore, it seems appropriate to reflect on the genealogies and the social, political, and cultural contributions of Baltic diaspora communities worldwide, as well as the experiences and perspectives of diaspora groups currently residing in the Baltic region.
The 30th biennial conference of the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies (AABS) was held on the campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on May 28-30, 2026, bringing together Baltic diaspora communities and Baltic Studies scholars from around the world. The conference featured panels from all fields of the humanities and social sciences, education, technology, transnational security, safety, and well-being.
Call for Papers
Proposals were due by October 24, 2025 at 11:59 pm Central US Time.
The Program Committee has reviewed the proposals and notified submitters of their decision.
AABS 2026 travel grants
The Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies is pleased to inform students and early career scholars who anticipate attending the 30th Biennial AABS Conference “Diasporas: Building Bridges Across Nations” (May 28-31, 2025, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) that they will have the opportunitiy to apply for travel grants to support their travel to the conference, incl. airfare, lodging, meals, and ground transportation.
Other News
Research and Connections in California: Saltups Fellowship Report from Roberts Kits
AABS is pleased to recognize Roberts Kits for his completion of the 2026–2027 Mudīte I. Zīlīte Saltups Fellowship, a short-term study or research grant for up to eight weeks of study in the United States with a maximum stipend of $10,000. Kits used the Saltups...
Patrick Monson Completes AABS Emerging Scholars Grant to Support Upcoming Book Judges of Empire
The Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies (AABS) is pleased to recognize Patrick Monson for the successful completion of an AABS Emerging Scholars Grant awarded in 2025 to support his forthcoming book Judges of Empire: Legal Cultures, Language, and...
Reflecting on the 2026 AABS Conference with Olga Makarova
The 30th Biennial conference of the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies was held in May 2026 on the campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), bringing together hundreds of scholars from four continents and over a dozen countries under...