Should you submit an open panel proposal? (SPOILER: Yes, you should)

The call for open panels for IAHR 2025 has been extended until the 28th of January. If you’re hesitant whether you should submit an open panel proposal, here is a quick explanation why it might be worth your while:

In short, an open panel is like an empty box with a label on it, into which others may put their individual papers. If your panel is accepted by the reviewers, it will be listed in the call for individual papers and other researchers will be able to submit proposals to it. If those proposals are reviewed positively, you will be able to decide if they are a good fit for your panel.

While you might already have a plan to submit a closed panel proposal with a group of colleagues, it might still be a good idea to propose an open panel as well. Why?

First, if your field of research is relatively new and/or unknown, an open panel is a way to assure its visibility during the largest study of religions conference in the world.

Second, an open panel is an opportunity to reach out to new scholars working in your field of research, get to know their work, network, and possibly initiate collaboration.

Third, submitting an open panel proposal allows you to take part in shaping the IAHR 2025 program by communicating to the organisers what topics you would like to discuss during the congress.

Do these arguments sound convincing? If so, please proceed to the submission page!