Call for Papers – Inaugural issue of the JMSSA The Journal of the Mormon Social Science Association (JMSSA) is accepting submissions for our inaugural issue in 2021. Papers accepted for the inaugural issue will receive a $500 honorarium. To be considered for the inaugural issue, the initial submission must be received no later than March 1, 2021. JMSSA is a peer-reviewed academic journal sponsored by the Mormon Social Science Association. Founded in 1979, the MSSA is an interdisciplinary scholarly society promoting the study of social life within the Latter Day Saint movement. Aims and Scope The Journal of the Mormon Social Science Association publishes original research, synthetic reviews, and theoretical or methodological essays on topics relevant to the Latter Day Saint movement from a social science perspective. We welcome papers from all social science disciplines, as well as work in other disciplines with a social science approach. We encourage submissions from students, junior scholars, and underrepresented voices in Mormon Studies. The journal is atheological and nonpolemical. The journal does not consider previously published work except by invitation. The journal does not consider papers simultaneously submitted elsewhere for review. Submissions Journal of the Mormon Social Science Association accepts papers of any length, including research notes. All submissions are screened by the editor or editorial board to determine their suitability for the journal. Papers deemed suitable are forwarded for peer-review. Subsequent to peer-review, papers may be rejected, returned for revision, or accepted for publication. The journal conforms to the “author-date” citation system outlined in The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition (Chapter 15). All submissions must be accompanied by an abstract not to exceed 250 words. Abstracts should state the research question(s), identify basic methods, and summarize main findings. Footnotes should be used for essential clarification only, and not for excurses. Send submissions in MS Word format to: benjamin.knoll@centre.edu For more information, contact Rick Phillips, rick.phillips@unf.edu |
MORMON SOCIAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION 2020 CALL FOR PAPERS
October 23-25, 2020 | Westin Convention Center | Pittsburgh, PA
The Mormon Social Science Association (MSSA) invites proposals for individual papers, panels or author meets critics sessions for the 2020 annual conference, held conjointly with the meetings of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion and the Religious Research Association (SSSR). We invite contributions on all topics relevant to the social scientific study of Mormonism, with special interest in those featuring multiculturalism, gender/sexuality, post-colonialism, generational change, and questions of disaffiliation/retention. Proposals should include a paper/panel title, a 250-word abstract, and the names, contact information, and institutional affiliation of all participants.
Submissions Open: January 10, 2020
Submissions Close: April 20, 2020
Decision Notification: April 30, 2020
Please submit proposals to Janna Riess flunkingsainthood@gmail.com and Gordon Shepherd at: gordons@uca.edu
As an interdisciplinary and international association, the MSSA promotes the social scientific study of Mormonism and facilitates communication and collaboration among researchers, educators and students. Membership is open to all. We sponsor scholarly conferences, publications, panel discussions, paper sessions, and the biennial Glenn M. Vernon Lecture. Join us today.
Download a printable PDF of the Call for Papers
CANCELLED – CALL FOR PAPERS MSSA 5th Annual One-Day Conference March 25, 2020
This event was cancelled.
Utah Valley University | Orem, Utah
The Mormon Social Science Association (MSSA) invites individual papers for our 5th Annual One-Day Conference 2020. We invite contributions on all topics relevant to the social scientific study of Mormonism, with special interest in those featuring:
- gender/sexuality
- multiculturalism
- globalism
- disaffiliation/retention concerns
Proposals should include a paper title, a 250-word abstract, and the names, contact information, and institutional affiliation of all authors.
Please submit proposals to both Gordon Shepherd at gordons@uca.edu and to Jana Riess at flunkingsainthood@gmail.com
Submissions Open: November 15, 2019
Submissions Close: February 15, 2020
Decision Notification: March 1, 2020
The Mormon Social Science Association (MSSA) promotes the social scientific study of study of Mormonism. The MSSA is interdisciplinary and international, and facilitates communication and collaboration among researchers, educators, and students. Membership is open to all. Our annual meeting is held conjointly with the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (SSSR).
Join us today.

Call for Papers | MSSA Annual Conference 2019 | October 25-27 | Hyatt Regency at the Arch | Saint Louis, Missouri

The Mormon Social Science Association (MSSA) invites proposals for individual papers, panels or author meets critics sessions for the 2019 annual conference, held conjointly with the meetings of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion and the Religious Research Association (SSSR/RRA). We invite contributions on all topics relevant to the social scientific study of Mormonism, with special interest in those featuring multiculturalism, gender/sexuality, post-colonialism, and questions of disaffiliation/retention. Proposals should include a paper/panel title, a 250-word abstract, and the names, contact information, and institutional affiliation of all participants.
Submissions Open: January 25, 2019
Submissions Close: March 20, 2019
Decision Notification: April 30, 2018
Please submit proposals to Gordon Shepherd at: gordons@uca.edu
2019 MSSA KEYNOTE ADDRESS | We are delighted to announce that Dr. Laurie F. Maffly-Kipp, Archer Alexander Distinguished Professor at the John C. Danforth Center for Religion and Politics, will deliver the 2019 Vernon Lecture at the upcoming Annual Meeting in Saint Louis.
As an interdisciplinary and international association, the MSSA promotes the social scientific study of study of Mormonism and facilitates communication and collaboration among researchers, educators and students. Membership is open to all. We sponsor scholarly conferences, publications, panel discussions, paper sessions, and the biennial Glenn M. Vernon Lecture. Join us today. #MormonStudies
Call for Papers | MSSA 4th Annual One-Day Conference | March 6, 2019 | Utah Valley University
The Mormon Social Science Association (MSSA) invites individual papers for our 4th Annual One-Day Conference 2019 which will take place on March 6, 2019 at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
We invite contributions on all topics relevant to the social scientific study of Mormonism, with special interest in those featuring gender/sexuality, multiculturalism, globalism, and disaffiliation/retention concerns.
Proposals should include a paper title, a 250-word abstract, and the names, contact information, and institutional affiliation of all participants. Please submit proposals to Gordon Shepherd at: gordons@uca.edu
Submissions Open: November 20, 2018
Submissions Close: February 1, 2019
Decision Notification: February 8, 2019
The Mormon Social Science Association (MSSA) promotes the social scientific study of study of Mormonism. The MSSA is interdisciplinary and international, and facilitates communication and collaboration among researchers, educators, and students. Membership is open to all. Our annual meeting is held conjointly with the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (SSSR). Join us today. #MormonStudies
Printable PDF Poster of Call for Papers
Call For Papers for the MSSA 2018 Annual Meeting
Individual Papers | Panels | Session
Proposals | Author Meets Critics
October 26-28, 2018
Tropicana Hotel | Las Vegas, Nevada
The Mormon Social Science Association (MSSA)
invites proposals for individual papers, panels or author
meets critics sessions for the 2018 annual conference
held conjointly with the meetings of the Society for the
Scientific Study of Religion and the Religious Research
Association. We invite contributions on all topics relevant
to the social scientific study of Mormonism, with special
interest in those featuring gender, post-colonialism,
queer studies, and critical race studies. Proposals
should include a paper/panel title, a 250-word abstract,
and the names, contact information, and institutional
affiliation of all participants.
Submissions Open: February 20, 2018
Submissions Close: March 31, 2018
Decision Notification: April 30, 2018
Please submit proposals to Gordon Shepherd at:
gordons@uca.edu
Call for Papers for MSSA Mini-Conference at UVU
Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah
March 29, 2017
In conjunction with the annual Utah Valley University Mormon Studies Conference, the Mormon Social Science Association looks forward to hosting a one-day mini-conference on the campus of Utah Valley University.
We invite and encourage a range of proposal topics relevant to the scientific study and understanding of contemporary Mormonism. Those interested in presenting a paper or organizing a panel for this conference should submit a one-page proposal which includes a tentative paper/panel title, a brief description of the focus of the presentation, your institutional affiliation, and your contact information.
Submissions Open: February 1, 2017
Submissions Close: March 1, 2017
Decision Notification: March 10, 2017
Please submit your proposals to David Knowlton at: dknowlton@uvu.edu
2016 MORMON MEDIA STUDIES SYMPOSIUM: Mormonism and Global Media
2016 MORMON MEDIA STUDIES SYMPOSIUM
CALL FOR PAPERS, PANELS, AND PRESENTATIONS
Theme: Mormonism and Global Media
Conference site: BYU Hawai‘i campus in Lā‘ie, Hawai‘i
Conference date: November 3 & 4, 2016
Proposal submissions due July 1, 2016 (early submission strongly encouraged)
Symposium website: http://mormonmediastudies.weebly.com/
Sponsored by Department of International Cultural Studies and the College of Language, Culture and Arts, BYU Hawai‘i
Mormonism grows in a world with a variety of religion-society and religion-media relationships. Its historical, cultural, social, and political insertions into host countries may differ significantly from place to place. Thus Mormonism’s treatment by the media, its attempts to publicize itself through the media, and its members’ use of media technologies in religiously relevant ways—to name a few types of relationships with the media—may differ significantly from U.S. Mormon-media patterns. A conference on Mormonism and media surveys the current situation, raises new questions, and encourages new conversations about a globally growing religion and the part media play in particular cultures.
Submission of Paper and Panel Proposals
Academics, professionals, and students are invited to submit competitive papers or panel proposals about any aspect of Mormons and the media. Papers and panels may be broadly interdisciplinary; international perspectives are strongly encouraged; all rigorous scholarly methodological frameworks and theories are welcome. Submissions should be either full papers (preferred; approx. 6,000–8,000 words, with 100-word abstract) or extended abstracts (approx. 500 words). Proposals for audio and/or visual presentations (including short films) with rigorous analysis are welcome. Papers recently presented or published elsewhere may be considered (please provide details).
Examples of topics include but are not limited to:
- Analyses of media content by or about Mormons (textual, rhetorical, thematic, etc.) in various cultures
- Mormon-produced media (contemporary, historical, international, etc.): Internet, social media, newspapers, magazines, books, television, radio, film, etc.
- Content, producers, and effects of recent and historical depictions of Mormons in news and popular culture
- Mormons, media & politics, U.S. and international
- Mormon media uses and effects, including social media
- Mormon media images and depictions (contemporary & historical)
- Concepts of voice, identity, and community in media by or about Mormons
- Content and effects of LDS public relations, advertising, messaging
- Audience studies: meaning-making, effects, responses, influences, behavior and attitudinal changes
- Institutional LDS perspectives on media: responses and effects
- Mormons as media creators, producers, publishers, inventors, disseminators, editors, writers, etc.; or others in these categories who have produced LDS-related media or content
- Mormon-related film, TV programming, reality show participation, etc.
- Comparative studies (Mormons and media as compared to other religions or institutions)
- Historical, sociological, literary, rhetorical, legal, international, psychological, etc. perspectives on Mormons and media
- Mormon-related entertainment, theater, music, and popular culture productions
Papers presented at the symposium will be given special consideration, at authors’ discretion, for publication in the Journal of Media and Religion.
Paper, panel, and presentation proposals must be submitted by July 1, 2016 in Word or PDF format as an email attachment to Dr. Chiung Hwang Chen at chenc@byuh.edu or Dr. Daniel Stout at daniel.stout@byuh.edu. Early submission and registration are strongly encouraged. For more information, please visit the symposium website at http://mormonmediastudies.weebly.com/
Call for Papers: Third Mormon Media Studies Conference
CALL FOR PAPERS
THIRD MORMON MEDIA STUDIES CONFERENCE
“Mormons and Meaning: How media shapes Mormon identities.”
Friday, Oct. 17, 2014
Salt Lake City
The communications departments of BYU and BYU-Idaho jointly announce the Third Mormon Media Studies Conference. This conference brings together students, scholars, researchers and interested observers of the relationship between media and Mormonism.
The conference will be held at the BYU Salt Lake Center, 345 W. North Temple St., Salt Lake City, Friday, Oct. 17, 2014. The BYU Salt Lake Center is a short walk from the airport TRAX (lightrail) line and Frontrunner (commuter rail) North Temple station and across the street from the Hyatt Place Hotel and nearby Gateway shopping mall.
The theme of this conference is “Mormons and Meaning: How media shapes Mormon identities.”
Papers related to all facets of Mormon Media Studies are welcome from students and scholars in diverse disciplines including, but not limited to, communication, history, sociology, media studies and religious studies.
The MMS 2014 conference will consider all submissions relevant to the areas of interests including panel and paper proposals.
Preparation of Submissions:
Prospective authors should submit a cover page/paper or panel proposal in PDF or .docx format. Such a digest may be a paragraph or two in length. The cover page should include the paper title, topic of interest, author’s name, affiliations, complete mailing addresses, telephone and, e-mail addresses of the corresponding author, and a 100-word to 250-word abstract or proposal.
Proposals/abstracts should be emailed to Dr. Lane Williams, BYU-Idaho Department of Communication williamsl@byui.edu before May 15, 2014. Final papers will be due Aug. 15, 2014.
A separate conference focused on the use of media by the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 18, at the same location.
Contact Information/questions:
Lane Williams: BYU-Idaho Department of Communication, williamsl@byui
Joel Campbell, BYU Department of Communications, joelcampbell@byu.edu
Call for Proposals: The Mormon Moment
Several members of the Mormon Social Science Association are putting together an edited volume on the Mormon Moment. The complete Call for Chapter Proposals can be found here. Interested scholars can contact Ryan T. Cragun (ryantcragun@gmail.com).