22-24 October 2026 - Lake Placid, NY

Theme

Canada and the United States share one of the world’s closest, most complex relationships - marked by cooperation and competition, friendship and rivalry, common projects and contested borders.

The 2026 MANECCS Conference invites scholars, students, and practitioners to reflect on these lines of contact, the cycles of collaboration and conflict, and the cultural, political, and economic bridges that connect the two countries.

The conference will feature the first French-language panel(s) in MANECCS history, expanding opportunities for bilingual and Francophone dialogue. 

A limited number of hybrid presentation slots will be available. This is not a hybrid conference, and these panels are to ensure equity for early career scholars and students who would like to present their work, but are unable to attend in-person due to financial constraints.

Topics of Interest

We welcome proposals from across disciplines that engage with the past, present, and future of Canada–U.S. relations. Topics may include but are not limited to:

• Political, economic, and cultural exchanges

• Cycles of cooperation and competition: historical patterns and contemporary challenges

• Cross-border and regional networks

• Indigenous perspectives on the Canada–U.S. relationship

• America 250: Canadian connections to the 250th anniversary of the United States

• The Olympic movement and international sport as cultural bridge

• Comparing local and regional connections with the Ottawa-Washington relationship

• Transnational perspectives on border communities and mobility

• Creative and public-facing approaches (literature, film, media, art)

• Canadian Studies today and tomorrow

• Pedagogical innovations in teaching Canadian–U.S. studies