Hosted by: IU College of Arts and Humanities Futures Program
Location:IndianaUniversity,BloomingtonIN Dates: October 2-3, 2026
Deadline forsubmissions: February 15, 2026
We invite submissions for a two-day gathering dedicated to the sharing of Indigenous knowledge across communities, generations, and disciplines — that centers how Indigenous communities conceive of wellness as part of their practices of science and medicine.
This event expands the conversation into the living sciences that have sustained Indigenous peoples since time immemorial—such as medicine, engineering, agriculture, and astronomy.
It is a space for reciprocal learning, where wellness is understood as balance and thrivance — among people, lands, waters, and the cosmos. Through story, practice, and theory, we seek to explore how Indigenous sciences generate, and continue to guide—healing, cultivation, design, and renewal in our shared world.
We welcome contributions from Elders, Knowledge Holders, community philosophers (broadly construed), and scholars — with a special invitation to emerging, junior scholars .
Possible Topics May Include (but are not limited to)
- Indigenous conceptions of health, healing, and flourishing
- Star knowledge, timekeeping, and cosmological teachings
- Agricultural and ecological knowledge as medicine for the land
- Relationships between science, spirituality, and ceremony
- Women’s and Two-Spirit knowledge traditions in healing and ecology
- Language, story, and art as vessels of scientific knowledge
- Indigenous ethics of care, responsibility, and relation
- Revitalizing medicine, agriculture, and astronomy through Indigenous languages and worldviews
- Collaborations and tensions between Indigenous and Western sciences
Gathering Details
This gathering is grounded in relationality, respect, and care. It will serve as the foundation for an edited volume or special issue publication. The review process is guided by attentiveness to fit, reciprocity, and collective flourishing rather than competition.
However, all accepted contributions will be considered regardless of attendance. The anticipated publication timeline will begin shortly after the workshop, with completed formats solicited within six months of notification of acceptance.
Indigenous Futures at Indiana University will sponsor a limited number of travel and accommodation reimbursements. Questions about the gathering or submissions may be directed to Andrea Sullivan-Clarke at sulliand@iu.edu
Gathering Submission Guidelines
We welcome a range of contribution formats. Please follow the guidance below:
- IndividualPaperAbstracts (250–300 words)
- Posters, Artwork, and Fine Arts (250–350 words)
To help us thoughtfully curate the workshop space, artists are asked to submit a brief description of their work. This is not a competitive review, but a way to understand the work’s form, intent, and relationship to the gathering’s themes.
- Workshops, Storytelling Sessions, and Alternative Formats (300–400 words) Contributors should submit a brief description of their proposed contribution. Descriptions should outline the format, intent, and relevance to the gathering’s themes, as well as how participants will be engaged.
Panel Submissions
Panels should include 3–4 presenters, along with a panel title and a shared description (250–350 words).
Please include:
- Name(s), affiliation or community (if any), and brief bio (50–100 words)
- Indication of any A/V needs or accessibility considerations
Send proposals to: indconf@iu.edu Deadline for submissions: February 15, 2026 Notification of acceptance by: May 15, 2026
