Communal Studies Association

06/23/2026

What can intentional communities teach us about American history?

Join the annual conference of the Communal Studies Association, October 1–3, 2026, at the historic Oneida Community Mansion House in Oneida. This year’s theme, “Communal History is American History,” invites scholars, museum professionals, public historians, preservationists, and community members to explore the rich and diverse history of intentional communities and their enduring impact on American life. Registration is now open!

Whether your interests include the Shakers, Harmonists, Owenites, Amana Colonies, Moravians, or contemporary communal movements, the CSA conference offers a unique opportunity to engage with new scholarship while experiencing one of America’s most significant communal sites firsthand.

Learn more and plan your visit:

https://communalstudies.org/annual-conference/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

06/17/2026

Deerfield Seminar, June 26-27, 2026, both in-person and virtual. Go to https://www.historic-deerfield.org/events/dublin-seminar-2026-futurecasting/ to register.

05/15/2026

ONE WEEK left to send us a CSA Conference proposal!

The Communal Studies Association invites scholars, practitioners, and researchers to submit proposals for its 53rd Annual Conference, taking place October 1–3, 2026 at the Oneida Community Mansion House. Marking the 250th anniversary of the United States, this year’s theme—“Communal History is American History”—encourages critical reflection on how communal societies have shaped, challenged, and reimagined the American experience from the Revolutionary era to the present.

Proposals are welcomed on all aspects of intentional communities, with particular interest in work that explores communal living as social critique, reform, and innovation. Paper and session proposals are due May 22, 2026, and should include a brief abstract and biographical statement. Join a vibrant interdisciplinary community examining the past, present, and future of communal life—submit your proposal today and be part of this landmark conversation.

Please visit the link in our profile for more information and for submission guidelines!

05/10/2026

Here is a segment on NPR from our own Tim Miller about Silkville, KS.

A French aristocrat moves to Kansas and founds a silk-making socialist utopia. Then things get weird. The story of the founding of Silkville, Kansas, in 1870.

04/28/2026

Just THREE WEEKS to submit your proposal for the Oneida Conference. Go to www.communalstudies.org/annual-conference to submit your proposal.

03/26/2026

The Communal Studies Association invites scholars, practitioners, and researchers to submit proposals for its 53rd Annual Conference, taking place October 1–3, 2026 at the Oneida Community Mansion House. Marking the 250th anniversary of the United States, this year’s theme—“Communal History is American History”—encourages critical reflection on how communal societies have shaped, challenged, and reimagined the American experience from the Revolutionary era to the present.

Proposals are welcomed on all aspects of intentional communities, with particular interest in work that explores communal living as social critique, reform, and innovation. Paper and session proposals are due May 22, 2026, and should include a brief abstract and biographical statement. Join a vibrant interdisciplinary community examining the past, present, and future of communal life—submit your proposal today and be part of this landmark conversation.

Please visit the link for more information and submission guidelines:

https://communalstudies.org/annual-conference/

02/19/2026

“Shakers on the Kentucky Frontier: The Founding of South Union” invites history lovers and curious minds alike to an immersive, day-long symposium exploring the early years of the South Union Shaker Village community. Set for Saturday, May 16, 2026, this all-day event will feature presentations by noted Shaker scholars including Carol Medlicott, Doug Winiarski, and Christian Goodwillie, offering insights into what drew the Shakers to frontier Kentucky and how the community grew in its formative years.

In addition to the talks, attendees will enjoy a continental breakfast, lunch, and a special behind-the-scenes tour of recent restoration projects at South Union Shaker Village, making it an enriching experience for those interested in early American religious history and preservation efforts. Registration is required, and the event runs from 8 AM to 4 PM in celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary.

🔗For more information, please visit the symposium's website:
https://southunionshakervillage.com/events/shakers-on-the-kentucky-frontier-the-founding-of-south-union/

02/18/2026

The Oneida Community Mansion House will be hosting the 2026 Communal Studies Association Conference in October!

We are looking for YOU to submit a paper on any aspect of communal living past and present! We are particularly looking for papers that reflect this year's theme in honor of America250 "Communal History is American History."

Submit your paper, register for the conference, or plan your trip to the Mansion House this Fall!

https://communalstudies.org/annual-conference/

02/11/2026

The Owen–Maclure 200th Anniversary Conference will take place Thursday, November 12 through Sunday, November 15, at the New Harmony Inn and Conference Center in New Harmony, Indiana.

Held in commemoration of 200 years of visionary community building, the conference—“Innovative Communities: Past, Present, and Future”—explores the enduring legacy of Robert Owen and William Maclure’s Community of Equality and its influence on how communities are imagined and built today. Through historical reflection, contemporary case studies, and future-focused dialogue, participants will examine how cooperative, equitable, and innovative communities respond to social, environmental, technological, and economic challenges.
The conference welcomes papers, panels, posters, and workshops that engage with intentional communities, cooperative societies, co-housing, digital commons, sustainability, and interdisciplinary approaches to community innovation.

📌 Call for Proposals Deadline: Friday, May 1, 2026
📍 Location: New Harmony Inn and Conference Center, New Harmony, Indiana

Those interested in presenting or attending are encouraged to learn more and submit proposals at www.owenmaclure200.com.

02/05/2026

📣 Just featured in The New York Times — “A World in the Making: The Shakers” opens at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia! 🪑✨

This thought-provoking exhibition brings historic Shaker design into conversation with contemporary art and new commissions, showing how values like simplicity, community and intentional craft still resonate today. On view through August 9, 2026 — don’t miss it!