Intentional Community Resilience in an Age of Uncertainty
Dates: July 9-11, 2026
Location: Lebensgarten Ecovillage, Steyerberg, Germany
Proposal Submission Deadline: November 1, 2025
The International Communal Studies Association (ICSA) invites scholars, practitioners, and theorists to participate in our upcoming conference, “Intentional Community Resilience in an Age of Uncertainty” that will occur at Lebensgarten Ecovillage, Steyerberg, Germany, on July 9-11, 2026.
Intentional communities – communes, co-housing, ecovillages, collectives, and other forms of collaborative living— are navigating an era of profound economic, social, political, and environmental turmoil. This conference will explore how these communities cultivate resilience in the face of pressing contemporary challenges and offer lessons to the broader society for effective social change. We seek papers, panels, and workshops that examine how these communities foster climate resilience, advocate for democratic principles, mitigate the loneliness crisis, work toward peace, promote economic equity, preserve the communal spirit, and seek solutions to urgent global issues. Join us as we consider the crucial roles of intentional communities in shaping a better future.
Proposals: While proposals that align with our 2026 theme of resilience are particularly encouraged, we welcome any and all proposals associated with contemporary and historical intentional communities, for the following conference formats:
- Academic paper (a 20-minute scholarly paper).
- Panel (a group of two to four presenters in a 90-minute thematic panel, submitted as one proposal, typically with a scholarly focus).
- Workshop (a 60-minute session offering practical ideas for communities).
- Cultural/artistic event (a 60-minute cultural/artistic session led by the submitter – e.g., music, storytelling, poetry, etc.).
- Interactive event (a 60-minute session moderated by the submitter promoting audience participation – e.g., yoga, casual conversation, thematic discussion).
Submit your proposal on ICSA’s website here. Please include all of the following in your proposal:
- Title of presentation.
- Category: academic paper, panel, workshop, cultural/artistic event, or interactive event.
- Names, Professional or Community Affiliations (if any), and contact information of all presenters.
- An abstract of no longer than 300 words, suitable for inclusion in the program book.
- A 50-word maximum biography for each presenter.
Individuals who submit proposals by November 1 will receive a notification of acceptance or rejection by December 1.
