Call for Papers: Phish Studies at MAPACA, Baltimore, Nov. 5-7, 2026 Call for Papers Meetings & Events NEW

The Phish Studies Association is excited to announce the call for proposals for its annual conference, held as an area within the Mid-Atlantic Popular and American Culture Association conference in Baltimore, Maryland, November 5–7, 2026.

Bringing together scholars from diverse academic fields, Phish Studies fosters interdisciplinary dialogue and critical inquiry into the band Phish’s music, its fan communities, and its varied impact on American culture.

Phish’s influence extends far beyond the stage, shaping business models, live performance aesthetics, fan communities, and the evolution of American music festival culture. From deep dives into the band’s improvisational techniques to examinations of their unique relationship with technology and commerce, we seek to illuminate the myriad ways in which Phish has become a defining force in popular and American culture.

We welcome a wide range of interdisciplinary methodological and theoretical approaches to the sonic, narrative, performative, theoretical, visual, social, and cultural worlds of Phish, including, but not limited to:

• Business: Business practices; Place within music industry; Tape trading; Early adoption of the internet; Media framing of Phish; Influence on American music festival culture; Influence on the jam band genre
• Elements of Live Performance: Cover songs; Concert lighting; Venues (accessibility; sustainability; safety); Instruments and gear; Fan space and place
• Fan Culture: Fan communities (virtual; face-to-face); Fan communication; Fandom; Fan art; Parking lots; Tape trading; Issues of race, gender, religion, sexuality, & disability; Activism; Subcultural identities; Fan mythologies; Ethics
• Music and Lyrics: Compositional practice; Improvisational strategies; Band mythologies, including its world-building song catalog; Questions of genre; Historiography; Literature & poetry; Rhetorical analysis; Philosophical questions; Side projects; Music theory; Affect and embodiment
• Quantitative Analysis: Analyses of setlists, fan show ratings, & tour itineraries.

Proposals for individual papers (single- or co-authored, 15-20 minutes) may be submitted via the MAPACA submission portal. The word limit is 300 words. We also welcome proposals of complete panels of 3 or 4 papers, roundtables, or alternative format presentations, which should be sent to area chairs for initial review and feedback via the “Email area chairs” link on MAPACA’s Phish Studies area page.