The programme for the Essays Beyond Borders Conference, taking place in Pisa on 9–10 April 2026, has now been released. Bringing together scholars, writers, and researchers from across Europe and beyond, the conference will explore the evolving possibilities of the essay as a form of thought, inquiry, and creative practice.

The two-day event features keynote lectures by Thomas Karshan (University of East Anglia) and Kara Wittman (University of California, Berkeley), alongside a wide range of panels, workshops, and roundtables dedicated to contemporary debates in essay studies. Topics include the planetary essay, the relationship between the essay and ecology or politics, essay pedagogy, artistic research, and the essay’s engagement with digital media and performance.

Several sessions will focus specifically on the emerging concept of the planetary essay, bringing together scholars to consider how essayistic thinking can respond to global challenges and new forms of relationality. Other panels explore the literary essay, the ethics of attention, and the role of essayistic writing in political and ecological contexts.

The conference will also include interactive workshops and a closing roundtable featuring leading figures in contemporary essay studies.

Organised as part of the Essays Beyond Borders project and co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ programme, the conference forms part of a wider initiative that seeks to explore how essayistic thinking moves across languages, cultures, and disciplines.

The full programme is now available: EBB CONFERENCE PROGRAMME_18 marzo