The British Association for American Studies was founded in 1955. It exists to promote, support and encourage the study of the United States in the Universities, Colleges and Schools of the United Kingdom, and by independent scholars. It welcomes all those engaged in or connected with the study of the United States.
The website is the hub of the BAAS community with information on our awards, annual conferences, schools’ liaison work, calls for papers, publications, job listings, related networks and a media contacts database through which we share our expertise. On these pages you can find BAAS news, resources and links, as well as information on our committee structures. We welcome communication from our members and from anyone interested in the work we do to promote the study of the United States in the UK.
Thinking of joining the British Association for American Studies? Find full details of what membership of the association includes and how you can register and purchase your membership.
BAAS membership is for a calendar year. ALL rates include a levy from the European Association for American Studies. The privileges of the Schools membership extend to receipt of the Newsletter, and such teaching aids as are offered to the general membership, and the opportunity to send one member of staff to the annual conference.
If you have any problems please email our Memberships Secretary. BAAS takes its members’ privacy seriously and will not pass on details to any third party. You can find out more in our GDPR and Privacy Policy.
Deadline Extended to Wednesday 10th December 2025
The College of Arts & Humanities and Andrew Hook Centre for American Studies at the University of Glasgow are delighted to invite submissions for the 71st annual British Association for American Studies conference at the University of Glasgow, to be held from Thurs 9th to Sat 11th April 2026. We look forward to welcoming the international American Studies community to our beautiful West End campus.
This will be the first BAAS conference in Glasgow since 1999, and the first in Scotland since 2008. The conference coincides with the 250-year anniversary of 1776 and thus offers opportunities for new scholarly appraisal; 2026 also marks the University of Glasgow’s 575th Anniversary. We are delighted to announce Professor Mia Bay (Cambridge), Professor Sinéad Moynihan (Exeter), and Professor Simon Newman (Institute for Research in the Humanities) as, respectively, the 2026 Journal of American Studies, Eccles Centre and Andrew Hook Centre keynote speakers.
The conference will take place on the University’s Gilmorehill campus; the opening evening will be marked by a Civic Reception at Glasgow’s City Chambers. Overnight accommodation is plentiful in Glasgow. The Glasgow visitor bureau provides useful links. Glasgow is easily accessible by rail or coach with direct services from across the UK. Public transport within the city (by subway – the famous Clockwork Orange – or by bus) is straightforward. For more information on travel and accommodation, conference rates (including subsidised rates for Postgraduate Research Students and Early Career Academics), details of keynote speakers, networking opportunities, and social events, please visit our website and booking page, which will be updated regularly.
The 2026 BAAS Awards are now open for submissions with a deadline of 17th December 2025.
BAAS is delighted to announce that the 2026 BAAS Awards are now accepting submissions!
Each year, BAAS offers a growing list of awards, prizes, teaching assistantships, and research assistant awards, supporting the development of American studies in Britain. The 2026 Awards are now open to submissions. Descriptions of our awards can be found on the BAAS Awards web page, with more detail on the submission requirements.
Find out more about the BAAS Awards and how to apply, on our BAAS Awards Page.T
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Every week, BAAS sends out a mailing of Calls for Papers, Fellowship and Job Opportunities, and all Events of interest in American Studies scholars in Britain and beyond. These events are also posted here on the BAAS website under our News & Events section.
If you have an item you’d like to submit to the weekly digest, please click below to complete our submission form.
