The PAMLA 2025 Conference will be held at the InterContinental San Francisco, California
The conference will begin on Thursday, November 20 and continue through Sunday, November 23, 2025.
Below we have answered the top Frequently Asked Questions.
Contact Executive Director Craig Svonkin (director@pamla.org) and/or Information Director Sonia Christensen (info@pamla.org) for any other questions.
1) PAMLA 2025 Basic Rules and Practices
- Presiding Officers or Chairs may not propose papers to or invite themselves to their own sessions.
- We do not accept scheduling requests, except for religious reasons (please send religious scheduling requests to PAMLA Executive Director Craig Svonkin by August 10 at the latest). This means that panels might be scheduled for any time on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or on Sunday until approximately 3 pm.
- PAMLA 2025 will be held entirely in-person. Chairs, Presiding Officers, and panelists must physically attend the conference. Zoom, remote, or papers read in absentia are not allowed. Should you not be able to attend, please let your presiding officer/chair and Executive Director Craig Svonkin know right away.
- Conference participants may typically present twice, at most, at the conference. They may present once in a traditional panel and once in a roundtable or creative format session.
- Participants may not present the same paper, or a largely similar paper, at two different panel sessions. This policy applies as well for participants presenting at one panel and on one roundtable.
- Participants should not give a paper already presented at another conference or a previous PAMLA conference.
- One may only chair two sessions total, or present one traditional paper and chair one session. Presiding Officers with more than one session who are also presenting will work with Craig Svonkin to find chairs for their additional sessions.
- PAMLA does not publish conference proceedings. We do, however, encourage conference presenters to revise their presentations so as to submit them for consideration by PAMLA’s scholarly, peer-reviewed journal, Pacific Coast Philology.
- While PAMLA does provide some limited scholarships that graduate students, international scholars, and scholars of German literature may apply for, it is important to note that PAMLA, given its lack of any institutional support, lacks the funds necessary to support academic hotel and travel expenses.
- You may not present generative AI output or work by another author (human or otherwise) as your own scholarly work. Nor may you use AI output for the abstracts or descriptions of your work, or as your own work at the conference.
- PAMLA’s Board wishes to restate and re-emphasize our commitment to academic freedom, civil discourse, and free speech in our association and at our annual PAMLA conference. Please see our PAMLA Code of Conduct and PAMLA Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity for more information.
Thank you for helping us make PAMLA 2025 a respectful, dynamic, and well-organized conference experience for all participants. We look forward to seeing you all in San Francisco for an event that celebrates a collaborative space for original scholarship, polite dialogue and free discourse. For more questions, head on over to our FAQ page, or reach out to director@pamla.org.
2) Where is the PAMLA 2025 Conference taking place?
The PAMLA 2025 Conference will be held in-person at the InterContinental San Francisco from Thursday, November 20 through Sunday, November 23, 2025.
Address: 888 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
3) Will the PAMLA 2025 Conference be in-person or virtual?
PAMLA 2025 will be held entirely in-person. Papers may not be delivered via Zoom or in absentia.
This decision—not made lightly—is based on practical and financial realities. As a non-profit organization, PAMLA relies on in-person attendance to remain sustainable. The Board voted against hybrid sessions due to:
– The risk of reduced in-person participation
– The high cost and unreliability of hybrid infrastructure
– The benefits of real-time, face-to-face intellectual exchange
4) What are the most important deadlines for PAMLA 2025?
– Extended Deadline CFP: June 30, 2025
– Membership Payment Deadline: June 25, 2025
– Regular Registration: May 29 – July 20, 2025
– Minor Late Fee Period: July 21 – Sept. 15, 2025
– Urgent Late Fee Period: Sept. 16 – Oct. 1, 2025
5) Do I have to pay if I’m just attending and not presenting?
Yes, all attendees must register. However, if you’re not presenting, presiding, or chairing, you may register as an Auditor for a significantly reduced rate (typically under $100). The Auditor option does not include PAMLA membership and is not available to presenters or chairs.
6) How do I propose a paper?
To propose a paper, go to pamla.ballastacademic.com and click “Call for Papers”
You’ll need to provide a title, short abstract (40–60 words), and longer proposal (300–500 words).
Extended Deadline: June 30, or when the session fills (whichever comes first); so do not delay
7) Are there hotel rooms available at a discount?
Yes! PAMLA has secured a special group rate of $179/night (plus tax) at the luxurious InterContinental San Francisco.
Booking through the official PAMLA link ensures this rate and helps us meet our contractual obligations, supporting the financial health of the conference.
Rooms are limited and may sell out.
8) How many sessions can I participate in?
Participants may:
– Present in one traditional panel
– And also take part in one creative session (e.g., roundtable, seminar, workshop, or poetry reading)
You may not present twice in traditional panels, nor may you present the same or a similar paper more than once.
If in doubt, contact Executive Director Craig Svonkin at director@pamla.org.
9) Do I need to be vaccinated or tested for COVID-19 to attend?
PAMLA expects its members to take care of their and their colleagues’ health. We expect participants to be fully vaccinated, so please get your Covid, flu, and other necessary vaccinations so as to protect yourself and others. Those who test positive for Covid must cancel their conference participation. Mask wearing is often a good idea, as well. Since we cannot predict when a pandemic might return, please get your vaccinations ahead of time. If you have any questions, please contact PAMLA Executive Director Craig Svonkin: 626-354-7526 or director@pamla.org.
10) What A/V equipment is provided?
Each room will have an LCD projector, screen, and HDMI cable. Presenters should bring their own laptop and any necessary adapters, especially for Macs.
Please arrive early to test your setup. A/V services are costly, so only request them if essential to your presentation.
11) Does PAMLA have a Code of Conduct?
Yes. PAMLA is committed to a respectful, inclusive, and collegial scholarly environment. All participants are expected to be thoughtful and polite in their communication, whether online or in person.
Please review our full Code of Conduct.