CfP: Progressive Rock Today: Music, People, Politics. Conference Progect Network for the Study of Progressive Rock (27.-29.05.2026, Université de Strasbourg) Deadline: 01.10.2025
Progressive Rock Today: Music, People, Politics
The 7th Biennial International Conference of the Progect Network for the Study of Progressive Rock
May 27-29 2026
Université de Strasbourg (FRANCE)
What is progressive rock today, and what is its relationship to its half-century-plus-long history? What are the connections between music, audiences, and cultural industries in the world of progressive rock? Knowing that it is impossible to answer these questions with simple formulas or definitions, we look forward to welcoming at the University of Strasbourg researchers from a variety of disciplines - musicology, social sciences, political science, economics, cultural studies, philology and so on - who can provide new perspectives to illustrate the countless articulations of the "prog phenomenon."
We suggest three broad topic categories and a non-exhaustive list of potential subject areas below. Any proposals mixing these, or introducing other subjects of relevance, are also welcome.
MAIN TOPIC CATEGORIES:
1. The Multiple Aesthetics of Progressive Rock: Yesterday and Today
2. Identities and Ideologies in Progressive Rock
3. Actors and Networks: Progressive Rock’s Politics and Economics
DETAILED SUBJECTS -– SPECIFIC SCOPES:
Prog audiences, fans, communities
Age gaps in prog audiences and prog musicians
Genre studies: the relationship of prog to other musical genres (metal, jazz, folk, pop, classical, electronica etc.)
Gender studies: representations, engagement, resources
Prog and diversity: representations, intersectional experiences, geographical variations
What does ‘progressive’ mean? What are the implications of the use of 'progressive' as a noun, adjective or verb?
Progressive rock music industries, specialized labels, promoters, magazines and online media.
Prog musicians’ professional strategies and day-to-day business management
How do the subgenres of metal music reshape the prog environment?
Narratives and discourse in prog music, including cultural and personal politics
Old and new creativity tools (instruments, production techniques, studio, etc.)
Prog as an evolving musical text; analysis of specific songs and repertoires
Progressive rock and intertextuality: the aesthetics of album art, videos, stage shows and other media
Progressive rock in live performance: technology, aesthetics, reception
Other...
The Programme Committee’s plan provides:
Two Keynote lectures
20-minute paper presentations (in two parallel sessions)
Round table discussions
Accompanying events
Concerts
We encourage researchers to present papers that develop an interdisciplinary approach to progressive rock across several fields: musicology, sociology, media studies, performance studies, philology, cultural studies, economics, political science. We recommend in-person (live) participation
Submission Procedure
Scholars are invited to submit proposal abstracts for 20-minute English presentations to progect2026[at]gmail[dot]com by October 1, 2025 (contact person: Jacopo Costa).
Please attach two files to the email submission, both in Word file format (.docx):
A proposal containing only the paper title and an abstract (300 words). This file should not include any identifying information.
A short document providing the following information: author name, institutional affiliation, a short bio (100 words), paper title, keywords, and any audio-visual equipment needs.
All abstracts will be subject to a peer-review process, with authors notified of acceptance by mid- November 2025. The results of the paper selection will be communicated by email, as will any registration information.
Programme committee:
Chris Anderton Lori Burns Agnieszka Draus Philippe Gonin Sarah Hill
Andrzej Mądro Thomas Olsson Christophe Pirenne
Organizing committee:
Marion Brachet Jacopo Costa Florian Iochem Sébastien Lebray