Call for Submissions
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Division (DEI)
2026 Call for Scholarly Program Submissions
Division Program Chair: Jennifer R Bishop, Case Western Reserve University
On behalf of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Division (DEI), I warmly encourage you to submit your paper and symposia proposals for the 2026 Academy of Management (AOM) Annual Meeting, which will be held Friday, 31 July through Tuesday, 5 August 2026, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As the “Birthplace of America,” Philadelphia provides an inspiring backdrop for our 86th Annual Meeting offering a rich blend of history, culture, and vibrant, walkable neighborhoods that will enhance our shared learning, connection, and scholarly engagement.
In today’s shifting academic and societal landscape—marked by increasing pressures on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the United States and across the globe, the work of scholars who center DEI is more essential than ever. The Academy of Management remains steadfast in its commitment to advancing rigorous, justice-oriented research that illuminates the experiences of marginalized populations, challenges inequitable systems, and deepens our collective understanding of organizations. As debates about academic freedom, representation, and systemic inequality intensify, it is scholarship that offers the evidence, insight, and imagination needed to move our fields forward. Your research, perspectives, and voices are critical to this moment. The DEI Division encourages you to engage deeply, contribute boldly, and continue producing scholarship that not only expands knowledge but also shapes a more equitable future for organizations and society.
As DEI scholars, we are uniquely positioned and urgently called to advance rigorous, evidence-based research that speaks directly to the profound challenges facing organizations today. Amid an increasingly polarized academic climate in the United States and globally, where equity, inclusion, and scholarly freedom are routinely contested, our work is not only relevant—it is essential. We must confront structural inequalities, illuminate the lived realities of marginalized groups, and generate scholarship that challenges harmful narratives while offering practical, justice-centered solutions. This includes examining the interconnected macro, meso, and micro systems that shape organizational life; interrogating the dynamics of multi-stakeholder networks; unpacking organizational resistance to equity-driven change; and exposing the mechanisms that perpetuate disparate impacts across social groups. The Academy of Management remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering scholarship that advances diversity, equity, and inclusion, and your research contributes to that mission. For deeper insight into the scope and direction of our work, please review our DEI Division Domain Statement.
In the spirit of openness and intellectual curiosity, we welcome scholarly work that expands, reimagines, and pushes the boundaries of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion research. Given the shifting academic landscape in the United States and around the world with increasing scrutiny on DEI, growing polarization, and significant threats to academic freedom the work of DEI scholars has never been more vital. We strongly encourage submissions that interrogate long-standing assumptions, illuminate the lived experiences of marginalized groups, and critically examine the systems, structures, and practices that reproduce inequity in organizations and societies. We also invite bold, creative, and interdisciplinary contributions that explore emerging conversations around identity, power, technology, social capital, global justice, and organizational design. Submissions that offer new conceptualizations, innovative methods, rich empirical insights, and impactful practical or policy implications are especially welcomed. Our division is uniquely positioned to lead the field in expanding what DEI scholarship can be, and we look forward to submissions that reflect a broad, inclusive, and future-oriented vision of our work.
The DEI Division recognizes the high quality of our conference papers through the annual awards. DEI Division Program Awards include the Faculty Transnational Research Paper Award, the Dorothy Harlow/McGraw Hill Best (Conference) Paper Award, the Best Student Paper Award, and the Best Paper Based on a Dissertation Award. More information on our awards can be accessed DEI Division Program Awards.
Submissions to DEI Division must be progressed through the Academy of Management’s electronic Submission Center. The Submission Center will open early December 2025, and submission deadline: Tuesday, 13 January 2026 at 17:00 ET (UTC-5/GMT-5). Early submissions are strongly encouraged. Scholarly sessions (paper sessions and symposia) will take place Sunday, 2 August through Tuesday, 4 August 2026. Poster sessions will take place Friday, 31 July through Tuesday, 4 August 2026. If you have questions, please contact the DEI Division’s Program Chair, Jennifer R Bishop.
DEI Division Reviewer
Please consider offering your exceptional scholarly services for the Division as a DEI Reviewer. Irrespective of the stage at which you are in your career, AOM provides excellent support for reviewers, and we welcome your involvement whether you are a new or long-standing AOM Annual Meeting attendee. As you understand, we cannot create a great program every year, without the generous contributions of our reviewers. We simply need your help with the reviewing of the scholarly papers submitted to DEI Division and therefore, encourage you to sign up as a DEI Division Reviewer. You can sign up and access AOM Reviewer Guidelines for any additional information. The actual review period is from 22 January – 12 February 2026.