2026 ANNUAL CONFERENCE · OROMO STUDIES ASSOCIATION
Oromo on the Global Landscape:
Honoring Asmarom Legesse as OSA Turns 40
📅 July 31 – August 2, 2026 📍 Minneapolis, Minnesota
📝 CALL FOR PAPERS
Submission Deadline
June 12, 2026
Submit abstracts and panel proposals. Individual papers, organized panels, roundtables, and graduate submissions welcome.
📅 CONFERENCE
Annual Conference
July 31 – August 2, 2026
Three days of panels, keynote addresses, roundtables, and community events in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
📍 LOCATION
Minneapolis, MN
Augsburg University
Hagfors Center 700 21st Ave. South, Minneapolis, MN 55454 (situated near 21st Ave South and Riverside Avenue)
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
A Milestone Year for Oromo Scholarship
The Oromo Studies Association’s 2026 Annual Conference marks a milestone — the 40th anniversary of an organization founded to advance scholarship, preserve history, and amplify the voices of the Oromo people. This year, we gather in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to honor one of our most distinguished scholars and to reflect on four decades of growth, resilience, and global reach.
Our theme — “Oromo on the Global Landscape: Honoring Asmarom Legesse as OSA Turns 40” — reflects both a tribute and a charge. Professor Legesse’s contributions to understanding Oromo democratic traditions, particularly the Gadaa system, have shaped how the world understands indigenous governance in Africa.
The conference will bring together scholars, researchers, students, and community members from across the diaspora and the continent for three days of panels, roundtables, keynote addresses, and community dialogue.
All are welcome — whether you are presenting research, attending for the first time, or returning as a longtime member of the OSA community.
OSA Turns 40
“Four decades of scholarship, community, and the enduring pursuit of justice for the Oromo people.”
CONFERENCE HONOREE
Professor Asmarom Legesse
February 5, 1931 – January 31, 2026
Professor Asmarom Legesse was one of the most influential scholars of Oromo culture and governance. His landmark work, Gada: Three Approaches to the Study of African Society (1973), brought the Oromo democratic system to international scholarly attention and established a framework for understanding indigenous African democracy that continues to shape the field today.
A founding figure in Oromo Studies, Professor Legesse passed away on January 31, 2026, just weeks before OSA’s 40th anniversary year. This conference honors his extraordinary legacy and the generations of scholars he inspired.
CALL FOR PAPERS
Share Your Research
The OSA invites submissions of paper abstracts, panel proposals, and roundtable discussions. We welcome research from all disciplines engaging with Oromo history, culture, language, politics, diaspora, and the broader Horn of Africa.
We particularly encourage submissions that engage with this year’s theme:
“Oromo on the Global Landscape: Honoring Asmarom Legesse as OSA Turns 40”
- Individual paper abstracts (300 words max)
- Organized panel proposals (3–4 papers)
- Roundtable and workshop proposals
- Graduate student paper submissions
⏰ Submission Deadline: June 12, 2026
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Abstract length: 300 words max
Language: English or Afaan Oromo
Submit to our submission portal
Notification: June 19, 2026
Not Presenting?
You don’t need to submit a paper to attend. Registration is open to all scholars, students, and community members.
REGISTRATION
Reserve Your Place
Registration is open for the 2026 OSA Annual Conference in Minneapolis, MN, July 24–26. OSA membership is not required to attend, but members receive a discounted registration rate.
Member
$30
OSA member rate
Non-Member
$45
General registration
Student
$25
With valid student ID
Not an OSA member? Join OSA to access member pricing.
SPEAKERS & PROGRAM
Keynotes & Program
📋
Program Schedule Coming Soon
Keynote speakers, panel schedules, and full program details will be posted here as they are confirmed.