Dear H-Madness readers,

We are pleased to share a Call for Papers for the international workshop “Modelling Reform: Psychiatric Reform Across Histories, Contexts, and Circulations”, to be held at Sapienza University of Rome (Italy) on 20–21 May 2027.

Jointly organised by King’s College London, the University of Trieste, and the University of Milan, the workshop explores how psychiatric reforms have been conceptualised, shaped, and modelled across historical periods and geographical settings. It examines how particular reform experiences become recognised as exemplary models, how they circulate and are adapted across contexts, and why others remain marginal, contested, or forgotten. Topics include reform narratives and memory, transnational networks, infrastructures of care, and the roles of professionals, service users, families, and social movements.

The workshop welcomes contributions from across the humanities, social sciences, and mental health fields. Participants will circulate draft papers approximately four to six weeks in advance, with sessions dedicated to sustained discussion and comparative engagement. The workshop will also offer an opportunity to develop work towards an optional collective publication.

Please send a paper title, an abstract of up to 350 words, and a short biographical note of up to 100 words to francesco.toncich@units.it, cristian.montenegro@kcl.ac.uk, and chantal.marazia@unimi.it. Limited financial support may be available for early-career researchers without access to institutional or project funding for travel. Please indicate in your proposal whether you require such support.

Submission deadline: 31 October 2026.

See the attached Call for Papers for further information and practical details.