Call for Papers

The PPP Moot Team is excited to finally put out our Call for Papers, which you can find below, along with additional details we will need along with it, where to send it, notes about remote presentations, and the deadline.

Please note that the bulk of our presentations will be scheduled on Friday and Saturday, with some potentially being scheduled on Sunday in the morning.

The best fantasy worlds do not simply exist—they are built upon foundations of myth, cultural evolution, and the echoes of ages past. Beneath the stories of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit lies the weight of lived history that gives Middle-earth its profound sense of reality. No author achieves this more fully than J.R.R. Tolkien, whose legendarium exemplifies the art of weaving a tapestry of historical depth into a fantastical world.

In On Fairy-Stories, Tolkien reminds us that a successful sub-creator gives their Secondary World “the inner consistency of reality.” That consistency depends not merely on detail, but on the sense of deep history. Tolkien accomplishes this in part through what Michael Drout calls “textual ruins”—fragments of forgotten lore, like Aragorn’s song of Lúthien or Gandalf naming the maker of the palantíri—each hinting at vast ages beyond the tale. (Listeners may recall this concept discussed in episode 66 of The Prancing Pony Podcast.)

Yet Tolkien’s sense of history extends beyond these textual remnants; he also accomplishes this through evolving languages, physical ruins, echoes of real-world myth and migration, and cultures shaped by time and conflict.

This year’s theme invites papers exploring how Tolkien—and other fantasy authors—create such historical resonance. How do language, legend, geography, or cultural memory lend depth and realism to their worlds? How does layering myth and history invite readers to inhabit these imagined realms as if they were real?

We welcome proposals engaging with Tolkien’s legendarium directly, comparative studies with other authors, explorations of fan or gaming adaptations, and interdisciplinary approaches that connect world-building, history, linguistics, and mythmaking—or any combination of the above. 

If you are unsure whether an idea fits the theme, please email us a brief proposal or description of your idea and we will let you know!

Papers and creative presentations will have 30 minutes (20 minutes for presentation and 10 minutes for Q&A). Round table discussions will have 60 minutes; the presenter will offer a topic and short discussion with questions (5-10 minutes), then the presenter and attendees spend the remainder of the time discussing the topic together. 

Your submission to events@theprancingponypodcast.com must contain the following:

• the type of submission (paper, round table, creative)
• a title for the submission
• a 200-300 word description
• name and short bio for each presenter

Please keep in mind that if you are presenting remotely you’ll need, at minimum, a computer with a webcam and microphone, as well as a broadband internet connection.

If your submission is accepted, you agree to attend the moot (December 18-21) and make your presentation (every effort will be made to accommodate time zone challenges). You will also need to make yourself available for at least one test run before the moot to help minimize technical issues at the event itself.

All submissions must be received by 11:59p CDT on Monday, December 1, 2025.