Call for Proposals – DOCAM 2025
Theme: Documents – Continuity and Innovation
Documents are shaped by technology, evolving alongside human society. The ancient Latin root of documentum referred to oral teachings; centuries later, documents became synonymous with paper. Today, in an era of ubiquitous computing, digital documents dominate. But what about tomorrow?
This year’s Annual Meeting of the Document Academy (DOCAM 2025) invites scholars and practitioners to explore the documents in the light of the current technological change through artificial intelligence (AI), recognizing that the future is always informed by the past. As generative AI and emerging technologies transform how we create, share, and preserve information, what fundamental changes and continuities can we expect?
By examining the technological, social, and epistemological shifts that shape documents, we aim to foster a rich discussion on what may change and what may endure. At this year’s DOCAM, we also aim to collaboratively capture the current state of research in document studies and identify key areas for future exploration.
We welcome research in the core areas of document and culture, philosophy, psychology, and human-computer interaction with particular emphasis on:
- AI and the impact of future technologies on documents
- Interdisciplinary research at the interface of document studies
- Practical implications of document studies
- Theoretical, historical, and empirical perspectives on documents and their evolution
This year's meeting, hosted by Berlin School of Library and Information Science at Humboldt-University of Berlin, welcomes completed research, research in progress, general conceptual and theoretical work, projects and case studies, creative and practical work relevant to the conference theme in the following formats:
- Standard conference presentations
- Discussions and alternative events
- Creative works in performance or on display
- Field trips or in-situ presentations at relevant spaces around the city (logistics of travel permitting)
DOCAM 2025 will feature single-track sessions to ensure depth and focus, complemented by two workshops. One session will be hosted online to include global perspectives and encourage broad participation.
For any submissions, please use the online submission form at DOCAM 2025 submission
Submission deadline: April 25, 2025 (Extended: May 9, 2025)
Notifications by: May 25, 2025
Proceedings
For any of the above contribution types, presenters are welcome to submit a manuscript to the Proceedings from the Document Academy.
The DOCAM’25 issue of the Proceedings from the Document Academy will be accepting submissions later in 2025, including a few weeks after the annual meeting. Dates and deadlines to be announced. The language for papers in the Proceedings is English.
Submission Details
The conference program will be juried. Prepare an extended abstract of about 500 words to submit for consideration. Besides the abstract, the form will ask you to include a title, authors, contact information, etc. Multimedia and non-traditional proposals are welcome; if you have any questions, contact Mr. Sascha Donner.
Attending the Conference
Date: September 17–20, 2025
Venue: Berlin School of Library and Information Science at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany
All presenters and attendees must register prior to the conference via the conference web page. The regular registration fee is 150 Euro and includes complimentary snacks and soft drinks during the conference. Students can receive a 50% voucher on request and upon presentation of proof. The registration fee for the exclusively virtual participation in the Lightning Talks Session is 30 Euro and includes the submission handling and the possibility to publish the presented contributions as a full paper in the conference proceedings.
Held in the vibrant city of Berlin, DOCAM 2025 will offer opportunities to explore its rich cultural and historical landscape. Evening programs will include a curated dinner and a museum or library visit, fostering informal discussions and networking among participants.
The conference will be hosted at Dorotheenstrasse 26, 10117 Berlin, in the heart of the Mitte district of Berlin and on the campus of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. The Mitte district is home to many of Berlin's most famous sights. Here you can enjoy the view from the TV Tower, stroll through the Brandenburg Gate, visit the Berlin Cathedral or look out over the Tiergarten from the dome of the Reichstag building right in the center of German politics. https://www.berlin.de/en/attractions-and-sights/district/mitte/
Contact
For assistance or with comments, contact Mr. Sascha Donner at sascha.donner@hu-berlin.de
About DOCAM
DOCAM'25 is the annual meeting of the Document Academy, an international network of scholars, artists and professionals in various fields, who are interested in the exploration of the concept of the document as a resource for scholarly, artistic, and professional work.
The aim of The Document Academy is to foster a multi-disciplinary space for experimental and critical research on the document in the widest sense, drawing on scholarship, traditions and experiences from the arts and humanities, social sciences, education, and from such diverse fields as information, media, museum, archival, cultural, and science studies.
The Document Academy originated as a co-sponsored effort by the Program of Documentation Studies, University of Tromsø, Norway, and the School of Information, University of California, Berkeley. Since then, it has convened in various locations across the globe, from Australia to France.