The main focus of the conference is a discussion on life and death – their concepts, phenomena, causes, manifestations, forms, and consequences.

We will address these issues from the perspective of social sciences (law, economics, sociology, political science, security studies, religious studies), humanities (e.g., philosophy, history, psychology, cultural studies, literary studies, media studies, anthropology, theology, pedagogy), medical and health sciences (including obstetrics, psychiatry, pathology, surgery, and dietetics), natural sciences, exact sciences, and engineering and technical sciences (including physics, astronomy, robotics, biology, chemistry, and geography). This will allow us to approach the study and analysis of life and death in as multidimensional a way as possible.

We will also discuss the phenomenon of life and death and the multitude of their interpretations from the perspective of culture and art – film, television series, literature, games, and music.

Topics may be both contemporary and historical in nature and may address any issues, regardless of geographical boundaries.

We encourage you to freely choose the topic of your presentation according to your own interests and specialization.

Example research areas include:

• What is life? What is death?
• The essence of a “good” life.
• The challenges of working in a hospice.
• The life of plants and animals – dilemmas, challenges, perspectives.
• “You died” – dying in computer games.
• What is the meaning of life? Representations in culture and art.
• Mother as a symbol of life. The perception of motherhood in culture.
• The role of marriage and family in society.
• How do law, politics, and economics relate to life and death?
• How childhood influences adolescence.
• Going through the grieving process.
• What happens after death?
• The terrible twos and teenage rebellion.
• Ecosystem disorders.
• Tool or companion? The role of animals in human life.
• Why do we mourn the death of a fictional character?
• The chemistry of love – what happens in the brain when we love?
• Personality – the sum of experiences or genes?
• The ethics and morality behind euthanasia.
• Abortion and the debate over the definition of life.

The above-mentioned thematic areas are only exemplary – we strongly encourage you to go beyond them.

Moreover, the speeches may be interdisciplinary in nature, combining a variety of fields.

We believe in freedom of academic discussion and do not censor speeches for worldview or political reasons.

Original and unconventional speeches will always find recognition from the Conference Committee.

• Students, Ph.D. students, experienced researchers, practitioners from the field, and all others interested in the above-indicated fields of research can actively participate in the conference as speakers.
• Passive participants (audience) do not need to possess any prior academic knowledge or background.

Presentations may be delivered in the following languages:

• English
• Polish

Panels (sessions) during the conference will be arranged accordingly.

• Prof. Alvin Wang (University of Central Florida) – Chair of the Conference Committee.
• Prof. Aleksandra Rogowska (University of Opole) – Vice-Chair of the Conference Committee.
• Prof. Jutta Street (Campbell University) – Member of the Conference Committee.
• Prof. Krzysztof Mudyń (University of Rzeszów) – Member of the Conference Committee.
• Dr. Jagoda Dzida (Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan) – Member of the Conference Committee.
• Dr. Valery Loumber (Gavrilov & Brooks Law Firm, Sacramento/Los Angeles; Director of Academic Affairs) – Member of the Conference Committee.
• Luke Darby Bartosik, LL.M. (President of the Center for American & European Studies) – Secretary of the Conference Committee.

➤ REGISTRATION STEPS FOR CONFERENCE SPEAKERS

Steps necessary to register for the conference as an active participant (conference speaker):

1️⃣ Submit an abstract (up to 300 words) and fill out the Speaker Application Form at: https://forms.gle/gE2kJyugLvCgV3du7

2️⃣ Register via the Speaker Application Form by 23.59 on June 25, 2026 (we will not extend this deadline).

🔒 We reserve the right to select abstracts.

🎉 The results of the abstract selection process will be announced by June 26, 2026.

3️⃣ Pay the conference fee to the bank account number that will be provided to the qualified speakers in an e-mail – the fee must be paid by June 28, 2026 at the latest.

➤ PASSIVE PARTICIPATION (CONFERENCE AUDIENCE)

Steps necessary to register for the conference by a passive participant (audience):

1️⃣ Fill out the Audience Registration Form at: https://forms.gle/Vk4zhokh2NRwPpzUA

2️⃣ Register via the Audience Registration Form by 23.59 on June 28, 2026. Failure to fill in the form will result in the inability to passively participate in the conference (and thus the inability to receive a passive conference participant certificate).

3️⃣ Pay the conference fee to the bank account number that will be provided to passive participants via e-mail. The fee must be paid by June 30, 2026 at the latest.

Audience will have a chance to see the conference schedule before paying the fee. The schedule with a full list of speakers and their presentation titles will be delivered via email.

➤ SPEAKERS – 2 options:

• 239 PLN / 65 EUR – participation as a speaker + PDF electronic certificate sent via email (the electronic certificate bears the digital signatures of the members of the Conference Committee and the qualified Szafir electronic signature – the legal equivalent of a handwritten signature – of the President of the Board).

– OR –

• 269 PLN / 75 EUR – participation as a speaker + digital certificate + traditional certificate with a handwritten signature sent via post.

➤ AUDIENCE – 2 options:

• 139 PLN / 45 EUR – audience participation + PDF electronic certificate sent via email (the electronic certificate bears the digital signatures of the members of the Conference Committee and the qualified Szafir electronic signature – the legal equivalent of a handwritten signature – of the President of the Board).

– OR –

• 169 PLN / 50 EUR – audience participation + digital PDF certificate + traditional certificate with a handwritten signature sent via post.

Important! Please use the following pattern when filling in the transfer title field when making the payment of your conference fee*: "first name and last name – fee for active / passive participation (select the appropriate one) – "

*Failure to do so may result in delays in posting the fee on the appropriate account and, consequently, even exclude your participation in the conference.

In the case of a co-authorship of a presentation by two or more speakers, please pay the fee for each of the speakers separately.

The organizers anticipate the possibility of publication in the form of a monograph. However, such possibility will depend on the number of authors willing to publish their text (chapter) in a monograph. The price for participation in the conference does not include the publication fee.

• It is possible to receive a VAT invoice (please make your request in the registration form – requests made later may not be satisfied).
• If your participation in the conference is to be financed by the university (institution/company), we suggest that you pay for your participation from your personal funds and then obtain reimbursement from the university (institution/company) on the basis of an invoice issued by the Center to your university (institution/company).
• The fee is non-refundable (since it grants entry to the conference).
• The link to the online conference room will be made available to registered participants within 24 hours before the start of the conference
• It is possible to deliver a conference presentation by two or more speakers (the fee should be multiplied by the number of speakers)
• The presentation time is 15-25 minutes (depending on the fact of giving a solo, duet or trio presentation and the total number of presentations during the conference);
• Certificates of participation will be sent by traditional mail up to two (Poland) or three (rest of the world) months from the end of the conference.
• Digital certificates are sent within a week from the end of the conference to *all* participants.
• The Center for American Studies arranges the order of presentations. The exact time of speaking at the conference is pre-determined by CFAS (it will be not possible to change the time of your conference presentation set in the conference schedule).
• All Participants will receive an affidavit confirming the composition of the Academic Conference Committee.
• All Participants will receive a certificate of the status of the Center for American Studies scientific society as an entity conducting primarily scientific activities in an independent and continuous manner, along with a full list of members of the Academic Council.
• During the presentation it is necessary to use both the microphone and the web camera (audio-video transmission)
• Conference Rules and Regulations: https://www.cfasofficial.com/en/terms-of-use