On Saturday, February 28, 2026, the Association of Central Eurasian Students (ACES), the graduate student organization of the Department of Central Eurasian Studies (CEUS), successfully hosted the 32nd Annual ACES Conference at the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, Indiana University Bloomington, in a hybrid format.
This year’s conference brought together 37 panelists from 14 universities across seven countries, creating a vibrant space for scholarly exchange on a wide range of topics related to Central Eurasian studies. Throughout the day, participants engaged in lively discussions on themes including history, language, religion, politics, and contemporary social transformations across the Central Eurasian region.
The conference featured multiple panels covering diverse research topics. Each panel reflected the interdisciplinary nature of the conference and highlighted the breadth of current scholarship in the field.
We are deeply grateful to all panelists, discussants, and attendees whose thoughtful presentations, comments, and questions made this conference both stimulating and productive. Their contributions fostered meaningful dialogue and strengthened connections among scholars working on Central Eurasia across different disciplines and regions.
ACES would also like to thank the Department of Central Eurasian Studies, the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, the Center for the Study of the Middle East, the Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Center, and the Islamic Studies Program at Indiana University for their continued support of this annual event.
The success of the 32nd ACES Conference would not have been possible without the dedication of our organizers, volunteers, and participants. We look forward to continuing this tradition of scholarly exchange and to welcoming everyone again at future ACES conferences.
