American Politics

This section focuses broadly on all aspects of political science that relate to the government and politics of the United States on the national level. We welcome papers, panels, and roundtable discussions studying the presidency, Congress, and the federal courts. Scholarship on behavior, representation, elections, parties, jurisprudence, political economy, finance, and accountability are also welcome. The section is interested in qualitative and quantitative efforts that explore theoretical, practical, historical, sociological, legal, and political issues connected to the people and institutions of the United States.

Comparative Politics

This section invites paper, panel and roundtable proposals in a broad range of areas, including political regimes and regime transitions, comparative political institutions (legislatures, executives, parties and parties party systems, electoral systems, etc.), political behavior (participation, voting, social movements, and terrorism), social, economic and functional cleavages (e.g., classes, ethnicity, religion, gender), conflict, and political economy. The focus can be country-specific, regional or cross-regional and may pertain to Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Oceania and the Americas. This section also welcomes submissions that interpret the mandate of ‘comparative politics’ in new ways; use qualitative and quantitative methods; discuss comparative politics theory and comparative politics in the curriculum.

History and Politics

This section focuses on the broad scope of the study of politics, policy and institutions using historical perspectives to address issue areas of contemporary concern. In particular, the section encourages paper, panels, and roundtables that focus on developmental themes related to major political processes including; institutional reform, innovation, policy change and concepts, such as democratization, citizenship, political representation, and political parties. The section is interested in qualitative and quantitative efforts from a variety of methodological perspectives.

International Relations and Foreign Policy

This section focuses scholarship that addresses the international dimensions of political relations. Research should deal with interactions between units in the international system. Papers, panels, and roundtables may focus on any sub-field of international relations, including (but not limited to) international organizations and law, international conflict, foreign policy interactions, international institutions and regimes, global environmental relations, and international political economy. The section is interested in qualitative and quantitative efforts from a variety of methodological perspectives. 

Identity Politics 

This section focuses on discourses and structures such as gender, race, colonialism, class, sexuality, disability, nation, and trans-nationalism as important dimensions of political life. We seek papers, panels, and roundtables that examine how these constructs interact with political life and – when determined – how they interact with each other. The section is interested in qualitative and quantitative efforts from a variety of methodological perspectives. The section is especially interested in research that is inclusive of a variety of social groups and contexts within the US and beyond. 

Political Theory

This section focuses on all areas of political theory including - but not limited to - feminist theory, democratic theory, liberalism, Marxism, political aesthetics, the history of political thought, comparative political theory, legal theory, critical race theory, queer theory, cultural studies, critical geography, and environmental political theory. It also encourages papers, proposals, and roundtables that adopt normative-philosophical and/or critical-theoretical approaches to major topics in political science including - among others - multicultural politics, neo-liberalism, nationalism, trans-nationalism and globalization, state power, technologies of security, civil society, social movements, representation, democratic governance and citizenship, and political identity. Papers that develop a perspective on enduring theoretical concepts, such as equality, justice, domination, sovereignty, rights, the subject, civic virtue, and moral judgment, are also welcome. The section is interested in qualitative efforts from a variety of methodological perspectives.

Public Policy & Public Administration

This section invites paper proposals that address questions related to public management, governance, or policy. The field of public administration and policy has a history of confronting challenging questions related to geographic and organizational boundaries. Papers, panels, and roundtables addressing citizen engagement in public affairs, public workforce diversity, technology, the role of non-profit and private organizations in service delivery, and other questions relevant to public administration and policy are welcomed. The section is interested in qualitative and quantitative efforts from a variety of methodological perspectives.

State and Local Politics

This section is interested in contemporary federalism in the United States -- from the vantage point of politics at the local level. We encourages papers, panels, and roundtables that focus on themes including; institutional reform, innovation, policy change, political representation, and political parties. The section is interested in qualitative and quantitative efforts from a variety of methodological perspectives.

Teaching and Learning

This section focuses on topics related to educating both undergraduate and graduate students. The section welcomes proposals, panels and roundtables on such topics as: advising, assessment, civic engagement, curriculum development, diversity within the classroom, educational goals, experiential learning, applied learning, internships, pedagogic responsibilities, service learning, simulations, teaching strategies, and technology. The focus may be on pedagogic practice or the scholarship of teaching and learning. The section is interested in qualitative and quantitative efforts from a variety of methodological perspectives.

Undergraduate Research

This section provides an opportunity for undergraduate political science students to promote outstanding research at a professional academic conference and contribute to our understanding of politics.  The experience is meant to impress upon the importance of the faculty-mentored thesis in their intellectual development.  Student must submit a paper in a conference presentation format. No full thesis papers will be accepted.  Individual and collaborative papers in any area of political science are welcome.  Proposals must include contact information of the faculty sponsor of the research.