Division Calls

Find the Calls for Proposals for the 2021 Annual Meeting from all of our Divisions below. Proposal submissions are closed. 

To view a Division’s Call for Proposal, click on the title of the Division and the call will appear below the Division title. Access the 2021 Division Chair Contact Information

Division Chair(s): Emily Nacol, University of Toronto

In keeping with this year’s theme, the “Political Thought and Philosophy: Historical Approaches” section welcomes proposals from scholars working in all areas of our interdisciplinary field. We invite papers and panels that represent the plurality of traditions in the history of political thought (from the so-called Western tradition to other traditions from around the globe); that interpret a plurality of “texts” from these written, oral, and visual traditions; that work with the plural languages and discourses of political theory; and that both recognize and make audible a plurality of voices in these traditions, texts, and discourses. Our aim is to open up the traditions and texts of the history of political thought to critical analysis and reflection, to expand our historical knowledge of the variety of frameworks and epistemologies available for the study of social and political life, and to broaden our political imagination. We also welcome proposals that address the history of pluralism as a concept in political thought and philosophy. How does the history of pluralism bear upon ongoing dialogues about the character of democracy and citizenship? Has it been compatible with or opposed to notions of democratic participation and inclusion? Has it been deployed to reinforce or challenge the boundaries of politics, nation-states, and empires? What arguments have been made against pluralism in the history of political thought, and what varieties of monism have been offered up instead? When and why have these had stronger appeal than arguments for moral and political pluralism? We invite considerations of how debates between pluralism and monism have been staged in the history of political thought, and insights into what we can learn from these in the present. How can they help us imagine new futures, understood as futures past? We especially welcome proposals from scholars who are historically underrepresented in our field. We are interested in panels that construct dialogues across time, place, and tradition on significant political questions and problems, and we are committed to including and constructing panels that represent scholars from all career stages.

Division Chair(s): Doug Thompson, University of South Carolina and Jennifer Forestal, Loyola University Chicago

The Foundations of Political Theory Section invites papers, panels, and roundtable proposals from all areas of political theory. We are committed to fostering dialogue among scholars working on a wide variety of topics within the field and invite submissions from scholars at all levels of the profession, strongly encouraging panel submissions that include both junior and senior scholars. Building on this year’s conference theme, “Promoting Pluralism,” we are especially (but not exclusively) interested in receiving proposals that seek to expand our understanding of the meaning, value, and possible expressions of pluralism in a wide range of political circumstances. We also invite proposals that investigate the nature and sources of current threats to pluralism and that propose popular and institutional political strategies for addressing these threats, both in the United States and globally. Under what conditions is pluralism politically desirable, and when—if ever—might it pose a threat to other legitimate values? What possibilities and limits does the historical development of pluralism present? How do conflicts over pluralism interact with racial, gender, religious, and other identities and practices, and what are the social, psychological, legal, and organizational implications of such conflicts? How does pluralism operate in global, national, subnational, and local politics? In what circumstances might political invocations of pluralism serve, paradoxically, to stifle living expressions of pluralism? Who bears the brunt of this latter problem—and how are its effects felt? These questions are only possible starting points. We seek to construct a deeply ecumenical program and invite proposals that touch upon a much broader set of themes than those suggested here. We also seek to promote a pluralism of scholarly approaches. Multidisciplinary panels and interdisciplinary papers that engage in productive dialogue with fields beyond political theory – and especially between political theory and other subfields of political science – are welcome. Finally, and most important, we wish to support a broad and deep pluralism of voices in the field. We are therefore especially interested in proposals by members of underrepresented groups.

Division Chair(s): Anand Commissiong, California State University, Long Beach and Peng Yu, Earlham College

Pluralism is one of many foundational ideals of liberal politics. Building on this year’s conference theme, the Normative Political Theory Division invites proposals for papers, panels, book roundtables, or poster presentations from all levels of the profession that engage pluralism through a normative political theory approach. We welcome proposals that interrogate this ideal’s origins, development, as well as its current and future potentials and pitfalls from diverse methods, approaches, and traditions. In particular, we seek work that demonstrates pluralism’s enduring legacy and how its encounter with perspectives often marginalized along lines of gender, race, sexuality, class, physical/cognitive ability, national origin, language, ethnicity, and others has been negotiated or forestalled. In a time when pluralism is increasingly challenged by global and domestic crises, how should we rethink pluralism and its various traditions in relation to the developments of recent events that have come to question, complicate, destabilize, and transform pluralism’s normative foundation. On the one hand, antidemocratic tendencies have continuously marred attempts at making political participation more accessible and inclusive, leading to the erosion of pluralist politics and the rise of authoritarianism. On the other hand, democratic activism and movements—both local and global—that aim to expand our horizons of knowledge and experience in pluralist politics continue to push back against such erosion in different forms and in multiple ways. How have these developments and tensions forced us to reconsider conceptually and empirically the legacy of pluralism? To what extent has pluralism as a foundational ideal been useful in addressing these issues and in what ways has it encountered setbacks? What is pluralism’s relation with liberal politics? Amidst the sweeping global pandemic, far-right populism, deeply entrenched racism, and the state’s persistent violence against minorities, to what extent has pluralism, and the lack thereof, revealed the normative issues related to liberalism? With the rising of social movements such as Black Lives Matter and #MeToo that conjoin both local and global efforts, how has pluralism been redefined to engage the voices of the marginalized and to what extent has it accommodated difference? We are committed to creating vibrant panel discussions in keeping with the spirit of this year’s conference theme and invite submission of papers reflecting a wide range of concepts, methods, approaches, and traditions. We particularly encourage work that features interdisciplinary approach and integrates conceptual inquiry of pluralism with empirical study.

Division Chair(s): Ryan Hübert, University of California, Davis

The Formal Political Theory division welcomes paper, poster and panel proposals that use or draw on formal theory to provide insight into political questions. We view the 2021 conference theme “Promoting Pluralism” as a call to action for our subfield and our discipline. We aim to build a program that showcases how formal theory can be useful across a wide range of substantive applications and subfields. We also aim to highlight the diversity of approaches that fit under the formal theory umbrella, including (but not limited to) research using game theory, social choice theory, computational modeling, behavioral modeling and combinations of formal theory and other methodologies. In service of these goals, we especially encourage proposals that have potential ties to other divisions and subfields, or that relate to the conference theme of “Promoting Pluralism”, such as those that address issues of identity, group politics, institutional accountability, etc. We also strongly encourage substantively cohesive panel, roundtable or workshop proposals that help achieve these goals.

Division Chair(s): Alexa Bankert and Geoffrey Sheagley, University of Georgia

The Political Psychology Division invites papers, panels, and round table proposals from all areas of political psychology. We are especially – but not exclusively – interested in receiving proposals that build upon the annual conference’s theme: “Promoting Pluralism”. We conceptualize pluralism in multiple ways including our subfield’s various theoretical perspectives (e.g. information processing, social and political identities, personality traits, etc.) as well as methodological approaches (i.e. quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-method approaches). We welcome proposals that highlight political psychology’s focus on the study of underrepresented groups and their ability to influence the democratic process. Studies on the Black Lives Matter movement are of special interest. Given that the 2021 APSA conference takes place almost two years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we also invite work that takes up this global health crisis and its effects on citizens’ political attitudes and behavior (especially in a comparative setting). Finally, we strongly encourage the submission of well-organized panel proposals. In particular, we are interested in panels that consider research designs rather than completed work and/or include scholars from different subfields of political science and who are at different career levels. Scholars are also free to submit other proposal formats such as round tables, semi-structured debates, and short courses. 

Division Chair(s): Rikhil Bhavnani, University of Wisconsin, Madison and Cesi Cruz, University of British Columbia

The Political Economy division welcomes paper and panel proposals from emerging and established research areas in political economy, broadly understood. Submissions that address the annual meeting’s theme of “Promoting Pluralism” through the lens of political economy are particularly encouraged. What political economy factors help explain the marginalization of women and people of particular races and ethnicities? How can these dynamics be changed? How do different aspects of a country’s politics affect economic outcomes, and vice-versa? We welcome proposals on these and other questions. Furthermore, we encourage substantively cohesive panel proposals that bring together scholars from within and across subfield lines, as well as across different world regions.

Division Chair(s): David Bateman, Cornell University and Dawn Teele, University of Pennslyvania

The Politics and History Division invites panel and paper submissions on topics related to these themes, broadly conceived. We also encourage submissions that touch on the conference theme of “Promoting Pluralism,” and are especially interested in papers or panels that cross methodological and subfield boundaries; that analyze how social diversity has been politically constructed, managed, and/or mapped on to regimes of inequality; that examine the historical role of social scientists in theorizing or regulating these regimes; and that explore, in a historically grounded way, the legacies of such arrangements on contemporary political and social life. Panels and papers addressing theoretical and conceptual issues in the study of politics and history are welcome. The Division is committed to promoting pluralism and diversity – of approach, of perspective, and in the scope of subject matters – within political science and within the study of politics and history. We invite paper submissions that rely extensively on historical data to empirically test more general theories of politics; that examine the legacy of particular historical institutions or arrangements on subsequent or contemporary politics; or that examine the development or operation of historical institutions or occurrence of historical political events. We expect panels to be constructed with an eye toward making the Division more inclusive and representative of the various axes of diversity within the discipline.

Division Chair(s): Pablo Barbera, University of Southern California and Kelly Rader, Yale University

The Political Methodology division welcomes proposals addressing all aspects of empirical methodology. As in previous years, we encourage proposals dealing with measurement, statistical modeling, causal inference, research design, computational methods, survey methodology, and theory development and testing. We welcome proposals that develop new techniques as well as innovative applications of existing techniques to any substantive subfield of political science. This year’s conference theme, “Promoting Pluralism,” is an opportunity for individual researchers and groups of scholars to engage in broader discussions about how to combine multiple methodological approaches to triangulate research findings, as well as the methodological challenges and opportunities in the study of diversity itself. Proposals that address the conference theme as well as proposals with potential ties to other divisions are especially welcome. We encourage scholars from underrepresented groups and those who don’t typically consider the section to apply. We will consider not only individual paper presentations, but also panel, roundtable, and workshop proposals.

Division Chair(s): Rachel Bzostek Walker, Collin College and Mark Carl Rom, Georgetown University

Political science educators face a plurality of challenges. The world around us continues to be buffeted by a global pandemic and its punishing consequences for public health, economic prosperity, and social comity. Racial, gender, and income inequalities are being ruthlessly exposed and challenged. Democratic institutions are disparaged and degraded. Higher education is not a safe space: all these challenges exist on our campuses and in our classrooms. What is our response? Bearing in mind the theme of the overall 2021 APSA conference, where an emphasis is placed on promoting pluralism in all forms including “the rich intellectual pluralism of our discipline–in methodology, methods, behavior, and perspective,” our section calls for panels, papers, and roundtables that feature empirical evidence on how we are responding as well as those making normative arguments on how we should be responding. Submissions adopting traditional norms in the ‘scholarship of teaching and learning’, or that reflect innovative but incremental ‘Small Teaching’ approaches are welcome, of course. But we are also interested in bolder or more novel approaches to political science education, even if the theoretical or empirical bases for these approaches are still being developed. Given the importance of community and liberal arts colleges to political science education, and the demands on faculty at these colleges, we not only encourage submissions from faculty at these institutions, but also joint submissions from scholars at two- and four-year colleges and universities. Proposals that consider pluralism (of students, of techniques, of viewpoints) in the classroom are enthusiastically encouraged.

Division Chair(s): Sarah Shair-Rosenfield, University of Essex, UK and Javier Corrales, Amherst College

The Comparative Politics section invites submissions that examine any and all aspects of comparative politics. Proposals may focus on any substantive area of comparative politics, including but not limited to comparative political behavior, identity politics, political institutions and regimes, political conflict, political economy, and state-society relations. We welcome submissions that examine single countries as well as those that focus on regional and cross-national comparisons. All theoretical and methodological approaches are welcome, and in line with this year’s conference theme, we particularly encourage submissions that are methodologically and geographically pluralist in nature. We strongly encourage well-organized panel proposals, especially those that bring together diverse groups of scholars into dialogue and promote different approaches to the study of comparative politics. 

Division Chair(s): Juan Bogliaccini, Universidad Católica del Uruguay and Adam Auerbach, American University

The Comparative Politics of Developing Countries Division welcomes paper and panel proposals focused on the politics of low- and middle-income countries. We especially encourage submissions related to the meeting’s theme: “Promoting Pluralism.” Many topics related to this theme, on processes of political inclusion and exclusion, have long been central to the field of comparative politics. We are interested in research that addresses important substantive questions with theoretical and empirical contributions, and we are open to research based on all methodological approaches. We encourage substantively cohesive panel proposals that bring together scholars from within and across subfield lines.

Division Chair(s): Allison Evans, University of Nevada, Reno and Wendy Leutert, Indiana University

The Communist and post-Communist Division invites submissions that examine the manifold interactions between pluralism and developments in the political, economic, social, and cultural realms. What forms of pluralism exist in post-communist countries and have efforts to promote pluralism been successful? What important innovations or events of the past, present and future have changed, or have the potential to change, how societies and economies are governed? What are social sources of and social responses to these changes? We are particularly interested in papers that elaborate these processes related to the conference theme of “Promoting Pluralism” and that probe local, national, and/or regional manifestations of these issues. Authors whose research addresses democratization, institutions, civil society, and political economy are encouraged to explore how debates in these fields address the issues that arise along with rapidly evolving international events, technologies, and institutions. In addition, scholars whose work engages transnational linkages and connections across different geographical levels of analysis are encouraged to submit proposals to this Division. In keeping with the conference theme, we seek to promote diversity in panel participants across gender, nationality and rank, including from scholars in these regions of the world. We will prioritize panels that enable dialogue across communist and post-communist regions and multiple methodological approaches. In this spirit, we particularly encourage coherent panel proposals or other panel formats such as roundtables and author-meets-critics sessions that embody and promote diverse approaches and pluralism within political science.

Division Chair(s): Maarja Luhiste, New Castle University and Damien Bol, King’s College London

The division welcomes paper and panel proposals that focus on important questions in the study of advanced industrial societies. We seek contributions that examine, for example, the representation of underrepresented groups, democratic institutions, electoral competition around (new) policy issues, and unconventional political participation and behavior. In accordance with this year’s theme, Promoting Pluralism, we particularly welcome a diversity of approaches used in the study of advanced industrial societies: comparative and single-country, descriptive and causal, quantitative and qualitative examinations. In the same spirit, we specifically encourage proposals from women, people of color, non-binary, and early-career scholars. Our objective is to create high-quality panels that are inclusive but also balanced and diverse. We encourage those who want to submit full panel proposal to have this in mind when they select papers, discussants and chairs.

Division Chair(s): Rahsaan Maxwell, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

We invite proposals related to European and politics and society, broadly defined. We welcome proposals on the 2021 meeting theme “Promoting Pluralism” but will consider any proposal related to Europe. We are open to diverse approaches, methods and subjects. The section supports a variety of formats, from traditional paper-based panels to roundtables, author meets critics, and extended panels.

Division Chair(s): Amy Pond and Timm Betz, Texas A&M University

The section on International Political Economy welcomes paper, panel, and roundtable proposals on a broad range of topics, including (but not limited to) trade, finance, money, and migration. Submissions that address or incorporate the meeting theme of pluralism in methodology, behavior, institutions, and perspective are especially welcome. We also encourage cohesive panel proposals that bring together scholars from within and across subfield lines.

Division Chair(s): Ryan Brutger, University of California, Berkeley and Daniela Donno, University of Cyprus

The International Collaboration Division welcomes papers and panel proposals for the 2021 APSA Annual Convention. In keeping with APSA’s theme of focusing on pluralism, we welcome proposals from different theoretical and/or methodological perspectives, as well as proposals that cross the traditional political science sub-fields. All proposals relating to international collaboration will be considered, including those addressing international conflict and/or political economy. This broad subject area includes, but is not limited to, international organizations, international law, international norms, informal international institutions, diplomacy, economic coordination, conflict resolution, transnational advocacy. 

Division Chair(s): Marina Henke, Northwestern University and Damon Coletta, United States Air Force Academy

The 2021 APSA Meeting theme, “Promoting Pluralism,” is an opportunity for scholars of international relations to think about how trends at the domestic, interstate, and transnational levels matter for international security, and how events across regions and beyond alliances can affect prospects for peace. Critiques of progressive international liberalism have a long, unique history in the developing world, from both the left and the traditionalists. As the theme statement implies, however, recent trends and events have aroused people as well in the developed world to question not just the stability of democratic institutions at the domestic and international levels, but the importance of liberal democratic values such as political representation and fundamental human rights. Promotion of Pluralism calls on us to think about threats and stresses experiences by democracy worldwide, how diversity can create both opportunities and challenges for institutions following the democratic principle, the circumstances under which stable norms and institutions might break down, and what might come after. Section 19 welcomes individual paper, panel, and roundtable proposals on conflict and security issues, broadly defined. These topics include, but are not limited to coercion; deterrence; alliances and security institutions; civil-military relations; gender; cyber and artificial intelligence; international development; terrorism; war and peace causation; information warfare; transnational organized crime; proliferation/arms control; civil and regional war; nuclear weapons; polarity; insurgency; peace operations; intelligence; and the changing character of war. Topics more specifically related to the conference theme might be: the relationships between domestic and international institutions; the role of norms and values in shifting threat perception and great power behavior; race and international security; migration and refugees; ethnic conflict; protest, coup, and contagion; efforts to protect human rights and how those relate to diverse cultures and different types of international institutions; diplomacy on globalized issues; the evolving “liberalism” of international institutions and how it has contributed to the problem or could contribute to solutions; deterrence dynamics in a more self-help world; efforts to solve transnational and global problems in a context of political uncertainty and suspicion, and so forth. Recognizing that international security encompasses a diverse collection of academic disciplines and benefits from plural points of view, proposals that utilize interdisciplinary theoretical or methodological approaches will be particularly attractive, as will proposals that center perspectives that tend to be marginalized.

Division Chair(s): Brent Sasley, University of Texas Arlington

The Foreign Policy division invites paper, panel, and roundtable submissions that contribute to our understanding of the foreign policy decision-making process and/or the practice of foreign policy. This includes exploring a range of theoretical, methodological, epistemological, and empirical approaches. Research questions connected to this year’s theme of “Promoting Pluralism” are particularly welcome and might touch on issues such as: How has our understanding of who makes foreign policy changed as a result of recent developments in and outside the discipline as well as shifts in global politics? Which countries and actors have been under-utilized in our efforts to understand foreign policymaking, and how do we better incorporate them into our research? What new experimental methods can be used for the study of foreign policy? What variables might be included in a comparative approach to foreign policy analysis? For those submitting panels or roundtables, please make every effort to ensure a diversity of participants across gender, institutional affiliation, geographic location, and career stage.

Division Chair(s): Danielle Jung, Emory University and Jonathan Renshon, University of Wisconsin, Madison

The Conflict Processes section invites paper, panel, and roundtable proposals related to the onset, resolution, and dynamics of political conflict and violence. This year’s conference theme, “Promoting Pluralism,” is an especially relevant one as political conflict includes a broad range of interactions—ranging from non-violent resistance to violent dissent and insurgencies to interstate and intrastate wars—and historically has drawn from approaches as varied as formal theory, ethnographic research, experiments and observational qualitative and qualitative work. To that end, we are especially interested in scholarship from diverse demographic, national and institutional backgrounds, as well as approaches that might fall outside the traditional mainstream of conflict research. In addition, we welcome proposals that address any dimension of political conflict and violence, especially those transcending the various substantive research agendas within research on political violence.

Division Chair(s): Juan Pablo Micozzi, Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico

The Legislative Studies Section welcomes paper, panel, and roundtable proposals on a wide range of topics related to legislatures at the state or national level, in the United States or any other countries in the world. Research advancing new theories, analyzing original data, or employing innovative methods are especially welcome. Proposals addressing the conference’s core theme of “Promoting Pluralism” are particularly encouraged, but we welcome any compelling proposals. Proposals for substantively cohesive panel and roundtables are also welcomed. We recommend to those submitting panel proposals to consider including panelists from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, we especially encourage submissions from women, scholars of color, and other underrepresented groups.

Division Chair(s): Yu Ouyang, Purdue University Northwest

The theme of the APSA 2021 conference is “Promoting Pluralism.” In the midst of various political, economic, and social changes in the U.S. and around the globe that have the potential to significantly alter our understanding of governments, nations, communities, and individuals, the Presidents and Executive Politics section embraces the rich diversity and methodological pluralism of our attempts to explore, assess, and understand the roles of presidents and executives in the political system. To what extent do the public, competing political actors, and/or the broader environment affect executive behavior? How do executive leaders respond to and reconcile the multiple, and often conflicting, demands and constraints on their actions.

We welcome paper and panel submissions that address broad questions about presidents, executive politics, and democratic pluralism and governance in the United States and around the world. We encourage submissions for organized panels to consider ways to promote diversity and pluralism in terms of demographics, institutional backgrounds, methodological approaches, etc. Given the integral roles that executives serve in many aspects of a political system, we especially welcome proposals that allow for collaborations with other APSA divisions.

Division Chair(s): Jill Nicholson-Crotty, Indiana University

The organizers of this year’s meeting rightly contend that the rich intellectual pluralism of political science is well suited to understanding how the political, economic, and social upheaval that is transforming our world will influence governments, nations, communities and individuals. The study of public administration offers a vibrant microcosm of that intellectual diversity. Methodologically, the study of PA has always embraced a wide spectrum of approaches, understanding that everything from constructivist assessment to experimental designs to the most sophisticated econometric analyses can tell us something important, and most importantly something different, about the organizations and actors that administer public programs. These diverse approaches have been matched only by the variety of topics on which PA scholars have chosen to focus their intellectual energy. Diverse research programs have illuminated every aspect of the administrative process from micro-level decisions of public managers to the macrolevel forces that ultimately determine the character of policy implementation, as well as the role that citizens, interest groups, and other key stakeholders play in all of these processes. Of course, the real potential of pluralism is not just the strength or contributions of individual groups, but in the opportunities for synthesis that lie in the space between territories staked out by one group or another. PA scholars have already recognized and capitalized on this potential in numerous ways, but more can certainly be done, particularly in an era when the problems that our research can help solve are not contained within political or intellectual boundaries. For the 2021 annual meeting, the public administration section invites paper and panel proposals that explore these “spaces in between” and the intellectual syntheses that might fill them. The possibilities for these combinations are as endless as they are exciting so we will refrain from offering a set of potential questions or topics that is destined to be incomplete and, worse, constraining. As always, we seek proposals that are theoretically grounded and methodologically robust and, of course, encourage those that borrow from disciplines and approaches far afield from the “traditional” study of public administration.

Division Chair(s): Clayton Nall, University of California, Santa Barbara

The Public Policy section serves a large, diverse community of researchers studying policy to address central questions of political science: who governs, and to what ends? The section welcomes proposals on all aspects of the policy process and the causes and consequences of government decisions. These submissions could involve policy evaluation, policy development and change, policy feedback, policy diffusion, agenda setting, historical and comparative perspectives on policy, among others. Proposals addressing the 2021 conference theme, “Promoting Pluralism,” are particularly welcome. The Public Policy section is open to a variety of methodological and theoretical perspectives. While individual paper proposals are welcome, we strongly encourage submission of well-organized panels, including roundtables and author-meets-critics sessions. 

Division Chair(s): Rebecca Reid, The University of Texas at El Paso and Erin Kaheny, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee

We seek a diverse array of proposals that illustrate the broad reach of law and courts in the United States and abroad, including scholarship that highlights the multi-faceted and dynamic ways that law reflects, (re)constitutes, and alters political systems, power structures, social movements, and identities. We encourage methodological and epistemic pluralism to showcase the wide range of inquiry within law and courts scholarship as well as to promote greater dialogue within and beyond the discipline of political science.

Division Chair(s): Michael Tolley, Northeastern University and Nancy Maveety, Tulane University

Division 27, Constitutional Law and Jurisprudence, seeks proposals for panels and papers that aim to promote a deeper understanding of the foundations, limitations and principles of constitutional governments both in the United States and around the globe. As in years past, paper and panel proposals on such topics as constitutional history, modern constitutional analysis, constitutional adjudication, and comparative constitutional law are welcome. Proposals advancing the 2021 meeting’s theme of pluralism—“the intellectual pluralism of our discipline”—are especially welcome.  Echoing the sentiments of Valeria Sinclair-Chapman and Dino P Christenson (APSA 2021 Co-Chairs), we invite paper and panel proposals based on research “across our discipline’s major and minor subfields” employing “both intra and interdisciplinary bridges.”

Constitutional Law and Jurisprudence long has strived to be open to normative, empirical and/or conceptual research on past, present and future constitutional settings. The subfield has been characterized by the study of the constitutive elements of modern governance that are necessary for evaluating its legitimacy. For the 2021 meeting, we invite panels and papers examining the social and institutional practices that comprise constitutional government, analyzing the claims to legality and legitimacy that these practices are designed to attain, and relating to the broadest understandings of constitutionalism: namely, the legal and philosophical foundations of the state and how constitutions create, structure and limit government power. Also included in this call are paper and panel proposals focusing on the constitutional implications of government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Measures designed to mitigate the spread of the virus, including restrictions on indoor gatherings, mask mandates, travel bans, and shut-down orders, all raise basic constitutional questions of interest to Division 21.

What new insights or understandings can we expect when our discipline’s many different methodological approaches are brought to bear on the study of constitutions, constitutional law and jurisprudence?  Submissions from scholars representing many of our disciplines major and minor subfields—Political Theory, International Law, Comparative Politics, Gender Politics, Race and Ethnicity Politics—will help us to answer this and other questions, and we encourage proposals for panels cross listed between APSA Sections/Divisions. As always, we invite “Author Meets Critics” panels structured around recently published and noteworthy books in the field of Law and Courts.

Division Chair(s): Clayton Nall, University of California, Santa Barbara

The Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations Section invites proposals for the 2021 APSA Annual Meeting. In addition to individual paper proposals, we encourage submissions for full panels (maximum of 4 papers), roundtables, and author-meets-critics sessions. We welcome theoretically grounded and methodologically rigorous proposals that contribute to our knowledge of politics and policy in federal systems. This includes research focused on federalism and intergovernmental relations within the United States, within other nations, or with a comparative perspective. We welcome studies that examine questions of federalism and intergovernmental relations from a variety of methodological perspectives. We are especially interested in proposals that respond to the 2021 Conference Theme, “Promoting Pluralism.”

Division Chair(s): Joshua Jansa, Oklahoma State University

APSA 2021 focuses on the rich intellectual pluralism of political science in hopes of tackling complex issues that do not respect boundaries. State politics scholarship has its own storied history of using behavioral, institutional, and methodological approaches to better understand the complexities of politics and policy in a federal union of fifty states. The states themselves are messy experiments in plural democracy with diverse people, unique institutions, and distinct policies. Thus, we invite proposals addressing timely issues related to state politics and policy from multiple theoretical and methodological perspectives, including interdisciplinary work. We also recognize that our knowledge and understanding of state politics and policy depends on fostering diversity and inclusion among scholars. We welcome proposals from individuals of various racial, ethnic, gender, and sexual identities, as well as from various institutions, professions, disciplines, and career stages.

Division Chair(s): Jeffrey Paller, University of San Francisco and Jenn Nelles, University of Sheffield

The Urban and Local Politics section welcomes proposals featuring original research considering the impact of national and international phenomena on the politics and governance of cities and their regions. This year’s conference theme, “Promoting Pluralism,” prompts our scholarly community to consider the “complex issues that do not respect methodological, disciplinary or geographic boundaries.” Cities and urban regions are arenas of these complex politics and inherent diversity, and require a number of different scholarly tools to investigate the peoples, institutions, and polities operating in these spaces. We welcome proposals that promote this pluralism, and bring together papers and panels that span neighborhoods, states, countries, and regions, as well as intellectual and methodological traditions.

 

COVID-19, police brutality, creeping authoritarianism, and climate change are hitting cities across the world particularly hard. But cities also offer lessons in resilience, resistance, and popular mobilization. As countries across the world confront these challenges, cities are at the forefront of promoting new experiments in governance, politics, and participation. Urban and local spaces provide opportunities to promote pluralism, but also fall into exclusionary and authoritarian traps. We welcome papers that address how governments and urban policy actors respond to these important societal changes, especially along the dimensions of gender, race, ethnicity, and class. Papers that explore the importance of identity, place making, intergovernmental relations, and emerging social movements on local decision-making are invited. Proposals that explore the political economy of cities and regions in countries that have seen a retraction, both politically and economically, from national governments are also welcomed.

 

We are especially interested in papers and panels that utilize novel methodologies or employ innovative qualitative or quantitative techniques. Also in keeping with this year’s theme, we encourage papers that spark engagement, in innovative ways, across disciplinary boundaries. The Section will accept proposals for cohesive panels, roundtables, author-meets-critics, or short courses. For those submitting complete panels, roundtables or author-meets-critics proposals, please be sure to submit a chair and at least one discussant for all panel proposals and where possible highlight how the proposed session connects with the theme of promoting pluralism.

Division Chair(s): Nandini Deo, Lehigh University and Eileen McDonagh, Northeastern University

The Women and Politics Research Section invites proposals engaging themes of women, sex, gender, intersectionality, and sexuality. We are especially interested in proposals on this year’s conference theme of “Promoting Pluralism”. Gender scholars have a long history of engaging in the kind of interdisciplinary and methodologically innovative work this year’s theme highlights. Proposals that show how using a feminist perspective leads to re-visioning conventional theories and methods in political science are welcomed. Similarly, papers and panels that bring together scholars working on a particular theme across subfields can show how theoretical pluralism advances our knowledge. For instance, scholars in American politics, Comparative, and IR may collectively consider how race and gender intersect with nationalism. Or scholars may interrogate how the responses to the pandemic are shaped by sex and gender among leaders and the citizenry. Panels that feature methodological pluralism may explore how varied methods generate new insights into how women shape and are shaped by politics. We invite papers that critically examine the category of sex and gender and how they intersect with race, sexuality, ethnicity, national identity, physical and intellectual ability, family status, and other identities. Papers need not directly engage the conference theme; we welcome the full range of original contributions, especially those that could be part of an Emerging Scholars Symposium. APSA now offers a variety of panel formats and we welcome proposals for Roundtables, Teaching, Outreach, and Research Cafes, Workshops and the traditional Full Panels. Panel proposals that feature scholarship from a wide range of institutional locations and by scholars at varied stages of their career will receive strong consideration. Please highlight the pluralism of your participants in your proposal. We ask that all faculty members submitting proposals also volunteer to serve either as panel chairs or as discussants. You are encouraged to submit proposals to a second APSA section so that we have the opportunity to co-sponsor panels.

Division Chair(s): Angela K. Lewis-Maddox, University of Alabama at Birmingham and Bernard Fraga, Emory University

The APSA Section on Race, Ethnicity, and Politics (REP) invites proposals for the 2021 APSA Annual Meeting, whose theme is “Promoting Pluralism.” As our diverse communities continue to face crises on several fronts, we must reconsider our role as scholars and students of race and ethnicity: What is the purpose of the work we do? Are we conducting research for research sake or do we truly want to answer tough questions about contemporary politics, governance, and how systems of power interact with our multifaceted identities? As political scientists, do we want to improve the lives of those we study, or do we simply want to carry on with business as usual?

We seek proposals that not only broaden our understanding of racial/ethnic identities and the lived experiences of racial/ethnic groups in politics, but also actively engage and empower underrepresented, subjugated, and colonized peoples through a variety of methods, approaches, and frameworks. We encourage question-forward research projects that foster intellectual dialogue and debate within and across fields and disciplinary traditions, but with an eye toward promoting a more pluralistic vision of real-world politics as well. Thus, in addition to seeking projects employing novel quantitative approaches, we strongly encourage proposals from scholars employing qualitative and normative methodologies and frameworks  to study race, ethnicity, and politics. Again calling to mind the theme of “Promoting Pluralism,” we invite political theorists, comparativists, and women and politics scholars, especially those focusing on Black women and intersectionality, to submit proposals to the REP section.

We encourage both paper submissions and organized panel submissions. Panel submissions must include at least four papers, a discussant and a panel chair. Where appropriate, the program co-chairs may add papers to these panels. Scholars may also submit workshop, roundtable, and author meets critics proposals. Given the multidisciplinary nature of race, ethnicity, and politics, we actively seek opportunities to co-sponsor with other divisions as well.

Division Chair(s): Rebecca Glazier, University of Arkansas at Little Rock and Amanda Friesen, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis

In line with the 2021 APSA Conference Theme “Promoting Pluralism,” the Religion and Politics Section invites submissions of papers, panels, posters, roundtables, theme panels, and other innovative ways of engaging with the discipline at the 2021 annual conference, within APSA guidelines. We encourage submissions to embrace a broad definition of pluralism and to demonstrate the inclusion and innovation of our field. In particular, division organizers look forward to reading submissions from a variety of methodological approaches, addressing diverse faith traditions and world regions, and from new directions in Religion and Politics research. Given the global circumstances at the time this call is issued, we would also encourage submitters to consider the ways in which their research might speak to the current moment, particularly how research on religion and politics might inform conversations about racial and social justice and beliefs and behaviors around the Covid-19 pandemic. We encourage scholars to think across disciplines, fields, and paradigms in making their submissions and are committed to creating panels that are inclusive of gender identity, race and ethnicity, academic position/rank, and type of institution

Division Chair(s): Jack Santucci, Drexel University and Heather Stoll, University of California, Santa Barbara

The Representation and Electoral Systems section welcomes proposals on a wide array of topics relating to the roles and effects of electoral rules, and how they shape patterns of representation. We welcome both single-case studies and comparative work, and work taking different methodological approaches to studying representation and electoral systems (e.g., historical, observational, and experimental). We particularly welcome paper proposals that speak to the theme of this year’s conference. Specifically, we encourage proposals that embrace pluralism in its many and varied forms: work that bridges disciplines, methodologies, sub-fields, and literatures; work that studies the inclusiveness and representativeness of democratic institutions; work that zooms in on the ways in which women and minorities can gain better representation; and work that speaks to the broader public in attempting to tie representation and electoral institutions to today’s pressing transformations and issues.

Division Chair(s): Thomas Holyoke, California State University, Fresno and Sultan Tepe, University of Illinois at Chicago

The Political Organizations and Parties (POP) section invites proposals for papers, panels, roundtables, and alternative formats on topics related to political parties and organizations, including interest groups and social movements. The section is well-placed to offer important insights related to the 2021 conference theme, Promoting Pluralism, which has been a critical topic to POP section scholars for decades. POP seeks to engage the ongoing political, economic, and social transformations across the globe and establish constructive links across epistemologically and methodologically distinct political science fields. Paper submissions might take up issues such as the role of political organizations and parties in addressing the new challenges facing democratic norms, governing institutions, and participation in a political environment marked by unprecedented shifts. Authors may consider tackling a range of questions from how political organizations and parties can strengthen (or threaten) democratic practices and the changing role of interest groups, social movements, and parties in organizing and giving voice to the marginalized groups in nations with representative governments and in those where the political systems are more authoritarian. The POP section welcomes research on a range of contexts connected to parties and organizations, such as elections, legislatures, and policy-making institutions at the sub-national, national, and supranational levels, in which political organizations and parties engage. Scholars are encouraged to provide thorough but concise abstracts to improve the quality and cohesiveness of POP panels. We especially welcome panel proposals whose composition reflects the diversity of the discipline.

Division Chair(s): Shane Singh, University of Georgia

The section welcomes proposals on a wide range of topics related to elections and voting behavior, including political participation, electoral choice, electoral polling and forecasting, party influence and competition, and campaigns. (Note that proposals related directly to micro-level foundations and macro-level dynamics of public opinion, surveys and other methods of studying public opinion, and the causes and effects of opinion formation should be directed to Section 37.)

Diverse perspectives and approaches strengthen political science. As such, in keeping with the conference’s theme of “Promoting Pluralism,” proposals that (a) directly engage the related challenges of diversity and (in)equality, (b) bridge subfields or disciplines, (c) examine intra- or interdisciplinary debates, (d) address understudied topics, and/or (e) use unique methods or research designs are encouraged. Proposals may come from any national or comparative perspective and any methodological tradition (e.g., quantitative or qualitative).

In addition to independent paper proposals, the submission of substantively cohesive panel and roundtable proposals that bring together scholars with a variety of backgrounds and perspectives is welcomed.

Division Chair(s): Elizabeth Suhay, American University

The section welcomes proposals for papers that study public opinion from a wide range of perspectives: on micro-level foundations or macro-level dynamics, that are descriptive or causal, from any national or comparative perspective, and that employ quantitative or qualitative methods. (Note that proposals focused on campaigns, elections, and political participation should be directed to Section 36.)

Diverse perspectives and approaches strengthen political science. As such, in keeping with the conference’s theme of “Promoting Pluralism,” we encourage proposals that (a) directly engage the related challenges of diversity and (in)equality, (b) bridge subfields or disciplines, (c) examine intra- or interdisciplinary debates, (d) address understudied topics, and/or (e) use unique methods or research designs.

In addition to independent paper proposals, we welcome the submission of substantively cohesive panel and roundtable proposals that bring together scholars with a variety of backgrounds and perspectives.

Division Chair(s): Young Mie Kim, University of Wisconsin, Madison

The Political Communication section invites papers, panels, and roundtable submissions for the 2021 APSA conference. With APSA’s goals of increasing diversity, inclusion and access through profession, we especially welcome diversity of theoretical and methodological approaches and interdisciplinary work from scholars with a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds. We encourage to submit proposals addressing the theme of the 2021 APSA, Promoting Pluralism. Political communication scholars can provide insight into investigations related to the threats and stresses experienced by democracies worldwide, the importance of diversity as a strength of democratic performance, the limits to achieving equity and inclusivity in heterogeneous publics throughout the globe, and their implications for the resilience of democratic institutions. Proposals may engage with, but are not limited to, questions such as: How do the media and/or citizenry assist or deter the presence of democratic threats? When do individuals perceive a threat to their position within a democracy, and how do they respond politically? What is the nature of illiberal tactics and practices in political communication, and how have recent changes in the political and media landscape empowered their rise? How have parties and political campaigns harnessed the power of political communication to engage publics that may not embrace equity and diversity? What role does political communication play in disseminating ideas about race, gender, nationality, and sexual orientation that may play a role in facilitating or mitigating democratic threats? Is political communication used to preserve privileges of established groups against economic, cultural, and demographic transformations? Proposals that are theoretically developed and empirically detailed and rigorous will be given preference. Proposals should not exceed one page in length and should clearly state research questions, theoretical structure, methodological approach, and overall implications for the field of political communication.

Division Chair(s): Rob DeLeo, Bentley University

The Science, Technology, and Environmental Politics (STEP) Section welcomes theoretically grounded and methodologically rigorous proposals that contribute to our knowledge of pluralism in the politics of science, technology and the environment. STEP encourages proposals that span disciplinary and sub-disciplinary boundaries and challenge traditional methodological approaches. Proposals that engage scholars from other sections are also strongly encouraged. In investigating this year’s theme, “Promoting Pluralism”, issues related to environmental change, the role of science and values in politics and policy, and the individuals, organizations, and processes at work within these systems are all critical areas of inquiry. For example, we cannot understand the debate over climate change without also analyzing the ways in which organized interests mobilize to support or contest policy alternatives. At the same time, questions of scale, jurisdiction, and the normative dimensions of climate change are equally important for understanding this “Promoting Pluralism,” a testament to differential impacts of climate change across time and space. We encourage submissions that engage with these critical ideas to explore topics, theories, and methods relevant to STEP.

Division Chair(s): Jessica Baldwin-Philippi, Fordham University

The Information Technology & Politics section invites paper, panel and roundtable proposals relating to research on any forms of political activity revolving around, or shaped by, digital media and information technology, broadly construed. We particularly encourage proposals connecting to the APSA 2021 theme, “Promoting Pluralism.” To that end, and per our section’s Action Plan on Racial Justice and Equality, we aim to increase the amount of papers and panels that grapple with the experiences of BIPOC political actors and technology users, as well as those that center more diverse geographies. Theme-related questions that can be addressed by authors in the ITP section include, but are by no means limited to questions like the following: How do digital tools change the ability of social movements or individual actors to document racist violence, give voice to new sets of activists, and ignite protests against police brutality and other forms of social injustice? What is the role of various social media platforms–their policies or their affordances–in encouraging illiberal or anti-democratic modes of participation? How do unique platform features or norms of digital culture impact the ability to do circulate ideas about race, gender, sexuality, nationality, class, and their intersections? How does power operate on minoritized populations within digital platforms in ways that are either new or map onto traditional spheres of domination? What populations, domestic or international, are able to advance or are constrained in their online political actions, and how do those mechanisms work? The section encourages ambitious proposals that tackle under-explored questions based on innovative theoretical backgrounds and appropriate research designs. Ambitious proposals that are simultaneously theoretically developed, empirically detailed, and methodologically robust will be given preference. The section emphasizes methodological pluralism and invites submissions based on a wide variety of social science research methods and multi-disciplinary approaches. 

Division Chair(s): Michelle Kundmueller, Old Dominion University

The Politics, Literature and Film section invites proposals for papers, panels, and roundtables relating to diverse media—literary texts, film, television, and all visual and verbal arts broadly construed. In particular, we encourage submissions related to this year’s APSA theme, “Promoting Pluralism.” By broadening political science with the analysis of texts and media beyond the purview of typical political science discourse, papers, panels, and roundtables in this section bring to bear a creative and imaginative aspect of the methodological breadth sought in this year’s conference. What can literature—a novel, a poem, an autobiography—add to our understanding of political dynamics? How can analysis of visual art—film, television, theater, or performance art—prompt us to better question and capture the enduring and contemporary questions of political life? We welcome equally proposals focused on the meta question of methods for combining the study of politics with literature and film and proposals centered on the political insights to be gleaned therefrom. Please consider submitting proposals to a second APSA section to allow us the possibility of co-sponsoring sessions. 

Division Chair(s): Lucrecia Garcia Lommi, Fairfield University and Jennifer Lawrence

English:
We are delighted to announce the call for papers for the 117th Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association to be held in Seattle, WA from September 29 – October 3, 2021. New Political Science invites you to submit composed panels and papers exploring how the conference theme “Promoting Pluralism” intersects with our mission to make the study of politics relevant to the struggle for a better world. On the premise that pluralism ideally positions political science to address pressing political, economic, and social issues, we encourage submissions that exemplify and reflect on this diversity. In the tradition of New Political Science, we are particularly interested in work that embodies theoretical, epistemological, and methodological pluralism across subfields from underrepresented perspectives. We believe that pluralism in the discipline is also critically indebted to the diverse lived-experiences and perspectives of those who contribute to it, including scholars, activists, and policy-makers. Accordingly, we encourage submissions from individuals of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, nationalities, gender, sexual orientation, and gender expression, as well as diverse career trajectories. In line with the general call, we strongly suggest that panel and paper submissions reflect how pluralism in the discipline might push away from silos as a way of fostering a productive dialogue. Thematically, we especially welcome proposals that examine the role of pluralism in the discipline as a means to address inequality and injustice, challenge narrow understandings of what constitutes valid research, and highlight current challenges to academic pluralism, and incorporate a Global South perspective to the discussion. While New Political Science welcomes proposals that engage the themes and issues described above, any submission that engages with understanding how the study of politics is relevant to the struggle for a better world will be considered. New Political Science is interested in supporting student work and featuring junior scholars’ research. To apply please review the full submission guidelines as outlined by APSA and make sure to select Section 42.

Español:
Nos complace anunciar la convocatoria de ponencias para la 117ª Conferencia Anual de la Asociación Americana de Ciencias Políticas (American Political Science Association, APSA) que se celebrará en Seattle, WA, del 29 de septiembre al 3 de octubre de 2021. New Political Science invita a nominar paneles y artículos individuales que exploren la intersección entre el tema de la conferencia, “Promover el pluralismo”, y nuestra misión de hacer que el estudio de la política sea relevante en la construcción de un mundo mejor. Partiendo de la premisa que la ciencia política se caracteriza por su pluralismo, lo cual posiciona a esta disciplina en una situación ideal para abordar los mas apremiantes desafíos políticos, económicos y sociales contemporáneos, tenemos particular interés en trabajos que ejemplifiquen y reflexionen sobre dicha diversidad. En la tradición de New Political Sciemce, estamos especialmente interesados en proyectos que incorporen el pluralismo teórico, epistemológico y metodológico de la disciplina, en todas sus subáreas, adoptando perspectivas tradicionalmente marginadas. En New Political Science creemos que el pluralismo en la ciencia política está críticamente en deuda con las diversas experiencias de vida y perspectivas de quienes contribuyen a la disciplina, incluyendo académicos, activistas y aquellos responsables de políticas públicas. Por ese motivo, alentamos la postulación de proyectos de personas de diversos orígenes raciales y étnicos, nacionalidades, género, orientación sexual y expresión de género, así como de diversas trayectorias profesionales. En línea con el tema de la conferencia, sugerimos que los paneles y artículos enviados vayan mas allá de los “silos” que existen en la disciplina, fomentando un diálogo productivo entre diversas perspectivas. Temáticamente, estamos particularmente interesados en propuestas que examinen el papel del pluralismo en la disciplina como un medio para abordar instancias de desigualdad e injusticia, desafíen definiciones limitadas de lo que constituye ciencia política “válida”, destaquen los desafíos que el pluralismo académico enfrenta hoy por hoy, y aquellas propuestas que incorporan una perspectiva del Sur Global. Si bien New Political Science favorecerá en su selección a aquellas propuestas que aborden los temas y problemas descritos anteriormente, todo proyecto comprometido a dilucidar cómo el estudio de la política puede contribuir a crear un mundo mejor va a ser considerada. New Political Science está interesada en apoyar el trabajo de los estudiantes y en académicos junior. Para presentar una solicitud, revise las pautas de presentación como se describe en el website de APSA y asegúrese de seleccionar la Sección 42. 

Division Chair(s): Marcos Scauso, Quinnipiac University

The International History and Politics section invites paper and panel proposals that engage in world politics deploying diverse strategies of historically oriented scholarship. We are particularly interested in proposals that analyze how legacies and/or temporally organized processes such as sequences elucidate contemporary puzzles of world politics, which include not only continuities but also alternatives, strategies of resistance, and changes. We also welcome proposals that make use of fine-grained evidence, gleaned from archival materials, oral histories, and close reading of historiographies in the issue area(s) under study, to provide descriptive and/or causal analysis. In keeping with the APSA 2021 program theme, “Promoting Pluralism,” and to recognize the diversity of scholars and perspectives that currently seek to understand the upheavals transforming our worlds, we encourage proposals that not only use historical scholarship but also expand the boundaries of this field of inquiry, innovating in methodologies, methods, questions, theories, and units of analysis. We are interested in scholarship that includes diverse approaches and voices in the study of historical processes and their connections to current issues such as: international isolationism, rising authoritarianism, threats to international democratic institutions, enduring patterns of polarization, politics of pandemics, including COVID-19, rising international tensions and great power competition, and voices of resistance in pursuit of inclusive politics, human rights, environmental justice, anti-racism, and difference.

Division Chair(s): Henry Thomson, Arizona State University

The Democracy & Autocracy (formerly Comparative Democratization) section seeks papers, panels, and other session formats that address fundamental questions regarding the study of democratization, democratic erosion, democracy and autocracy. These questions include, but are not limited to, those pertaining to theoretical discussions of democratization and democracy; the role of institutions, the state, and non-state actors in transitions to and from democracy; authoritarian politics, institutions, and durability; and broader themes pertinent to political change. Considering the APSA 2021 theme of Promoting Pluralism, we especially welcome papers and panels that reach across subfield, methodological and theoretical divides to advance our understanding of democracy and autocracy. The section welcomes work defined by either its theoretical insights (e.g., new definitions of key ideas, formal-theoretical work, theories of regime change) or methodological innovations (e.g., in measurement, estimation) and research on any region or country, including the US. The section especially encourages submissions of organized panels and other session formats that include scholars of diverse backgrounds, ranks, academic institutions, and whose work focuses on different world regions. Please email Henry Thomson (henry.thomson@asu.edu), APSA 2021 Democracy & Autocracy Division Chair, with any questions.

Division Chair(s): Kristen Monroe, University of California, Irvine

The Human Rights section welcomes proposals that address the theme of the 2021 conference: pluralism. A political philosophy widely advocated as the fairest and most effective way to moderate between discrete values, interests and groups in a polity, institutional pluralism is widely touted (James Madison in Federalist Paper #10) as the way to avoid division and conflict when factions attempt to dominate the political system. Pluralism thus carries the hope that civil discussion of conflict will lead to the common good. It encourage citizens to accommodate their differences by avoiding extremism and engaging in good faith dialogue. Pluralists also advocate the construction or reform of social institutions to reflect and balance competing principles and attempts to accommodate the emergence of new interests, groups, and values previously excluded from existing institutions. A consideration of pluralism thus raises a question critical to human rights: Is there an inherent tension between pluralism – with its equal treatment of all groups – and human rights? Should all groups be equally welcomed at the table? Is civility always a good thing? Do we want to subject human rights to the compromise and bargaining of pluralism? To accommodations demanded by groups such as Nazis? We welcome panels that address such questions, as we welcome all panels/papers on human rights. Since the field of Human Rights, and the Human Rights section of the APSA, is interdisciplinary and because we support dialogue with other groups, we encourage constituted panels with diverse topics and composition, as well as proposals amenable to co-sponsorship with other sections. If you believe your panel could be co-sponsored with another section, please indicate this clearly in your proposal.

Division Chair(s): Jessica Rich, Marquette University and Jody LaPorte, Lincoln College Oxford

The Organized Section on Qualitative and Multi-Method Research invites panels, papers, and roundtable submissions on qualitative and mixed methods approaches broadly defined. This call includes conventional methodological topics, as well as associated issues regarding epistemology, ontology, and the philosophy of science. Topics of interest include conceptualization, measurement, causal mechanisms, process tracing, case selection, counterfactuals, comparative historical analysis, comparative area studies, set theoretic approaches and qualitative comparative analysis, archival research, field research and interviews, focus groups, content analysis, data transparency and replication, interpretivism, discourse analysis, and ethnography. The section also welcomes panels, papers, and roundtables that explore the characteristics, strengths, and limitations of multi-method research designs. Submissions may be methodological or substantive; substantive papers should emphasize how they innovatively harness qualitative or mixed methods. In addition, papers that engage the 2021 conference theme, “Promoting Pluralism,” are particularly welcome.

Division Chair(s): Alison Gash, University of Oregon

In keeping with this year’s theme of pluralism, the Sexuality and Politics Section invites proposals representing the theoretical, methodological, geographical and substantive diversity of our subfield. In so many ways, 2020 will be a year that many of us want to forget–but that we will continue to reference and interrogate for years to come. The pandemic, economic collapse and daily assaults on civil rights, democracy and the rule of law are just some of the stressors that have become the “new normal.” For the LGBTQIA community, this year has been particularly bittersweet. Legal battles have at once extended critical legal coverage to LGBTQIA employees while simultaneously providing seismic loopholes for opponents to exploit. Primary season introduced the first serious married gay male presidential contender–but also revealed the ignorance and danger of white cis-male privilege in LGBTQIA politics. Pride became a location for both community-building and racial silencing depending on the region. And, of course, White House and red state attacks on the trans community have continued, despite increasingly public campaigns for trans rights. We want this year’s APSA to provide a space for reflection, critique and reform. Using any theoretical, methodological or substantive tool in your arsenal–identify the losses, gains, moments of promise and indicators of shortcomings that 2020 or 2021 has produced. How are LGBTQIA politics changing with legal and social advancements? Which loopholes have been revealed? Which strategies have worked and which ones need retooling? Which communities have been uplifted and which have been left out? We are looking forward to hosting debates that explore how this current moment has expanded or altered what we know (or thought we knew) about LGBTQIA politics—the history, progress, missteps, missed opportunities and miles yet traveled. We are committed to diversity in all of its many connotations–methodological, disciplinary and substantive. We are especially committed to raising the voices of all of our members, particularly individuals whose identities may be the frequent target of one or multiple forms of exclusion. 

Division Chair(s): Jacqueline Chattopadhyay, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Jonathan Oberlander, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The organized section on Health Politics and Policy invites submissions for the APSA 2021 conference. Proposals may be submitted in the form of individual papers, complete panels of up to four papers, roundtables, and author-meets-critics sessions. In line with the theme of the 2021 Annual Meeting— “Promoting Pluralism”—the section welcomes research that uses quantitative or qualitative methods; that focuses on the United States or on other countries; that studies a range of populations, time periods, and policy venues; and that comes from both established and emerging scholars. In keeping with the theme statement – which emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary and boundary-spanning scholarship – we are particularly interested in proposals that intentionally leverage insights from disparate perspectives to reach new questions, approaches, and ultimately conclusions. We are particularly interested in connecting with our APSA colleagues, and are eager to receive proposals that lend themselves to be “theme” panels. The Health Politics and Policy section has always been interdisciplinary, and this is one of its greatest strengths. This call invites this community to be even more purposeful in cultivating a pluralistic approach to challenging questions at the intersection of health politics and policy. Panels addressing the conference theme are welcome, and could include (but are not restricted to) research on the following kinds of questions: • What factors help explain the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on low-income communities and communities of color both in the United States and globally? • How is attention to long-standing health inequities likely to change due to COVID-19, if at all? Is attention to health inequities in the case of COVID-19 similar to or different from attention to inequities connected to other public health threats, such as climate change? • How do approaches to race comparatively (such as French “color-blind” policymaking) or past US debates around the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid or Medicare ease or intensify health and healthcare disparities? • How does racism structure and impact health politics and policy? • Which, if any, theories of policy choice explain multilateral, national, state, and local political choices and variation in policy? Why do countries learn from, emulate, or ignore each other? • When policymakers make plans to address future crises, what factors determine which lessons are “learned” (or not learned), and why? • How do budgetary pressures in times of crises (nationally or cross-nationally) impact national health systems, elites, and those most in need of help? How did public health or health care influence the 2020 elections in the US and globally either in voter participation, electoral outcomes, public opinion, and/or partisanship? What changes, if any, are likely to persist in the future? • How do public health crises shape public attitudes and tolerance for more or less government intervention in healthcare and other policies? • How are policy responses mediated by the politics, characteristics, or actors within policy sub-sectors such as hospital care and/or long-term care? • What can we learn about how political systems can effectively respond to public health crises like COVID-19 by studying national or sub-national responses to the opioid crisis, or other previous public health challenges in the United States or elsewhere? • What are the emerging politics around the development of a vaccine or treatment for COVID-19? What factors—such as perceptions of safety, past vaccination debates, and political divisions—have shaped or will shape the distribution, cost, and take-up of a vaccine or treatment? The above questions are examples only. The section welcomes proposals that broach a broad range of topics in health politics and health policy, including proposals that do not examine COVID-19.

Division Chair(s): Tamara Small, University of Guelph

The Canadian Politics section invites papers, panels and roundtable proposals from all areas of Canadian politics. We are especially interested in receiving proposals that build upon the APSA 2021 conference’s theme of “Promoting Pluralism” within the Canadian political context. We encourage submitters to consider the ways in which their research might speak to contemporary policy and social issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic, systematic racism, colonialism, climate change and gender and class inequalities. We hope to focus the discussion on political institutions, policies, cultures, communities and movements in Canada at this critical juncture. Methodological and theoretical pluralism is welcomed, as are participants from a diverse range of backgrounds and perspectives.

Division Chair(s): Cassy Dorff, Vanderbilt University

Political actors rarely legislate, govern, or participate independently. Instead, politicians lobby each other to support policies, leaders forge international agreements in coordination with allies, and potential protesters consult their compatriots before deciding whether to march. The political networks section invites proposals that entail research in any substantive domain of political science that explicitly accounts for such interdependence. Specifically, we invite original research that addresses the relationships among a set of units, be they politicians, countries, voters, organizations, political texts, or otherwise. We recognize the importance of a diversity of approaches to research and welcome papers making empirical, theoretical, or purely methodological contributions. We encourage single-paper proposals as well as organized proposals for thematic panels, short courses, workshops, and non-traditional formats.

Division Chair(s): Gwyneth McClendon, New York University and Josh Kertzer , Harvard University

The Experimental Research section invites proposals addressing the use of experimental methods from all subfields of political science. We welcome theoretical, methodological, or empirical proposals. This year’s conference theme—“Promoting Pluralism”—offers scholars an opportunity to present experimental research on a range of pressing topics including identity and race, political participation, discrimination and inclusion, inequality, government accountability, and democratic institutions. We welcome research on these topics and others. We strongly encourage the submission of well-organized panel proposals. In particular, we are interested in panels that: bring together scholars from multiple subfields or career stages; consider a particular substantive area from different regional perspectives; integrate different experimental approaches (survey, field, laboratory) in examining one issue area; include work from scholars at institutions in the Global South; contribute to the debate on the ethics of experimental research; address scholar-policymaker partnerships; or seek to replicate past experimental research. Scholars are also welcome to submit individual paper proposals, and other formats (e.g., roundtable, semi-structured debates, short courses).

Division Chair(s): Michael Sullivan, St. Mary’s University and Monica Varsanyi, The Graduate Center, CUNY

Pluralism, multiculturalism, and the incorporation of diverse constituencies are among the main concerns of migration and citizenship researchers. This conference’s focus on pluralism speaks directly to the need for states to
foster inclusion and to respect diversity through their immigration and citizenship policies. The dynamics of the migration process in the face of exclusionary policies present fresh challenges for research pertaining to relations between states and among migrants, governments, and non-state actors. Where states and regimes stand in the way of pluralism and inclusion, it also points to the need for citizens, activists, and social movements to respond to
exclusionary policies through protests and litigation. 

Key themes that are relevant in the current political context include detention and enforcement, especially that of vulnerable populations such as children. Another theme of current relevance are the public health needs of a diverse and vulnerable population, and the extent to which migrants and other marginalized members of society have suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Moreover, the closure of borders between states in response to the pandemic and new forms of exclusion of asylum seekers, international students, and new immigrants
points to a threat to pluralism of concern to scholars of migration and citizenship.  Scholars may also be
exploring the forces of destabilization that create the drivers of migration, including insecurity, corruption, and social unrest. With the closure of borders around the world, the uncertain fate of refugees and asylum seekers and
shifting state strategies to manage these flows, become a central concern of migration scholarship. Finally, given the rise of extreme right wing and populist parties globally, researchers may present papers on the criminalization, stigmatization, and exploitation of migrants once they arrive
in host societies, or in transit locations.

Aside from these empirical concerns, political theorists working in this space may present fresh research on who comprises “the people” in a democratic system, how difference, in part motivated by migration status, is navigated theoretically and the potential as well as challenges this presents.
Furthermore, the emergence of migration in response to human security threats such as the recent pandemic and climate change create fresh theoretical challenges for understanding of belonging.

We welcome individual paper proposals as well as well-organized panel proposals with a view toward broad inclusion of participants at different career ranks, and with a prioritization of diversity in all its forms. We also
welcome interdisciplinary research on migration and citizenship.

Division Chair(s): Alice Kang, University of Nebraska, Lincoln and Josef Woldense, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

The African Politics Division invites individual paper, panel, and roundtable proposals for the 2021 American Political Science Association Meeting. In line with the theme, “Promoting Pluralism,” we welcome proposals that examine a range of substantive questions, and we seek to help build a program that reflects the intellectual pluralism of methodologies and methods in our field. Substantive questions may address democratic and authoritarian politics, political economy, economic inequality, political behavior, populism, and gender and sexuality. Specific areas of interest include but are not limited to the politics of disease and health; insecurity and terrorism; climate change and sustainability; and the international exploitation of land, oil, and other resources on the continent. Diverse approaches and interdisciplinarity is important and welcomed. We encourage submissions from individuals from underrepresented groups in political science, including African scholars and scholars of color. We also encourage panel submissions that have a diverse composition of scholars by race, nationality, gender, seniority, and/or location.

Division Chair(s): Jeffrey Friedman, University of California, Berkeley

The aim of the Ideas, Knowledge, and Politics (IKP) division is to promote research and dialogue on the nature and significance of ideas, beliefs, and knowledge in political action. Thus, we welcome submissions from any subdiscipline that seek to investigate, empirically, or evaluate, normatively, the sources and/or accuracy/inaccuracy of political actors’ beliefs, the causal significance of political beliefs for political action, or the empirical conditions that may lead political actors to update these beliefs (accurately or inaccurately). Alternatively, submissions might critically investigate the epistemological problems faced by empirical and normative researchers when exploring, describing, and evaluating political actors’ beliefs. For 2021, in line with the program’s theme, we particularly encourage submissions on diversity among political actors’ beliefs and among political scientists’ approaches to investigating them; or methodological reflections on the ability of such approaches as survey research or ethnography to capture political actors’ beliefs. As one of the IKP’s key objectives is to promote interdisciplinary cross-fertilization, panel and roundtable proposals that include both normative theorists and empirical researchers will be especially welcome.

Division Chair(s): Adam Seth Levine, Johns Hopkins University

The Section on Class and Inequality supports scholars of politics who study the political causes and consequences of economic inequality, social class stratification, and mobility and opportunity. Founded in response to concerns about democratic legitimacy and responsiveness in the context of rising inequality around the world, the Section welcomes papers from every disciplinary and methodological perspective that deal with these important and timely issues. For 2021, we especially welcome proposals that speak directly to the conference theme of pluralism, and in particular its call for greater engagement between scholars, themes, approaches, and perspectives that may not typically be in conversation with one another. Also along these lines we especially welcome proposals that entail direct engagement and/or collaboration with non-academics, as they too bring a diverse knowledge base and lived experience to many of the issues at the heart of the Section.

Division Chair(s): Alan Gibson, California State University, Chico and Elizabeth Beaumont, University of California, Santa Cruz

The American Political Thought division invites proposals for individual papers and panels that support the 2021 conference theme “Promoting Pluralism,” a theme that embraces scholars’ methodological pluralism as well as their diversity in terms of racial and ethnic background, nationality, gender, sexuality, gender expression, institutional affiliation, and professional career stage. All of these dimensions of pluralism and diversity can contribute to a more robust and complex understanding of the foundations and development of American ideas and institutions, our present reality, and possible futures as a nation.  We are eager to foster conversations regarding American Political Thought in historical and contemporary eras, in relation to other fields, and through different methodological and intellectual approaches. We particularly welcome work that considers how American Political Thought relates to major issues of this moment — a moment beset by a sense of liberal democratic crisis, fracturing political cohesion and legitimacy, and need to grapple with the ambivalences and dark elements of American ideas and practices regarding racial violence and inequality. To that end, we encourage submissions on topics such as the complexities of slavery and racism; American civic identity and citizenship and challenges of inclusion; democracy and inequality in America; constitutional culture and conflicts; contests over free speech, political debate, and silencing; constituting and expanding the canon of American Political Thought; and relations between American Political Thought, development, and institutions in the U.S. and beyond. In the spirit of “Promoting Pluralism,” we are especially eager to invite and create panels featuring both strong intellectual coherence and participants from a diverse range of career stages, institutions, backgrounds, and intellectual approaches and perspectives. We also encourage joint panels linked to other divisions and sections. Chairs reserve the right to add new members to proposed panels.  

Division Chair(s): Elizabeth Nugent, Yale University and Stacey Yadav, Hobart and William Smith Colleges

2021 marks ten years since the ‘Arab Spring’ uprisings, a rupture in the status quo that created new opportunities and new restrictions for the practice and academic study of politics alike. The immediate aftermath of the uprisings produced a moment of significant liberalization in many places, accompanied by access to new populations and data. Elsewhere, violence and authoritarian retrenchment shifted research questions and strategies. Working to adapt quickly, scholars of regional politics made important interventions on the ethics of conducting research under conditions of contention and violence. This work was made all the more pressing by an overt politicization and policing of scholarship itself across the region. More recently, shifting local and international dynamics, geopolitics, and a global pandemic have created even more disruption, challenging scholars’ accessibility to the field and necessitating creative and adaptable forms of data collection. It is with this in mind that the Middle East and North Africa Politics section welcomes submissions that engage with the 2021’s central theme of “Promoting Pluralism.” We seek proposals that engage with the politics and political science of the last decade as well as with the concept of pluralism defined broadly — as a topic of inquiry as well as in methodological approaches, cases, and perspectives of scholars. We especially welcome proposals addressing the following questions related to continuity and change with respect to political pluralism in the Middle East and North Africa since the 2010-2011 uprisings: in what ways and through what mechanisms has the instability following the uprisings pushed regimes and the societies they govern to become more (or less) inclusive in political, social, and economic spheres? Where and how do activists continue to push and achieve change around the margins since the uprisings? How do every day behaviors and practices performed by apolitical, non-combatant, or non-revolutionary actors produce or undermine pluralism? How have new technologies challenged or expanded pluralism in political representation? Relatedly, how have new technologies forced scholars to think differently about political science methodologies and what constitutes the “field” and “fieldwork”?

Division Chair(s): Jeffrey Kraus, Wagner College and Leah Murray, Weber State University

The Civic Engagement Section is a recently established Division at the APSA meeting, but the field has for some time added to the discipline’s understanding of how people are introduced into our political systems. As such, scholars of this work have always transcended the more traditional frontiers of political science. If the political science of tomorrow requires that scholars be in conversation with each other and the broader public, the Civic Engagement subfield is positioned best to understand how to make that possible. We invite our scholars to submit panels, roundtables and papers that cross methodological boundaries, that break down subfield siloes, and that promote the engaged problem solving we need for our messy political future.

Division Chair(s): Agustina Paglayan, University of California, San Diego and Leslie Finger, University of North Texas

In keeping with the 2021 Annual Meeting’s goal to recognize and promote the pluralism that exists in our discipline, the APSA Education Politics and Policy Section seeks papers or panels that use a wide variety of methodologies to study the political causes or consequences of education. We welcome papers or panels that study the role that education systems play in shaping pluralism, how pluralism shapes education policies, or other aspects of the politics of education. Generally, papers should speak to larger political science issues beyond education. We welcome proposals on any country or region.

Chairs: Patrick McKinlay, Morningside College and Tavishi Bhasin, Kennesaw State University

The fourth “TLC at APSA,” the teaching and learning conference-within-a-conference, will take place Saturday, October 2nd, 2021, in Seattle, WA as part of the APSA Annual Meeting. This full-day event seeks to promote the scholarship of teaching and learning, equip faculty with new techniques and resources for teaching, and enhance the role of teaching in the discipline of political science. Please join us for this gathering, which will provide a highly interactive forum for scholars to share innovative tools for political science education and research on the scholarship of teaching and learning. In keeping with the overall Annual Meeting theme of “Promoting Pluralism,” this year’s TLC at APSA theme is “Teaching Pluralism through Political Science Education.” We perceive pluralism, in the widest possible way, to represent a diversity of ideas, experiences and identities. Teaching pluralism builds classrooms and environments that encourage students to develop a deeper understanding along with tolerance of diverse ideological thought. It looks to create communities inclusive of experiences across the spectrum of human abilities, gender identities and sexual orientations. It makes space for the identities and aspirations of members of varied ethnic, religious and linguistic communities. We are particularly interested in proposals that explore the ways in which we teach and model the principles of pluralism for the 21st century. 

There will be two presentation formats: paper presentations and workshops. Papers will be presented in one of four track working groups: 

• Civic Engagement Education

• Simulations & Games

• Technology and Innovative Pedagogy in the Classroom

• Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Classroom

While the four groups reflect previous TLC tracks, the intent is for all four to emphasize the plurality of voices across polities and learning settings as well as innovations that foster and augment inclusion of diverse voices to stimulate student learning and discovery.

Paper proposals are welcome on a variety of topics, including innovative pedagogical methods and techniques, assessment, experiential learning, simulations, curriculum development, deliberation in the physical classroom and online as well as in community engaged pedagogies, the impact and influence of diversity and difference(s) on inclusive instruction, and more. Accepted papers will be presented in a working group “track session” format similar to the APSA Teaching and Learning Conference.

Workshops should be designed to be highly interactive and provide hands-on experience, demonstrating a learning tool or technique that participants could immediately implement in the classroom. Workshops are 90 minutes and examples include: creating campus-wide civic engagement initiatives, using in-class debate to enhance student learning, and techniques for discussing difficult issues in the classroom. 

We invite proposals from all educators who teach political science and related subjects—university and college faculty, administrators, high school teachers, graduate students, research scholars, and others. We especially encourage proposals from community college faculty who play a key role in promoting pluralism. All participants will need to register for the 2021 APSA Annual Meeting in order to attend.