2026 Partner Association Calls

Association Contact: Khemvirg Puente, UNAM – khemvirg@unam.mx

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Association Contact: Oded Haklai, Queen’s University – haklai@queensu.ca

The Association for Israel Studies (AIS) invites proposals on the theme of “Democracy Under Threat: How to Understand, Protect, and Rebuild,” as it relates to Israel. The 2026 APSA conference’s theme statement focuses on three questions in particular: “How do we understand the global crisis of democracy we face today? How do societies claw back democratic rights and practices when these come under assault? And how should we rebuild democratic institutions, norms, and practices?” These three questions have become highly pertinent in relation to Israel in recent years, and we invite proposals that deal with them in the context of the Israeli case. We encourage proposals that examine Israel as a case study as well as proposals that look at Israel in comparative perspective. We understand these questions broadly and will consider proposals that link the democratic crisis to other themes, including nationalism, conflict, ethnicity, and territoriality.

Association Contact: Florian Bieber, University of Graz, Austria – florian.bieber@uni-graz.at

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Association Contact: Yumin Sheng, Wayne State University – yumin.sheng@wayne.edu

We invite submissions of original research papers that examine contemporary issues in Chinese politics and foreign relations. This call aims to bring together scholars, researchers, and students to explore the internal dynamics of the Chinese political system alongside the country’s evolving role in the international arena. As China increasingly influences global affairs through its economic, diplomatic, and military strategies, there is a pressing need for nuanced analyses that draw from political science, international relations, history, sociology, and related fields.

Papers may cover a wide array of topics, including but not limited to: the structure and transformation of Chinese governance, the role of the Chinese Communist Party, elite politics, state-society relations, political reform and resilience, nationalism, and ideological discourse. We also welcome research that focuses on China’s foreign policy behavior, strategic priorities, and both regional and global engagements. This encompasses studies on China’s bilateral and multilateral relations, its participation in international organizations, its role in the Global South, security and maritime issues, and its response to great power competition.

We particularly encourage work that connects domestic political developments with China’s external behavior, offers comparative perspectives, or engages with theoretical debates in political science and international relations. Both empirical and conceptual contributions are welcome.

Association Contact: Luciana CF Santana, ABCP – lucianasantana@ics.ufal.br

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Association Contact: Miro Hacek, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia – miro.hacek@fdv.uni-lj.si

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Association Contact: TBA

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Association Contact: Erik Jones, European University Institute – erik.jones@eui.eu

“Democracy under Threat or in Renewal? Reflections on the Italian Case”

The Conference Group on Italian Politics and Society (CONGRIPS) calls for proposals aligned with APSA’s general theme for the 2026 Annual Meeting to focus on ‘democracy under threat’. We have paraphrased the theme statement to focus on the Italian case, where the threat to democracy from rightwing extremism seems to have faded as Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing coalition has held onto power. The challenge is identify the normalization of right-wing extremism in terms of left-right politics without engaging in the normalization of extremist rhetoric, policies, or threats to democratic institutions.

CONGRIPS is especially interested in papers that address issues relevant to the political debate in Italy – ranging from populism, extremism, and electoral volatility to the role of the judiciary, the strengthening of the executive, and the devolution of political authority. We are also interested in papers that explore the relationship between informal institutions and democratic performance. And we seek contributions that reflect on the power of disinformation and identity politics.

Papers may be theoretical or empirical in nature, focus on Italy alone or highlight Italy in comparative or international perspective. We welcome interdisciplinarity and are eager to see a diversity of approaches.

Applications should be submitted via the normal APSA submission portal, identifying the Conference Group on Italian Politics and Society as the first group to consider the proposal. We recommend identifying European Politics and Society as a second group for consideration.

Informal inquiries can be made to the CONGRIPS program chair, Erik Jones (erik.jones@eui.eu).

Association Contact: David Walsh, Catholic University of America – walshd@cua.edu

The Eric Voegelin Society, for its 42nd annual international meeting in 2026, to be held as part of the APSA Annual Meeting, invites papers in the general field of political philosophy with particular attention to the work of Eric Voegelin and the broad range of interdisciplinary and comparative concerns reflected in his scholarship. This includes: resistance to tyranny, classical philosophy, Christian thought, philosophy of history, the interface of religion and politics including radical Islam, modernity, post-modern thought, terrorism, ideological politics with its authoritarian and totalitarian manifestations, and contemporary challenges (both foreign and domestic) to liberty, free government, rule of law, the integrity of the American constitutional order and federal system including liberty, individual rights, and the tradition of Anglo-American
constitutionalism–all prominent interests of the Society.

Send a 200 word summary with any proposal, a title, author’s name, affiliation, and Email address. Please use a Word document for easy editing.

Association Contact: Rebecca Gethen, ECPR – rgethen@ecpr.eu

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Association Contact: Rory Smist, The Federalist Society – rory.smist@fed-soc.org

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Association Contact: Amy Mazur, Washington State University – mazur@wsu.edu

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Association Contact: Amy Mazur, Washington State University – mazur@wsu.edu

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Association Contact: Adam Howard, International Churchill Society – ahoward@winstonchurchill.org

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Association Contact: Mathieu St-Laurent, International Political Science Association – mathieu.stlaurent@ipsa.org

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Association Contact: Tobias Hofmann, Free University of Berlin – hofmannt@gmail.com

The International Political Science Association’s Research Committee on Concepts and Methods (RC01) invites proposals for roundtables, full paper panels, as well as individual papers from across the entire spectrum of political science research methods. We welcome theoretical and applied contributions, quantitative and qualitative scholarship, observational and experimental work, and especially innovative panel or roundtable proposals that address issues related to the 2026 “Democracy under Threat: How to Understand, Protect, and Rebuild” meeting theme and bring together conceptually and methodologically diverse authors and approaches.

Association Contact: Karina Kosiara-Pedersen, University of Copenhagen – kp@ifs.ku.dk

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Association Contact: Giulio Gallarotti, Wesleyan University – ggallarotti@wesleyan.edu

“What Is the Future of Political Power?”

There has recently been a seismic shift in political power, both inside and across nations. Within the nations, political power seems to have shifted to the right, with the rise of a cadre of authoritarian leaders that have rolled back democratic practices in institutions. At the international level, the locus of power seems to be shifting to the east with the rise of China. Moreover, military power has acquired a greater roll as a means of statecraft, with the invasion of Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East. This panel invites papers that bear upon how political power will manifest itself in the future.

Association Contact: Philippe Zittoun, Secretary-General – contact@ippa-pp.org

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Association Contact: Michelle Doyle Wildman, Political Studies Association – michelle.doylewildman@psa.ac.uk

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Association Contact: Michele Crepaz, Queen’s University Belfast – m.crepaz@qub.ac.uk

The PSAI as a partner association to APSA seeks to address the conference themes of understanding the crisis of democracy, protecting democracy, and reimagining democracy as part of its theme statement for our panel at the 2026 APSA conference. The PSAI recognises the importance of and welcomes diversity of approach and interdisciplinarity from a wide-ranging collection of researchers.

Association Contact: Kenneth Grasso, Texas State University – kg03@txstate.edu

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Association Contact: Alixandra Yanus, High Point University – ayanus@highpoint.edu

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