The proposal submission system is CLOSED.
Find the submission options for the 2026 APSA Annual Meeting below. The deadline to submit a proposal was Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific.
INDIVIDUAL SUBMISSION OPTIONS
Individual Paper: An individual paper submission from an author (or authors) that, if accepted, may be placed in any session type at the division chair’s discretion. Abstracts are limited to 5,000 characters.
Associated Roles: Author, Non-Presenting Co-Author
30-Minute Paper Presentation: An individual paper submission considered for inclusion in a Featured Paper Panel. This format allows scholars to present their work in greater depth and includes a dedicated discussant who, with fewer papers to review, can focus more fully on each presentation. Abstracts are limited to 5,000 characters.
Associated Roles: Author, Non-Presenting Co-Author
iPoster Presentation: An individual paper submission presented during an onsite poster session and featured in the online poster gallery. iPosters are displayed at interactive kiosks in the Exhibit Hall during the Annual Meeting and remain accessible before and after the event, giving presenters more time to share their research, receive feedback, and engage with attendees. Through the online gallery, attendees can comment directly on posters or schedule meetings with presenters during the conference. Abstracts are limited to 5,000 characters.
Associated Roles: Author, Non-Presenting Co-Author
Emerging Scholars Symposium: Presenters have five minutes to share their research, followed by five minutes of feedback or Q&A. This format’s structured framework helps emerging scholars practice concise, effective presentation skills and engage in discussion at the world’s largest political science meeting. The Symposium coincides with Saturday events such as the Graduate School Information Fair and Graduate Student Happy Hour.
Associated Roles: Author, Non-Presenting Co-Author
The Symposium’s three individual submission categories are:
- Research Design: Presenters discuss their research design and logistics for five minutes, followed by five minutes of feedback.
- Research in Five (Undergraduate Students): Presenters use five slides for a five-minute presentation of their research, followed by five minutes of feedback or audience Q&A. Panels are held Saturday morning so undergraduates can attend the Graduate School Information Fair later that day. Participants must list a faculty advisor or mentor and complete one practice presentation at their home institution.
- Research in Five (Graduate Students): Presenters use five slides for a five-minute presentation of their research, followed by five minutes of feedback or audience Q&A.
FULL SESSION SUBMISSIONS
Full Paper Panel (90 minutes): A fully formed session submission that includes all paper and participant details, including all paper titles, abstracts, authors, and roles. Panels may include up to (but no more than) five papers, one or two discussants, and one chair. All participants must confirm their willingness to take part if selected. Division chairs may also construct panels from submitted individual papers.
Associated Roles: Author, Non-Presenting Co-Author, Chair, Discussant
Roundtable (90 minutes): Roundtables are discussion-based sessions where participants debate a shared topic. These submissions require a session title and full participant list (up to eight people). All participants must confirm their participation if selected.
Associated Roles: Presenter, Chair
Author Meets Critics (90 minutes): Similar to a roundtable, but focused on discussion of a published or forthcoming work. Organizers are encouraged to include works in progress or recent journal articles. Sessions may open with a brief author presentation followed by a panel of critics offering feedback and discussion.
Associated Roles: Presenter, Chair
Café (90 minutes): A discussion-based session organized around small topic clusters, each with a moderator. Participants share strategies for public engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, or other outreach to unique audiences.
Associated Roles: Presenter, Chair
Featured Paper Panel: 30-Minute Paper Presentations (90 minutes: 3 papers at 30 minutes each): Designed to give authors additional time to share their research and receive in-depth feedback, this format features three 30-minute paper presentations, each with its own discussant and a single chair guiding the session. These panels often follow the “Brookings format,” in which the discussant presents and comments on the paper, followed by a response from the author.
Associated Roles: Author, Non-Presenting Co-Author, Chair, Discussant
Lightning Rounds (90 minutes): In addition to those organized for Graduate Student Research, Undergraduate Student Research, and Research Design, lightning round sessions may also be submitted to or developed by divisions and related groups. This format follows the PechaKucha style, with each author presenting for five minutes, followed by five minutes of feedback or Q&A. Each session typically includes eight authors, two discussants, and one chair.
Associated Roles: Chair, Author, Non-Presenting Co-Author, Discussant
Mini-Conference (Full Day: 8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.): A full day of programming devoted to a specific theme or project, often organized around a broader, more cohesive goal than traditional panels, such as an edited volume or an omnibus dataset. Mini-conferences may include multiple session formats. Submissions must include a title, description, agenda, and participant list. If accepted, the division chair will construct the sessions accordingly.
Associated Roles: Presenter, Chair, Author, Non-Presenting Co-Author, Discussant
Theme Panel (90 minutes): Theme panels may be submitted directly during the Call for Proposals or elevated by division chairs. The program co-chairs review all theme panel submissions and select the sessions that best reflect the 2026 meeting theme, “Democracy Under Threat: How to Understand, Protect, and Rebuild.”
Associated Roles: Presenter, Chair, Author, Non-Presenting Co-Author, Discussant
Wednesday Pre-Conference Short Course (Half or Full Day): Pre-conference short courses will take place on Wednesday, September 2, 2026. These short courses provide diverse opportunities for professional development and scholarly exchange. These courses are typically sponsored by APSA Organized Sections or affiliated organizations and do not count toward a division or related group’s allocation.
Associated Roles: Presenter, Chair
Workshop (4 hours): These sessions offer hands-on, interactive learning experiences, often focused on professional development or specialized subfields. Workshop proposals should incorporate active learning approaches and clearly outline the session’s goals, structure, and intended learning outcomes.
Associated Roles: Presenter, Chair