IPSA NEWSLETTER – April 2026

The IPSA–AAPS Africa Online Workshop Series (AOWS) is a new initiative designed to support graduate students and junior scholars at Africa-based institutions. The program offers mentoring, skills development and networking opportunities, with a focus on strengthening research design, academic writing, and professional development. Applications for the 2026 edition of the program will be open from 8 June to 9 July 2026. 

The Call for Proposals for IPSA's Regional Conference on the theme Resilience of Democracy in a Polarized World: Populism, Autocratization, and Global Challenges, is open until 13 May 2026. The regional conference will take place from 14–16 October 2026 in Wrocław, Poland. We welcome paper and panel proposals that examine democratic resilience, erosion, and transformation from theoretical, empirical, and comparative perspectives. 

The Call for Papers for the second edition of IPSA's online Work-in-Progress Sessions (WiPS) is open until 6 May 2026. The Work-in-Progress Sessions (13–19 July 2026) aim to establish a series of interactive workshops where individual IPSA members can present and engage in in-depth discussions about their research with like-minded colleagues who share similar interests.

IPSA has developed Journal Guidelines on Generative AI Usage for Submitted Manuscripts, approved at its 151st Executive Committee meeting held in Rome on 17–18 April 2026. The IPSA Journal Guidelines require authors to clearly disclose any use of generative AI in their manuscripts. 

Submissions are now open for IPSA's new journal, Governance Review, to be published by Sage in January 2027. The journal's website is accepting manuscript submissions, and we warmly invite political scientists to contribute their work. Detailed submission guidelines are available on the website.

The March 2026 issue of the International Political Science Review (Volume 47, Number 2) features many current issues dominating world politics. IPSA members can access the full IPSR archive dating back to 1980 through the MyIPSA menu.

IPSA was present at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the Political Studies Association (PSA UK), held in Oxford from 30 March to 1 April 2026. As part of the program, IPSA organized a roundtable discussion on academic freedom, chaired by IPSA Executive Committee member Indrajit Roy, who also serves as Chair of the IPSA Committee on Academic Freedom and Ethics.

IPSA was present at the International Studies Association (ISA) 2026 Annual Convention in Columbus, USA. The 67th edition of the convention took place from 22 to 25 March 2026 under the theme Back to the Fundamentals: Rethinking Knowledges, Practices, and Imaginaries of the World. IPSA was represented at the #ISA2026 by Executive Committee member John Ishiyama and Eduardo da Nóbrega Monteiro from the Secretariat. 

Applications are now open for the 2026 IPSA-Concordia Summer Institute in Applied Diplomacy, which will be held in Montréal, Canada, and virtually from 17 to 27 August 2026. We invite graduate students, early-career researchers, and professionals to participate in this year's edition.

The 15th Annual IPSA-NUS Summer School for Social Science Research Methods will be held at the National University of Singapore from 29 June to 3 July 2026. All classes will be offered in person on the NUS campus. For the latest details on the Methods School courses, instructors, financial assistance, and registration discounts, please visit the school website.