1950
IPSA and International Sociological Association jointly held the first World Congress of Sociology and Political Science in Zurich, Switzerland from 4-9 September 1950. This historic event drew the participation of 81 political scientists who shared their research findings. The Swiss Local Organizing Committee, led by Jean-Rodolphe de Salis, identified three main themes: (1) Minimal Conditions for an Effective and Permanent Union of States; (2) the Influence of Electoral Systems on Political Life; and (3) the Role of the Citizen in a Planned Society.
The comprehensive account of the 1950 IPSA World Congress of Political Science was published in UNESCO’s International Bulletin of Social Sciences (Volume III, 1951, no 2, pages 297-423).
IPSA and the International Social Science Council (ISSC)
Similar to IPSA, the International Social Science Council (ISSC) originated in the post-World War II era with a focus on utilizing the social sciences to address societal issues. The idea for ISSC’s establishment was proposed at the 1950 World Congress, which advocated for the creation of an International Council for Social Research. Following a resolution by the 6th General Conference of UNESCO in 1951, the ISSC was formally founded, and its constitutive General Assembly took place in October 1952. During this process, IPSA was among the few associations responsible for nominating candidates for the ISSC. The ISSC merged with the International Council for Science (ICSU) in 2018 to form the International Science Council (ISC), creating a unified global council for all the sciences.
