IPSA President Pablo Oñate and Past President Dianne Pinderhughes Present at the AAPS and SAAPS Conferences in South Africa

IPSA President Pablo Oñate and Past President Dianne Pinderhughes were present in South Africa to participate in two international events. President Oñate participated in the 17th Biennial Conference and 50th Anniversary Celebration of the African Association of Political Science (AAPS), while Past President Pinderhughes attended the 16th Biennial Conference of the South African Association for Political Studies (SAAPS). Their involvement not only underscores IPSA's unwavering support for political science associations in Africa, but also underlines its commitment to fostering partnerships and advancing political science within the African academic landscape.

AAPS held its 17th Biennial Conference and 50th Anniversary celebration at the University of Pretoria from 12-14 October 2023, under the theme Geopolitics of Knowledge in the COVID-19 Era, Exploring Epistemic Tension and Self-determination in Africa. On 12 October, IPSA President Prof. Oñate took the stage at the opening ceremony to congratulate the participants on the 50th anniversary of AAPS and the resounding success of their international biennial conference. He also emphasized the strong ties that unite IPSA and AAPS members throughout Africa.
Photo: IPSA President Pablo Oñate addresses delegates at the opening ceremony.

As part of the conference program on 14 October, Prof. Oñate also met with presidents of national political science associations to discuss their activities and challenges in a post-global pandemic world. The discussion included AAPS members' participation in IPSA's 75th Anniversary conferences in Montreal and Lisbon, as well as the 2025 IPSA World Congress in Seoul.
Photo (from left to right): AAPS President and former IPSA Vice-President Christopher Isike and IPSA President Pablo Oñate.

IPSA Past President Dianne Pinderhughes was a keynote speaker at the 16th Biennial South African Association for Political Studies (SAAPS) held from 13-15 September 2023 at the University of Mpumalanga, in Mbombela, South Africa, centered around the theme Africa in Contemporary Global Politics. Prof. Pinderhughes delivered a keynote address on 14 September summarizing the activities of selected political science associations including IPSA, regional organizations such as AAPS and national organizations such as SAAPS, the American Political Science Association (APSA) and the National Conference of Black Political Scientists (NCBPS). Her objective with this talk was to share the importance of making these organizations and their activities transparent to the younger members, specifically graduate students and young faculty at South African Universities. 
Photo: Dianne Pinderhughes delivers a keynote address at the SAAPS conference.

Prof. Pinderhughes invited attendees to consider joining IPSA, emphasizing the benefits of participating in IPSA World Congresses, Summer Schools, research committees, and IPSA's governance. She acknowledged the representative role of the IPSA Executive Committee, on which South Africa has been represented by Siphamandla Zondi (2021-2023), Christopher Isike (2018-2021), and previously Dirk Kotze (2012-2014). More recently, Kgothatso Shai, former SAAPS President, was elected to IPSA's 27th Executive Committee (2023-2025). Concluding her presentation, Prof. Pinderhughes invited participants to join the upcoming 2025 IPSA World Congress of Political Science in Seoul, South Korea. At the Association's Dinner Gala, Prof. Pinderhughes greeted members of SAAPS and distributed certificates of involvement to all those who worked at the conference.
Photo (from left to right): IPSA EC member and former SAAPS President Kgothatso Shai and IPSA Past President Dianne Pinderhughes.

The Ali Mazrui Lecture Series was also launched at the conference, featuring the former President of AAPS, Luc Sindjoun, as its inaugural speaker. Prof. Sindjoun delivered a lecture entitled "The Problematic of International Cultural Order," which is available HERE.