Recap of the 2023 IPSA World Congress - Day 2 (17 July)

Plenary Session: Rethinking Migration in the Mid-21st Century 

The second Congress plenary was introduced by Program Co-chair Theresa Reidy (University College Cork). She gave a detailed overview of the impressive academic career of Dr. Anna Triandafyllidou, a leading figure in the field of migration. Dr. Triandafyllidou, Professor and Canada Excellence Research Chair in Migration and Integration at the Toronto Metropolitan University, delivered an insightful plenary address Rethinking Migration in the Mid-21st Century.

In her presentation, Dr. Triandafyllidou examined the relationships between major socioeconomic and geopolitical transformations spanning the past four decades and the evolution of international migration and its governance. She introduced the topic by pointing out how quickly trends in migration have changed since the 2016 UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants. She shed light on the emerging challenges, opportunities, and trends encountered by migrants and governments while examining existing conceptual frameworks.

The presentation was divided into four periods: The first, beginning in 1989, coincided with the end of the Cold War; the second focused on the early years of 2000 with the rise of international terrorism and the related securitization of migration governance; the third period was marked by the 2008 global financial crisis and the subsequent decade of hyper migration largely due to internal conflicts; while the fourth and final period was comprised of the pandemic and post-pandemic world, a period of immobility. Within these time frames, she explored the roles of technology, urbanization and climate change in the evolution of global migration. She also spoke about post-colonial accountability and the hardships that migrants face, including the recent Mediterranean shipwrecks.

Early-Career Mentoring Café

The Early-Career Mentoring Café was a successful event that drew in students and early-career scholars from various countries. The session allowed participants to discuss the various aspects of a career in academia with senior colleagues who provided them with valuable insights into the expectations and challenges of pursuing a career in academia. 

The mentors, Pablo Oñate (IPSA President-Elect, University of Valencia), Hasret Dikici Bilgin (IPSA Vice-President, Bilgi University), Irasema Coronado (IPSA EC member, Arizona State University.) and Stephen Sawyer (Associate Editor, International Political Science Abstracts, American University of Paris) offered guidance on how to secure research funding, manage grants and publish. They emphasized the importance of academic excellence, but also advised participants to pursue their interests and passions after completing their Ph.D. The main takeaway of the morning was that academic excellence is found in pursuing research interests that are close to a scholar’s heart.

Academic Freedom: A Comparative Perspective

IPSA Executive Committee members Francesca Longo (University of Catania) and Arkadiusz Zukowski (University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn)  chaired a special session on Academic Freedom (AF). The session featured prominent speakers from different parts of the world and disciplines. 

Roundtable Co-chair Prof. Longo provided a brief history of the concept of AF and emphasized that AF is one of the core values of IPSA. Prof. Zukowski highlighted the importance of discussing AF from different perspectives and cultures. He emphasized that democracy is on the decline around the world, with only 15% of the world's population living in countries that are considered full democracies. Prof. Catalina Smulovitz (Universidad Torcuato Di Tella) cautioned participants that no institution is safe from threats to AF, as restrictions are imposed through different and changing means. Prof. Smulovitz gave an overview of AF in South America, focusing on case studies from Brazil, Mexico, Nicaragua, Uruguay and Chile. Prof. Thibaud Boncourt (Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3) discussed the state of AF in French political science and discussed the cases of scholars persecuted for their research. Daniela Irrera (Università di Catania) provided a perspective on AF from the European community of political scientists. She emphasized that Europe suffers from more attacks on AF than many other regions of the world.

Finally, former IPSA Vice-President Christopher Isike (University of Pretoria) brought a perspective from the African continent on the state of AF in the region. He spoke about academic staff unions in countries such as Ghana and Nigeria, which represent and protect the interests of professors. He pointed out that African countries have inherited post-colonial states and government practices aimed at resource exploitation, and thus the academic community must work in a challenging environment. 

Congress Theme Session: The COVID-19 Pandemic as Accelerator for the Digital Transformation

Ledby IPSA Past President Marianne Kneuer, the second theme session of the IPSA World Congress titled “The COVID-19 Pandemic as Accelerator for the Digital Transformation” explored the impact of the pandemic on digital transformation globally. The panel examined regional differences and identified the factors that influenced the acceleration of digital processes, such as political participation, government transactions, and healthcare procedures. Speakers Helen Margetts (University of Oxford) and Maximiliano Campos Rios (Universidad de Buenos Aires) discussed the future disruptions in the digitalization of political processes.

Award Session: 2023 Karl Deutsch Award Lecture

John Coakley, recipient of the 2023 Karl Deutsch Award, delivered a prize lecture on 17 July entitled “Routes towards Nationalist Mobilisation: Comparative European Patterns”. The session was chaired by IPSA Vice-President Hasret Dikici Bilgin. 

The purpose of the Karl Deutsch Award is to honour a prominent scholar engaged in the cross-disciplinary research, of which Karl Deutsch was a master, focusing on recognizing outstanding scholarship in global politics. The award is supported by the Karl Deutsch Fund. 

Prof. Coakley is currently Professor Emeritus in the School of Politics and International Relations at University College Dublin and a former Secretary-General of IPSA (1994-2000). In his award lecture, Prof. Coakley addressed the ongoing challenge of developing a comprehensive theory of nationalism, suggesting that exploring partial theories within specific geopolitical or historical contexts may hold greater promise. Focusing specifically on the growth of separatist nationalism in Europe during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, he explored the multiple factors that influenced this phenomenon. Drawing on existing analyses, census data, and various other sources, Prof. Coakley examined the impact of socioeconomic modernization and cultural assimilation on the changing context within which counter-elites could challenge existing state structures. He meticulously examined the stages through which these counter-elites advanced their projects, shedding light on the distinctive elements that constituted nationalist ideology. These elements include the presence of origin myths, myths of national evolution, and occasionally, a myth of “destiny” that may have included territorial claims.

Finally, Prof. Coakley highlighted the potential role of expanded political and social rights in facilitating mass nationalist mobilization. He also emphasized that the political programs of emerging nationalist parties were inevitably reshaped or radicalized by transformative and tumultuous events such as the First World War.

Sponsored Session: Grants, Fellowships, Exchange, and Collaboration Programs for Research in and with Germany

Research in Germany, an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, hosted an information session on grants, fellowships, exchange, and collaboration programs for research in and with Germany. Representatives from the German Research Foundation, the German Academic Exchange Service, and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation provided Congress delegates with insights into the German research landscape, including valuable information on funding programs, collaboration opportunities, and information on grant application strategies. The session began with an overview of German universities and their international development in recent decades. Speakers noted that one of the remarkable features of the German educational system is that there are good universities spread throughout the country. A key recommendation from speakers to prospective grant applicants was that if you are not successful in your grant application, you should take reviewer comments seriously, but not personally. The session concluded with a Q&A session where participants received individual advice about their academic careers.

Meet the Editor Session Series Session GEOP - Geopolitics and International Relations: From ‘Living apart together’ to ‘Friends with Benefits’

The IPSA World Congress featured an engaging Meet-the-Editor session that delved into the relationship between geopolitics and international relations. Organized by Brill Publishers, this session provided World Congress participants with a unique opportunity to discuss their own book projects and to interact with Prof. David Criekemans, editor of the Book Series “Geopolitics and International Relations”.

During the session, Prof. Criekemans drew attention to several countries to underscore the critical role of geopolitics and international relations in relation to renewable and conventional energy. Russia, as a traditional energy exporter, is striving to maintain its geopolitical influence in a changing energy landscape. Meanwhile, the United States is experiencing a boom in conventional energy production. In contrast, Germany is emerging as a leader in renewable energy, leading to changes in its geopolitical dynamics and positioning on the international stage.

Publius: The Journal of Federalism Distinguished Scholar Award 2023

We are delighted to announce that Prof. Jill Vickers Emeritus Chancellor's Professor in Political Science at Carleton University and member of the Royal Society of Canada is the recipient of the Publius: The Journal of Federalism Distinguished Scholar Award 2023, given by IPSA’s RC28- Comparative Federalism and Multilevel Governance. This biennial award, supported by the Center for the Study of Federalism, recognizes living scholars whose publications have made significant contributions to our understanding and appreciation of federalism in single or multiple countries and transnational arrangements such as the European Union. The award was presented to Prof. Vickers during the RC28’s bi-annual meeting at the 2023 IPSA World Congress in Buenos Aires on 17 July.

The Second Asian Political Science Associations’ Presidential Roundtable

The 2023 IPSA World Congress featured a special event for the political science communities in Asia and Oceania. The Presidential Roundtable of Asian Political Science Associations, which was launched in 2021 as a virtual session, convened for the second time to discuss the state of the discipline, academic exchanges and cooperation, and the political challenges and crises in the region. 

The roundtable included former and current Presidents and Presidents-Elect of several political science associations (PSAs) in Asia and Oceania, such as the Chinese Association of Political Science (TAIPEI), the Japanese Political Science Association (JPSA), and the Korean Political Science Association (KPSA). The participants shared their insights and experiences on both academic and practical issues facing their political science communities, as well as explored ways to institutionalize the roundtable and plan for a thematic session at the 2025 IPSA World Congress in Seoul.

KPSA Korean Night and Recognition Reception for IPSA WC2023 Session Chairs

The KPSA Korean Night and Recognition Reception for the 2023 IPSA Session Chairs was held at the Hotel Modero to celebrate the contributions of the session chairs to the success of the 2023 IPSA World Congress. The evening began with speeches from Program Co-chair Euiyoung Kim, IPSA President-Elect Pablo Oñate, the Korean Ambassador to Argentina Lee Yong Soo, and KPSA President Ajin Choi. The reception included a wine-tasting session and was attended by IPSA Executive Committee members, WC2023 session chairs, IPSA Secretariat and guests.

The event was organized by the KPSA, Jaeho Song (Member of the National Assembly of Korea), and the Local Organizing Committee of the 2025 IPSA World Congress in Seoul.