Division 1: Political Thought and Philosophy

Giulia Sissa, UCLA

In the history of western political thought, representation has been seen as the defining characteristic of modern states, be they republics or constitutional monarchies. It stands in contrast to both despotism and tyranny on the one hand, and direct self-rule of the kind associated with ancient Greek democracy on the other. Representation became crucial in mixed constitutions, such as the Roman Republic, the model of so many states, including the United States of America. The invention, and desirability, of representation, as something which allowed the people to participate in government, while limiting their alleged potential for disruption, and propensity for mob rule or populism, has always been an intensely discussed turning point in our political memory.

We encourage contributions that revisit and question those arguments, in all relevant texts and contexts. Here are a few generative suggestions:

How direct was democracy in ancient societies, and in ancient political philosophy? How popular can a complex state be? How crucial are elections, for the formation of elites and the fostering of political activity in civil society? How do they offer an ethical challenge, engage shared knowledge, and fashion social emotions? How can the tradition of republicanism be seen as an intellectual history of representation?

Why and when elections came to appear preferable to the random selection of magistrates, or to collective deliberation in general assemblies? We welcome panels and papers about those debates in ancient philosophy, and their reception in medieval, modern and contemporary political theory. This is particularly relevant in the history of American politics.

What is the state of the question on representation, within theories of liberal democracy, social democracy, general will, social contract, stateless and classless society, community, political parties, trade unions, activism in civil society? Is representation a permanent matter of dispute in religious institutions, western and non-western? How does it, and how should it, function in new multi-state experiments, such as the European Union? An anthropological, comparative, approach to diverse traditions of political thought would also be most interesting.

How do theories of representation, past and present, affect theories of democracy, and of democratization? Where is contemporary democratic theory going? Different visions of representation are at stake in a number of key arguments about participation, advocacy, democratic method, democratic quality, competing claims, community, citizenship national and global, policies regarding underrepresented groups, the rule of the majority and the rights of the minorities, gender and race. We welcome discussions on how we bring theories of justice and normative commitments to bear on all the challenges of contemporary politics.

Division 2: Foundations of Political Theory

R. Claire Snyder-Hall, George Mason University

The APSA 2012 conference theme, “Representation and Renewal,” invokes many issues relevant for Foundations of Political Theory. Each subfield has its own contributions to make to our understanding of those concepts, which were extensively elaborated in the main conference call. Foundations asks how philosophical approaches to political analysis help enlighten our understanding of representation and renewal. We welcome analyses from the wide array of political traditions that comprise our subfield. While we encourage paper and panel proposals that address the conference theme, we also welcome studies of other important issues within political theory.

The theme of representation and renewal comes at an opportune time, as we move through a period of political and economic upheaval around the world and head into the 2012 elections in the United States. How are various political, economic, and identity interests represented domestically and globally? What type of representation is offered by ostensibly democratic and non-democratic institutions at home and abroad? What types of power-relations do such institutions enable? Which voices are amplified and which muted? Who is seated at proverbial tables — even at the APSA conference itself?

We also face a time rife with calls for political, economic, and spiritual renewal at home and abroad. How do we evaluate these various calls for renewal? How does political theory illuminate the crises that give rise to such calls? How might political theory be used to stimulate new or renewed ways of thinking about change, as we draw on the array of discursive traditions that comprise our field? What do our diverse methodological approaches add to our understanding of the world around us, both contemporaneously and historically?

Division 3: Normative Political Theory

Stephen Macedo, Princeton University

Normative reflection is central to the design of legitimate and effective representative institutions, so this year's theme furnishes an occasion to think about the ways in which political theory can inform and challenge the work of our empirical and formal colleagues. Likewise, how should normative theorizing respond to the challenges faced by representative institutions in the contemporary world, at various levels, local, regional, national, and global? How should the work of our empirical and formal colleagues, concerning inequality, diversity, citizen competence, elite polarization, and other matters, affect our own reflections on representative and democratic ideals? What ideals should inform the design of representative institutions, norms, and practices? Is representative government best thought of as a way of perfecting collective self-rule, or is representation necessarily (or increasingly) a poor substitute for more direct, participatory, and (as some would say), “democratic” forms of self-government? Given the increasing importance of delegation of political power to institutions insulated from direct electoral accountability — both domestically and internationally — under what conditions are such institutions consistent with, or even improvements upon, traditional forms of political representation? What can those working in the Western canon — or outside of it — learn from other political cultures and traditions?

Representation is a capacious normative theme at the very center of the discipline of modern political science. Consistent with the program theme of renewal, and the program chairs' call for efforts to promote work across subfields and divisions, we encourage creative and diverse panels that include scholars with common interests but differing methodological, theoretical, and normative points of view. Efforts to bridge normative, historical, empirical, and formal divisions are especially welcome, as our panels that bring together senior and junior scholars. These remarks are meant to be generative rather than restrictive: interesting and important panels and papers not closely related to the conference theme are very welcome.

Division 4: Formal Political Theory

Alan Wiseman, Vanderbilt University

In embracing the theme of the 2012 APSA Meeting, “Representation and Renewal”, the division welcomes papers that develop mathematical models drawing on tools from game theory, social choice theory, agent based, and behavioral approaches to engage a wide range of political phenomena, and particularly those related to questions of representation in contemporary society. The division also encourages papers that explore the empirical implications of existing and new theoretical models in large and small sample settings; and in particular, papers are welcomed that would naturally facilitate bridges between the formal theory division and other divisions in the APSA program. Finally, the division would also welcome suggestions for theme panel and roundtables, particularly those that are closely related to the theme of the 2012 Meetings, and those that would have strong natural ties to other divisions on the APSA program.

Division 5: Political Psychology

Matthew Levendusky, University of Pennsylvania

I encourage submissions on any topic related to political psychology, broadly defined. In keeping with this year's theme of representation and renewal, I welcome proposals that examine how political psychology can enrich the analysis of citizens' relationships with their elected officials, both in the United States and around the world.

I am also particularly interested in submissions for papers and panels that employ new theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of political psychology. For example, how can scholars use novel experimental and observational designs to better gather data relevant to political psychology? How can the analysis of genetic or other biological data (or data from social networks) inform classic debates in political psychology? How can we better understand (and measure) the role of emotions in shaping political behavior? I look forward to assembling panels around these and other topics of relevance to the section. Finally, I would encourage scholars at all levels to consider serving as panel chairs and discussants.

Division 6: Political Economy

Tarek Masoud, Harvard University

The Political Economy Section invites paper and panel proposals that explore the intersections between politics and economics. We seek papers that are methodologically rigorous, offer fresh theoretical insights, develop new data sources, or use existing data in new and creative ways. Panel proposals that are substantively cohesive and yet span divides between international and comparative political economy; between empirical and theoretical studies; among different epistemological approaches; between studies of developed and less developed countries; and between democracies and autocracies, are particularly welcome. Given this year's theme, we encourage proposals to examine the political economy of representation. This might include investigations of how economic factors shape representative political institutions (elections and legislatures), and how those institutions in turn shape economic outcomes and the welfare of citizens; the microfoundations of legislator behavior; the strategic logics of voters, candidates, and parties in elections; or the economic determinants of popular demand for political representation in non-democracies, among other topics.

Division 7: Politics and History

Bruce Miroff, University at Albany, SUNY Nicole Mellow, Williams College

We welcome papers and panels that bring historical and developmental perspectives to bear on the conference theme of representation and renewal. This includes investigations into changes in modes (e.g., mass parties, interest groups) or practices (e.g., electoral reforms, protest movement activity) of societal representation, as well as examinations of the functioning and robustness of representative institutions over time. Analyses of the relationship between representation and factors such as economic instability or change, social group conflict, external threat, or change in media and technology are encouraged. We especially invite comparative historical work on the sources, nature, developmental path, and success of demands for greater representation in sub-national or national governments, or international bodies. Also in this vein, we are interested in historical investigations of the intellectual conflicts that have shaped ideals of representation in different polities. Beyond these themes, we welcome innovative papers on topics of broad and enduring interest to historical and developmental scholarship.

ivision 8: Political Methodology

Lonna Atkeson, University of New Mexico

The Political Methodology division welcomes paper, panel, and roundtable proposals addressing all aspects of empirical methodology. The division encourages submissions dealing with the logic of inquiry, research design, measurement, estimation and specification, and theory development. The division is also interested in papers dealing with changes in survey research and new methods of survey research. In particular, we are interested in papers that evaluate the representativeness and quality of new survey methodologies. We also invite proposals that develop new methodological techniques as well as innovative applications of existing techniques. Proposals that address methodological and measurement challenges related to the theme of the conference, “Representation and Renewal,” are especially welcome.

Division 9: Teaching and Learning in Political Science

Stephen Swindle, Lee University

The Teaching and Learning in Political Science division welcomes submissions for papers, panels and roundtables, particularly those that address the 2012 APSA Conference theme of “Representation and Renewal.” We invite rigorous and scholarly proposals that contribute to our understanding of the role of the classroom and student engagement in the evaluation and establishment of representative ideals and the means by which they can be achieved. Papers exploring innovative pedagogies, classroom technologies, and active learning strategies are encouraged. Of particular interest are proposals that explore the implications of classroom and curricular diversity, internationalization, and inclusiveness as contributing components toward the quality of instruction, and toward learning outcomes. Finally, creative proposals that promote work across subfield and disciplinary divisions are especially welcome.

Division 10: Political Science Education

Elizabeth A. Bennion, Indiana University South Bend

This section invites proposals that address how well political science curricula and instruction prepare students to participate in the process of democratic representation and renewal. The section is particularly interested in questions that address the following questions:

What knowledge, skills, and dispositions must students have to pursue lives as active citizens, community leaders, and/or political officials? How can the political science classroom prepare students for civic leadership and for engaged citizenry that strengthens the representation link between voters and elected officials? How can political science educators encourage critical thinking about political systems, encouraging healthy skepticism rather than apathy, reform rather than withdrawn disillusionment? How can we teach people to translate citizens' collective aspirations into effective public initiatives? Do our students understand the consequences of how they choose to frame and pursue political agendas — both for specific policy outcomes and the long-term health of democracy? What role does teaching play in the renewal of cities, economies, institutions, and relationships between the governed and those who govern?

How can we help our students understand the evolution of longstanding democracies, including declining confidence in public institutions? How can we help our students understand emerging democratic transitions in Africa and the Middle East? How can we best address questions regarding the political representation of racial, ethnic, caste, religious, and linguistic minorities in the United States and in other nations, particularly in homogeneous classrooms? What role do diverse people and nations play in setting national and international policy priorities (in specific countries, for the IMF, NATO, or the UN)? What lessons regarding political principles, institutions, mass behavior, and elite behavior are necessary to help students to participate in renewing representative democracy? To what extent should we assume that this is a valid goal?

Are our students adequately prepared to address these questions — through political discussion, civil society, mass movements, traditional political channels or legal processes? Are we, as instructors adequately prepared to address these issues with our students?

In short, how well does our discipline prepare students for their role as national and/or global citizens — by teaching substantive knowledge that increases their understanding of political processes and institutions, by cultivating civic identities that promote their political participation, or by teaching civic skills that enable them to wield influence?

In keeping with the mission of the section, we entertain a wide range of topics for papers and panels, including but not limited to innovations in curriculum design, classroom teaching, instructional technology, experiential learning, undergraduate research, advising, administration and assessment. The Political Science Education section is strongly committed to honoring the diversity of institutions with which ASPA members are associated, and we welcome submissions from political scientists at community colleges and two-year institutions, as well as from four-year colleges and universities.

Division 11: Comparative Politics

Erin Jenne, Central European University Fabrice Lehoucq, University of North Carolina Greensboro

The comparative politics section welcomes proposals for papers and panels that deal with both established and emerging research themes in comparative politics, especially those that address the core themes of political representation and renewal. In particular, we seek abstracts about how representation shapes central regime characteristics and policies, which has been a central concern of research on democratic institutions, social inequality, and comparative political economy. This section also invites papers and panels on the strengths and weaknesses of case studies and cross-national, statistical work across a range of subfields of comparative politics. We, of course, continue to welcome submissions that cover traditional subjects in comparative politics, including authoritarian systems and electorates, democracy and democratic transition, social movements, and regime change.

Division 12: Comparative Politics of Developing Countries

Aníbal Pérez-Liñán, University of Pittsburgh

Issues of representation lie at the core of political debates in developing countries, where vast segments of the population usually lack access to economic resources and social power. A diverse set of agents may articulate the citizens' policy preferences, including legislatures and political parties, but also courts, sub-national governments, social movements, trade unions, interest groups, media conglomerates, and even military officers or authoritarian leaders. We welcome submissions that cover this broad range of representative relationships from the perspectives of institutional analysis, political behavior, historical sociology, or political economy. We encourage panels and papers that explore innovative questions, employ original data, or embrace multi-method designs. Both single and multi-country studies will be considered, but preference will be given to papers and panels that address larger comparative themes and theoretical issues.

Division 13: The Politics of Communist and Former Communist Countries

Kathryn Stoner-Weiss, Stanford University

We invite all proposals in the field of comparative politics of communist and post-communist countries, especially those that address this year's theme of representation and renewal. Papers and panels related to the conference theme could consider recent electoral activity in communist and post-communist countries, challenges to autocratic rule or re-entrenchment of non-representative forms of government. Papers might also consider the possible renewal of post communist economies following the global economic crisis; or the renewal of civil society in some post-communist contexts. We especially welcome panels and papers that use innovative research designs to overcome the challenges of data collection and analysis for communist and post-communist contexts.

Division 14: Comparative Politics of Advanced Industrialized Nations

Gail McElroy, Trinity College Dublin

The empirical study of political representation in established democracies has primarily focused on questions of policy congruence and, to a lesser extent, symbolic representation. However, normative scholarship depicts political representation as a far more complex, multifaceted concept. Additionally, traditional notions of what individuals require from representative democracy — in terms of the design and operation of electoral, legislative and bureaucratic organizations — are being increasingly challenged. With these issues in mind, this section calls for a renewed and reinvigorated examination of the link between citizens and elites in advanced industrialized democracies. The section particularly welcomes papers that move beyond the simple demand-input model to examine what citizens expect from the representation process and how this varies across both individuals and political systems. In addition, work that explores how elites affect the dynamics of representation through public opinion formation and issue framing are encouraged. Papers that examine political representation at sub and supra-national levels and work that explores alternative, extra-parliamentary forms of representation are also actively sought. Proposals that consider new approaches to measurement and use innovative techniques or address fundamental theoretical issues will be given priority.

Division 15: European Politics and Society

Sheri Berman, Barnard College

The theme of this year's APSA convention is “Representation and Renewal,” a topic all students and observers of European Politics & Society know to be a live one. Especially since the onset of the financial crisis, Europeans have been debating the normative ideals attached to representation, the factors that impede the realization of those ideals in practice, and the potential to reform, rehaul and reinvigorate representative relationships and institutions at both the supra- and intra-national levels. The European Politics and Society section of APSA therefore invites proposals that address issues of representation in all their complexity. We are particularly interested in proposals that examine the ways in which representative and democratic institutions have been influenced by and responded to economic crisis; the evolving debate about the “democratic deficit” in the EU; how the changing nature of European society has affected the functioning and legitimacy of democratic institutions; and whether Europe, the birthplace of the nation-state and democracy, is mired in a period of inevitable political decline or is capable of renewing its political institutions so as to better face the challenges of the 21^st century and beyond.

Division 16: International Political Economy

Nathan Jensen, Washington University

The International Political Economy section invites paper and panel proposal on IPE topics such as the political dimensions of cross-national movements of goods, capital, and labor, the institutions governing international economic relations, and the relationship between economics and political conflict. This section also welcomes studies at the intersection of comparative and international political economy, especially those related to this year's theme of “Representation and Renewal.” This includes, for example, studies of how globalization affects domestic political accountability, representation in international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization, and the domestic and international politics of financial crises.

Division 17: International Collaboration

Sarah Brooks, Ohio State University

The division on International Collaboration invites proposals for papers and panels on a broad range of topics relating to international integration and global governance. Proposals addressing this year's conference theme, representation and renewal, are especially welcome. Some examples might include: How have different forms of representation in regional and international institutions been developed and transformed over time? Why are some institutions and governance structures more effective and/or representative than others? How do various state and non-state actors negotiate the representation of different peoples within national, regional and international institutions? And, how have forms of regional and global integration affected, and been shaped in turn by, domestic processes such as growth, inequality, and social cohesion? Proposals that provide innovative advances on existing research on international integration, institutions, and cooperation, or that generate new theoretical and empirical insights therein, are highly encouraged. The division invites submissions from all methodological and epistemological approaches.

Division 18: International Security

Cameron G. Thies, University of Iowa

The relationship between international security and representation has a complicated history in both theory and practice. The program organizers' call for a renewal in the study of representation draws our attention back to the tensions between the demands leaders face in the pursuit of security on the international level and those they face at the domestic level from organized societal interests, intra-governmental actors, and the citizenry. This division welcomes papers, panels and roundtables on all topics of international security, but I particularly encourage submissions that engage the theme of representation. Issues of representation in the realm of international security also suggest, or perhaps even require, the exploration of intersections with other subfields, such as foreign policy, international political economy, conflict processes, human rights, comparative politics, and so on. Innovative theoretical and empirical work that addresses these connections, as well as normative work on security and representation is especially encouraged.

Division 19: International Security and Arms control

David H. Sacko, United States Air Force Academy

APSA's 2012 annual meeting theme, “Representation and Renewal,” lauds the perseverance of New Orleans in the face of natural disasters, reminding us of how crises affect security in a myriad of ways. Panels and roundtables for the ISAC section might address issues encompassing diverse theoretical, practical, policy-relevant, and methodological perspectives of institutions and actors confronting such global crises and the resulting effect on security and/or arms control. How do governments react and adapt to extreme situations and what tools are available to resolve crises in times of stress? What unconventional security threats will reduce stability in the global commons? What are the issues surrounding international cyberspace, financial market interdependence, or the deterioration of the global environmental system? While the theme does invite discussion of the problems of nonconventional security threats, it also asks for discussions of the solutions. What approaches are most appropriate in devising responses to crises? How might greater “representation” and “renewal” mitigate contemporary challenges to international security? Paper topics could range from a discussion of specific case studies to broad institutional challenges and appropriate global solutions. Innovative approaches to the set of issues raised by economic, environmental, technological, and financial crises are encouraged, particularly as related to conflict and security. Do such crises encourage or discourage arms control and what new considerations may need to be addressed? Pedagogical panels/roundtables or papers are encouraged, particularly those that address innovative ways to involve students or faculty in dealing with these issues.

Division 20: Foreign Policy

To Be Announced — Please check the online call for papers for updated information.

Division 21: Conflict Processes

Mark J. C. Crescenzi, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

The Conflict Processes Section invites proposals for the 2012 Annual APSA meeting in New Orleans. This year's APSA theme is “Representation and Renewal.” Proposals to present research on the processes of peace and conflict in international and intrastate conflict are welcomed, and the section encourages its members to consider the role of representation in these processes. This focus on representation can be institutional, normative, and/or dynamic (particularly with respect to renewal). The section also encourages collaboration on panels with other APSA sections, both theme oriented and otherwise.

Division 22: Legislative Studies

Gregory Koger, University of Miami Carol Mershon, University of Virginia

Representation and renewal are central themes of legislative politics. We welcome proposals that illuminate the complex nature of representation: multiple constituencies, campaign strategies, and the influence of electoral rules on legislative elections. We invite proposals that explore political renewal, including the place of legislatures in newly established democracies, the evolution of legislative institutions, and the impact of constitutional reform on legislative process and outcomes. We encourage proposals for papers and panels that are comparative in the broad sense, studying one chamber in multiple eras, or drawing comparisons across chambers, across sub-national units in the US and/or other countries, and across countries. We are also interested in proposals for papers and panels that study the role of legislative elections and legislative decision-making in authoritarian and transitional regimes, a question of pressing importance in light of the Arab Spring. Moreover, we welcome proposals for papers and panels that seek renewal in legislative studies by exploring innovative approaches to classic themes and questions in the field.

Division 23: Presidency Research

Daniel E. Ponder, Drury University

Presidency scholars will find the conference theme, “Representation and Renewal,” the conference theme, is implicated in the rich body of work that together make up the study of the presidency. The theme and its interaction with our section is especially appropriate for the 2012 presidential election year, when the public will no doubt see and hear the call of many candidates to “renew America” or to “represent all” of the great cross section of the United States. Indeed, the subfield of presidency research has profited from a rich and recent debate between some of our leading scholars on the nature of presidential representation. The Presidency Research Group calls for paper and panel proposals that consider the presidency in American politics and the world, and addressing all manner of presidential activity including elections, public policy, public opinion, inter-institutional relationships, presidential development, representation (however defined), comparative executives, and the like. Rigorous, innovative proposals are welcome, and I encourage papers from a variety of theoretical, methodological, and empirical approaches, particularly those that incorporate the conference theme.

Division 24: Public Administration

Jared J. Llorens, Louisiana State University

The theme for APSA's 2012 conference, “Representation and Renewal,” lends itself to a variety of research possibilities for public administration scholars and is especially relevant to the ongoing rebuilding efforts in the conference's host city of New Orleans, Louisiana. In aligning with the conference theme, the division strongly encourages paper, panel and poster proposals that address issues related to bureaucratic representation and the renewal “of cities, economies, institutions, and relationships between the governed and those who govern.” Topics related to this theme include developing research in the area of representative bureaucracy, the role of public institutions and administrators in responding to the current economic downturn and the capacity of governments to manage crises such as Hurricane Katrina or the BP oil spill.

The division also welcomes topics of general interest to public administration scholars, including (but not limited to) public and/or nonprofit management, networking, governance, budgeting and financial management, and performance management. Proposals representing a variety of methodological and theoretical approaches are welcome, as are those proposing new and innovative formats.

Division 25: Public Policy

Andrea Louise Campbell, MIT

“Representation and Renewal” are central issues in the study of public policy. Social policy, economic policy, environmental policy, science and technology policy, foreign policy, defense policy and homeland security all raise questions about who gets their preferences realized, and why. A preeminent goal of policymaking is renewal — recalibrating approaches to societal problems, addressing new needs. The Public Policy section invites proposals that examine the multiple dimensions of representation and renewal.

As Harold Lasswell so famously put it, politics is about “who gets what, when, how?” No question is more central to our enterprise than representation, whether and how the preferences of political actors are translated into policy outcomes. Are some groups more likely than others to see their preferences realized? How do the institutions of government channel preferences, and do they serve to mitigate or reinforce pre-existing inequalities? How do modes and level of representation vary across the legislative, executive, and judicial arenas, across local, state, and federal government levels, and across nations? How do political parties, interest groups and the media aid or hinder representation? Proposals that assess policy processes and their implications for representation are welcome here.

Public policy is a constant process of renewal, from policymaking to implementation to policy change. What problems come to be recognized as public problems, and why? Why do certain solutions rise to the fore? How effective are existing policies, and by what criteria should they be evaluated? What barriers hinder policy change, and how can they be overcome? When policy change is achieved, what are the political implications for client populations, for public opinion, for the interest group landscape, for the bureaucracy and the state, for budgetary commitments, for policy learning?

Proposals are welcome from across the methodological and theoretical spectrum and from the broad range of policy areas. I encourage papers that use multiple- and innovative methods and that leverage comparisons across time, policy issues, institutional venues, or national contexts. I also encourage both senior and junior colleagues to consider volunteering for chair and/or discussant roles.

Division 26: Law and Courts

Brandon Bartels, George Washington University

The Law and Courts division invites outstanding proposals from all areas of law and courts research, including judicial decision making, judicial selection, comparative judicial politics, public perceptions of courts, implementation and impact, intercourt interactions, separation of powers, legal doctrine, the role of race and gender in judging, judicial independence, methodological issues in law and courts research, and beyond. The division especially encourages proposals that are consistent with this year's conference theme, “Representation and Renewal.” Full panels, author-meets-critics panels, and roundtables on compelling topics of interest to a broad audience are also encouraged. Finally, the section encourages proposals on topics that cross traditional subfield boundaries, particularly those that could be cosponsored with another division.

Division 27: Constitutional Law and Jurisprudence

Nina M. Moore, Colgate University

The program chairs for the annual meeting have invited us to consider foundational questions about representation, with an eye on renewal. The “Representation and Renewal” theme is in many ways uniquely relevant to the Constitutional Law and Jurisprudence Division. Alexander Hamilton envisioned American courts playing a pivotal role in maintaining balance between representative democracy, on the one hand, and constitutional limitations, on the other. Indeed U.S. presidential elections speak volumes about the potential for constitutionalism to directly influence democratic process. While the Division welcomes all panel and paper proposals on any topic related to constitutional law, jurisprudence, and constitutionalism, it especially encourages submissions that connect to the Annual Meeting's theme. Possible areas of substantive focus might include: constitutional perspectives on the relationship between the governed and those who govern; constitutional practices affecting the procedural elements of democracy, such as individual voting rights, the role of political parties in elections, campaign finance, apportionment and redistricting; and, jurisprudential trends that are increasingly (or decreasingly) representative of the interests of certain ideological segments, of women, or of various racial, ethnic, caste, religious, and linguistic minorities. In keeping with the division's traditional solicitation for U.S. as well as comparative and international studies, works that critically explore the emergence of new constitutional designs and the transformation of constitutional orders are especially encouraged.

The Division welcomes proposals for partial as well as full panels. Panels that balance opportunities for participation by senior scholars, junior scholars, and graduate students are encouraged, as are proposals that incorporate the perspectives and approaches of other disciplines. When submitting a book panel proposal, please consider submissions that include more than one book and, where possible, submissions that combine the work of an established scholar with that of an emerging scholar.

Division 28: Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations

Sean Nicholson-Crotty, University of Missouri

The theme for the 2012 meeting of the American Political Science Association is Representation and Renewal. As the organizers note, these are fundamental questions because representation is increasingly necessary in the large, diverse, and complex states and systems that typify the modern world. Federal systems have often been designed to address these same governance challenges, and proponents have long recognized that the dual citizenship inherent in these arrangements poses unique challenges to both the normative principles and the practical application of representative government.

There are myriad representation questions that can benefit from the unique perspective of federalism and intergovernmental relations scholars, particularly today. Do the institutions of the European Union provide adequate representation to the citizens of member states when addressing deteriorating economic conditions in some parts of the federation? Can the world community build democratic institutions capable of governing states comprised of regions, tribes, and sects that agree on very little? Should international organizations like the World Bank encourage or discourage multi-level representation when helping developing nations craft fiscal and monetary policy? What are the consequences of state representatives in the U.S federal system challenging national laws and even going so far as to suggest that their constituents abandon representation in the national government?

We hope that authors will address these and other questions from a diverse set of perspectives. Both theoretical and empirical proposals are encouraged, as are those that explore linkages between federalism and representation in domestic, comparative and international settings. Along with scholarly import, authors are encouraged to also consider the practical policy implications of their research.

Division 29: State Politics and Policy

Cherie Maestas, Florida State University

The theme for the 2012 meetings is “Representation and Renewal,” a theme that encourages us to look broadly how public interests get translated into political outcomes, and how governments renew themselves when political processes break down. Scholars who study state politics and policy have a rich tradition of leveraging variation across states to explore how political and electoral institutions intersect with mass and elite attitudes to produce representative outcomes. Yet, persistent challenges remain, including the most basic — defining and measuring the concept of representation. The section welcomes paper and roundtable proposals to address this most fundamental issue, especially proposals that offer innovative methodological or theoretical approaches to the study of this topic. Scholarship in sub-national politics is also well-suited to addressing the theme of renewal because states often function as labs for political innovations, both in policy and in institutional design. External social or economic pressures along with public dissatisfaction with government create demands for government reform that are often heeded at the state level. Proposals that speak to the broader question of how government can renew itself in the eyes of the public through institutional reforms or policy innovations would be especially welcome.

In addition to seeking proposals that address the themes of the conference, the section encourages all proposals that use states as a venue for testing general theories about intergovernmental relations, political institutions, elections, mass or elite attitudes, behaviors, and public policies. The study of state politics naturally overlaps with many sub-fields, including those who study sub-national units beyond the U.S. borders. We invite proposals for cross-listed panels.

Division 30: Urban Politics

Justin Phillips, Columbia University Annette Steinacker, Loyola University, Chicago

Urban politics is particularly relevant to a conference organized around the theme of Representation and Renewal. Cities have, for decades, confronted the difficulties posed by globalization and the movement of manufacturing jobs and middle class residents from urban centers. After some promising revitalization in the late 1990s and early 2000s with increased immigrant populations and economic growth in service and professional fields, central cities again are facing a time of fiscal and economic challenges. The Great Recession has strained municipal finances and service provision, while many cities along the Gulf Coast continue to deal with the ravages of Hurricane Katrina. State budget deficits are disrupting municipal finances and straining inter-governmental relationships.

Cities confront these and other challenges in the context of racial, religious, and economic diversity. This diversity presents its own set of opportunities and challenges. While diversity is often noted for aiding in the innovation necessary for economic renewal, it may also lead to greater tensions in the civic and political realms. Immigrant entrepreneurs may revitalize city neighborhoods and provide needed small businesses, but create new challenges in political representation. Strategies to promote renewal and representation may co-exist uneasily in larger cities. We invite papers that address these issues. How have cities understood and responded to the need for renewal? Which groups and interests have been best represented when it comes to developing political and policy responses to the challenges of globalization and the economic downturn? What role have inter-governmental relations played in this process? Why have some governments crafted more successful responses than others?

In addition to papers addressing this year's theme directly, we welcome those that focus on other central concerns in the study of urban politics. This includes, but is certainly not limited to, municipal institutional reform, urban economic inequality and its consequences, local elections, immigration and minority politics, and the politics of land use. This call for papers welcomes a diverse array of methodologies and papers in either an American or comparative context.

Division 31: Women and Politics Section

Lisa García Bedolla, University of California Berkeley Mala Htun, New School

This year's conference theme asks scholars to consider “the normative ideals we attach to representation, the factors that impede the realization of those ideals in practice, and the potential for representative relationships — whether preserved, reformed, or radically overhauled — to translate citizens' collective aspirations into effective public initiatives,” with an eye toward renewing the relationship between citizens and representative institutions.

The women and politics section invites papers that explore these questions. How does the category of gender enhance our understanding of representation? What explains the measures taken by states to represent social groups constituted by gender and other axes of difference? How does the inclusion of women relate to the inclusion of other marginalized groups? Does their political presence help to address the many inequalities that exist within modern societies? How effectively do existing representative institutions respond to the concerns of women and other oppressed groups? Are there gender differences in the behavior of elected representatives? How does gender equality relate to other goals of representative government such as accountability and decisiveness?

We are especially interested in considering work that adopts an intersectional approach appreciating that categories of marginalization and privilege are mutually constitutive rather than mutually exclusive. In addition, we welcome panel and paper proposals that consider other important questions related to gender and politics.

Division 32: Race, Ethnicity, and Politics

Andra Gillespie, Emory University Ricardo Ramirez, University of Notre Dame

With rapidly changing social, political, and economic landscapes across the globe, the Annual Meeting theme of “Representation and Renewal” could not be more timely, and especially fitting for scholars submitting papers to the Race, Ethnicity, and Politics section. We invite papers that address the goals and limits of representation, as well as papers that address renewal and reform in representation models, approaches, and tools.

This year's theme brings to mind questions of what and whose issues, interests, and ideas are being represented, by whom, and how. What is the nature of the relationship between representatives and those they claim to represent? Do political realities in the 21^st century require updating familiar representation theories and models developed in the last century or earlier, or replacing them entirely with new theories, concepts, or models? How does representation reflect or resolve debates over belonging, legitimacy and ownership in a polity? How can political scientists measure, model, and account for intersectionality, complex political contexts, and changing or competing interests over time and space? Do expectations or experiences of representation differ across groups in the United States in meaningful ways, why, and to what end? What effects might technological or even environmental changes have on modes and mores of representation in the U.S. or around the world? As we consider questions of “Renewal,” what are the limits of representation as a means to include previously marginalized groups, address long-standing grievances, solve problems, or make binding policy decisions? What are the means of accountability, and what is the recourse when existing modes of representation fail? How do governments encourage the representation of some while discouraging or repressing the representation of others?

While many of the section's scholars focus on American politics, we also welcome and invite submissions from comparative perspectives. How do rules and institutions across countries affect the quality of representation? Is the concept of what it means to represent or be represented widely shared and similarly understood across national boundaries? How are domestic issues of representation impacted by changing international forces such as economic collapse, natural disasters, or war?

Our list of suggested topics is far from exhaustive. In addition to what we have presented, we will happily consider papers and panels that fit the general goals and objectives of the section. This is your conference, we look forward to your submissions!

Division 33: Religion and Politics

To Be Announced — Please check the online call for papers for updated information.

Division 34: Representation and Electoral Systems

To Be Announced — Please check the online call for papers for updated information.

Division 35: Political Organizations and Parties

David Karol, University of Maryland

The 2012 conference theme highlights core concerns of the POP Section.

Scholars have long asked who it is parties and interest groups represent and how. Many American scholars have held that parties empower voters and that party government is the chief alternative to the dominance of lobbies representing elites. Yet in recent decades a seeming revival of parties has coincided with growing inequality and an explosion of corporate lobbying. Much discussion of the alleged ills of polarization has also been heard in the U.S. while divisions between traditional parties are said to be waning in other countries.

Questions of renewal are also relevant for students of parties and interest groups. A resurgence of party organizations and partisanship in American legislatures coexists with voter disaffection from party labels in the U.S. Other democracies have seen a decline in party membership along with new efforts by parties to connect to voters, e.g. open primaries. Interest groups and other political organizations have also changed. Some stress the absence of grass-roots organizations and the decline in union density, especially in the private sector, while others emphasize the role of social networking technologies fueling participation in new movements on the left and right in both affluent democracies and developing countries.

Students of parties and interest groups have too often conducted separate debates when in reality the phenomena they study are closely intertwined, especially when the concept of party is understood broadly to encompass more than the formal structure. I encourage proposals exploring party-interest group connections and conflicts. Finally, students of American political parties have long been especially prominent in the POP Section, but we are emphatically open to both interest group scholars and to those focused on other political systems.

Papers and panel proposals are welcome.

Division 36: Elections and Voting Behavior

Michele Claibourn, University of Virginia

Elections are a fundamental, if not always effective, mechanism of democratic representation. In line with this year's conference theme, “Representation and Renewal,” research on the conditions that promote or inhibit representation in campaigns, elections and voting — at the individual, the candidate, or the system level — are especially welcome, as are proposals that address how elections and voting produce more or less equal representation by defining whose interests elites are seeking to represent and whose voices are invited to demand representation. As well, work that seeks to connect campaigns and elections to the behavior of elites within representative institutions is strongly encouraged.

In addition, I seek proposals that examine traditional questions of campaign strategy, campaign effects on voter decision-making, individual and contextual determinants of electoral behavior, and the impact of reforms, policy changes or court cases on campaigns and elections. I welcome scholarship that considers voting and elections comparatively and within the important but often overlooked state and local arenas. Finally, proposals that advance new theoretical approaches or that innovate methodologically are encouraged.

Division 37: Public Opinion

Deborah Schildkraut, Tufts University

Models of representation have long motivated research on public opinion. From Edmund Burke's trustee/delegate juxtaposition, to the Founders' concerns about the capacities of ordinary citizens, to Hannah Pitkin's formulation of descriptive representation, to Robert Dahl's studies of pluralism, concerns about the linkages between public opinion and the decisions of elected and appointed officials that derive from these models are at the heart of public opinion scholarship. The theme of this year's conference, “Representation and Renewal,” thus presents an opportunity to highlight the central role that normative and empirical concerns about representation play in our research. I therefore encourage proposals that focus on this theme by investigating questions related to the models of representation noted above. I also welcome proposals that address related topics, such as: the causes and consequences of attitude polarization; questions of public opinion related to redistricting; how the Tea Party movement is affecting representation; the role of interest groups in shaping public opinion; and assessments of the degree and quality of representation afforded to different groups in society.

In addition to papers that explicitly address this year's theme, I also welcome proposals that address other central and enduring questions related to public opinion: including how factors such as elites, framing, context, the media, and identities shape public opinion; the dynamics of how the public responds to particular events (ex: the killing of Osama bin Laden, the nuclear catastrophe in Japan, scandals); and the causes and consequences of political knowledge. I also welcome proposals that center on methodological concerns involving data collection and measurement.

The annual conference also provides a great opportunity to reflect on milestones in our discipline. I welcome panel proposals that center on the celebration and continuing impact of important studies in our field. Finally, I hope that both junior and senior scholars will propose to serve as panel chairs and discussants.

Division 38: Political Communication

Regina G. Lawrence, Louisiana State University

This year, as usual, the Political Communication Division welcomes proposals for papers, as well as entire panels or roundtables. Proposals in all traditional research areas of Political Communication and across all methodological and theoretical approaches are welcome. All proposals should be specific about the methods employed and the academic contribution of the work. While all high quality proposals will be considered, paper or panel proposals relating to the conference theme of “Representation and Renewal” will be particularly welcome.

Division 39: Science, Technology and Environmental Politics

Manny Teodoro, Colgate University

Perhaps nowhere else on Earth are the politics of science, technology, and the environment as palpable as they are in New Orleans and the Gulf coast region. Hurricane Katrina, the Deepwater Horizon spill, and 2011 Mississippi River floods illustrate powerfully the political relationships between humans, technology, and the environment. Halfway around the world, the 2011 Japanese tsunami and resulting Fukushima nuclear disaster have citizens, scientists, and politicians re-evaluating environmental and technological policies.

At some level, the causes and effects of these events are products of local, national, and international politics. How do political institutions shape the decisions that prevent, cause, mitigate, or exacerbate environmental problems? How do citizens, interest groups, and political leaders affect environmental policies? The meeting's theme of renewal takes on a unique meaning for this division because it connotes renewable. How do political systems foster or frustrate renewable technologies? How do the politics of scientific research affect the diffusion of these innovations?

The section seeks theoretically and methodologically rigorous proposals that address the conference themes and contribute to our knowledge of science, technology, and environmental politics generally. Proposals that integrate across these fields, and that engage scholars from other sections are also strongly encouraged. Particularly welcome are proposals that take up the politics of recent focusing events like the Deepwater Horizon and Fukushima nuclear disasters.

Division 40: Information Technology and Politics

Laura Roselle, Elon University

“Representation and Renewal,” the general theme of the 2012 annual meeting, provides scholars of information technology (IT) and politics an opportunity to explore the intersection of technological changes and political action. In the U.S. context, for example, to what degree has the Internet changed how legislatures function? How do candidates, interest groups, and citizens use information technologies, and with what effect? In the international context, what role has technology played in the uprisings in the Middle East? How, if at all, has Wikileaks changed international relations? What factors affect global governance of information technologies? How do information technologies affect learning about politics? Finally, how are new ITs, including social media, being incorporated into teaching and learning, and in research.

In addition to proposals that draw upon the conference theme, we welcome research that explores emerging topics in the field. Proposals offering innovative panel formats, beyond the traditional five-papers-and-a-discussant are encouraged.

Division 41: Politics, Literature, and Film

Carol McNamara, Utah State University

The Politics, Literature, and Film Section welcomes paper and panel proposals for the 2012 annual meeting in New Orleans, August 30 — September 2. The theme of the 2012 conference will be “Representation and Renewal.” When King Arthur dies at the conclusion of Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, the Yankee, Hank Morgan, seizes the opportunity to dissolve the institutions of the monarchy and the aristocratic class system to establish a republic. He calls upon “the British people to meet together immediately, and by their votes elect representatives and deliver into their hands the government.” Hank offers the oppressed people of Medieval England the opportunity for political and social renewal through the establishment of a government based upon their equal and free consent. Both the support and the resistance that Hank's proclamation receives are reflective of the political events of our times. Representative institutions are at the core of liberal democratic government in the West and the demand for representation and renewal are at the heart of the demands of democratic movements across the globe. The APSA call for papers asks us to examine the nature of representation from every angle: its costs and benefits; when it is legitimate or illegitimate, just or unjust; what makes representation effective or ineffective.

We encourage contributions that reflect the unique approach that literature and film afford to explore the 2012 APSA theme of “Representation and Renewal,” as well as panels and papers that address the great questions of justice and human happiness at the heart of the study of politics in literature and film, both in the present and the past, in the United States and across the world. The deadline for proposals is December 15, 2011.

Division 42: New Political Science

Daniel O'Connor, California State University, Long Beach

“Representation and Renewal,” the 2012 APSA conference themes, are complex but critical issues that are of central concern to the New Political Science Section, founded with a commitment to progressive politics. As always, the section is interested in research that links theory and practice, advances social justice, and empowers scholars who seek to enrich both communities and classroom experiences.

The section invites papers and panels that:

• • Explore social movements seeking to create, expand, contest or defend democracy domestically, comparatively and internationally.

• • Analyze the implications of democratic movements and claims for representation taking place throughout the world. How are these movements succeeding and/or failing in their attempts to remove social, economic and political inequalities?

• • Critically assess the efforts at renewal in New Orleans following the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina. What has happened in policy areas such as education, healthcare, infrastructural development, the environment, etc.? How do the lenses of race, ethnicity, class, age, sexual orientation, and gender inform us about the recent attempts at renewal in this important American city?

• • Investigate how representation is defined and framed by various groups (i.e. racial, sexual orientation, gender, ethnicity, age, environmental, etc.) in their battle for achieving their goals.

• • Deepen the theoretical and philosophic discussion about democracy, representation, justice and equality.

The themes outlined above are only suggestions. The Section welcomes all proposals that address the topic and advance the discourse on representation and renewal. Although they will receive lower priority, other themes will be considered as well. We encourage perspectives that challenge disciplinary and academic boundaries. The section seeks individual paper proposals, full panels or round table discussions from scholars at different stages of their careers, including graduate students and our junior colleagues, along with activists and practitioners. If appropriate, please indicate any another suitable APSA division(s) when you submit your proposal so as to maximize your chances for acceptance.

Division 43: International History and Politics Section

Audie Klotz, Syracuse University

An international dimension figures prominently in the conference theme statement on “Representation and Renewal,” which includes multi-level governance and transnational influences. Questions surrounding contemporary challenges to democracy, equality, ecology, or diversity also call for deeper historical perspectives. Any normative bid for renewal necessarily requires a benchmark from which to remedy alleged shortcomings or to reclaim earlier successes. And the apparent recent rise in claims to representation from minority groups, indigenous people, or rights activists would benefit from analyses that reach back beyond the past fifty-or-so years. Therefore, the IHAP section particularly welcomes panels and papers at the intersection of representation and global historical change. Topics might include environmental issues, transnational urbanization, comparative immigrant incorporation, race and gender in international institutions, or collective economic security. As always, the section also welcomes traditional topics related to diplomatic or intellectual history and inter-state conflict or security cooperation, especially when new archival sources, methodological concerns, or conceptual tools are brought to bear.

Division 44: Comparative Democratization

Kurt Weyland, University of Texas at Austin

APSA's Comparative Democratization section invites panel and paper proposals focusing on any aspect of democratization, in particular, and of political regime type and regime change, in general. Research based on a broad variety of theoretical, conceptual, and methodological approaches is welcome. The section is especially interested in well-integrated panels that examine an important substantive or theoretical question from a variety of perspectives or that apply distinct theoretical or methodological approaches.

Topics that may be of special interest include the diffusion of democratization, as exemplified by the recent wave of contention in the Arab world: What mechanisms drive these demonstration and contagion effects, and what domestic and international factors shape their outcomes? What are the prospects for democracy in countries affected by this and earlier diffusion processes? Inversely, what variables account for the differential resilience of authoritarian regimes? Can recent advances in the conceptual and theoretical analysis of authoritarian rule (“competitive authoritarianism,” etc.) answer this question or do they need revision?

Besides these questions related to the broad theme of democratic transition, the issue of democratic quality also is of great importance. Proposals to deal with the difficult issues of measurement, empirical analysis, and causal explanation may be of special interest. Last but not least, the impact of democratization on policy outputs and outcomes has attracted a good deal of scholarly attention. To what extent, for instance, does political regime change prompt equity-enhancing reform and thus help alleviate the dire social problems plaguing many countries? These questions exemplify the kinds of issues and topics that panel and paper proposals for APSA's Comparative Democratization section could address.

Division 45: Human Rights

Christian Davenport, University of Notre Dame

The Human Rights section welcomes proposals for panels, papers, and roundtables that directly attempt to contribute to the end of political violence — the ultimate human right. Given this interest, we are especially interested in proposals concerning the circumstances/processes involved with terminating disappearances, torture, imprisonment, famines and mass killing. This includes those efforts that are pre-emptive, those which reduce severity while relevant activities are underway as well as those put in place when overt manifestations of violence have ended — both international and domestic in orientation. We are open to scholarship that is theoretical, historical, experimental and broadly empirical.

Division 46: Qualitative Methods

David Waldner, University of Virginia

The study of representation has provoked methodological reactions from a distinguished list of political scientists. Classic works such as Hanna Pitkin's The Concept of Representation, Christopher Achen's “Measuring Representation: Perils of the Correlation Coefficient,” and William Riker's “The Two-Party System and Duverger's Law: An Essay on the History of Political Science,” have taught us how to approach concept formation, measurement, causal inference, and scientific progress while simultaneously illuminating the structure and processes by which power is used by some to act, legitimately or illegitimately, in the name of others. The Organized Section on Qualitative and Multi-Method Research encourages papers that will spark renewed interest in the methodologically astute study of representation, as well as papers that represent best practices in qualitative methods and in the integration of qualitative with quantitative, experimental, and formal methods. The section embraces the widest possible interpretation of qualitative methods, from descriptive case studies to cross-sectional and longitudinal forms of causal inference, from the interpretation of social and political discourses, practices and texts to the _ne-grained compilation of evidence through archival research and interviews. Regardless of approach, the section emphasizes transparency, replicability, and validity, and welcomes all efforts to advance these goals. Central to the growth of knowledge is criticism, and we particularly welcome work that critically interrogates existing work in qualitative methods while suggesting new investigative techniques.

Division 47: Sexuality and Politics

Tony Smith, University of California Irvine

We invite proposals for panels, partial panels, and individual papers on topics that broadly relate to, encompass, or are informed by considerations of Sexuality & Politics. We are particularly interested in proposals that speak to the theme of the Annual Meeting, “Representation and Renewal.” We expect the panels to advance various lines of inquiry and research across a wide range of concerns and interests with the central connecting theme of sexuality and politics. We are open to proposals from those studying sexuality and politics in either a comparative or domestic context as well as from an international perspective. We particularly welcome proposals that intersect sexuality and politics with the broader discipline's interests in representation. We expect that some panels might be devoted to an examination of the distinctive character of political movements and organizations — on both the left and the right — that engage on issues of sexuality; how representation is shaped by or is responsive to constituents as a result of gender or identity; and the development of political representation through the larger societal lens of sexuality. Of course, we are open to and enthusiastically encourage a wide range of original, provocative, and thoughtful proposals beyond these specific areas. Panels comprised of coherently thematic papers that foster a conversation across multiple disciplinary traditions and/or among scholars of varying rank are particularly welcome.

Division 48: Health Politics and Policy

Deborah Stone, Dartmouth College

APSA's annual calls for papers are not usually high on my reading list, but I encourage everyone to read this year's thought-provoking call on the theme of “Representation and Renewal.” In keeping with the overall theme and the New Orleans location, I particularly welcome proposals that might fit some of the following topics:

• • Health Activism and Advocacy: Speaking for the Silent

• • Citizen Participation and/or Patient and Family Rights in Health Care

• • Illness, Disability and Inclusion (e.g., voting rights for the mentally disabled; health status and immigration law; representation of the ill and disabled in clinical research design and trials)

• • Representation of GLBT Interests in Health Care, Caregiving and Family Keeping

• • Representation of Health Policy Interests in Comparative Perspective

• • Representation of Indigenous Interests in Development Aid Programs

• • The Future of Solidarity

• • Representations of Health Care, Illness and Health Systems in Literature and Film

• • Health Policy and Practice in Disasters

• • Biosecurity—surveillance and other biotechnologies for public health, national security, and crisis management

And our perennial favorite: Whither the Affordable Care Act?

Knowing that people will and should submit proposals based on their current research rather than any canned list of topics, I encourage you to state how your research topic fits into one or two classic themes or puzzles of political science, if not representation.

I'll consider pre-formed panels as well as individual proposals, with three provisos. First, as you form your panel proposal, think about how it might be appropriate for co-sponsorship with another division. Second, whether or not your panel might be co-sponsored, it would help if you leave me some flexibility, i.e. open spots to fill from individual paper proposals and willing discussants. Third, please don't suggest a gang of fellow travelers who routinely appear on panels together; rather, look for a new and unusual grouping that will set off intellectual sparks.

We will have some poster session slots, and I'm looking into busting the genre with short videos (not PowerPoint) instead of posters. Let me know if you have an idea.

Division 49: Canadian Politics

Kathryn Harrison, University of British Columbia

Questions of representation have been central to Canadian politics since Confederation, which struck a particular balance among regional, linguistic, and religious identities. Increasingly, that balance has been challenged by First Nations, who were excluded from the original constitutional bargain, and by other members of the Canadian political community who seek representation based on identities such as class and gender that are not geographically-delineated. The emergence of new social movements and the increasing diversity of Canadian society have contributed to these challenges, as have institutional reforms, most notably introduction of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In turn Canadians have called for other forms of institutional change, including Senate and electoral reform. And voters took advantage of the existing electoral system to deliver dramatic changes in partisan representation in the 2011 federal election.

The Canadian Politics section welcomes theoretically grounded and methodologically rigourous proposals that address the conference theme of “Representation and Renewal” and other questions of Canadian politics. Proposals are encouraged from all subfields of political science, as are proposals that engage scholars in other APSA sections.

Division 50: Political Networks

Ramiro Berardo, University of Arizona

In line with the 2012 APSA conference theme, the Political Networks section welcomes paper proposals that address “Representation and Renewal” topics from a relational perspective. The reach of this call, however, is not limited exclusively to that theme. Research on many topics of interest for political scientists (and other social scientists) has been invigorated in the last years in part due to the growing application of theoretical and methodological approaches that explicitly assume the interdependence between units of analysis; this call continues the efforts of our section to encourage the expansion of this trend in our discipline.

Thus, we solicit papers that apply network ideas in the study of International Relations, Public Policy and Administration, Comparative Politics, Political Theory, Political Methodology, American Politics, or any other subfield of the discipline. Papers that cross disciplinary boundaries and engage topics at the intersection of political science and other social sciences will also be considered.

Division 51: Experimental Research

To Be Announced: Please check the online call for papers for updated information.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION PROCEDURE

APSA accepts chair, discussant, paper, and organized panel proposals. You will be required to provide the following information:

Chair/Discussant Proposals: Statement of interest, CV, Ph.D. information, and first and second division choice.

Paper Proposals: Paper title, abstract of no more than 500 words, Co-author information, Ph.D. information, and first and second division choice.

Organized Panel Proposals: Panel title, panel abstract, presenter information including paper titles and abstracts, chair and discussant information, and first and second division choice.

To use the online submission system, all you need is a valid email address and internet connectivity. In order to submit your proposal, log into your MyAPSA account and click the Call for Papers link in the Annual Meeting section. If you do not have a MyAPSA account, you may create one for free at wwwapsanet.org.

SUBMISSION RULES

The following submission rules were established by the APSA Committee on the Annual Meeting:

• • Submit up to two sole-authored papers or two organized panel proposals. Additional proposals from the same author or organizer will not be accepted.

• • Submit each proposal to no more than two Divisions. • All paper proposals will be considered for poster presentation. • All submissions must be received electronically by December 15, 2011.

ACCEPTANCE NOTIFICATION

In March 2012, you will receive an acceptance or rejection email from the division chair for each proposal you submitted. If accepted for a panel or poster presentation, the email will indicate the division for which you are accepted. If your proposal is not immediately accepted for a panel or poster, you may be contacted at a later date to present if spaces become available on the program. You will receive additional detailed information regarding your panel or poster session from the division or panel chair.

ANNUAL MEETING PARTICIPATION RULES

When submitting panel and individual paper proposals, please follow the following five participation rules which were developed and maintained by the APSA Council.