Political Science Associations Esssay ⋆ Political Science Essay Examples ⋆ EssayEmpire

Political scientists began to organize in professional associations in early twentieth century, and the oldest political science association in the world is the American Political Science Association (APSA), which was founded in 1904. At present, APSA includes more than fifteen thousand members in more than eighty countries. APSA’s principal objectives are to expand awareness and understanding of politics, and to support political science education and professional development of political scientists. APSA’s membership is individual, departmental, and institutional, and the association publishes a number of professional publications. APSA more recently emphasizes teaching political science, a global professional trend that recognizes the importance of not only political knowledge, but also the most efficient transmission of that knowledge.

The International Political Science Association was founded under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1949 in Canada, and it has consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (UN) and with UNESCO. Its annual conference brings thousands of participants together to discuss current global themes and issues in politics and political studies.

The European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) is another major international political science association with a membership of eight thousand political scientists in more than three hundred institutions throughout Europe and beyond. It offers workshops, conferences, research sessions, and summer schools, and it produces numerous professional publications. ECPR includes standing groups, including one on international relations and the recently associated European Political Science Network (epsNet) that works to develop political science teaching in Europe. This launched in June 2001 as a successor to the former European Thematic Network in Political Science and is designed to promote political science in Europe, and to cater to the interests of individual political scientists, academic institutions, and other bodies concerned with teaching of the discipline in Europe. The principal professional achievement of the European Political Science Network has been providing a coordinated core political science curriculum within the European Bologna reform of higher education.

The trend of organizing at the continental level has also gained ground in other countries. Africa recently founded the African Political Science Association, which has similar objectives to other international professional associations in political science. Similarly, the Asian Political and International Studies Association promotes research, teaching, and cooperation in political and international studies. There is also a Latin American Political Science Association. Some international political science associations focus on a particular sub discipline within political science, such as the International Studies Association or the Network for European Social Policy Analysis, and political science students also have their own international association called the International Association for Political Science Students.

There is a national political science association in the majority of countries, but these associations differ in membership, ambitions, and activities. For example, the British Political Studies Association has several thousand members, while smaller countries with fewer universities have national political science associations that include only a few dozen professionals and political science alumni. In the European Union (EU), several national political science associations have recently founded a standing conference upon the initiative of the European Political Science Network to discuss common professional issues and explore synergetic solutions for the Bologna reform, professional accreditation, research funding, the situation of women political scientists, and other issues. The Central European Political Science Association also organizes annual professional conferences where political scientists from the region discuss relevant academic and professional issues. The Nordic Political Science Association represents a similar regional attempt at cooperation of national political science associations in Europe.

Several competitive international political science associations provide welcome alternative options for political scientists worldwide to connect, find forums to present their academic findings, and join international projects and initiatives. International political science associations make it easier to discern trends in the discipline and compare various approaches to political science research and teaching. Via international political science associations, political scientists worldwide are able to compare their professional situations, learn about good practices to adapt to their specific professional environments, and jointly influence political decisions related to scientific research and the educational sphere.

Bibliography:

American Political Science Association. www.apsanet.org.
Asian Political and International Studies Association. www.apisanet.com
Boncourt,Thibaud. A History of the International Political Science Association.
Montreal: International Political Science Association, 2009. British Political Studies Association. www.psa.ac.uk.
Central European Political Science Association. www.cepsa.cz.
European Consortium for Political Research. www.essex.ac.uk/ecpr. European Political Science Network. www.epsnet.org.
Gregu ová, Gabriela, ed. How to Teach Political Science? The Experience of Firsttime University Teachers. Budapest: European Political Science Network, 2005.
International Association of Political Science Students. www.iapss.org. International Political Science Association. www.ipsa.ca.
International Studies Association. www.isanet.org.
Latin American Political Science Association. www.aclcpa.com. Network for European Social Policy Analysis. www.espanet.org. Nordic Political Science Association. www.nopsa.org.
Reinalda, Bob, and Ewa Kulesza. The Bologna Process. Harmonizing Europe’s Higher Education. Bloomfield Hills, Mich.: Barbara Budrich, 2005.

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