Plan to Join Us in Vancouver in 2024

The 2024 meeting of the Western Political Science Association will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Vancouver, BC, Canada, from March 28 to March 30. The conference hotel is located in downtown Vancouver within walking distance to Stanley Park, the Seawall, and other world- renowned destinations. This is the first time we have been in Vancouver since 2017, and we are looking forward to returning to this beautiful city for our upcoming meeting. Lorrie Frasure, University of California-Los Angeles, is serving as program chair for this meeting. Steven Weldon, Simon Fraser University, is chairing the Local Arrangements Committee. Aaron Hoffman, Simon Fraser University, is also serving on the committee.

Deadline. The deadline for submission of paper proposals/program participation forms is Friday, September 29, 2023. The theme for the 2024 meeting is: “Political Backlash and Its Consequences.” While proposals are welcome on all topics in political science, the program chair is encouraging proposals that broadly assess the various formations of backlash and how it affects different parts of society, culture, and politics, and what long-term consequences will be for organizations, institutions, and identities. Scholars in all subfields of the discipline are welcome to submit proposals on subjects related to this theme. We are also encouraging complete panel proposals.

Special Events, Workshops, Mini-Conferences. The WPSA annual meeting not only offers the opportunity for traditional research presentations and roundtable discussions, but also a place for interested groups to schedule special events, workshops, and mini-conferences. The deadline for these special events comes later in the fall. If you have something you would like to incorporate into the conference, let us know. We will work closely with you to make sure your special event is a success. For information about these opportunities, please contact Richard Clucas, WPSA Executive Director, at hprc@pdx.edu.

Passport. If you are planning to join us, make sure your passport is up-to-date soon. According to the U.S. State Department, it is currently taking between 10 to 13 weeks to get a passport. It is a bit shorter if you pay to have the process expedited, but it still may take 9 weeks. If your passport is expiring within six months of the conference, you should apply for a new one to ensure you do not have trouble entering Canada or returning home.

More Details. Details about the conference, its theme, the Call for Papers, the list of section chairs, and proposal instructions appear on the meeting webpage: https://www.wpsanet.org/meeting/.

WPSA 75th Anniversary Fundraising Campaign Continues

As part of the WPSA’s 75th Anniversary, the association launched a $100,000 fundraising campaign to create a travel endowment. In October, the WPSA executive council voted to name the travel award after Elsa Favila, the association’s long-serving associate director. The association is continuing the fundraising campaign. If you have not contributed yet, please do so. Every year, the WPSA offices get request from graduate students and faculty who do not have the funding to attend the annual meeting. This will enable us to provide some support. Even small contributions are appreciated!!

Donations to the Association can be made on a one-time only basis or spread out over multiple months or years. The WPSA is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization; as such, your contributions are fully tax-deductible, as permitted by law. To make a donation, please visit the WPSA website at:https://www.wpsanet.org/about/donate.php.