WORKSHOPS

On the day before the start of the annual meeting, the WPSA reserves a few meeting rooms at the conference hotel for affiliated groups to hold workshops in which they share research and address issues of common interest. Four groups have traditionally held workshops on these Wednesdays:

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1) Environmental Political Theory:

Co-Chairs:

John M. Meyer Cal Poly Humboldt
john.meyer@humboldt.edu Jason Lambacher University of Washington Bothell
jlambach@uw.edu

Environmental Political Theory Workshop Agenda:

Wednesday April 16, 2025 - Hyatt Regency, Downtown Seattle

The Environmental Political Theory (EPT) group gathers together scholars and activists who are interested in what political theory can contribute to larger debates and intellectual discussions about environmental challenges. Workshop sessions enable participants to share their projects and scholarship, to discuss pedagogy, and to address shared challenges.

• 8:30-9:00am - Light Breakfast
• 9:00-10:00am - Introductions
• 10:00-10:30am - Part 1: Project Presentations. Brief introductions to embryonic project ideas, collaborative opportunities, and other creative ideas
• 10:30-11:30am - Part 2: Breakout discussions of projects/ideas
• 11:30-12:30pm - Lunch Break
• 12:45-2:00pm - Teaching EPT in the Trump Years

Small group discussions followed by full roundtable

• 2:00-2:45pm - Planning for next year
• 3:00-5:00pm - Guided Visit to Overlook Walk, with Cary Moon.

  Earthquake Aftershocks: The Politics of Transforming the Seattle Waterfront

  The 1999 Seattle earthquake kicked off a decades-long transformation of west downtown, including the tear-down of a major elevated freeway, construction of a costly new tunnel underneath the city, a rebuilt seawall, development of waterfront properties, the creation of transit, bicycle, and pedestrian boulevards, and – in 2024 – an astonishing new pedestrian park extending from Pike Place Market to Elliot Bay.

  Cary Moon is an urban design and landscape architect and former candidate for Seattle mayor. She co-founded and led the People’s Waterfront Coalition, which advocated for taking the billions of dollars scheduled for Seattle’s “big dig” tunnel to create an array of green transit, pedestrian, and public spaces on the waterfront. While the tunnel option was eventually chosen, some of the ideas advocated by the People’s Waterfront Coalition were also adopted. On this walk, Cary will discuss the backstory of the transformation, which has helped define Seattle politics in the early 21st century.

  A scheduled meeting point will be available for those unable to complete the walk; contingency plan in case of inclement weather.

  Park Information:
  https://waterfrontseattle.org/waterfront-projects/overlook-walk

• 6:30pm - Group Dinner Location TBA

Please RSVP so we can gauge the workshop attendance
RSVP Link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeBzgerOv4hcq2sVTz9p0rQHBx6rwPYFjtgnN0XPWFPK_uP2w/viewform

Questions? Contact workshop organizers:
John Meyer, Cal Poly Humboldt, john.meyer@humboldt.edu
Jason Frederick Lambacher, University of Washington Bothell, jlambach@uw.edu

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2) WPSA 2025 Feminist Political Theory Pre-conference Workshop:

Organizers:

Lisa Beard Western Washington University
lisa.beard@wwu.edu Vicki Hsueh Western Washington University
hsuehv@wwu.edu

Presenters:

Gina Starblanket University of Victoria, School of Indigenous Governance

Title: Making Space for Indigenous Feminism, 3rd Edition

We thank Fernwood Publishing for a discount code: WPSA20.
US orders can be made through Columbia University Press;
Canadian orders through Fernwood Publishing

We will be reading the volume in its entirety but focusing our discussion on the following chapters (authored or co-authored by Gina Starblanket):

• “Extending our Accounts of Indigenous Feminism,”
• “Red Ticket Women: Revisiting the Political Contributions of the Indian Rights for Indian Women’s Movement,”
• and “On Black and Indigenous Relationality: A Conversation.”

Judy Rohrer Eastern Washington University, Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies

Title: (Re)purposing, not ‘Rightsizing’: Responding to Recent Attacks on Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies in the U.S. Academy (WSQ: Women’s Studies Quarterly, 2024) [article attached]

Discussants:

Heidi Kiiwetinepinesiik Stark University of Victoria, School of Indigenous Governance
Annie Menzel University of Wisconsin-Madison, Gender & Women’s Studies

Schedule for the day:

• 1:30pm - 2:00pm - Coffee, snacks, social
• 2:00pm - 3:30pm - Book session (Gina Starblanket and Heidi Kiiwetinepinesiik Stark)
• 3:30pm - 4:00pm - Coffee, snacks, social
• 4:00pm - 5:00pm - Article session (Judy Rohrer and Annie Menzel)
• 5:00pm - 6:00pm - General discussion; organizational meeting

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3) Latina/o/x Politics:

Chair:

Chris Olds Fort Hays State University
cpolds@fhsu.edu

Description:

New Theme Statement for 2025. The Latina/o/x Politics Pre-Conference Workshop affords an opportunity for robust discussion on intriguing research puzzles surrounding Latina/o/x Politics, as well as professional mentoring opportunities for scholars engaging in research on Latina/o/x Politics.

The Workshop embraces methodological and substantive diversity. Normative political theory, mixed methods, and qualitative or quantitative empirical research presentations are encouraged.

In alignment with the 2025 WPSA program theme, research that analyzes the 2024 election cycle, discrimination, hate crimes, marginalization of undocumented or unhoused individuals, misinformation and disinformation facilitated by technological change, and democratic engagement with an emphasis on the current Latina/o/x social and political experience will assist in learning about challenges that warrant continued exploration. Research that explores questions tied to the study of heterogeneity along aspects like language, distance from country of origin (generational effects), growing up during specific periods of time (cohort effects), sexual orientation, gender identity, economic/financial health, and education can continue a fruitful dialogue about multiple areas of opportunity in exploring Latina/o/x Politics.

Along with original research, a mentoring session will be held where graduate students and non-tenure-track faculty can discuss topics surrounding teaching, research, and service with tenure-track and tenured faculty. The Workshop will welcome the opportunity to host panels on professional development and career opportunities for scholars with specialization in Latina/o/x Politics.

The workshop will be held Wednesday, April 16th in-person at the Seattle WPSA. Please send your presentation or panel ideas, mentoring session interest, and general questions to Christopher Olds at cpolds@fhsu.edu