RC03 - European Unification

The "Berlin Summer School in Social Sciences – Linking Theory and Empirical Research" seeks to promote young researchers by strengthening their methodological understanding in linking theory and empirical research. What role does theory play in empirical research? The importance of theoretical reflection for the guidance of empirical inquiry and for scientific innovation is widely acknowledged in the social sciences. But how can we systematically describe the dynamic relationship between theory and data? While it is common sense in the social sciences that theory plays a crucial role in shaping our perspectives on and our interpretations of the empirical reality, the concrete application of theories in new research projects is a task which is far from trivial. It involves not only an intimate acquaintance with the diverse theories of relevance for a certain field of study, but it also requires competence and creativity for their adjustment to specific empirical contexts and sensitivity for the methodological implications, theoretical choices and decisions for the analysis of empirical data. A research methodology which links theories and empirical analysis has to take into account these challenges.

“Clearing the underbrush” (Bevir) of research methodology and explicitly tackling the linking of empirical data to the wide range of theories is the main focus of the Berlin Summer School. The program is characterized by a varied format comprising lectures, workshops, seminars, and one-to-one consultations. During the summer school, participants will also have the opportunity to present and discuss their own work extensively. Participants will be provided with hands-on advice for their research designs.

The school brings together a faculty of renowned international and Berlin-based scholars. Among the confirmed international lecturers are Donatella della Porta (Scuola Normale Superiore), Steve Fleetwood (University of the West of England, Bristol), Macartan Humphreys (Columbia University/ WZB Berlin), Nikita Dhawan (University of Innsbruck), Staffan Lindberg (University of Gothenburg), and Hendrik Wagenaar (University of Sheffield).

The international summer school is open to up to 60 PhD candidates, advanced master students, and young postdocs. The call for applications is currently open. Applications can be submitted online via the application form on the summer school webpage until March 31, 2018. The decisions of the selection committee will be announced to the applicants in April. For more information: https://www.berlinsummerschool.de/program/overview/

Call for papers

IPSA World Congress of Political Science, Brisbane, 21-26 July 2018

Panel title: Differentiated integration in the European Union – Consequences for Relations with Neighbours 

Panel description: There are many interesting processes under way in the European Union nowadays. One of them is the development of differentiated integration, including the emerging division into the core and circles (or centre and peripheries). The process has gained in political weight when the member states began to look for the ways out of the euro crisis and the Brexit issue became a reality. It has consequences not only for the members of the EU but also for its relations with the third countries, particularly its neighbours. The main goal of the panel is to take a close look at the impact of the differentiated integration on the EU policies concerning its neighbours – i.e. the enlargement policy and two dimensions of the European Neighbourhood Policy as well as the relations with other EU neighbours including Russia as well as EEA countries, Switzerland and in the future possibly also the United Kingdom.

Many interesting issues are worth discussing here. Historically, we can talk about some concepts of the European integration being actually the first theoretical models of the external differentiated integration (e.g. “the concentric circles”). The crucial question is which concepts can be taken into consideration by working out the models of the external differentiated integration nowadays. Can the old proposals be refreshed and adjusted to the current situation or is it time for new ideas? Actually, there are some models of the external differentiated integration working already in the case of many EU neighbours and their relationships with the EU. However, it is worth investigating the possible development of these models in the future. It is not a purely theoretical question. The current enlargement policy and the ENP are in a crisis. The prospect of accession of new countries to the EU is very uncertain. The ENP is not effective at all. The EU is losing its influence on the neighbourhood. The question is if the development of new or modified models of the external differentiated integration can be a kind of solution to these problems. The differentiation dynamics points to the inadequacy of conceiving the EU membership in binary (zero - one) terms. In this context, the differentiated integration seems to constitute an opportunity for the stalled enlargement policy, especially when it comes to Turkey. Maybe the new models of differentiated integration can contribute also to revitalization of the relationship between the EU and ENP partners, to improve the relations with Russia and to build a new model of cooperation with the UK after Brexit. 

These and many more questions will be posed within the panel organised within the RC03 – European Unification. Welcomed are paper proposals of young and experienced scholars, dealing with both theoretical and empirical aspects of the aforementioned topics. Single case studies and comparative analyses are equally acceptable.

If you are interested in participating in the panel, please, send the paper proposal including the title and short abstract (up to 250 words) to Prof. Adam Szymanski, ar.szymanski@uw.edu.pl by 1 October 2017. You will be notified by 3 October 2017 whether your proposal has been accepted to the panel. Please, bear in mind that you will have also to submit the paper proposal to the IPSA website by signing in your individual IPSA account by 10 October 2017. 

Call for Papers International Conference "Rethinking governance in an era of global insecurities, regional tensions and rising nationalism", July 17-19, University of Melbourne: http://www.eucentre.unimelb.edu.au/events/rethinking-governance/

The  study  of  regional  governance  has  gained  momentum  in  recent  years.  The  European  Union,  often  regarded  as  the  preeminent  regional  body  is  perceived  as  not  only  being  in  crisis  but  on  the  verge  of  disintegration.  At  the  same  time,  regional  bodies  such  as  the  Association  of  Southeast  Asian  Nations  (ASEAN)  have  been  seeking  to  deepen  their  patterns  of  regional  cooperation,  though  also  experiencing  challenges  with  the  process  of  regional  integration.  Emerging  powers  in  the  global  context  and  shifting  power  dynamics  of  the  US  and  China  suggest  greater  complexity  in  tackling  global  challenges.  The  uncertainly  following  the  election  of  Donald  Trump as the next US President, the  shifting  power  dynamics  of  Russia  and  China,  and  rising  populism  all  point  to insecurities  at  the regional  and  national levels.

In the face of a strategic shift in the balance of power in international relations, might regional cooperation provide a means to manage global challenges? How might territorial disputes, nationalism, Brexit, a US ‘retreat’ and populism be tackled? These and other issues will be examined and rigorously debated. The conference is open to academics, policy makers and practitioners from across discipline areas and to interested members of the public.

Themes to be examined at the conference will include:

1. Brexit and beyond
2. The power of populism and nationalism
3. Tackling global challenges: Regional solutions?
   1. Climate change
   2. Terrorism
   3. Poverty and development
   4. Refugee crisis
4. Security, instability and conflict
5. The EU-Australia relationship
6. Global trade and contestation
7. Economic crises and wealth disparities
8. Drivers of integration and disintegration in regional bodies
9. Assessing the EU Global Strategy
10. Awkward states in regionalism

The EU Centre is now accepting panel proposals and papers. Submit by 20 February 2017 to Prof Philomena Murray, Jean Monnet Chair ad personam and EU Centre Research Director, Regional Governance.
Email: pbmurray@unimelb.edu.au

 Carlos Closa (2016). Secession from a Member State and EU Membership: the View from the Union. European Constitutional Law Review, 12, pp 240-264. doi:10.1017/S1574019616000146.

Abstract: Arguments in favour of a more explicit and clearer EU stance on secession from a member state – two different cases for secession and their implications – the inadmissibility of unilateral secession within the EU – consensual secession does not create a legal entitlement for automatic membership – the need to follow the route of Article 49 TEU – no need for a specific secession provision in EU treaties

http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=10475548&fulltextType=RA&fileId=S1574019616000146

The Research Committee investigates all issues related to the process of European integration and EU politics. This comprises inter alia theories of integration, public policy in the EU, multilevel governance, EU legitimacy and democracy, etc. Necessarily, the group keeps a pluralistic epistemological and methodological attitude and contributions from different approaches are always welcome. A basic tenet of the RC03 is that the study of EU integration, policies and politics can be approached from the conceptual, methodological and epistemological tools provided by political science sub-disciplines, such as comparative politics or political theory. This presupposes an open attitude to cooperate with other IPSA RCs. Moreover, the study of regional integration is not a phenomenon limited to Europe: similar processes can be identified elsewhere and, because of this, the RC stimulates engaging with comparative regionalism.

List of IPSA RC03 Panels- 24th World Congress of Political Science, Poznań 2016:

• [RC03.04] EU Integration and Political Parties
  Thursday 28 July 9:00-10:45
  Poznań Congress Center, Pavilion 7 (PCC-7) 1.D
  Chair: Prof. Carlos Closa
• [RC03.19] EU Citizenship, Euro-Crisis and European Identity: Recent Changes, Practices and Dynamics of the Demos-to-Be
  Tuesday 26 July 17:30-19:15
  Poznań Congress Center, Pavilion 15 (PCC-15) 3.2
  Chair: Dr. Daniela Vintila 
• [RC03.02] Conceptualizing Representative Democracy in the EU Multilevel Regime
  Tuesday 26 July 13:30-15:15
  Poznań Congress Center, Pavilion 15 (PCC-15) 2.2
  Chair: Dr. Claudia Wiesner
• [RC03.10] Euroscepticism After the 2014 European Parliament Elections

  Monday 25 July 9:00-10:45

  Poznań Congress Center, Pavilion 7 (PCC-7) 1.F

  Chair: Prof. Oscar Mazzoleni

   

  [RC03.08] Europeanization in Comparative Perspective: EU Member States and Neighbours

  Monday 25 July 13:30-15:15

  Poznań Congress Center, Pavilion 15 (PCC-15) 2.3

  Chair: Dr. Adam Szymanski

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The IPSA Executive Committee has selected the historic city of Poznań as the new host city for the 24th IPSA World Congress of Political Science to be held at the Poznań Congress Center from 23 to 28 of July, 2016. It will be the first IPSA World Congress to be held in Eastern Europe.

http://wc2016.ipsa.org/events/congress/wc2016/news/pozna%C5%84-will-host-24th-ipsa-world-congress-political-science

Please note that the main theme of the Congress will not change and all accepted panels and papers will be maintained in what is an outstanding Congress Program.

Congress Registration

Early-bird registration for WC2016 is available until April 13. ALL participants, including session chairs, panel chairs, discussants and paper givers, must register to attend the congress. All participants must be IPSA members in order to register.

Registration details are available on the IPSA Congress registration page.

Refund Policy

All cancellations must be sent in writing to the IPSA Secretariat at wc2016@ipsa.org

If you completed your registration before 25 February 2016 and no longer wish to attend the Congress, we will refund 100% of your registration fee.
Please note: membership fees are non-refundable. New and renewed membership will continue to be valid, even if registration to the World Congress is cancelled.

The regular Refund Policy will apply to registrations completed after 25 February 2016.

Flights

Please check with your airline for options on cancellation or change of destination. Your credit card provider may also offer Trip Cancellation insurance. Unfortunately, IPSA is unable to offer refunds for flights that have already been booked to Istanbul.

Cancellations and Withdrawals

If you can no longer participate in the IPSA World Congress and wish to withdraw your name from the program, please notify us by sending an email to wc2016@ipsa.org

The "Berlin Summer School in Social Sciences – Linking Theory and Empirical Research" seeks to promote young researchers by strengthening their methodological understanding in linking theory and empirical research.

Each module of the first week starts with a double lecture reflecting different or complementary methodological positions on the issue under consideration - represented by two international experts in each case who will also briefly comment on each others approach. In the next step participants work on assignments in four smaller groups and discuss the lectures. This is followed by two workshops in two groups with the respective lecturers that focus on the implications for research designs. Here, the lectures and assignments can be discussed with the lecturers more deeply. Each module ends with an offer for short one-to-one consultations with the respective lecturers. Each participant can have at least one consultation within the first week.

The modules of the second week are taking two steps within each thematic group of participants. In the first step the Berlin-based experts give an introduction that relates the considerations of the first week to the respective substantial field of research. In the second, all participants have the opportunity to present and discuss their current research project in depth and to receive feedback and hands-on advice for the methodological challenges arising in their research."

http://www.berlinsummerschool.de/program/overview/

Call for Papers: “The Euro-crisis and European identity: changes and dynamics on the demos-to-be”, IPSA World Congress of Political Science, July 23-28, 2016

Panel chair: Simona Guerra, University of Leicester

Abstract: Although analyses have found that the economic crisis is not a source of Euroscepticism, positive attitudes are declining in countries suffering most from it. Concurrently, trust towards the EU has halted at very low levels, 31% (EB81 2014, 9), and turnout at the 2014 European Parliament (EP) elections decreased to 42.61% (it was 53% in 2009 and EP official data reported a few percentages up to 43.09% until the end of June 2014). As Paul Taggart and Aleks Szczerbiak underline, despite the current crisis can enrich these EP elections with more Europe, it is important to distinguish the crisis, a general economic crisis, a specific euro crisis and the domestic contexts (2014). Addressing the crisis, the decreasing level of turnout and low trust for the EU institution, this panel ‘looks out for’ the impact of the Euro-crisis on European identity. We invite submissions discussing the limits of the concept, the debates underlying its notion and discourse, studies on the relationship between national and European identity, and analyses on functional and affective dimensions, cross-border interaction and cognitive mobilization, and addressing the impact, if any, of the Euro-crisis.

Deadline: October 7th 2015.

For further information, please contact Dr. Simona Guerra (gs219@leicester.ac.uk).