--- title: "Annual Midwest Political Science Association Conference" description: "84th Annual Midwest Political Science Association Conference is a professional conference in Chicago, United States, Apr 1–4, 2027." url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/conferences/professional/84th-annual-midwest-political-science-association-conference-2027" --- # 84th Annual Midwest Political Science Association Conference Apr 1–4, 2027[Chicago, United States](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1\&query=Chicago%2C%20United%20States)In-person [Registration open](https://www.mpsanet.org/) The 84th Annual Midwest Political Science Association Conference, hosted in Chicago, USA, serves as a significant forum for political science research. This event brings together scholars, practitioners, and students to present and discuss a wide array of topics within the discipline. Its long-standing tradition underscores its role in shaping political discourse and academic inquiry. ## Committees & topics - Representation and Electoral Systems Representation and Electoral Systems - Mass Media Mass Media - Political Communication Political Communication - Political Psychology Political Psychology - Political Networks Political Networks - Public Opinion Public Opinion - American Public Opinion American Public Opinion - Campaigns and Elections Campaigns and Elections ## Why it matters This conference is a critical nexus for the advancement of political science, offering a platform for the dissemination of new research and the fostering of collaborative networks. The breadth of topics covered ensures that both established and emerging areas of political inquiry receive attention, from comparative politics to international relations and political theory. For those engaged in diplomatic work, understanding the academic underpinnings of political behavior and international systems is crucial. The conference provides insights into the latest methodologies and theoretical frameworks that inform policy analysis and strategic planning. The discussions and presentations at this event can offer valuable perspectives on global political trends and domestic policy challenges. For instance, research presented on electoral systems or political economy in countries like USA, CAN, or MEX can shed light on broader regional or global patterns. Similarly, studies focusing on political behavior or public opinion in diverse contexts, such as BRA or IND, can provide comparative insights relevant to diplomatic engagement and public diplomacy. The conference's focus on rigorous academic inquiry helps to ground policy discussions in evidence-based analysis, moving beyond anecdotal observations to a more structured understanding of political phenomena. ## How to prepare To effectively engage with the conference content, participants should consider how the presented research aligns with current geopolitical challenges and diplomatic objectives. Utilizing frameworks such as "understanding motivations" and "mapping relationships" can help in discerning the practical implications of academic findings. For example, a paper on political polarization in USA might offer insights into domestic policy constraints that impact international relations, requiring diplomats to adjust their "[engagement strategies](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/engagement-strategies)." Attendees should also be prepared to identify "hidden stakeholders" within various political contexts discussed, as academic research often uncovers actors and influences not immediately apparent in public discourse. Engaging with scholars from different subfields can broaden one's perspective, particularly when considering complex international issues that intersect with domestic politics, economic factors, and social dynamics. The conference provides an opportunity to apply "dynamic analysis" to evolving political landscapes, using academic insights to anticipate future trends and inform proactive diplomatic initiatives. ## Country perspectives Where the most-relevant 5 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile. [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [As the host nation, USA is a central focus for many political science discussions, particularly concerning domestic politics, electoral systems, and foreign policy implications.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Research often explores USA's role in global governance, its internal political dynamics, and the impact of its policies on international relations. The conference location in Chicago, USA, naturally draws significant attention to American political studies.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Canada](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/canada) [Canadian political science research frequently offers comparative insights, particularly in relation to its North American neighbor, USA, and its role in multilateral institutions.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/canada) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/canada) [Studies from CAN often contribute to discussions on federalism, multiculturalism, and trade relations, providing a valuable comparative lens for understanding political systems and international cooperation.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/canada) [Mexico](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/mexico) [Research from MEX often focuses on democratic transitions, economic development, and its complex relationship with USA, offering crucial perspectives on regional dynamics.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/mexico) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/mexico) [MEX's contributions highlight issues of migration, border security, and regional integration, providing important context for understanding political and economic interconnectedness in North America.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/mexico) [Brazil](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/brazil) [Brazilian political science research contributes to understanding democratic consolidation, social movements, and the country's role in South American and global affairs.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/brazil) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/brazil) [Studies from BRA can illuminate challenges of governance, inequality, and environmental policy, offering insights into the political complexities of emerging economies and regional powers.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/brazil) [India](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/india) [Indian political science research often examines the complexities of the world's largest democracy, including electoral politics, federalism, and foreign policy in a multipolar world.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/india) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/india) [Contributions from IND provide critical perspectives on issues of diversity, development, and strategic partnerships, enriching discussions on comparative politics and international relations.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/india) ## Topics & background The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it. 1 ### Representation and Electoral Systems Debates over how to translate votes into seats are among the oldest in political science, dating to 19th-century reform movements in Britain, Belgium, and the United States that produced the secret ballot, single-member districts, and early proportional representation (PR) systems. The post-1945 era entrenched a divide between majoritarian Westminster-style systems and continental PR, while the third wave of democratization since 1974 produced a wide menu of mixed-member, single transferable vote, and open-list designs in Germany, New Zealand, South Africa, and post-communist Europe. Comparative work by Arend Lijphart, Douglas Rae, and Gary Cox established that electoral rules shape party system size, minority representation, and accountability. Contemporary disputes center on the rise of populist majorities under disproportional rules, gerrymandering and redistricting litigation in the United States, the use of gender and ethnic quotas, and ranked-choice and approval voting experiments in subnational jurisdictions. Reform referenda in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, British Columbia, and most recently proposals in Chile and France have produced mixed results, with publics often resistant to changing familiar rules. Scholars increasingly examine how electoral systems interact with primaries, campaign finance, and digital media to shape representation. The panel will weigh evidence on descriptive versus substantive representation, the durability of Duverger's law under new conditions, and whether procedural reforms can meaningfully address polarization and democratic backsliding. Key players - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Center of redistricting litigation and ranked-choice voting experimentation.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Archetypal first-past-the-post system facing recurring PR reform debates.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) - [Germany](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Leading mixed-member proportional model widely studied and emulated.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) - [New Zealand](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) [Successful 1996 transition from FPTP to MMP via referendum.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) - [South Africa](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-africa) [Closed-list PR system now undergoing reform toward independent candidacies.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-africa) 2 ### Mass Media The study of mass media in political science traces from Lippmann and Lasswell's interwar work on propaganda through the Columbia and Michigan school findings on limited media effects, to agenda-setting and framing research by McCombs, Shaw, Iyengar, and Entman. The late 20th century saw consolidation of broadcast networks, the rise of cable news in the 1980s and 1990s, and the deregulation epitomized by the 1996 U.S. Telecommunications Act, which reshaped ownership patterns globally. State broadcasters such as the BBC, Deutsche Welle, NHK, and CCTV continued to anchor distinct media systems analyzed in Hallin and Mancini's comparative typology. Since the 2000s, the displacement of advertising revenue to platform companies, the collapse of local newspapers, and the rise of partisan and hyperpartisan outlets have transformed the field. Concerns about disinformation surged after the 2016 U.S. election and Brexit referendum, prompting EU action through the Digital Services Act and the strengthened Code of Practice on Disinformation. Authoritarian and hybrid regimes, notably Russia and China, have invested heavily in international broadcasting and information operations. The section convenes work on news consumption in fragmented information environments, journalist safety, platform-publisher relations, and the measurable effects of declining local journalism on civic participation and government accountability. Key players - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Largest commercial media market and center of platform regulation debates.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Home of the BBC and influential public service broadcasting model.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) - [Germany](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Leads EU regulatory approach via the Digital Services Act enforcement.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) - [China](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [State-controlled media ecosystem and major international broadcaster.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) - [Russia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [Operates state outlets central to global disinformation research.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) 3 ### Political Communication Political communication emerged as a distinct subfield through the work of Paul Lazarsfeld's Erie County studies, Kathleen Hall Jamieson on presidential rhetoric, and Doris Graber on information processing. The field has tracked successive technological shifts: televised debates beginning with Kennedy-Nixon in 1960, the cable and talk radio era of the 1980s and 1990s, the rise of campaign websites and email in the late 1990s, and the social media transformation since the 2008 Obama campaign. Each shift has prompted reassessment of persuasion, mobilization, and elite-mass linkages. Current research addresses microtargeted advertising, the role of influencers and short-form video, generative AI in campaign messaging, and cross-national diffusion of populist communication styles documented in work by Norris, Inglehart, and Mudde. The Cambridge Analytica scandal, evidence of foreign influence operations, and the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack have intensified attention to how communication strategies interact with platform affordances and democratic legitimacy. Methodologically, the field has moved toward large-scale text analysis, field experiments on persuasion, and panel studies of media diets. Debates persist over whether persuasion effects are minimal or substantial in modern campaigns, and how to study communication ethically when platforms restrict data access. Key players - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Dominant site of campaign communication innovation and platform-based research.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Center of post-Brexit research on referendum and microtargeting effects.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) - [Brazil](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/brazil) [Key case for WhatsApp-driven political communication and platform regulation.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/brazil) - [India](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/india) [World's largest electorate testing AI-generated content at scale.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/india) - [Germany](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [EU policy leader on platform transparency and political advertising rules.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) 4 ### Political Psychology Political psychology grew from postwar efforts to explain authoritarianism, notably Adorno and colleagues' The Authoritarian Personality (1950), and from Cold War-era work on belief systems by Converse, McGuire, and Sears. The cognitive revolution of the 1970s and 1980s introduced schema theory, motivated reasoning, and heuristics into political analysis, while the affective turn of the 1990s and 2000s, led by Marcus, Neuman, and MacKuen, foregrounded emotion in political judgment. Social identity theory derived from Tajfel and Turner became central to studies of partisanship, nationalism, and intergroup conflict. Current agendas focus on affective polarization documented by Iyengar and Mason, the psychology of populism and conspiracy belief, the role of disgust and threat in immigration attitudes, and the neuroscience of political ideology. The replication crisis in psychology has prompted greater attention to preregistration, larger samples, and cross-cultural validation, exposing weaknesses in some classic findings on priming and embodied cognition. Applied work addresses interventions to reduce dehumanization, correct misperceptions, and build democratic resilience, with field experiments in the United States, Israel, and post-conflict societies offering modest but measurable effects. Key players - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Dominant research base and laboratory for affective polarization studies.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [Israel](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/israel) [Central case for intergroup conflict and contact-based interventions.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/israel) - [Germany](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Leading European center for authoritarianism and far-right research.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) - [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Hub of comparative work on populism and Brexit-era identity politics.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) - [Canada](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/canada) [Key site for cross-cultural and indigenous political psychology research.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/canada) 5 ### Political Networks Network analysis entered political science through studies of legislative cosponsorship, interest group coalitions, and policy diffusion, building on sociological foundations laid by Granovetter, Wasserman, and Faust. The 2008 founding of the Political Networks Section of APSA institutionalized the subfield, and methods such as exponential random graph models (ERGMs), stochastic actor-oriented models, and latent space approaches became standard tools. Foundational substantive work by Fowler on Congress, Huckfeldt and Sprague on discussion networks, and Hafner-Burton and Montgomery on international organizations established core empirical applications. Contemporary research spans social media diffusion of political content, donor networks and dark money flows, transnational advocacy networks documented by Keck and Sikkink, and the structure of authoritarian elite coalitions. The availability of digital trace data has expanded what can be studied but raised concerns about ecological validity, platform bias, and the ethics of network reconstruction from leaked or scraped data. The panel will engage debates on causal inference in networks, the interaction of online and offline ties, and applications to climate negotiations, sanctions coalitions, and democratic backsliding. Key players - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Largest research community and primary site of legislative network studies.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [China](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Key case for elite faction analysis and authoritarian network research.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) - [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Hub for international relations network analysis and policy diffusion.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) - [Netherlands](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/netherlands) [Center of European computational social science and SIENA development.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/netherlands) - [Germany](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Leading European site for policy network and EU governance research.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) 6 ### Public Opinion Modern public opinion research dates to the 1936 Literary Digest debacle and the rise of probability sampling pioneered by Gallup, Roper, and Crossley. The American Voter (Campbell et al., 1960), Converse's work on belief systems, and Zaller's receive-accept-sample model defined the field through the late 20th century. Comparative survey programs including the World Values Survey, Eurobarometer, Afrobarometer, Latinobarómetro, and the Asian Barometer have since enabled cross-national analysis of democratic values, trust, and policy preferences. The field faces a methodological inflection point: declining telephone response rates, the rise of online opt-in panels, and high-profile polling misses in 2015 (UK), 2016 (US, Brexit), and 2020 have prompted reassessment of weighting, mode effects, and likely-voter modeling. Substantive debates include whether democratic backsliding reflects shifting mass attitudes or elite-led processes, the stability of populist support, and how to measure sensitive attitudes on immigration and authoritarianism without social desirability bias. Emerging work integrates conjoint experiments, machine learning for measurement, and administrative data linkage, while raising ethical questions about microtargeting and the use of survey data by political operatives. Key players - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Origin of modern polling and largest survey research infrastructure.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Major polling industry undergoing post-2015 methodological reform.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) - [Germany](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Anchor of Eurobarometer and high-quality national election studies.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) - [South Africa](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-africa) [Coordinating hub for Afrobarometer across the African continent.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-africa) - [Brazil](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/brazil) [Central case for Latinobarómetro and democratic attitudes research.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/brazil) 7 ### American Public Opinion The study of American public opinion is anchored by the American National Election Studies (ANES), running since 1948, and the General Social Survey (GSS), running since 1972. Foundational findings on low information levels, the role of party identification, and the structure of ideological thinking, from Converse through Achen and Bartels, shape ongoing debates. The polarization literature, advanced by Abramowitz, Fiorina, Levendusky, and Mason, has produced competing accounts of whether the American mass public is genuinely sorted, polarized in policy terms, or primarily divided by affect and identity. Recent agendas center on the durability of Trump-era realignments, attitudes toward democratic norms and election integrity following 2020 and January 6, racial attitudes and the post-2020 backlash, abortion opinion after Dobbs v. Jackson (2022), and generational change on climate and LGBTQ issues. The collapse of telephone response rates and the 2016 and 2020 polling errors have driven adoption of multilevel regression with poststratification (MRP), address-based sampling, and probability-based online panels such as Pew's ATP and NORC's AmeriSpeak. The section will evaluate evidence on whether mass opinion constrains elite behavior, how misinformation persists despite corrections, and the implications of nationalized opinion for state and local politics. Key players - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Sole substantive focus of the section, with all major survey infrastructure.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [Canada](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/canada) [Primary comparative reference for North American opinion dynamics.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/canada) - [Mexico](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/mexico) [Key comparison case for immigration and bilateral attitude research.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/mexico) - [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Frequent comparative benchmark for Anglo-American polarization studies.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) 8 ### Campaigns and Elections Scholarship on campaigns and elections traces from V.O. Key's Southern Politics (1949) and Responsible Electorate (1966) through the Michigan school's funnel of causality to contemporary work by Vavreck, Sides, Hersh, and Enos on campaign effects, voter targeting, and electoral geography. The field long held that general election campaigns produce minimal persuasion effects amid predictable fundamentals, but recent field experiments and panel studies, including work by Kalla and Broockman, have refined this view, identifying conditions under which canvassing and advertising matter at the margin. Current issues include the post-Citizens United (2010) campaign finance environment, the nationalization of subnational races, the role of primaries in candidate selection and polarization, and contested election administration following 2020. Comparative work examines campaign professionalization, the spread of American-style consulting to Europe and Latin America, and the integrity challenges facing elections in India, Brazil, Mexico, and emerging democracies. Generative AI, deepfakes, and platform policies on political advertising are reshaping the 2024-2026 electoral cycle worldwide. The panel weighs evidence on mobilization versus persuasion, the effectiveness of voter ID and access policies, election administration under partisan pressure, and the global diffusion of contested election narratives. Key players - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Most studied campaign environment and exporter of consulting practices.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [Brazil](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/brazil) [Key case for contested elections and digital campaigning in the Global South.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/brazil) - [India](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/india) [World's largest election and major site of party machine research.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/india) - [Mexico](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/mexico) [Important case for election administration reform and INE independence debates.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/mexico) - [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Comparative benchmark for parliamentary campaign finance and short campaigns.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) ## Resources News, lessons, and country profiles to prep for 84th Annual Midwest Political Science Association Conference. Recent reporting to ground your prep [West Bengal Voter Deletion Crisis 2026](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/west-bengal-voter-deletion-crisis-ahead-of-2026-assembly-elections) [India's 131st Amendment Bill](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/indias-131st-amendment-bill-womens-reservation-for-2029-elections) [West Bengal Voter Deletion Crisis](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/west-bengal-voter-deletion-crisis-27-million-affected-ahead-of-polls) [Delimitation Based on 2011 Census](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/delimitation-based-on-2011-census-indias-political-shift) Lessons Bite-sized lessons to build the basics [Engagement Strategies](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/engagement-strategies) [Understanding Motivations](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/understanding-motivations) [Mapping Relationships](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/mapping-relationships) [Hidden Stakeholders](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/hidden-stakeholders) Courses Guided courses that go deeper on the topic [Media & Press Relations](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/media-press) [Persuasion & Influence](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/persuasion) [Cross-Cultural Communication](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/cross-cultural) [Advanced Negotiation](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/advanced-negotiation) The states in play, with the data that shapes their stance [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Germany](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/germany) [New Zealand](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/new-zealand) [South Africa](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-africa) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/south-africa) [China](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Russia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [Brazil](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/brazil) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/brazil) [India](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/india) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/india) [Israel](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/israel) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/israel) [Canada](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/canada) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/canada) [Netherlands](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/netherlands) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/netherlands) [Mexico](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/mexico) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/mexico) ## Frequently asked questions - - Free account Save conferences, research any topic with AI, build position papers, and keep your daily prep streak — free. 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