What is the duration of the ICPSSIR conference?

The conference is scheduled to run for two days.

What is the primary focus of the ICPSSIR conference?

The conference focuses on political science, sociology, and international relations, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue on contemporary issues in these fields.

International Conference on Political Science, Sociology and International Relations (ICPSSIR)

Name: International Conference on Political Science, Sociology and International Relations (ICPSSIR)
Start: 2027-03-25T00:00:00Z
End: 2027-03-26T00:00:00Z
Location: Madrid

Mar 25–26, 2027Madrid, SpainIn-person

Registration open

The International Conference on Political Science, Sociology and International Relations (ICPSSIR) is a significant academic gathering scheduled to take place in Madrid, Spain. This event serves as a crucial platform for researchers, scholars, and practitioners to present their latest findings, exchange ideas, and discuss advancements across the interconnected fields of political science, sociology, and international relations. The conference aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration, addressing contemporary global challenges and theoretical developments. Participants will engage in discussions covering a broad spectrum of topics, ranging from political theories and governance structures to social dynamics and international affairs. The conference format encourages the dissemination of high-quality research and provides opportunities for networking among attendees from various academic and professional backgrounds. It is designed to contribute to the ongoing evolution of these disciplines and their practical applications in understanding and shaping the modern world.

Committees & topics

Topics
Shifting Dynamics in Contemporary International Politics · Drivers and Mediation of Contemporary Political Conflicts · The Discipline of Political Science in a Polarized Era · Polarization and the Formation of Political Views · Politics and Society: Inequality, Identity, and Trust · Sociology and Politics: Power, Institutions, and Social Movements · International Relations Theory and Practice in a Multipolar World · Political Communication in the Digital Age

Why it matters

This conference holds particular importance as it convenes experts to dissect the complex interplay between political systems, societal structures, and international dynamics. In an era marked by rapid global transformations, understanding these relationships is paramount for effective policy-making and fostering stable international relations. The event's focus on interdisciplinary approaches ensures a holistic examination of pressing issues, moving beyond siloed academic perspectives.

The discussions at ICPSSIR can illuminate emerging trends in global governance, the evolution of social movements, and the challenges to international cooperation. By bringing together diverse viewpoints and research methodologies, the conference facilitates a deeper comprehension of the forces shaping our world. The insights generated here can inform academic discourse, influence policy considerations, and contribute to a more nuanced understanding of global affairs.

Furthermore, the conference provides a forum for scholars to present cutting-edge research, potentially leading to new theoretical frameworks and empirical discoveries. The exchange of ideas among participants from different regions and academic traditions enriches the collective knowledge base and encourages innovative solutions to complex problems. This intellectual cross-pollination is vital for advancing the fields of political science, sociology, and international relations.

How to prepare

To maximize engagement with the ICPSSIR, prospective attendees should prepare by thoroughly reviewing the conference's thematic areas and the types of research typically presented. Given the interdisciplinary nature of the event, it is beneficial to consider how one's own work intersects with political science, sociology, and international relations, even if specializing in only one of these fields. Preparing concise summaries of research or key questions can facilitate productive discussions and networking opportunities.

For those presenting, ensuring that papers or presentations clearly articulate their contributions to the broader discourse is essential. Highlighting the relevance of one's research to current global or societal challenges can enhance its impact. Attendees should also be prepared to engage with diverse perspectives and methodologies, fostering an environment of constructive academic debate. Familiarity with the host city, Madrid, ESP, can also enrich the overall experience, allowing for a better understanding of the local context.

Country perspectives

Where the most-relevant 3 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile.

Spain

As the host nation, Spain offers a unique perspective on European political and social dynamics, as well as its historical role in international relations.

Role in topic

Spain, as the host country, provides a rich backdrop for discussions on political transitions, regional identities within Europe, and its evolving role in the global arena, particularly concerning its relationships with Latin America and North Africa. Its experience with democratic consolidation and regional autonomy offers valuable case studies for political scientists and sociologists.

United States

The United States' role as a global superpower and its internal political and social shifts are central to many international relations and sociological discussions.

Role in topic

The United States is a critical actor in international relations, and its domestic political and social developments have significant global ramifications. Discussions at the conference will likely touch upon American foreign policy, its impact on global security and economic systems, and internal sociological trends such as political polarization and social inequality.

China

China's rising global influence and unique political-economic model present significant topics for analysis in all three fields.

Role in topic

China's emergence as a major global power, its distinctive governance model, and its growing economic and diplomatic footprint worldwide are central to contemporary international relations. Sociological studies of China's rapid urbanization and social changes, alongside analyses of its political system, will be key areas of discussion.

Topics & background

The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it.

Shifting Dynamics in Contemporary International Politics

International politics in the post-Cold War era was initially shaped by a unipolar moment in which the United States exercised unmatched military, economic, and ideological influence. The expansion of NATO and the European Union eastward, the proliferation of liberal trade regimes through the WTO, and U.S.-led interventions in the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq defined the 1990s and 2000s. By the late 2000s, however, the global financial crisis, the costs of prolonged Middle Eastern wars, and the rapid economic rise of China began to erode confidence in a singular liberal order. The 2010s and 2020s have seen a return to great-power competition. China's Belt and Road Initiative, Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and the strategic realignment of middle powers such as India, Turkey, and Brazil have produced what many analysts describe as a multipolar or 'multi-aligned' system. Institutions like the BRICS grouping have expanded, while G7 cohesion has been tested by trade disputes and diverging threat perceptions. Today, international politics is contested across multiple dimensions: technology and semiconductor supply chains, climate governance, nuclear deterrence, and the legitimacy of international law itself following debates over Gaza, Ukraine, and ICC jurisdiction. Delegates must consider whether existing multilateral institutions can adapt or whether parallel orders will continue to harden.

Key players

Drivers and Mediation of Contemporary Political Conflicts

Political conflict in the 21st century has shifted markedly from interstate war toward intrastate violence, hybrid warfare, and contested elections. Uppsala Conflict Data Program figures show the number of active armed conflicts at historic highs, with the majority involving non-state armed groups, ethnic or sectarian cleavages, and external state sponsorship. Civil wars in Syria, Yemen, Sudan, and Myanmar, alongside protracted instability in the Sahel, illustrate how state fragility, resource competition, and identity politics intersect. At the same time, classical interstate conflict has returned. Russia's invasion of Ukraine is the largest European war since 1945, while tensions across the Taiwan Strait, the Korean Peninsula, and the India-China Line of Actual Control demonstrate that territorial disputes remain potent. The October 2023 Hamas attack and ensuing war in Gaza, along with Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping and exchanges between Israel and Iran, underscore the risk of regional escalation. Mediation architectures — UN good offices, the African Union's Peace and Security Council, OSCE, and ad hoc coalitions — face strain as veto politics paralyze the Security Council and trust in neutral arbiters erodes. Delegates should assess how conflict prevention, peacekeeping reform, and accountability mechanisms can be strengthened amid geopolitical polarization.

Key players

The Discipline of Political Science in a Polarized Era

Political science as a formal academic discipline emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, drawing on older traditions of political philosophy, law, and history. The behavioral revolution of the 1950s and 60s pushed the field toward quantitative methods and empirical testing, while later 'perestroika' debates reasserted the value of qualitative, interpretive, and normative approaches. Subfields — comparative politics, international relations, political theory, and public administration — developed distinct methodologies but converged around core questions of power, legitimacy, and institutions. In recent decades the discipline has grappled with the rise of populism, democratic backsliding, and authoritarian resilience. Indices from V-Dem, Freedom House, and the Economist Intelligence Unit have documented over a decade of global democratic decline, prompting renewed scholarly attention to executive aggrandizement, electoral autocracy, and the role of disinformation. Methodologically, the credibility revolution, computational social science, and large-N text analysis have transformed empirical research. Governments increasingly engage — and sometimes constrain — political science research. Restrictions on academic freedom in Hungary, Turkey, China, and elsewhere have raised concerns about the discipline's global production of knowledge. Delegates should consider how states can support evidence-based policymaking, protect academic independence, and ensure that political science contributes constructively to democratic resilience.

Key players

Polarization and the Formation of Political Views

How citizens form political views has long been a central question of political behavior research, traced from Lazarsfeld's Columbia studies to the Michigan school's emphasis on party identification. For much of the 20th century, media environments were comparatively narrow, parties served as durable cues, and cross-cutting social ties moderated polarization. The end of the Cold War and the spread of cable news, talk radio, and later social media transformed these dynamics in many democracies. Since the 2010s, affective polarization — dislike of partisan out-groups — has grown sharply in the United States, parts of Europe, Brazil, India, and beyond. Research points to a mix of drivers: algorithmically curated information, declining trust in legacy media, economic dislocation, immigration debates, and the strategic mobilization of identity by political entrepreneurs. Populist movements on both right and left have reframed core political views around sovereignty, cultural identity, and anti-elite sentiment. States and international bodies are increasingly debating how to address these dynamics without infringing on free expression. The EU's Digital Services Act, debates over Section 230 in the United States, and content regulation in India and Brazil illustrate divergent approaches. Delegates should weigh how to protect pluralism, deliberation, and minority rights while preserving democratic competition.

Key players

Politics and Society: Inequality, Identity, and Trust

The relationship between politics and society has been a foundational concern from Tocqueville and Weber onward, examining how social structures shape political institutions and how political choices reshape social life. In the postwar period, expanding welfare states, civil rights movements, and decolonization redefined the social contract across world regions. The neoliberal turn of the 1980s, the post-2008 austerity period, and the COVID-19 pandemic each produced major shifts in expectations of what governments owe citizens. Contemporary debates center on rising inequality, demographic change, and the erosion of social trust. OECD data show widening wealth gaps within most member states, while the World Values Survey documents declining trust in institutions across many democracies. Movements such as Black Lives Matter, #MeToo, climate activism, and farmers' protests have reshaped political agendas, while backlash politics has mobilized around immigration, gender, and religion. Governments face the challenge of responding to societal demands without deepening cleavages. Universal basic services experiments, participatory budgeting, citizens' assemblies, and new social protection floors offer policy laboratories. Delegates should consider how states can rebuild civic trust and align political institutions with rapidly changing social realities.

Key players

International Relations Theory and Practice in a Multipolar World

International relations as a distinct discipline took shape after World War I, animated by efforts to prevent another catastrophic war. The interwar idealist tradition gave way to mid-century realism associated with Morgenthau and later Waltz, followed by liberal institutionalism, constructivism, and a wide range of critical approaches. These paradigms continue to inform debates over the causes of war, the prospects for cooperation, and the role of norms in shaping state behavior. In practice, the international system has moved from the bipolarity of the Cold War to the post-1991 'unipolar moment' and now toward a more diffuse multipolarity. Climate change, pandemics, artificial intelligence governance, and migration increasingly require collective action even as major powers compete strategically. Institutions such as the UN, WTO, IMF, and regional bodies face calls for reform from Global South states seeking greater representation. Key contemporary IR questions include the durability of alliances such as NATO and AUKUS, the future of the non-proliferation regime, the governance of dual-use technologies, and the legitimacy of unilateral sanctions. Delegates should examine whether IR theory adequately captures the agency of middle powers, non-state actors, and transnational networks.

Key players

Political Communication in the Digital Age

Political communication has historically tracked changes in media technology — from print pamphlets and party newspapers through radio, television, and now digital platforms. The mid-20th-century broadcast era favored mass parties and centralized messaging, while the rise of cable and the internet fragmented audiences. Since the 2010s, social media platforms have become central infrastructure for campaigning, government communication, and protest mobilization, fundamentally altering agenda-setting dynamics. These shifts have introduced acute governance challenges. Disinformation campaigns surrounding the 2016 U.S. election, Brexit, Brazilian and Philippine elections, and the war in Ukraine have demonstrated how foreign and domestic actors exploit platform affordances. Generative AI now enables synthetic media and large-scale personalized persuasion at low cost. At the same time, journalists face rising violence and legal harassment, with UNESCO and CPJ documenting record numbers of killings and detentions in recent years. States have responded with varying frameworks: the EU's Digital Services Act and AI Act, the UK Online Safety Act, India's IT Rules, and content laws in Brazil, Singapore, and elsewhere. The challenge is to safeguard electoral integrity, press freedom, and informed public debate without enabling censorship. Delegates should consider international norms for platform accountability, transparency around political advertising, and protection of independent media.

Key players

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Spain March 2027

By committee

Frequently asked questions

International Conference on Political Science, Sociology and International Relations (ICPSSIR)

Mar 25–26, 2027Madrid, SpainIn-person

Registration open

Committees & topics

Topics
Shifting Dynamics in Contemporary International Politics · Drivers and Mediation of Contemporary Political Conflicts · The Discipline of Political Science in a Polarized Era · Polarization and the Formation of Political Views · Politics and Society: Inequality, Identity, and Trust · Sociology and Politics: Power, Institutions, and Social Movements · International Relations Theory and Practice in a Multipolar World · Political Communication in the Digital Age

Why it matters

How to prepare

Country perspectives

Where the most-relevant 3 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile.

Spain

As the host nation, Spain offers a unique perspective on European political and social dynamics, as well as its historical role in international relations.

Role in topic

United States

The United States' role as a global superpower and its internal political and social shifts are central to many international relations and sociological discussions.

Role in topic

China

China's rising global influence and unique political-economic model present significant topics for analysis in all three fields.

Role in topic