Where will the conference be held?

The conference will take place in San Jose, CRI, providing a central location for attendees from various regions.

What is the primary focus of this conference?

The conference focuses on the intersection of political sociology and global governance, exploring how societal dynamics influence international relations and global decision-making.

International Conference on Political Sociology and Global Governance

Name: International Conference on Political Sociology and Global Governance
Start: 2026-09-26T00:00:00Z
End: 2026-09-26T00:00:00Z
Location: San Jose

Sep 26, 2026San Jose, Costa RicaIn-person

Registration open

The International Conference on Political Sociology and Global Governance convenes in San Jose, CRI, bringing together scholars and practitioners to explore the intricate connections between political sociology and global governance. This event serves as a platform for in-depth discussions on how societal structures, power dynamics, and cultural contexts influence international relations and global decision-making processes. Participants will engage with contemporary challenges and theoretical frameworks that shape our understanding of the global political landscape.

Committees & topics

Topics
Political Sociology in Contemporary Contexts · Global Governance and Transnational Actors · Social Movements and Political Change · Inequality and Social Justice in Political Discourse · Democracy and Governance Systems · Political Sociology and Power Dynamics · Global Governance and Accountability · Political Movements and Social Change

Why it matters

Understanding the interplay between political sociology and global governance is crucial in an increasingly interconnected world. Global challenges, from climate change to economic inequality, transcend national borders and require coordinated international responses. This conference provides a vital forum for examining the sociological underpinnings of these global issues, offering insights into the mechanisms of power, conflict, and cooperation that define the international system.

The discussions at this conference are particularly relevant for diplomats, policymakers, and researchers seeking to navigate the complexities of global politics. By analyzing how social forces shape governance structures and vice versa, attendees can develop more nuanced approaches to international diplomacy and policy formulation. The insights gained can inform strategies for effective multilateral engagement and contribute to more stable and equitable global outcomes.

How to prepare

To prepare effectively for this conference, delegates should consider a multi-faceted approach. A foundational understanding of sociological theories related to power, social movements, and state-society relations will be beneficial. Reviewing concepts such as "dynamic-analysis" can provide a framework for understanding how political and social systems evolve over time.

Furthermore, delegates should familiarize themselves with the various actors and institutions involved in global governance. This includes understanding the roles of international organizations, non-state actors, and transnational networks. Applying frameworks like "the-power-interest-grid" and considering "hidden-stakeholders" can help in analyzing the influence and motivations of different participants in global decision-making processes. Engaging with "engagement-strategies" will also be valuable for those looking to contribute meaningfully to the discussions and forge collaborations.

Country perspectives

Where the most-relevant 1 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile.

Costa Rica

As the host nation, CRI provides a unique regional context for discussions on global governance.

Role in topic

The conference's location in San Jose, CRI, offers a valuable perspective on regional approaches to international cooperation and the challenges faced by smaller states in the global arena. Discussions may draw upon the experiences of countries in North America regarding their engagement with global governance structures.

Topics & background

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

Political Sociology in Contemporary Contexts

Political sociology emerged in the mid-20th century as scholars such as Seymour Martin Lipset, Raymond Aron, and Stein Rokkan sought to explain how social structures shape political behavior and how states, in turn, shape societies. Cold War-era studies focused on class cleavages, modernization, and the conditions for stable democracy. After 1989, the field expanded to address identity politics, globalization, the rise of new media, and the erosion of traditional party systems across both established democracies and post-authoritarian states. Contemporary political sociology grapples with phenomena that classical frameworks struggle to capture: populist surges in the United States, Brazil, India, and parts of Europe; democratic backsliding in Hungary and Turkey; the digital reorganization of public spheres; and intersecting cleavages of race, gender, and migration. Scholars increasingly examine how algorithmic platforms, transnational diasporas, and economic precarity reshape citizenship and political identity. The field today stands at a crossroads between methodological nationalism and global, comparative approaches. Debates center on how to study power when authority is dispersed across states, corporations, and supranational bodies, and how political sociology should respond to crises of legitimacy facing liberal democratic institutions worldwide.

Key players

Global Governance and Transnational Actors

Global governance refers to the patchwork of institutions, regimes, and norms through which states and non-state actors coordinate on issues that cross borders. The post-1945 order built around the UN system, Bretton Woods institutions, and later the WTO assumed states as the primary actors. Since the 1990s, however, transnational corporations, NGOs, philanthropic foundations, city networks, and informal clubs like the G20 have become increasingly central to setting global agendas on climate, health, finance, and technology. The COVID-19 pandemic, the climate emergency, and the governance of artificial intelligence have all exposed both the indispensability and the limits of multilateralism. Bodies such as the WHO, IPCC, and Financial Stability Board rely heavily on technical expertise and voluntary compliance, while platforms like the World Economic Forum and Gates Foundation wield agenda-setting power without formal accountability. Meanwhile, China's Belt and Road Initiative and BRICS+ expansion represent alternative governance architectures that challenge Western-led institutions. The contemporary debate centers on legitimacy: who speaks for the global public interest, how transnational actors should be held accountable, and whether the existing UN-centered system can be reformed or will be supplanted by more fragmented, plurilateral arrangements.

Key players

Democracy and Governance Systems

The 'third wave' of democratization that began in Portugal in 1974 and accelerated after 1989 led many to expect liberal democracy's universal ascent. By the mid-2000s, however, scholars at V-Dem, Freedom House, and the Economist Intelligence Unit began documenting a sustained period of democratic backsliding. Hungary, Turkey, Venezuela, the Philippines, and India have all seen significant erosion of checks on executive power, while Russia and China have offered explicit ideological alternatives to liberal democratic models. Simultaneously, established democracies face crises of trust, polarization, and contested elections, exemplified by the January 6 Capitol attack in the United States and the January 8 storming of government buildings in Brasília. Hybrid regimes—neither fully democratic nor fully authoritarian—have become the modal form of government globally. Debates over election integrity, judicial independence, media pluralism, and the role of referenda and citizens' assemblies have intensified. Governance systems also face pressure from technological change, with AI-generated disinformation, platform-mediated political communication, and surveillance capacities reshaping how regimes operate. The contemporary question is not simply democracy versus authoritarianism, but how diverse governance models adapt to economic stagnation, demographic shifts, and demands for both efficiency and inclusion.

Key players

Political Sociology and Power Dynamics

From Max Weber's typology of authority to Michel Foucault's analysis of disciplinary power and Steven Lukes' three faces of power, political sociology has long centered the question of how power operates—not only through coercion, but through institutions, discourse, and the shaping of preferences. Pierre Bourdieu's work on symbolic power and Antonio Gramsci's hegemony remain influential frameworks for understanding how dominance is reproduced without overt force. In contemporary contexts, power dynamics are increasingly diffuse and networked. Technology platforms exercise quasi-sovereign authority over speech and commerce; financial institutions shape state policy through market discipline; and intelligence agencies operate across borders. Scholars examine how race, gender, and class intersect in producing structural power asymmetries, while postcolonial theorists highlight enduring hierarchies between the Global North and South. Surveillance capitalism, as theorized by Shoshana Zuboff, points to new forms of behavioral power exercised through data. Debates today focus on how to map, measure, and contest power in fragmented systems where formal authority and effective capacity often diverge. Questions include the role of oligarchs and tech billionaires in politics, the influence of credit rating agencies and central banks, and how citizens can hold opaque transnational power structures accountable.

Key players

Global Governance and Accountability

The expansion of global governance since 1945 has consistently outpaced the development of corresponding accountability mechanisms. International organizations such as the World Bank, IMF, and WHO answer primarily to member states rather than affected populations, while informal bodies like the G7, G20, and Financial Stability Board operate with minimal transparency. The 2003 Iraq war, the 2008 financial crisis, the Oil-for-Food scandal, and pandemic-era debates over WHO independence have repeatedly exposed accountability gaps. Efforts to address these gaps include the creation of the International Criminal Court (1998), the World Bank's Inspection Panel, the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review, and growing demands for corporate accountability through frameworks like the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Yet powerful states routinely shield themselves and allies from scrutiny, as seen in the ICC's contested jurisdiction over US, Israeli, and Russian actions, and in selective enforcement of sanctions regimes. The accountability debate today extends to climate finance pledges, AI governance, sovereign debt restructuring under the G20 Common Framework, and the legitimacy of UN Security Council reform. Calls for democratizing global governance—through stronger civil society participation, parliamentary oversight, and reform of weighted voting—face resistance from states that benefit from the status quo.

Key players

Resources

News, lessons, and country profiles to prep for International Conference on Political Sociology and Global Governance.

Recent reporting to ground your prep

West Bengal Voter Deletion Crisis 2026

West Bengal Voter Deletion Crisis

Delimitation Based on 2011 Census

Supreme Court Upholds Election Commission Dis

Lessons

Bite-sized lessons to build the basics

Dynamic Analysis

Gender Dynamics Across Cultures

The Power-Interest Grid

Hidden Stakeholders

Courses

Guided courses that go deeper on the topic

Advanced Negotiation

Multilateral Negotiation

Policy Brief Writing

Conflict Resolution

The states in play, with the data that shapes their stance

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Costa Rica September 2026

By committee

Frequently asked questions

International Conference on Political Sociology and Global Governance

Sep 26, 2026San Jose, Costa RicaIn-person

Registration open

Committees & topics

Topics
Political Sociology in Contemporary Contexts · Global Governance and Transnational Actors · Social Movements and Political Change · Inequality and Social Justice in Political Discourse · Democracy and Governance Systems · Political Sociology and Power Dynamics · Global Governance and Accountability · Political Movements and Social Change

Why it matters

How to prepare

Country perspectives

Where the most-relevant 1 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile.

Costa Rica

As the host nation, CRI provides a unique regional context for discussions on global governance.

Role in topic

Topics & background

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

Political Sociology in Contemporary Contexts

Key players