Although the last IPSA World Congress was held less than a year ago, the preparations for the next Congress are beginning. You can see the progress at the homepage at http://wc2018.ipsa.org/events/congress/wc2018/home. You can now upload proposals for panels as well as papers, until 10 October 2017. I would like to encourage you to register your proposals under the RC42 heading. The 2018 IPSA World Congress’ theme “Borders and Margins” fits very well with the RC’s specialization.

In a change from the last Congress, panel proposals need to be registered complete with participants. So you cannot just submit proposals for panels, allowing other interested participants to join. If you have ideas or suggestions for panels, but lack further participants, please let me know so I can include your suggestions to further calls for papers.

In line with the RC’s tradition and remit, we welcome papers and panels related to security issues of (formerly) divided countries and societies.

We warmly encourage you to submit panel proposals on other topics with the RC but please also note that proposals covering the broader issues of security in International Relations should be submitted to the Congress General Sessions on International Relations or other RCs.

Some panel proposals that have already been suggested include:

  • conflicts between and within divided societies,
  • elite integration in post-authoritarian societies,
  • memory politics,
  • cross-border cooperation on environmental issues.

I am looking forward to receiving many interesting proposals.