APPSA 2024 – CALL FOR PROPOSALS
— DEADLINE EXTENDED TO JULY 19 —
Reimagining Governance in Turbulent Times
The Atlantic Provinces Political Studies Association (APPSA) invites proposals for its annual conference to be hosted by Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick on September 27-29, 2024.
This year’s conference theme focuses on reimagining governance in turbulent times. Like wicked problems, the challenges we face today are not new, but their permutations are unique, complex, dynamic, and multi-causal. Every problem seems to be a symptom of another problem. Definitive formulations and solutions do not exist with problems in need of being continually addressed. Solutions are also not true-false but rather good or bad depending on one’s values and experiences. The reality is that participation and buy-in of diverse groups of people and interests are needed, leading to tentative solutions and long timelines for minimal progress to occur.
Problems are plentiful. Domestically, the housing crisis continues unabated with ‘tent cities’ now commonplace in most Canadian cities. To this we can add immigration challenges, natural disasters (e.g., wildfires, flooding), a crumbling health care system along with crises in addictions, long-term and mental health care among others. The situation is equally challenging internationally with the ongoing war in Ukraine, the escalating violence in the Middle East, and rising Chinese-American tensions bringing into question the nature of the international system. The upcoming US Presidential election further complicates matters as does the climate crisis and international interest in the Arctic, creating potential challenges to Canadian sovereignty.
An urgent need to reimagine governance is required, yet how do we conceive of governance in periods of turbulence? How do we reimagine the roles of governments, NGOs and the private sector to address ongoing problems? What does a new international order look like? Are existing institutions flexible enough to facilitate resolutions to key problems? What lessons can we draw from the past to meet today’s challenges? What lenses are most helpful in illuminating the challenges that have emerged? How is Canada, and more specifically its Maritime Provinces, being impacted by events outside its borders?
We invite scholars, practitioners, activists, and students to submit paper, workshop, and panel proposals that explore this broadly described topic of Reimagining Governance in Turbulent Times theoretically, analytically, and empirically. We also encourage papers in the fields of Indigenous scholarship and decolonization, gender and politics, race, equity and social justice scholarship, and political theory.
Please submit your paper title and a short abstract (maximum 250 words).
Panel proposals are welcome. When submitting a panel or workshop proposal, include a short description (maximum 250 words), clearly list the names, affiliations, and titles of the papers that the participants wish to present, and include a short (50 words) description of each paper/presentation as part of the proposal.
Following APPSA precedent, MA students interested in participating in the conference should also include a brief letter of approval from their Supervisor. All conference-related inquiries can be sent to Mario Levesque at malevesque@mta.ca or Thomas Hughes at athughes@mta.ca.
The deadline for proposals is July 12, 2024.
All paper and panel proposals should be sent to appsa2024@mta.ca.
An e-mail will follow in June with the updated APPSA website and more information about hotels and accommodations.
Atlantic Provinces Political Studies Association 