The American Political Science Association (APSA) is a professional association of political science students and scholars in the United States. Founded in 1903, it publishes three academic journals (American Political Science Review, Perspectives on Politics, and PS: Political Science & Politics). APSA Organized Sections publish or are associated with 15 additional journals.
APSA presidents serve one-year terms: the current president is Jane Mansbridge of Harvard University. Woodrow Wilson, who later became president of the United States, was APSA president in 1911. APSA has its headquarters at 1527 New Hampshire Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., in a historic building that was the home of Harry Garfield, son of President James Garfield and president of the association from 1921 to 1922.
APSA administers the Centennial Center for Political Science and Public Affairs, which provides conference and research space for scholars, and Pi Sigma Alpha, the honor society for political science students. APSA also periodically sponsors seminars and other events for political scientists, policymakers, the media, and the general public.
To recognize excellence in the profession, the Association offers annual awards for:
- Dissertation Awards
- Paper and Article Awards
- Book Awards
- Career Awards
- Goodnow Award
- Teaching Award and Campus Teaching Award Recognition
In addition to the APSA awards, the APSA organized sections also present over 100 awards at every Annual Meeting to recognize important research and contributions to the profession. These awards are presented at the Association's Annual Meeting. More on Award Descriptions and Nomination Information
A key part of APSA's mission is to enable political scientists to connect an environment conducive to teaching, research, and practice in all fields of political science and to ensure support necessary for the discipline to thrive. APSA conducts several annual conferences, which provides this environment for scholars and other professionals to network and present their work, along with other pertinent and useful resources. The APSA Annual Meeting is among the world's largest gatherings of political scientists. It occurs on Labor Day weekend each summer. The 2007 meeting in Chicago drew 6,900 participants. The 2009 meeting was in Toronto (September 3-6) and the 2010 meeting was in Washington, DC (September 2-5). The 2011 meeting was in Seattle, Washington from September 1-4. The 2012 Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana was cancelled due to Hurricane Isaac. The 2013 Annual Meeting will be held in Chicago, Illinois from August 29-September 1.
The APSA Teaching and Learning Conference is a smaller working group conference hosting cutting-edge approaches, techniques, and methodologies for the political science classroom. The conference provides a forum for scholars to share effective and innovative teaching and learning models and to discuss broad themes and values of political science education--especially the scholarship of teaching and learning.
With funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, APSA Africa Workshops APSA has organized political science workshops in various locations in Africa. The first workshop was convened in Dakar, Senegal in partnership with the West African Research Center from July 6-27, 2008. The second workshop was convened in Accra, Ghana in partnership with the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ghana, Legon from June 21-July 10. The 2010 APSA residential workshop on Global Perspectives on Politics and Gender will be held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The annual residential workshops are led by a joint U.S. and African organizing team and aimed at mid-and junior-level scholars residing in Africa. They will enhance the capacities of political scientists and their resources in East and West Africa while also providing a forum for supporting their ongoing research. Each three week workshop brings together up to 30 scholars and cover substantive issues, methodologies, and reviews of research.
Read more about American Political Science Association: Presidents of The American Political Science Association, APSA Organized Sections
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