Call for Papers: Panel: Democracy in Translation: Crisis, Legitimacy and Claim-Making in the Global South
Paper proposals for Open Panel: Democracy in Translation: Crisis, Legitimacy and Claim-Making in the Global South
29th IPSA World Congress of Political Science, Rome, Italy
Deadline: 4 November 2026
Democracy travelled to much of the world as an export, and that inheritance now sits awkwardly: several exporting states are drifting toward executive dominance, while the societies that received the model continue to make democratic claims through channels that state-centred political science registers poorly. This panel asks what democratic crisis looks like when examined from the Global South, inviting papers that locate democratic practice alongside or beneath formal institutions.
We welcome papers on non-state actors performing democratic work, women’s movements, religious authorities, and diasporic networks; on cultural production, digital publics, and everyday bureaucratic encounters as sites of democratic claim-making under constraint; and on conceptual work asking what non-liberal vocabularies of legitimacy — adalet, ubuntu, dharma, and others — demand of the category of democracy itself. Single-country studies, cross-regional comparison, and interpretive or quantitative approaches are all suitable.
Venue:
The 29th IPSA World Congress of Political Science will be held at the LUISS Guido Carli in Rome, Italy as an in-person event from 24-28 July 2027 under the theme Uncertain Democracies: Rethinking Governance in a Changing Global System.
LUISS Guido Carli
Viale Romania, 32, 00197
Roma RM
Italy
Format:
The 2027 IPSA World Congress of Political Science will be a fully in-person event. This decision by the IPSA Executive Committee aims to maximize the benefits of in-person interactions, essential for networking and collaboration. Participants can engage more fully in sessions, workshops, and presentations, facilitating dynamic discussions and enhancing the learning experience. Additionally, holding the congress in Rome offers a unique opportunity for cultural exchange, allowing attendees to experience a rich history and traditions. IPSA is introducing fully virtual events such as the Work-in-Progress Sessions (IPSA-WiPS) and The Africa Online Workshop Series (AOWS). For more information, please consult the official IPSA website.
Language:
The general requirement for oral presentations at the Congress is that they be delivered in English.
Presentations:
Each presentation room will be equipped with a computer, a screen and a projector. Wi-Fi Internet connection will be available. Each computer is equipped with the Microsoft Office suite. Please be sure to have your presentation ready on a USB drive (memory stick).
The panel is 1:45 in length, and must include time for questions. For more information about your individual panel presentation, please contact your panel convenor or panel chair directly.
Expense Responsibility:
All expenses related to travel, visa, accommodation, and meals are the sole responsibility of the participating delegate. Kindly make the necessary arrangements and budget considerations to cover these aspects of your attendance.
Certificate of Attendance
Certification will be issued to all participants who attended their panel and fulfilled their role (paper author, paper co-author, chair, co-chair, discussant or participant). A certificate of attendance and a letter of participation will be available in electronic format (PDF) in the participant’s user account [My Congress] after 29 July 2027.
Convenor: Dr. Özgecan Eskiduman (Center for Foreign Policy and Peace Research, Bilkent) -eskiduman@bilkent.edu.tr
Chair: Dr. Özgecan Eskiduman
Co-chair: Dr. Selin Kul (Hacettepe University) – selinkul24@gmail.com
Discussant: Dr. İrem Karamık (Mardin Artuklu University) – iremkaramikkaya@gmail.com
Abstracts should be submitted directly through the IPSA World Congress portal:
🔗 https://wc2027.ipsa.org/wc/panel/democracy-translation-crisis-legitimacy-and-claim-making-global-south
Please note: paper abstracts must be submitted by authors through their own individual IPSA account; the convenor cannot submit on your behalf. A free IPSA account is required.
Queries can be directed to the convenor or contact list above.
