Call for Papers for the RC48-Administrative Culture Panels

IPSA Research Committee on Administrative Culture (RC48) invites paper proposals for its panels at the 29th IPSA World Congress of Political Science, to be held in Rome, Italy, from 24 to 28 July 2027.

Open Panels under Track RC48 - Administrative Culture

1. Administrative Culture Beyond Institutions: An Integrative Paradigm for Governance and Administrative Theory
Contact Convenor: Anshuman Ankit at anshumanankit95@gmail.com

The panel welcomes theoretical, conceptual, comparative and empirical contributions that advance new perspectives on administrative culture across diverse governance settings. Comparative case studies, interdisciplinary research, conceptual innovations and methodological approaches that enrich, extend or reconceptualize the study of administrative culture as an integrative paradigm for governance and administrative theory are particularly encouraged.

2. Administrative Culture in Public Institutions in South Asia: From Continuity to Change
Contact: Convenor, Dr. Ashok Ranjan at drarbasu@gmail.com

The panel welcomes papers examining how public administrations respond to emerging forms of uncertainty, including technological change, digital governance, misinformation, climate-related risks, demographic change, social conflict, and declining institutional trust. Comparative and context-sensitive studies from different regions are especially encouraged. Contributions may employ qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-method approaches and may examine national, regional, or local administrations.

3. Transparency and Trust in Public Governance: Institutions, Collaboration, and Citizen - Government Relations
Contact Convenor Dr. Margarita (Rita) Barer at barerma@post.bgu.ac.il

This open panel invites theoretical, empirical, and comparative contributions examining transparency and trust in public governance from diverse institutional, organizational, and societal perspectives. It seeks to explore how administrative cultures and institutional contexts enable or constrain transparency, accountability, openness, and trust, and how these processes shape relationships among public institutions, public officials, citizens, and other governance actors.

Closed Panels under Track RC48 - Administrative Culture

1. Administrative Culture and the Challenges of Inclusive Governance in Times of Uncertain Democracies
Contact: Convenor, Saraswathi Unni at saraunni228@gmail.com

The panel welcomes papers examining how public administrations respond to emerging forms of uncertainty, including technological change, digital governance, misinformation, climate-related risks, demographic change, social conflict, and declining institutional trust. Comparative and context-sensitive studies from different regions are especially encouraged. Contributions may employ qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-method approaches and may examine national, regional, or local administrations.

2. Administrative Culture in a Changing Global Governance Landscape: A South Asian Perspective
Contact: Convenor, Dr. Nittam Chandel at nittam@gmail.com

Many Asian countries, particularly those of the Indian subcontinent, still carry in their administrative systems the legacies of colonial bureaucratic structures, hierarchical, procedurally rigid, centralized in authority, and rule-bound in administration. These inherited institutions have, however, evolved differently across countries as they have interacted with indigenous administrative traditions, constitutional values, developmental state models, democratic aspirations, cultural diversity, and local socio-political realities. Paper proposals comprising comparative study of these experiences that give useful insights into how administrative culture facilitates or constrains the capacity of states to respond effectively to complex governance challenges while advancing inclusive development, democratic governance, and sustainable public value are invited.