Photo Recap (Monday, 14 July) - 2025 IPSA World Congress Highlights
Publication date: Tue, 15 Jul 2025
Photo (left to right): Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea Kim Minseok with Kim Dae-jung Award recipient T.V. Paul and IPSA Past President Pablo Oñate.
The second day of the #IPSA2025 World Congress on 14 July featured 210 sessions and events. Highlights included Donatella della Porta’s plenary on academic freedom, the Karl Deutsch Award Lecture by Hyeong-ki Kwon, and the inaugural Kim Dae-jung Award Roundtable with the participation of Kim Minseok, Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea.
Plenary - The Contentious Politics of Academic Freedom: Social Movements and Repression
The second plenary of the 2025 IPSA World Congress featured Donatella della Porta (Professor of Political Science, Dean of the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences, and Director of the PhD Program in Political Science and Sociology at the Scuola Normale Superiore in Florence). Prof. della Porta explored the growing threats to academic freedom, particularly the repression of scholars and social movements in authoritarian regimes and Western democracies.
Donatella della Porta delivers her plenary address at the IPSA World Congress in Seoul.
Donatella della Porta
Donatella della Porta
WC2025 Program Co-Chair Azul A. Aguiar Aguilar
Donatella della Porta and Azul A. Aguiar Aguilar
2025 Kim Dae-jung Award Roundtable
T.V. Paul, the inaugural recipient of IPSA’s newly established Kim Dae-jung Award, participated in a special roundtable held at the IPSA World Congress in Seoul. Sponsored by the Kim Dae-jung Foundation, the roundtable brought together Prof. Paul and other distinguished speakers to discuss key themes such as global peace, democracy, and the protection of human rights. The roundtable also featured Korean Prime Minister Kim Minseok, who delivered a speech on the legacy of Kim Dae-jung.
Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea Kim Minseok with Kim Dae-jung Award recipient T.V. Paul and IPSA President Pablo Oñate.
Kim Minseok, Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, addresses delegates at the IPSA World Congress.
Kim Minseok, Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, addresses delegates at the IPSA World Congress.
The official MoU signing ceremony between IPSA and the Kim Dae-jung Foundation took place following the roundtable discussion. The agreement regarding the Kim Dae-jung Award was signed by IPSA President Pablo Oñate and Kwon Noh-Gap, Chairman of the Kim Dae-jung Foundation.
2025 Karl Deutsch Award Lecture
Hyeong-ki Kwon, recipient of the 2025 Karl Deutsch Award, delivered a prize lecture titled Openness and Coordination: National Economies of the U.S., Japan, and Germany in a Globalized World. Prof. Kwon emphasized that while openness is essential for economic adaptability, it must be paired with effective coordination to maintain a nation’s industrial base.
Hyeong-ki Kwon delivers his award lecture.
Karl Deutsch Award Recipient Hyeong-ki Kwon
Award recipient Hyeong-ki Kwon and IPSA Executive Committee member Francesca Longo.
Gender Inequalities in Political Science
The Gender Inequalities in Political Science roundtable examined findings from IPSA’s 2024–2025 global survey on gender equality in the discipline. Chaired by Vanessa Elias de Oliveira, speakers discussed key results and shared strategies to promote greater inclusion and equity in political science. The full report can be found on the IPSA website.
IPSA Executive Committee member Vanessa Elias de Oliveira presents the findings of the recent IPSA survey on gender equality.
IPSA Executive Committee member Vanessa Elias de Oliveira
IPSA Supports Global South Participation with Travel Grants
47 scholars from 26 countries received their travel grants from IPSA Executive Director Kim Fontaine-Skronski. We congratulate all recipients and wish them a rewarding and inspiring experience at the 2025 IPSA World Congress in Seoul.
Interpretive Methods Café
Intended for students and early-career scholars, the Interpretive Methods Café provided an informal, interactive space for scholars to discuss interpretive research approaches. Participants engaged in various conversations such as interviewing techniques, positionality and reflexivity, field research in foreign countries, and publishing interpretive research.
IPSA Executive Committee member Emilia Palonen with event participants.
IPSA Executive Committee member Madalena Meyer Resende with event participants.
Asian Night | Track Chairs Recognition Reception
The Asian Night | Track Chairs Recognition Reception was organized to celebrate the contributions of the 2025 IPSA Track Chairs to the success of the Congress. The reception was attended by IPSA Executive Committee members, WC2025 Research Committee track chairs, Local Organizing Committee members, and guests. The event was sponsored by the Korean Political Science Association and the Chinese Association of Political Science (Taipei) – CAPS.
WC2025 Local Organizing Committee (LOC) Co-Chair Euiyoung Kim delivers the welcome speech at the Asian Night.
