Workshop: Political Identities Challenged. Exploring the Consequences of the Confrontation with COVID, Climate Change and Communicative Changes

We invite you to a joint meeting of the Research Committees 21 (Political Socialization and Education) and 29 (Political Psychology) of the International Political Science Association (IPSA). The meeting will result in a special issue of the journal Politics, Culture and Socialization PC&S (Barbara Budrich Publishers).

These days, political identities (loyalities, party identification, feelings of efficacy, etc.) are strongly challenged by COVID and the policy responses to the pandemic, by controversies and policy measures surrounding the climate crisis, and by changes in political communication (increasing speed, segmentation, social media, professionalization of politics, alternative facts etc.). 

In-between IPSA World Congresses, RC21 and RC29  want to meet with experts in the fields of political psychology and political socialization to discuss the effects of these and other changes. How do people feel politically? How do they relate to political power and political institutions? 

We are not only looking for presentations of substantive traditional pre-article papers. Short presentations focussing on urgent changes and challenges are equally welcome. The workshop does not only focus on filling gaps in theory with empirical research. This workshop aims at an exchange of ideas about urgent changes and their possible consequences for research agendas. 

Soon after the workshop, we would like to publish written versions of the presentations and discussions in (short) articles in a special issue/section of the journal (PC&S). 

We plan to have a joint face to face & virtual workshop of IPSA RC21 (Political Socialization and Education) and RC29 (Political Psychology) connected to the emerita lecture on ‘The psychology of politics’/’De psychologie van de politiek’ by Christ’l De Landtsheer (former Chair of RC21) as a Professor in Communication Sciences of Antwerp University, Belgium. 

Corona volente, we will have the meeting on 18 March 2022. Dependent on the number of participants and the way they want to participate (virtually or visiting Antwerp) there might be one hybrid workshop or separate physical and virtual workshops before the lecture (which will be streamed as part of the IPSA meeting).    

The event is sponsored by IPSA and by Antwerp University. There will be no registration fee, but registration is mandatory, and acceptance depends upon availability. If you want to participate in the workshop and/or write a short paper for the journal, please fill in the form below and e-mail it by 14 February to Bas Schueremans bas.schueremans@student.uantwerpen.be  with as a title IPSA RC21-29. 

We look forward to meeting you soon in Antwerp, in person or online.

Form- Expression of Interest to Participate in IPSA RC21-29 meeting on Friday, 18 March 2022. Return form to bas.schueremans@student.uantwerpen.be with as a title IPSA RC21-29.

Deadline Monday, 14 February.

• Name
• Affiliation
• E-mail
• Phone
• Address

Attendance (underline what is appropriate)

• with paper/presentation
• without paper/presentation
• in person
• online

Proposed presentation/paper (provisional title, 100 words abstract)