Photo Recap (Wednesday, 16 July) - 2025 IPSA World Congress Highlights
Publication date: Fri, 18 Jul 2025
Photo: The IPSA Executive Committee members and the WC2025 Local Organizing Committee members at the Closing Ceremony on 16 July.
The final day of the #IPSA2025 World Congress of Political Science on 16 July featured 188 sessions and events. Highlights included the election of the 28th Executive Committee, a plenary on legal autocracy in South Asia by Neera Chandhoke, the Mattei Dogan Award Lecture, and the IPSA Regional Dialogues Roundtable. The 2025 edition concluded with the official Closing Ceremony, featuring remarks by Woo Won-shik, Speaker of the National Assembly, and the symbolic handover of the IPSA flag to the 2027 host city, Rome.
IPSA Council Elected the 28th Executive Committee
The IPSA Council, the highest decision-making body of the Association, has elected the 28th Executive Committee on 16 July 2025 at the IPSA World Congress in Seoul. We warmly congratulate the newly elected members who will govern IPSA for the next two years.
Seated (left to right): Fortunato Musella, Magdalena Musiał-Karg, Vanessa Elias De Oliveira, Pablo Oñate, Yuko Kasuya, Hasret Dikici Bilgin, Kim Fontaine-Skronski, Annika Hinze, Esperanza Palma, Min Hee Go.
Standing (left to right): Mauro Calise, Stephen Sawyer, Ferdinand Müller-Rommel, Indrajit Roy, John Ishiyama, Francesca Longo, Azul A. Aguiar Aguilar, Elisa Chelle, Serge Granger, Julio Teehankee, Berk Esen, Kenneth McElwain, Laurence Piper, Luís de Sousa, Keiichi Kubo, Carmelo Cattafi, André Lecours, Kgothatso Shai.
Plenary: Legal Autocracy in South Asia
The final plenary of the IPSA World Congress featured a keynote address by Neera Chandhoke, Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Equity Studies in Delhi. Prof. Chandhoke examined how autocrats in the region undermine democratic institutions through legislation while maintaining the facade of democracy.
Neera Chandhoke delivers her plenary address on the final day of the IPSA World Congress in Seoul.
Neera Chandhoke
Neera Chandhoke
IPSA Executive Committee member Serge Granger with Neera Chandhoke.
Neera Chandhoke and Serge Granger.
Serge Granger and Neera Chandhoke.
IPSA Executive Committee member Serge Granger.
Prize of the Foundation Mattei Dogan Award Lecture
John Higley, the recipient of the 2025 Mattei Dogan Foundation Award, delivered a virtual award lecture titled The Democracy Ideal and Elites at the 2025 IPSA World Congress. John Higley has been one of the key figures in the revival of elite theory in social science. Prof. Higley’s presentation was followed by a discussion moderated by Serge Granger, with Kurt Weyland serving as discussant.
John Higley delivered a virtual award lecture.
IPSA Executive Committee member Serge Granger,
Kurt Weyland and Serge Granger.
Kurt Weyland and Serge Granger.
Kurt Weyland and Serge Granger.
Global South Award Lecture
The Global South Award was officially renamed the IPSA Margaret A. Vogt Award for Global South Scholars to honor the legacy of the distinguished African scholar in international peace and security. At a special award lecture, the 2025 Award recipient, Zaynab El Bernoussi, delivered her presentation From the Global South to the World: Tracking Dignity Demands and the International Political Economy.
Zaynab El Bernoussi, recipient of the 2025 Global South Award, delivers her award lecture.
Zaynab El Bernoussi, recipient of the 2025 Global South Award, delivers her award lecture.
Zaynab El Bernoussi.
WC2025 Program Co-Chair Irasema Coronado.
WC2025 Program Co-Chair Irasema Coronado.
Zaynab El Bernoussi receives her award certificate from Irasema Coronado.
IPSA Regional Dialogues Roundtable
The outcomes of IPSA’s third edition of its Regional Dialogues with national and regional political science associations (collective members) were discussed at a roundtable held on the final day of the World Congress. Speakers explored how academic freedom, artificial intelligence, and unequal access to resources are shaping the future of political science.
Photo (left to right): Executive Committee members Emilia Palonen, Jesús Tovar, Madalena Meyer Resende, Berk Esen and Kgothatso Shai.
Berk Esen and Kgothatso Shai.
Madalena Meyer Resende.
Jesús Tovar.
Berk Esen.
Photo (left to right): Berk Esen, Emilia Palonen, Madalena Meyer Resende, Kgothatso Shai and Jesús Tovar.
Professional Development Café: Communicating Political Science to Politicians, Policy Makers and the Public
This engaging roundtable explored how political scientists can effectively reach audiences beyond academia. Speakers shared practical strategies for engaging with the media, leveraging social platforms, and translating research for public, political, and policy impact.
The final Professional Development Café was chaired by Theresa Reidy and featured contributions from Diego Garzia, Amanda Gouws, Jennifer McCoy, and Jennifer Piscopo.
The final Professional Development Café was chaired by Theresa Reidy and featured contributions from Diego Garzia, Amanda Gouws, Jennifer McCoy, and Jennifer Piscopo.
Closing Ceremony
The Closing Ceremony of the 2025 IPSA World Congress, sponsored by the Korean National Assembly, featured official remarks from the Speaker of the National Assembly Woo Won-shik, the Ambassador of Italy in Korea Emilia Gatto, IPSA representatives and members of the 2025 and 2027 Local Organizing Committees. The ceremony concluded with the symbolic passing of the IPSA flag from Seoul to the next host city, Rome, and a vibrant music performance by E_SANG, a group of young traditional Korean musicians.
The IPSA Executive Committee members and the WC2025 Local Organizing Committee members at the Closing Ceremony on 16 July.
Woo Won-shik (Speaker of the National Assembly) delivers remarks at the Closing Ceremony of the 2025 IPSA World Congress.
IPSA President Yuko Kasuya addresses the World Congress delegates at the Closing Ceremony.
IPSA Past President Pablo Oñate.
IPSA Executive DirectorKim Fontaine-Skronski.
The IPSA Congress flag was officially passed from Seoul (#IPSA2025) to Rome (#IPSA2027) during the Closing Ceremony.
Photo (left to right): Kim Fontaine-Skronski, Euiyoung Kim, Ajin Choi, Pablo Oñate, Yuko Kasuya, Raffaele Marchetti, Fortunato Musella.
Onsite staff of the 2025 IPSA World Congress gathered on stage during the Closing Ceremony.
The ceremony concluded with a vibrant music performance by Gugak-Isang, a group of young traditional Korean musicians.
