How to Participate

As a Section Chair
As a Panel Chair
As a Discussant
As a Paper Presenter

GUIDELINES AND DEADLINES

Participation rules

• Individuals may perform the function of Section Chair, Panel Chair and Discussant only once.
• Paper Presenters can present no more than two Papers.
• Each Section should have one Chair and one Co-Chair.
• Section Chair must be from an ECPR Full Member institution.
• Participants should ensure their availability for the entire duration of the conference.

Section Chair

Each Section should have one Chair and one Co-Chair. Section Chair must be from an ECPR Full Member institution. Only Section Chairs may submit a Section proposal.

You'll be expected to:

• Evaluate all Panel and individual Paper proposals in their Section.
• Consider the quality of each proposal and the fit with the Section theme.
• Allocate individual Paper proposals to Panels and, where appropriate, form Panels out of individual Paper proposals.
• Allocate Chairs and Discussants for Panels in a Section.
• If necessary, accommodate new Panels/Papers to their Section, or reduce the number of their Panels and rearrange Papers accordingly.
• Reallocate Papers in cases where multiple withdrawals may cause Panels to collapse.
• Inform our Events Team should they receive notification of a withdrawal directly from a participant.

How to register

Section Chairs do not have to attend the Conference. Should they wish to participate, a link to register will appear in the right-hand side menu when registration opens in April 2023.

Panel Chair

After the proposal deadline, Section Chairs approve/decline/reserve all Panels and Papers submitted. Approved Papers not submitted as part of a Panel will be allocated by the Section Chairs to an appropriate Panel.

Alternatively, Section Chairs may form additional Panels from individual Papers on a similar subject. Once this has been done, we will email all proposers to let them know the outcome. 

You'll be expected to:

• Register for and attend the Conference. 
• Read each Paper* ahead of the Conference.
• If necessary, accommodate new Papers or rearrange Papers within their Panel.
• Inform our Events Team should they receive notification of a withdrawal directly from a participant.

*Paper Presenters will upload their Papers via My ECPR, following which they will be available via the event platform. Alternatively, participants may share their Papers directly with the Panel Chair and Discussant.

During the Panel session

The basics

• Keep introductions brief.
• Make sure that Papers are presented in the order of the programme unless requested otherwise.
• Always end the session by inviting the audience to thank the Presenters.

Timekeeping

• Start and finish the session on time.
• Allocate sufficient time to each Presenter, but keep them to time.
• Be prepared to adjust timings at short notice, in case a Presenter does not attend.

Questions

• Allow the final third of the session for questions and divide the remaining time evenly between the number of panellists.
• Have several questions prepared, in case the audience takes a while to warm up.
• If there are many questions, avoid asking any yourself.
• Don’t hesitate to interrupt to refocus the discussion.

How to register

A link to register for the Conference will appear in the right-hand side menu when registration opens in April 2023.

Discussant

After the proposal deadline, Section Chairs approve/decline/reserve all Panels and Papers submitted, and form new Panels from individually approved Papers on a similar subject.

You'll be expected to:

• Register for and attend the Conference.
• Read each Paper* ahead of the Conference, taking time to understand their contributions, strengths and weaknesses, and what the audience needs to know about them.
• Help the audience understand the Papers better.
• Generate conversation about each Paper.

*Paper Presenters will upload their Papers via My ECPR, following which they will be available via the event platform. Alternatively, participants may share their Papers directly with the Panel Chair and Discussant.

During the Panel session

Learning how to read other Papers with the critical eye of a good Discussant will help you write Papers that appeal to the profession.

• Summarise briefly the Paper’s main message and its contribution.
• Provide an assessment of the Paper: does it make its case convincingly?
• Suggest constructive ways to improve the Paper.
• Highlight the relevance of the Paper to academia and society.
• Stimulate conversation among the audience by posing questions for discussion.

How to register

A link to register for the Conference will appear in the right-hand side menu when registration opens in April 2023.

Paper Presenter

When proposals open on 18 January a link will appear in the menu on the right hand side for you to propose a Paper. You must submit your proposal to a Section before the deadline of 15 February. Papers submitted as part of a Panel do not need to be resubmitted individually. If your Paper has more than one author, the person making the proposal will be listed as the Paper presenter.

To make a proposal, you and your co-author(s) must have My ECPR profiles. If you don’t already have one, it takes just a few clicks to create. Alternatively, your Paper can be part of a pre-formed Panel proposal, co-ordinated and submitted as a complete Panel by a Panel Chair (see above). 

After the deadline, Section Chairs approve/decline/reserve all Papers proposed. Approved Papers not submitted as part of a Panel will be allocated by the Section Chairs to an appropriate Panel. Alternatively, Section Chairs will form additional Panels from individual Papers on a similar subject. Once this has been done, we will email all proposers to let them know the outcome.

Once you know the outcome, you can decide whether you want to attend the Conference. If you do, you need to register and pay online before registration closes on 25 May. A registration button will appear in the menu on the right hand side when registration opens on 12 April.

If your Paper is accepted and you cannot attend, please email the Events Team immediately so we can reshuffle Papers if necessary. If one of your co-authors can attend and present in your place, email the Events Team to let us know they should be listed as Presenter.

Please upload your full Paper to the ECPR website via your My ECPR profile or email it to the Panel Chair, Discussant and fellow Paper givers before 18 August to give your fellow Panellists time to read it. And that’s it – we look forward to welcoming you to the Conference!

Questions?

Email the Events Team.

Dates and deadlines