The Joint Sessions of Workshops

May 2021, Charles University and Online

Our 2021 Joint Sessions is envisaged as a hybrid event, with the physical element at Charles University from 25–28 May, held in conjunction with virtual workshops in the second half of May.

If it's no longer feasible or safe for us to meet face-to-face, we're prepared to offer the Joint Sessions fully online. We'll be providing further updates as soon as we're able to take an informed decision on the most appropriate event format, and before registration opens.

About our Joint Sessions

The Joint Sessions is the defining event of our organisation with a five-decade history and remains one of the major highlights of the world's political science calendar. Each year, it attracts hundreds of scholars from across the globe – at all stages of their career. Comprising around 30 Workshops, each with no more than 15 carefully selected participants, topics are precisely defined and discussed intensively for four days.

Our 2021 vision

The 2020 Joint Sessions took place as an exceptional, scaled-down remote conference, bringing together seven of the initially planned Workshops and providing a much-needed platform for scholars to refine their research and expand their networks in these challenging times.

However, we understand that the virtual environment cannot fully replicate a week of in-depth face-to-face debates and are actively preparing for the Joint Sessions to include a physical element at Charles University from 25–28 May 2021, providing it is safe to do so. The programme will feature at least 18 workshops from the 2020 line-up, alongside a selection of virtual workshops in the second half of May.

We stand committed to delivering as rewarding and authentic an experience as possible to our member affiliates and the wider community, no matter the circumstances. By planning for both, physical and virtual elements of the event, we can ensure that the Joint Sessions continues to offer a prestigious global stage for thorough and fruitful critique of research in the field.