MPSA Blog
Conference aftermath and reflections on current affairs
Written by a current MPSA member requesting anonymity The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the MPSA (Midwest Political Science Association). Any content provided is for informational purposes only…
A Symposium By and For Graduate Students
by Carolina Bermejo Goodwin and Edwina Chih-Yu Chen, Department of Political Science, University of South Carolina As graduate students, we often find ourselves searching for spaces that prioritize our needs: places where we can share ideas, get meaningful feedback, and connect with others who are…
First Impressions, Real Impact — Who Attends MPSA and Why It Matters
by Bakhytzhan Oskeyeva, PhD student in Public Policy, University of North Carolina at Charlotte Note: This blog post reflects responses to a voluntary conference reflection questionnaire I created and circulated among attendees. The survey was independently designed and does not represent an…
An Academic Book Gets Noticed
by Michael A. Smith, Professor of Political Science, Emporia State University Political science books are not usually associated with book tours. Before 2024, I had published four academic books, one solo and the others co-authored. I certainly never did a book signing (not counting copies for…
Wondering how to organize a mini-conference at MPSA? Prof. Martin Castillo shares some clues
By Juan Corredor-Garcia, PhD student in political science at the Graduate Center, City University of New York One format that students and faculty alike should consider at MPSA is organizing a mini-conference. This format offers a unique opportunity for creating panels on very specific (and new)…
The Case for (Revised) Political Theory
by Michael A. Smith, Professor of Political Science, Emporia State University “So,” asked my friend, “have you gotten rid of theory yet?” I don’t think he was prepared for my emphatic, “No!” My friend is a political scientist at another university. He happened to be passing through town, so we had…
A conversation with a sociologist fellow who attended MPSA
By Juan Corredor-Garcia, PhD student in political science at the Graduate Center, City University of New York As one of the most prestigious regional conferences in the discipline, MPSA not only attracts political scientists but also social scientists from around the world. We interviewed…
How to Conference for the First Time: Strategy, Reflection, and Recharging at MPSA 2025
by Muhammad Hassan Bin Afzal, Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and Public Service, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga When I first visited Chicago in 2017 to volunteer for a conference and workshop, I fell in love with the city. Then, MPSA entered my life. One of my…
More COPS, Higher Turnout?
By: Brandon J. Romero, University of Michigan The following blog post summarizes the research that was a co-winner of the Midwest Political Science Association’s Best Paper in Political Behavior Award for research presented at the 2024 MPSA Annual Conference. In my paper "More COPS, Higher…
The Subnational Roots of Democratic Stability
By: Julian Michel, Ph.D. in Political Science from UCLA, Postdoctoral Fellow at LMU Munich The following blog post summarizes the research that won the Midwest Political Science Association’s Kellogg/Notre Dame Award for the best comparative politics paper presented at the 2024 MPSA Annual…