Authors
The Overused Syllogism: Logic, Institutions, and the Integral Exploration of Reason
by Miguel S. Zanella Section #1: Etymology – Philosophical, Scientific, and Lexicographical Perspectives The term "syllogism" comes from the Greek syllogismos, meaning "joint inference." Aristotle was its primary systematizer, framing it as a form of deductive reasoning: from two premises arises a…
Inside Criminalized Governance. A Review.
By Juan Corredor-Garcia, PhD student in political science at the Graduate Center, City University of New York The study of organized criminal groups and its relationship with the state and society used to be an exclusive field of inquiry for sociologists and criminologists. The ground-breaking work…
The Concept of Politics from the Individual's Perspective: Silogizing Existence within the Human Condition
by Miguel S. Zanella Etymology: Philosophical and Lexicographical Perspectives The term "politics" originates from the Greek politiká, meaning "affairs of the city" (polis). Aristotle, in his work Politics, conceptualizes politics as the activity that seeks the common good within the community.…
Presenting, Learning, and Growing — Insights from Inside MPSA 2025
by Bakhytzhan Oskeyeva, PhD student in Public Policy, University of North Carolina at Charlotte Note: This blog post is Part 2 of a reflection series based on a voluntary questionnaire I shared during MPSA 2025. It gathers informal insights from attendees about what they presented, what they…
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…