MPSA Annual Conference
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…
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…
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)…
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…
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…
My Experience Balancing Life, Research, and Conferences
by Bakhytzhan Oskeyeva, PhD student in Public Policy, University of North Carolina at Charlotte As I prepare for the upcoming MPSA Annual Conference, I find myself juggling multiple roles—researcher, attendee, and, most importantly, a single mother of two wonderful children: my 13-year-old daughter…
Adam Smith on the Effectual Truth of Imagination
By: Trevor Shelley, Arizona State University The following blog post is a summary of the research that won the Midwest Political Science Association’s Review of Politics Award for research presented at the 2024 MPSA Annual Conference. In this article (recently published in Perspectives on…
Building Skills for the Future
by Muhammad Hassan Bin Afzal, Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and Public Service, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Muhammad Hassan Bin Afzal recommends taking advantage of training sessions, workshops, and short courses during your career's early stages or…