I hope you are all doing well and enjoy the summer holidays or the winter term depending on where you are in the world. For those of you who attended the Montreal conference, I would like to extend a sincere thank you for your participation and engagement and hope you had a very pleasant and productive meeting. Thanks also to Roberto González and the program and section chairs for their hard work in bringing the conference together and to Severine Bennett and Minnie Chappell for their continuous efforts in coordinating and planning the meeting. An additional thank you to Gizem Arikan for organizing and successfully executing the ISPP Academy this year with a large number of early career scholars attending and enjoying an excellent program. I think we can all agree that the conference was a great success with outstanding panels, papers, roundtables, posters, blitzes and keynote addresses and not least all the social events and gatherings that took place.
Looking forward, I would like to welcome our newly-elected Governing Council members. We are very happy to have you onboard and I am looking forward to working with you during the year to come. I would also like to thank our outgoing GC members for their commitment to the society and for their very hard work over the years. The society would not be what it is without the energy and passion of our GC members, so thank you all. A special thank you to Melinda Jackson, our outgoing Treasurer. Melinda’s devotion to the society and great pedagogical skills in communicating the budget has been an invaluable resource.
Next year we will meet in Santiago, Chile. It is a pleasure to welcome you to the Southern hemisphere which will be the second time in the history of ISPP that we venture outside of the Global North. The society’s commitment to bringing political psychology scholarship to around the world was part of the decision to make Santiago the venue for what we believe will be a very exciting conference and location. The conference theme is ‘Dismantling Democracy: Insecurity, emotions and authoritarian populism’. The theme has been chosen to reflect the many insecurities and instabilities we are encountering around the world and the increasing authoritarianism associated with such insecurities. The conference will be an opportunity to discuss cutting-edge and cross-disciplinary research that aims to understand, develop and systematically organize knowledge and solutions to democratic decline and authoritarian politics in light of heightened insecurity and conflict. Santiago is a particularly appropriate place to address this topic and we hope to have a broad inclusion of Central and South American scholars to deepen and extend an already existing interest in political psychology. The conference chairs, Molly Andrews, Neil Ferguson and Siugmin Lay are currently planning an exciting program of keynote lectures, panels, roundtables, posters and special events and I sincerely hope you will join us in Santiago on July 4-6, 2024. Our conference site will open soon.
I would also like to encourage participation in the ISPP Academy. The Academy is our political psychology training program and is taught by renowned scholars in the field under the directorship of Gizem Arikan. The Academy provides an opportunity for students and early-career scholars to develop their broad interest and skills in the field of political psychology and is a wonderful opportunity to connect with scholars and friends around the world. The call for fellows and the program will soon be advertised.
Finally, I would like to take the opportunity to encourage your support and donations to our Scholars Under Threat program. ISPP is committed to the protection of its members whose academic freedom is at risk anywhere in the world due to the political context where they work and/or live. We are very concerned about the situation arising from the many current crises around the world and how scholars have been affected by wars, conflict and increasing constraints on their freedoms. Please remember to reach out to scholars across the world and help us continue our efforts to support them in their struggle.
I am honored to have been elected ISPP President. I attended my first meeting in Vancouver in 1996 and have attended almost every meeting since. I have also been fortunate to be on the governing council in various capacities over the years and had the opportunity to be editor-in-chief for our in-house journal Political Psychology which was a great privilege. The journal is now in safe hands with Orla Muldoon and James Liu who have done a tremendous job of increasing submissions and the impact factor over the years. ISPP is also lucky to have had great editors for our other in-house journal, Advances in Political Psychology, and I would like to thank Stephen Nicholson and Efrén Pérez for their time and efforts as their term is soon coming to an end.
It is with great anticipation that I am looking ahead to the coming year as President of the society. I hope to see many of you in Santiago!
Catarina Kinnvall
ISPP President
Save the dates! ISPP's upcoming meetings
Our 2024 Annual Meeting will be held in Santiago, Chile, from the 4th - 6th July 2024.
If you are interested in hosting a future conference of ISPP, please contact the Central Office to obtain the necessary guidelines and materials.
Call for the Twinning Program
Call for the Twinning Program in English [see below for the call in Arabic, French, Spanish and Turkish]
We are happy to announce that we are still accepting applications for our New Twinning Program among Scholars under Threat (ISPP members who lost their academic positions or their income in direct connection with political persecution and/or to members who have been displaced as a result of political persecution). The New Twinning Program has been set up with the aim of facilitating scholarly collaborations between threatened political psychologists and program partners. These collaborations can offer the opportunity for threatened scholars to continue their academic activities, maintain and advance their careers, and integrate into international political psychology; furthermore, partners can engage in political advocacy on behalf of threatened scholar. We are grateful to the 24 scholars who have already expressed their interest to work together with a scholar under threat as partners. We would kindly like to ask our members to reach out to those scholars within their networks around the world who may benefit from participating.
You can find more information about the Twinning Program here.
ISPP is committed to protecting its members whose academic freedom is at risk anywhere in the world due to the political context where they work or live. ISPP's Scholars Under Threat (SUT) Committee has been working to support ISPP's members at risk. Academic freedom as it relates to both research and teaching is absolutely essential for the advancement of scientific knowledge. The SUT can support academics by providing free membership to ISPP, access to emergency funds for scholars under threat to continue their livelihoods, and access to the ISPP twinning scheme for academics who wish to have mentorship or support from colleagues in less risky contexts. If you or someone you know has had their academic freedom put at risk and feel that you would benefit from ISPP support, please contact us.
The University of Greenwich are looking to recruit two Senior Research Fellows in the Institute for Lifecourse Development whose interests and expertise lie in areas relevant to the Institute’s Centres and who can work across one or more key areas with a focus on the inclusion of vulnerable groups in society.
The ILD is an interdisciplinary research institute at the University of Greenwich which provides an innovative, effective environment to support research and knowledge exchange, as recognised in REF2021. The ILD has seven Centres (details available at https://www.gre.ac.uk/institute-lifecourse-development) bringing together research and practitioner staff to foreground, consolidate and grow cross-professional and cross-disciplinary work, developing impactful lifecourse-focused research and knowledge exchange activities to directly resonate with our stakeholders, communities and partners, through addressing societal challenges. The ILD’s shared objectives are to:
Focus on vulnerable populations across the lifecourse
Deliver theoretical and methodological innovation in research
Create collaborative interdisciplinary teams and a vibrant and inclusive research environment
Communicate with users of research to create impact
Create new professional solutions that improve people's lives
Develop high‐level academic training and continuing professional development
Connect globally, building deeper relationships with partners, funders, and sponsors.
Applicants should have recognition within the academic community for their specific discipline, a strong track record of winning external funding and publishing high-quality publications, experience of working with external partners, and commitment to working with colleagues to develop genuinely innovative approaches to research, knowledge exchange and practice.
The roles are available immediately. Candidates must supply a research grant proposal in the format of a discipline-specific UKRI application. Please read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details.
For an informal discussion about the post please contact the Deputy Director of the ILD Prof Claire Monks C.P.Monks@greenwich.ac.uk or recruitment related queries please contact the HR Recruitment Team on hrsr-feh@greenwich.ac.uk.
Two Lecturer Positions in Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods - Queen’s University Belfast
The School of Psychology at Queen’s University Belfast is currently seeking to appoint two exceptional candidates to posts of Lecturer, the first focusing on Quantitative Research Methods, and the second on Qualitative Research Methods. Successful candidates will undertake a programme of high-level research that enhances and augments the research already undertaken within the School, and to teach Psychology generally but specifically research methods at undergraduate and postgraduate level.
The successful candidate must have, and your application should clearly demonstrate you have:
A degree (UG or MSc) in psychology or very closely related subject.
A PhD in psychology, utilising qualitative/quantitative research methods and statistics in a psychology relevant research area.
Recognised excellence and reputation in research subject specialism aligned to those in the school commensurate with career stage.
Established publication record in peer reviewed journals, with publications that are REF returnable at international level (to a panel that includes psychology), commensurate with career stage.
A sustainable programme of research that complements existing research activities within the School, including expertise in advanced qualitative/quantitative techniques.
University level teaching experience in UG and/or PG programmes to psychology students in the last four years, including delivery and/or assessment, preferably using innovative techniques and/or VLEs.
Evidence of ability to deliver high quality teaching to students at undergraduate and/or postgraduate level.
Application deadline: 18 September 2023 | More information for Qualitative post and Quantitative post.
Assistant Professor of Sociology Climate Change/Environmental Inequality – University of Washington
The Department of Sociology at the University of Washington invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor who will specialize in the study of environmental inequality and/or climate change. Positive factors for consideration include, but are not limited to: a promising record of scholarly accomplishment; research interests that complement other areas of departmental and university strength; promise of effective undergraduate teaching and graduate training; and potential for engagement with professional, university, and community life. All University of Washington faculty engage in teaching, research, and service.
The Department of Sociology is located on the Seattle campus of the University of Washington. We are a collaborative and generous scholarly community with an outstanding track record of mentoring junior scholars and a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Both our undergraduate and graduate student bodies include many first-generation students, immigrants, and people of color. Members of the department are involved in numerous successful cross-department and interdisciplinary initiatives and research activities, and we have durable ties to the Department of Law, Societies and Justice, the West Coast Poverty Center, UW’s NIH- funded center for population studies (CSDE), the Center for Statistics and the Social Sciences, the eScience Institute, UW’s Population Health Initiative, the College of the Environment, the Department of Real Estate, the Jackson School of International Studies, the QUAL Initiative, the Department of Statistics, and the Schools of Nursing, Medicine, and Public Health.
Washington State Law requires that this ad list a binding salary range. The base salary range for this position will be $9650 - $13500 per month on a 9-month basis ($86,850 - $121,500 annually), commensurate with experience and qualifications, or as mandated by a U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage determination.
The position will begin on September 16, 2024, and is full time with a 9-month service period.
Qualifications
Applicants must have a Ph.D., or foreign equivalent, in sociology or closely related field by the start of the appointment.
Application Instructions
Both the University of Washington and the Department of Sociology are committed to creating a community that embraces and benefits from the diversity of its faculty, staff and students. Successful applicants should be able to thrive in and contribute to this environment. Therefore, application materials must include a separate statement that describes how you will contribute to creating an inclusive, equitable and diverse department.
Complete applications will include: 1) curriculum vita; 2) cover letter; 3) a description of research experience and plans; 4) a statement of teaching, including a description of teaching approach and evidence of teaching effectiveness; 5) a statement of contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion; and 6) at least two samples of recent scholarly work. Candidates selected during the initial round of review will be contacted to provide a list of three professional references.
Application deadline: 16 October 2023 | More informationPostdoc in Computational Linguistics - GESIS - Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences
GESIS - Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences is an internationally active social science institution of the Leibniz Association funded by the federal and state governments. We are looking for a person in the Computational Social Science (CSS) department, Data Science Methods team in Cologne, starting from November 1st, 2023.
The interdisciplinary and international Computational Social Science (CSS) department is dedicated to researching socio-cultural phenomena and the digital society. To do this, we use new approaches to data collection (e.g. web data collection, web tracking, smartphone apps), as well as analysis methods (e.g. machine learning, network analysis, text and data mining) and standards (reproducible analysis methods).
The position is part of the Data Science Methods team led by Gabriella Lapesa. The team deals with the conception, implementation and evaluation of data-driven methods for computational social science, in particular natural language processing and machine learning. The aim is to advance the state of the art in this area and thus create a better basis for the description, quantification and explanation of social and political phenomena. The team works at the interface between computational reasoning and political communication, focusing on highly subjective phenomena and related challenges for computational modeling.
Within the team, the postdoc will work on the development of NLP methods that address the challenge of modeling subjective and CSS-relevant phenomena.
Your area of responsibility:
Development and provision of deep learning tools for learning from annotated data, taking into account the subjectivity of the target phenomena and annotations, as well as the elaboration of strategies for evaluating the resilience of such methods (e.g. researching biases) and teaching their application social scientists
Design and implementation of large-scale crowdsourcing studies to answer research questions at the interface of computational argumentation and computational social science
Learning new skills and methods as well as building your own research network and program
Publications in renowned international conferences and journals
Dissemination of your expertise via guides, advice, open science material and implementations
Your profile:
Completed (or forthcoming) PhD in Computational Linguistics, Computer Science, Machine Learning, Data Science or related disciplines; Candidates with a social or political science background can also apply if they have the relevant skills
Expert knowledge in the development of NLP tools with the latest deep learning methods
First experiences in the planning, implementation and analysis of large-scale annotation studies carried out with crowdsourcing methods are a plus
Ability to plan and lead research projects in interdisciplinary teams involving computational linguistics and other disciplines; Background in computational reasoning and/or computational social science is a plus
Very good written and spoken English skills as well as confidence in communicating research results outside of your own field
We offer:
An international and interdisciplinary work environment that also supports you in developing your own research profile
Close networking and scientific exchange with the BMBF project E-DELIB (University of Stuttgart), the DFG project MARDY and the Institute for Internet Democracy (DIID) at the Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf
Flexible working hours and the possibility of up to 60% mobile work within Germany
Generous promotion of your old-age provision in the form of direct insurance
Very good conditions for the compatibility of work and family, among other things through grants for the care of children who are not of school age
Holistic company health management and discounted participation in the sports program at the University of Cologne
Promotion of your skills through further training measures
For more information on the areas of responsibility, please contact Dr. Gabriella Lapesa via email (gabriella.lapesa@gesis.org). If you have any questions about the application process, Franca Tosetti is available via email (franca.tosetti@gesis.org).
Application deadline: 5 September 2023 | More informationTwo Postdoc positions for ERC Research-Funded Project – University of Limerick
There are two postdoctoral research positions available at the University of Limerick as part of an exciting project with Professor Orla Muldoon funded by the European Research Council (ERC). The first position is a long-term vacancy (3 years). This is an opportunity for individuals passionate about social identity, trauma, or biological responses to stress. In this role, the selected candidate will be responsible for driving research in collaboration with NGOs and statutory agencies that provide group-based supports.
The second position is a short-term vacancy (6 months). This is an excellent opportunity for students who are keen on expanding their skill set or individuals who have recently completed their PhD and are contemplating their next career move. In this role, the selected candidate will conduct experimental work within the UL lab, focusing on examining how social identities can potentially alleviate cardiovascular responses to stress.
Call for submissions – UNPOP International Colloquium: Emotions, Narratives and Identities in Politics, Populism, and Democracy
The UNPOP International Colloquium focuses on the role that emotions (and/or affects, passions, sentiments, feelings, moods, dispositions, and attitudes) and narratives (and/or discourses, framings, storytelling) play in forging socio-political identities and the impact that they have on political behaviour and democracy. The aim of the Colloquium is to deepen our understanding of how emotions, narratives and identities are articulated within political regimes, how they are being deployed in populism (i.e. leaders, parties, movements, attitudes), and what is the outcome for political and democratic systems and societies. Populism powerfully mobilises social identities and emotions and will be a special focus of the Colloquium. The Colloquium has an interdisciplinary nature that includes political science, sociology, philosophy, psychology, communication, and anthropology, amongst other disciplines. We invite PhD candidates and researchers at an early or advanced stage of their careers to contribute by submitting an abstract – of a theoretical or empirical (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed) nature – that investigates issues related to, but not restricted to, the following:
Effects of emotions, narratives, and identities on populism (incl. mobilisation, form, strategy, style, and ideas) and vice versa;
Effects of emotions, narratives, and identities on political behaviour;
Intersection of emotions, narratives, identities, populism and their relation to current forms of political polarisation and extremism;
Relationship between emotions and narratives on identity formation and socio-political signification;
Impact of beliefs, values, traditions, utopias, social symbolisms, and political mythologies on social signification and political action;
Effect of (mis/dis-)information and (post-)truth on political emotions, narratives, and identities;
Consequence of (digital) communication on the changing nature of emotion, narrative, and identity formation processes;
Inference of intergroup relations and emotions on politics and democracy;
Interplay between supply and demand side politics in shaping political emotions, narratives, and socio-political identities;
Building political (mis-)trust and its consequences in relation to political affection and participation;
Opportunities and challenges of narratives enhancing the role of diversity, intercultural dialogue, and progress towards democracy;
Interplay between racism, xenophobia, islamophobia, misogyny, and other forms of discrimination and oppression with emotions, narratives, identities, and populism;
Role of emotions, narratives, identities, and populism in the mainstreaming of anti-gender ideology and white supremacy;
Challenges to the form and substance of traditional politics by populist phenomena, political adaptation, and its consequences;
Implications and consequences of right-wing extremist mobilisation of emotions, narratives, and identity formation on democracy;
Methodological reflections to identify and overcome the limits in the study of emotion, narrative, and identity formation processes;
Role of emotions, narratives, identities, and populism in the emergence, development and consolidation of protest and social movements;
Emerging scenarios for democratic theory in light of a renewed focus on narratives, emotions, and identities.
The UNPOP International Colloquium is a fully on-site (neither virtual nor hybrid) event in English (no simultaneous interpretation) aimed to stimulate a creative space of reflection, research advancement, and networking in a critical and safe environment. The keynote sessions are open to the public and no registration is needed. Video recordings will be made available on the UNPOP website after the event. The paper discussion sessions are restricted to a limited number of presenters, who are selected to present work that they are developing or finalising. Paper presenters are requested to send a statement of interest and an abstract (both max 1,500 characters; ~250 words) upon application, and a draft version of their paper (max 4,000 words from title to last reference) ahead of the conference. Paper presenters act as discussants for other papers and are requested to actively participate throughout the event programme. The Colloquium includes a round table open to the public and organised in a public space of Coimbra during the evening of the second day.
After the Colloquium, paper givers may be invited to send their reviewed and improved papers to be considered as part of a collective publication. This publication may take the form of an edited book with an international academic publisher or a scientific journal special issue.
Call for expression of interest – Young researchers’ network
The European Partnership for Democracy welcomes proposals for the Young Researchers’ Network initiative in the framework of the European Democracy Hub with the support of EPD’s Women and Youth in Democracy (WYDE Civic Engagement) programme, supported by the European Union.
Making young people’s voices heard is necessary to make democratic systems sustainable and representative of all generations. To further understand youth issues with nuance and complexity, it is important to platform young people as the best suited to political research participation as it most affects themselves and their peers.
To do so, the Young Researchers’ Network initiative will bring together a diverse group of international young scholars and democracy support practitioners from all regions. The initiative aims to foster cross-regional and cross-disciplinary exchanges on the topic of youth participation in democracies across the world.
Young selected researchers will follow a three-year programme, supported by the Youth Democracy Cohort. They will have the opportunity to exchange and learn from researchers and key people working on the topics of Youth Participation, Civic Engagement and Democracy. The programme foresees tutor support and regular meetings for potential support to participants’ research and data analysis. In addition to this, there will be online training sessions on research methodology, data collection and paper drafting. The programme will also include recurring webinars on interesting topics for the young group of researchers.
The initiative will result in the publication of 12 case studies (3000 words) written by young researchers, to be collated into a flagship report on global youth political participation. The report will highlight policy implications and give recommendations for international development donors as well as youth policy decision-makers on improving youth participation through national and international policies.
COMPENSATION
Successful candidates will receive EUR 10.000,00 to support their part-time research on the country case study and ad-hoc research assistance for the Young Researchers’ Network initiative over the 3-year duration of the initiative. Members of the Young Researchers’ Network will be based remotely and will be invited to Brussels to present their research in 2024 and 2025.
QUALIFICATIONS
PhD students, early-career academics and young professionals studying or working in an area related to youth in the field of development studies or democracy studies,
Candidates should be currently undertaking or have been awarded a PhD or master’s degree from an internationally recognised university within the last three years.
EPD will aim to have representation from all major world regions in the network and will take this into account when considering applications.
Expressions of interest are to be submitted by email at info@youthdemocracycohort.com and must include:
A filled-in application form, found below (Annex I);
An academic curriculum vitae, including the candidate’s publication record;
A recommendation letter from their current or most recent university;
An academic transcript from their current university or degree certificate from their most recent university.
Call for papers: Asian American Journal of Psychology
The Asian American Journal of Psychology is the official publication of the Asian American Psychological Association, and is dedicated to research, practice, advocacy, education, and policy within Asian American psychology.
The journal publishes empirical, theoretical, methodological, and practice-oriented articles and book reviews covering topics relevant to Asian American individuals and communities, including prevention, intervention, training, and social justice. Particular consideration is given to empirical articles using quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methodology.
In addition to publishing empirical research, Asian American Journal of Psychology addresses clinical practice, advocacy, education, and policy.
In particular, the Asian American Psychological Association has recognized that the journal needs to attend to ongoing discussion on practice.
We encourage articles that:
contribute to knowledge of Asian American psychology through research and examination of methodology;
develop and advance psychological theories pertinent to Asian Americans;
promote the education and training of psychologists to work with Asian Americans, including the publication of special issues relevant to the delivery of effective services to minority populations;
attend to issues of social justice and policy issues related to Asian American individuals and communities;
include attention to diverse communities within the broadest meaning of what it means to be Asian American;
utilize quantitative, qualitative, and mixed method approaches.
Additional information about the journal, including guidance for authors, is available on the Asian American Journal of Psychology homepage.
Manuscripts should be submitted electronically through our submission portal.
The next ISPPNews will be published in September 2023.
To submit your contributions for ISPPNews please send an email to the ISPP Central Office.
Benefits of your ISPP Membership
Online access to the journal of Political Psychology and Advances in Political Psychology; issues of ISPPNews; ISPP's Teacher's Corner; reduced registration fees at ISPP's Annual Scientific Meetings; discount on selected publications; access to ISPP's Members-only Portal; access to the online member directory; voting rights for ISPP leadership.
Your ideas for further improvements or additions to ISPPNews are welcome! Please let us know what you would like to see here in the future by sending us an email.
ISPP
P.O. Box 1213 Columbus, NC 28722 USA www.ispp.org
