Purpose and mandate


The Research Committee for the Study of Political Science as a Discipline, commonly known as RC 33, is one of the fifty permanent research committees that comprises the bulk of the active membership of the International Political Science Association (IPSA).

RC 33 promotes theoretical and research studies on the historiography and development of political science, either on its own or in conjunction with other IPSA research committees. The committee's approach is a comparative and eclectic one; it is intended to include the theoretical concerns of philosophers of social science, sociological and anthropological views of disciplinary origins and evolution, historical, and institutional studies.

Executive Committee (2016-2020)

  • Thibaud Boncourt, Université libre de Bruxelles (Chair). 
  • Giliberto Capano, Scuola Normale Superiore, Florence. 
  • Luciana Ghica, University of Bucharest. 
  • Emily Hauptmann, Western Michigan University. 
  • Bahgat Korany, American University in Cairo.
  • Olga Malinova, Higher School of Economics, Moscow.
  • Paulo Ravecca, Universidad de la República (Secretary). 
  • Bob Reinalda, Radboud University, Nijmegen. 
  • John Trent, University of Ottawa (Treasurer).

Activities and publications


The RC33 organises panels at IPSA congresses and inter-congress roundtables. Several publications have resulted from these meetings, most notably the "World of political science" book series, edited by John Trent and Michael Stein. For more information, see our publications page.