The Research Committee on The Study of Political Science as a Discipline has its roots in the special session on The Comparative Sociology of Political Science in the 1982 IPSA World Congress in Rio de Janeiro. That led to the founding of the IPSA Study Group on the Comparative Sociology of Political Science in 1982, proposed by John Trent and Michael Stein. In 1989, the Study Group merged with The International Committee for the Study of the Development of Political Science, which in 1985 had been founded on the initiative of David Easton after the joint symposium of the Finnish Political Science Association and the International Political Science Association on Development and Institutionalization of Political Science: Center-Periphery and Other Crucial Concepts, held in Espoo, Finland. The new research committee was accepted by IPSA in 1989 and held its first panels in the IPSA Buenos Aires World Congress in 1991.

The following list of the RC panels in the IPSA World Congresses is compiled using the IPSA World Congress Programs with my personal notes. This still leaves a room for a number of errors, as I have not been able to participate in all panels. Please, if you find any flaws in the list, send corrections to: erkki.berndtson@helsinki.fi.

  • XII IPSA World Congress, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 9-14, 1982

Special Session: The Comparative Sociology of Political Science

Chair: Michael B. Stein (McMaster University)
Papers:
- Andre Donneur (Université du Quebec), Michael B. Stein (McMaster University) and John E. Trent (Social Science Federation of Canada): Canadian Political Science in the 1980s
- Bolivar Lamounier (IDESP, Brazil): The Development of Political Science in Brazil
- Fred Mahler (Youth Research Center, Bucharest): Functionalism and Marxism in the Political Socialization Studies of Youth
- W.H. Morris-Jones (University of London): The Politics of Political Science
- Kari Palonen (University of Jyväskylä) and Erkki Berndtson (University of Helsinki): Political Science in Finland. Development in a Periphery

XIII IPSA World Congress, Paris, France, July 15-20, 1985

Study Group: Comparative Sociology of Political Science

Panel: Changing Paradigms in Political Science and their International/National Societal Linkages
Chair: William G. Andrews (SUNY at Brockport)
Discussant: Ray Goldstein (Victoria University of Wellington)
Papers:
- Ettore Gelpi (UNESCO) and Fabienne Le Houérou (UNESCO): L’idée de l’unité africaine dans les années 50-60 chez les leaders africains et son approche aujourd’hui: Problèmes méthodologiques de recherché
- Terence H. Irving (University of Sydney): Radical Political Science in Australia: A Survey
- Kari Palonen (University of Jyväskylä): Conceptions of Politics and the Constitution of Political Science as a Discipline: Reflections on the Case of Weimar Germany
- Fred Mahler (Center for Youth Studies, Bucharest): Marginality versus Participation: A Marxist Critique of and Alternative Approach to Western Studies of Political Legitimacy and Commitment

XIV IPSA World Congress, Washington, D.C., USA, August 28 - September 1, 1988

Study Group: Comparative Sociology of Political Science

Panel: The Impact of the Political Context on the Development of Political Science in Different Societies
Chairs: Michael B. Stein (McMaster University) and William G. Andrews (SUNY at Brockport)
Discussants: Adolf Bibic (Edvard Kardelj University, Yugoslavia) and Erkki Berndtson (University of Helsinki) Papers:
- William G. Andrews (SUNY at Brockport): The Impact of the Political Context on Political Science in the United States: The Formative Years
- Helmut Wollmann (Freie Universität Berlin): The Impact of the Political Context on the Development of Problem-Oriented Social Science Research in Western Countries
- Jari Mohammed (University of Bordeaux I): The Impact of the Political Context in the Development of Political Science in the Arabic World
- John E. Trent (University of Ottawa) and Michael B. Stein (McMaster University): The Interaction of Politics and Political Science in Canada: A Preliminary Mapping

XV IPSA World Congress, Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 21-25, 1991

Research Committee: The Study of Political Science as a Discipline
Convenors: David Easton (University of California, Irvine) and John G. Gunnell (SUNY at Albany)

Panel 1. From Post-Behavioralism to Post-Modernism
Chair: David Easton (University of California, Irvine)
Discussants: John G. Gunnell (SUNY, Albany) and Erkki Berndtson (University of Helsinki)
Papers:
- Michael Haas (University of Hawaii at Manoa): The Multimethodological Plea: A Quarter-Century Appraisal
- Pauline Rosenau (Université du Québec à Montreal): Decoding Differential Disciplinary Disturbance: The Case of Post-Modern Inroads in Political Science
- Mattei Dogan (CNRS, Paris) with Robert Pahre: Political Science at the Cross-road of the Social Sciences

Panel 2. From Post-Behavioralism to Post-Modernism
Chair: William G. Andrews (SUNY, Brockport)
Discussants: David Easton (University of California, Irvine) and Cesar Cansino (European University Institute, Firenze) Papers:
- Enrique Suárez-Iñiguez (Cividad Universitaria, Mexico City): Political Science in Mexico in the Cold-War and Post Cold-War Context
- Aaron T. Gana (University of Jos): The Impact of Perestroika and Glasnost on Political Science in Africa

XVI IPSA World Congress, Berlin, Germany, August 21-25, 1994

Research Committee: The Study of Political Science as a Discipline

Panel 1. Conceptual Development and Genealogy in Political Science
Chairs: John G. Gunnell (SUNY, Albany) and David Easton (University of California, Irvine) Discussants: John Dryzek (University of Oregon) and Vivien Schmidt (University of Massachusetts)
Papers: - Marja Keränen (University of Manchester): Paradigm Change in Political Science: The Case of Finland - Stephen Leonard (University of North Carolina): Societies in Democracies: The Transformation of Discourses on Democratic Transitions - Alfons Söllner (Universität Chemnitz): The Salvation of German Conservatism: Weimar Political Philosophy on the Road to American Political Science - Michael Stein (McMaster University): Changing Concepts of Federalism: World War II to the Present - Submitted paper: Vivien Schmidt (University of Massachusetts): Evaluating the State Society-Debates: Lessons from the Philosophy of Science

Panel 2. The Implications for Political Science of the Collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe and the Former USSR
Chairs: Michael B. Stein (McMaster University) and William G. Andrews (SUNY at Brockport)
Discussants: William G. Andrews (SUNY at Brockport) and Joseph S. Szyliowicz (University of Denver)
Papers:
- Michael Brie (Humboldt Universität zu Berlin): Some Implications for Political Science of the Collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe and the USSR
- Ettore Gelpi (UNESCO): The Independence and the Dependence of Political Scientists with Regard to the Crisis in the East European Countries and the Former Soviet Union
- Barbara Jancar (SUNY at Brockport): Political Science Copes with Post-Communist Change: The Successor Regimes
- Andreas Pickel (Trent University): Order and Legitimacy: Reconceptualizing Economic Reform in Eastern Europe as a Political Problem Supplementary papers:
- Adolph Bibic (University of Ljubljana): Democratization and Its Impact on Political Science in Slovenia
- Mijat Damjanovic (University of Belgrade): The End of the Fragile Mosaic (the Former Yugoslavia): Lessons for Political Science Jean P. Joubert (Université Jean Moulin): Penser le fin de la guerre froide at le nouvel ordre mondial

XVII IPSA World Congress, Seoul, South Korea, August 17-21, 1997

Research Committee: The Study of Political Science as a Discipline

Panel 1. Creativity in Political Science: Alternatives to Marginality
Convenors: Michael B. Stein (McMaster Universitry) and William Andrews (SUNY at Brockport)
Chair: John E. Trent (University of Ottawa)
Discussants: John G. Gunnell (SUNY at Albany) and John E. Trent (University of Ottawa)
Papers:
- Mattei Dogan (CNRS): Political Science in the Archipelago of the Social Sciences: The Thesis Hybridization
- Takashi Inoguchi (Tokyo University): Innovation and Borrowing in Japanese Political Science
- Michael B. Stein (McMaster University): Recent Approaches to the Concept of Creativity and Innovation in Political Science: A Summary Assessment
- Pierre Turpin (Université Paris X): Innovation et créativité des sciences sociales dans la période post-Marxiste l´étude des mouvements alternatifs face aux orientations dominantes de la science politique

Panel 2. Conceptual Development in Political Science
Convenors: John G. Gunnell (SUNY at Albany) and Kari Palonen (University of Jyväskylä)
Chair: John G. Gunnell (SUNY at Albany)
Discussant: Igor Luksic (University of Ljubljana)
Papers:
- John G. Gunnell (SUNY at Albany): Conceptual Development in Political Science
- Kari Palonen (University of Jyväskylä): Quentin Skinner on Conceptual Change
- Erkki Berndtson (University of Helsinki): Behavioralism: Origins of the Concept
- Theodore Venter (Potschefstroom University): The Development of Political Science in South Africa
- Kiran Saxena (Jawaharlal Nehru University): Alien Concept and Political Reality
- Henrik P. Bang (Copenhagen Business School): David Easton’s Political System Supplementary paper:
- Igor Luksic (University of Ljubljana): Politics between Mechanicism and Quanticism

XVIII IPSA World Congress, Québec, Canada, August 1-5, 2000
Research Committee: The Study of Political Science as a Discipline
Convenors: Michael B. Stein (McMaster University) and John G. Gunnell (Nelson A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs)
Panel 1. The Universalization and Indigenization of Political Science and Its Concepts
Chair: John G. Gunnell (Nelson A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs)
Discussant: Erkki Berndtson (University of Helsinki)
Papers:
- Petri Koikkalainen (University of Tampere): Conceptions of Demos and Elite in the Civic Education Debate
- Emily Hauptmann (Western Michigan University): Questioning the Concept of a School: The Case of Berkeley and Political Theory
- Bruce Byers (New York University): From Case Studies to Covering Laws: The Rise of Behavioralism

Panel 2. The Relevance of the Study of the Discipline to the Practice of Political Science
Chair: Michael B. Stein (McMaster University)
Discussant: John G. Gunnell (Nelson A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs)
Papers:
- Jerome Lafargue (Université de Pau et Pays de l’Adour): Cultivating a Spirit of Methodological Openness in the Quest for Disciplinary Legitimacy: The Case of Political Science in France
- Pierre-Antoine Schorderet (Université de Lausanne). The Swiss Political Science Association 1951-1959: Towards a Reflexive Use of the History of Academic Disciplines
- Michael P. Crozier (University of Melbourne): The History of a Problematic Discipline: Political Science in Australia

Panel 3. Development of Political Finance at Year 2000 (Joint Session with RC 20, Political Finance and Political Corruption)
Convenor: Karl Heinz Nassmacher (Carl von Ossietzky University)
Chair: Pilar de Castillo (Centro de Investigaciones Sociologicas de Madrid)
Papers:
- Michael Pinto Duschinsky (Brunel University of East London): Trends and Developments in Political Finance: Synthetic Overview and Analysis
- Ruud Koole (Rijksuniversiteit Leiden): Survey of Advances in Political Finance: A State of the Art at the Turn of the Century
- Karl Heinz Nassmacher (Carl von Ossietzky University): Political Finance in Search of Cross-National Comparison: Assessing the Prsent and the Future
- Rei Shiratori (Tokai University): Methodology, Concepts. Training and Communicaton of Political Finance Research

XIX IPSA World Congress, Durban, South Africa, June 30 – July 3, 2003
Research Committee: The Study of Political Science as a Discipline
Panel 1. Is Political Science Still Considered to be the American Science of Politics?
Convenor: John E. Trent
Chair: John E. Trent
Papers:
- Maria de los Angeles Fernandez Ramil and Jorge Nef: Only Shadows? State, Market and Political Science in Contemporary Chile
- Hans-Dieter Klingemann: Recent Developments in Political Science in Eastern Europe
- Takashi Inoguchi: Political Science Developments in East Asia (Korea, China and Japan)
- Michael Stein: Is Political Science Still Considered to be the American Science of Politics by Practitioners and Historians of the Discipline? A Dissenting View.

Panel 2.
Convenor: John E. Trent
Chair: John E. Trent
Papers:
-Veronique Dimier (Brussels Secretariat): Political Science in the European Union
-John E. Trent: The Impact of Political Science on Political Practioners

XX IPSA World Congress, Fukuoka, Japan, July 9-13, 2006

Research Committee: The Study of Political Science as a Discipline
Panel 1. Is There a Genuinely International Discipline of Political Science? An Overview of Recent Global Trends and Developments
Convenor: John E. Trent (University of Ottawa)
Chair: John E. Trent (University of Ottawa)
Discussants: Rainer Eisfeld (University of Osnabrück) and Michael Brintnall (APSA)
Papers:
- Michael B. Stein (McMaster University): Is There a Genuinely International Discipline of Political Science: An Overview of Recent Global Trends and Developments
- Erkki Berndtson (University of Helsinki): Is There Only One Discipline of Political Science? Cultural Differences between American and European Political Science(s)
- Takashi Inoguchi (Chuo University): Political Science in Three Democracies, Disaffected (Japan), Third-Wave (Korea), and Fledging (China)

Panel 2. Women and Politics: The State of the Discipline and Other Reflections
Convenor: Jane Bayes (California State University)
Chair: Jane Bayes (California State University)
Discussants: Monique Leyenaar (Radboud University Nijmegen) and Mary Hawkesworth (Rutgers University)
- Michael Brintnall (APSA): The Enterprise of Political Science: Toward an Understanding of the Global and Local Frameworks of a Discipline
- The panel had also two additional presentations (Women and Political Science in East Asia; Women and Political Science in Africa). Unfortunately the Congress Program does not have the names of the authors).

XXI IPSA World Congress, Santiago, Chile, July 12-16, 2009

Research Committee: The Study of Political Science as a Discipline

Panel 1. Education Policies and the Development of Political Science
Chair: Bob Reinalda (Radboud University Nijmegen)
Discussant: John E. Trent (University of Ottawa)
Papers:
- Jan Holzer (Masaryk University): On the Road to “Normal Science”: The State of the Discipline as Seen by Political Science Communities in Four Central European Countries
- Thibaud Boncourt (Institut d’études politiques de Bordeaux): The Birth of the European Consortium for Political Research: Interactions Between a Scientific Discipline and a Scientific Field
- Erkki Berndtson (University of Helsinki): ‘Schools of Political Science’ and the Development of a Discipline
- Michael Brintnall (APSA): The American Political Science Association and the Enterprise of Political Science

Panel 2. The Development of Political Science in Latin America and the Arab World
Chair: Arturo Fernández (UNSAM, Argentina)
Discussants: Michael Brintnall (APSA) and Sule Toktas (Kadir Has University)
Papers:
- Cecilia Lesgart (National University of the Littoral, Argentina): Political Science in Argentina: Past and Present
- Hamdy Hassan (Zayed University, United Arab Emirates): The Development of Political Science in the Arab World
- Leandro Rodriguez Medina (University of Cambridge): Why do Young Political Scientists from Developing Countries to Study Abroad? Argentine Political Scientists and their Serach for an Academic Field

Panel 3. Nonkilling Political Science: A Critical Evaluation
Chair: Balwant Bhaneja (University of Ottawa)
Discussant: Michael B. Stein (University of Toronto)
Papers:
- Joám Evans Pim (Universidad Santiago de Compostola): Interdisciplinary Perspectives Towards a Nonkilling Paradigm
- Piki Ish-shalom (Hebrew University of Jerusalem): Nonpolitical Political Science in the Killing Fields of International Relations
- Chaiwar Satha-Anand (Thammasat University, Thailand): Violence as Anti-Politics: A Political Philosophy Perspective

XXII IPSA World Congress, Madrid, Spain, July 8-12, 2012
Research Committee: The Study of Political Science as a Discipline
Panel 1. Political Science in Latin America
Chair: Cecilia Lesgart (Universidad del Salvador, Argentina)
Discussant: Daniel Buquet (Universidad de la República, Uruguay)
Papers:
- Leonardo Secchi, Tuanni Borba, Larice Steffen Peters (Universidaded do Estado de Santa Catarina), Camila Herzmann Corrêa and Douglas Ruschel: Policy Orientation in Public Policy Research in Brazil
- Pablo Bulcourf, Nelson Dionel Cardozo and Sergio Caplan: Political Science and International Studies in Argentina: Some Elements for its Analysis
- Daniel Buquet (Universidad de la República, Uruguay): Political Science in Uruquay and Latin America: The Challenge of Excellence
- Cecilia Lesgart (Universidad del Salvador): Specialization and Fragmentation of Political Science in the Southern Cone of Latin America

Panel 2. The Globalization of Political Science: Whatever Happened to National Traditions?
Chair: Thibaud Boncourt (Institut d’études politiques de Bordeaux)
Discussants: John E. Trent (University of Ottawa) and Bob Reinalda (Radboud University Nijmegen)
Papers:
- Erkki Berndtson (University of Helsinki): European Study of Politics: Political Science, Political Sciences or Political Studies – Do National Traditions Still Matter?
- Audrey Alejandro (Sciences Po Bordeaux): International Relations National Traditions in Brazil and India, or How to Academically Juggle with Globalization - Joao Pedro Ruivo (Universidade Nova de Lisboa), Joao Cancela (Universidade Nova de Lisboa), and Thierry Dias Coelho (Universidade Nova de Lisboa): Mapping Political Analysis in Portugal: Trends in Scientific Articles (2000.2010) (power point presentation)
- Luciana Alexandra Ghica (University of Bucharest): The Impact of International Mobility on the Development of National Political Science Communities (oral presentation)

Panel 3. The Fragmentation of Political Science as a Discipline
Chair: Erkki Berndtson (University of Helsinki)
Discussant: Thibaud Boncourt (Institut d’études politiques de Bordeaux)
Papers:
- Matthieu Chillaud (University of Tartu): Can Political Science Stand the Test of the Eclecticism of International Relations? The Case of France - Maïlys Gantois (Sorbonne): Interrogations about Symbolic Boundaries in Political Science - Kari Palonen (University of Jyväskylä): On the Fate of Parliamentary Studies in European Political Science - Pedro Vilanova (Universitat de Barcelona): The Fragmentation of PS and “Methodological Pluralism”: Problems and Opportunities

Panel 4. Roundtable on Gender and Politics: State of the Discipline (Joint Panel with RC 19, Gender Politics and Policy)
Discussants: Mary Hawkesworth (Rutgers University), Breny Mendoza Marian Simms Bayes (California State University of Northridge), Amanda Gouws (Stellenbosch University)

XXIII IPSA World Congress, Montreal, Canada, July 19-24, 2014
Research Committee: The Study of Political Science as a Discipline
Panel 1. Political Science in the Public Space: Comparing Experiences and Contexts
Convenor: Olga Malinova (Russian Academy of Science, Moscow)
Chair: Olga Malinova (Russian Academy of Science, Moscow)
Discussant: Teresa Sasinska-Klas (Jagiellonian University, Kracow)
Papers:
- Olga Malinova (Russian Academy of Science): "Experts" as Settlers of the Public Agenda: Analysis of Practices of Political Communication in Russia
- Davida Rajaon (Sciences Po Madagascar) and Christiane Rafidinarivo (Université de la Réunion / Institut d'Etudes Politiques Madagascar): La science politique dans l'espace public: contexte et expérience de l'Institut d'Études Politiques Madagascar
- Luca Verzichelli (University of Siena) and Giliberto Capano (Università di Bologna): Nemo Profeta in Patria: The Difficult Impact of Italian Political Science on the Public Sphere
- J. R. Joel Flores-Mariscal (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México): Political Science and Politics: Addressing a Missing Agenda in the Discipline
- Nicolas Kaciaf (Université Lille II / CERAPS) and Thomas Alam (Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches Administratives, Politiques et Sociales, Lille): The Many Faces of Political Science: Orders, Uses and Effects of Scientific Knowledge within Three Organizational Settings
- Pieter Heydenrych (North-West University, South Africa) and Gideon van Riet (North-West University, South Africa): “Governance”, the Neoliberal University and Critical Epistemologies: A Quest For Dialogue

Panel 2. Political Science in Latin America
Convenor: Enrique Gutierrez (Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de México)
Chair: Enrique Gutierrez (Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de México)
Co-Chair: Karla Valverde (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México)
Discussant: Claire Wright (Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, México)
Papers:
Enrique Gutierréz Márquez (Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de México) and Karla Valverde Viasca (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México): A Critical View at the Historical Institutional Development of Academic Political Science in Mexico Bucaramanga and Its Metropolitan Area (Colombia)
Daniel Buquet (Universidad de la República, Uruguay): Political Science in Latin America: Publication, Quality and Impact
Panel 3. Paradigms and Historiography in Political Studies
Convenors: John E. Trent (University of Ottawa) and Erkki Berndtson (University of Helsinki)
Chair: John E. Trent (University of Ottawa)
Co-Chair: Erkki Berndtson (University of Helsinki)
Discussants: Erkki Berndtson (University of Helsinki) and Michael Stein (University of Toronto)
Papers:
- Terrie Groth (Universidade de Brasília): A New Paradigm for Political Studies: Competency-based Teaching and Learning
- Shu Yun Ma (Chinese University of Hong Kong): The Making of a Bilingual (Chinese/English) Political Science Department in Hong Kong
- John E. Trent (University of Ottawa): The State of Political Studies in the World: Thinking About New Paradigms

Special Session: Political Science: Current Performance and Future Strengths
Convenor: Bob Reinalda (Radboud University Nijmegen)
Chair: Richard D. French (University of Ottawa)
Participants:
- Pieter Heydenrych (North-West University, South Africa) - Mikhail Ilyin (National Research University, Higher School of Economics, Russia) - Thomas Linders (IAPSS Secretary-General, International Association of Political Science Students) - Sarah Maddison (University of New South Wales, also chair of RC 19 on Gender Politics and Policy)
- Paulo Ravecca (York University, Toronto, originally from Uruguay)

Joint Panel with RC31 (Political Philosophy) and RC32 (Public Policy and Administration)
Part I: Governance, the State and Making Sense of Governing
Convenor: Hal Colebatch (University of New South Wales)
Chair: Preston King (Morehouse College, University of East Anglia)
Co-Chair: Poland Lai (York University, Toronto)
Discussant: Hugo Canihac (Sciences Po Bordeaux)
Papers:
- Nisida Gjoksi (European University Institute, Italy): Contested State-Building Process in the Balkans: Civil Service Reforms in Albania and Macedonia 2000-2010
- Jim Jose (University of Newcastle, Australia): Emerging Governance-Speak within Australian Parliamentary Discourse 1983-93: Reshaping the Language of Governing?
- Sofia Carlos (University of Oxford): Governing Education in Europe: Negotiating a "New" Policy Space of European Schooling
- Hal Colebatch (University of New South Wales): Making Sense of Being Governed: Governance, the State and Interpretation
- Jill Tao (Incheon National University, South Korea): Subnational Governments and Models of Analysis
Part II: Governance, the state and making sense of governing: Governing Up, Governing Down
Convenor: Hal Colebatch (The University of New South Wales)
Chair: Jill Tao (Incheon National University, South Korea)
Co-Chair: Jim Jose (The University of Newcastle, Australia)
Papers:
- Poland Lai (York University, Toronto): How New Governance Shapes Changes in the Long-Term Care Sector in Ontario
- Hugo Canihac (Sciences Po Bordeaux): Sovereignty Beyond the State? From Supranational Authority to Supranational Governance in the EU
- Priscila Specie (Universidade de São Paulo): The Legitimacy of Participatory Institutions for the Environmental Public Policy in Brazil: Between Governance and Governability
- Lucas Gomez (Universidad Externado de Colombia): The Various Faces of Juridification of the Victims´ Reparation Policy in Colombia: Transformation of the Sub-system Governance