The Political Science Graduate Students' Association (PSGSA) at Carleton University, in collaboration with the Department of Political Science, are excited to present the 8th Annual PSGSA Conference: States, Societies, and Structures. The conference brings together graduate students whose research speaks to these concerns from a range of perspectives and fields, including International Relations, Comparative Politics, Critical Race and Gender Studies, Political Theory, Canadian Politics, as well as related disciplines.

This year’s conference will take place on February 27, 2026 at Carleton University, Ottawa and we invite all graduate students (MA/PhD) to participate.

The first round of abstract submissions are due January 9, 2026. Apply here!

States, Societies, and Structures

We have always lived through tumultuous times, but recent trends of uncertainty and distrust have challenged the assumption that  progress is constantly moving us forward. As our institutions strain under new pressures, we are increasingly pushed to reconsider the core elements of our political sciences. What institutional defences do states possess against rising populism and creeping authoritarianism? What does a well-functioning democracy actually look like not just in theory, but in the lived realities of modern societies? These questions reflect not only shifts in politics, but reveal deeper transformation in the structures that organize collective life. As political scientists, we must reconsider whether we are still asking the right questions about how states operate, how societies respond, and how structural forces shape governance. Just as governments often experience policy drift when institutions fail to keep pace with social change, what new changes does academia need to confront? Understanding these transformations is essential for grasping how our political world is changing, and how we might study it more effectively.

Stay tuned for the announcement of our keynote speaker.