Registration

Decision notifications

All decision notifications regarding abstract submissions were sent out by email on 9 May 2026. We accepted around 120 submissions.

You can register and attend without presenting a paper or poster.

Registration instructions

To attend, you must register through the online store of the University of Manchester.

Complete the following steps:

1. Open the online store link for the conference.

2. Select the full or discounted conference registration fee as applicable.

3. Add optional workshops from our list of training workshops. Descriptions for the workshops can be found on the training workshops page. Please ensure you do not book multiple workshops taking place at the same time.

4. Click on "Add to basket", then "Proceed to Checkout".

5. Register or log in with your email address.

6. Pay using the secure online card payment system.

The registration deadline is 6 July 2026 at midnight (British Summer Time). Registrations cannot be processed after this date, unfortunately. Registration is capped at a maximum of 150 participants, and registrations are processed on a first come, first served basis.

Please note that workshops can only be booked during conference registration. Workshops cannot be booked separately later. To book workshops, you must also register for the conference. Each workshop has a maximum capacity of 50 places (first come, first served).

Registration fees

We are happy to offer heavily subsidised rates due to generous support by the Hallsworth Conference Fund:

• Workshop registration, full rate: £60 per workshop

• Workshop registration, discounted rate: £40 per workshop

• Conference registration, full rate: £100

• Conference registration, discounted rate: £60

PhD students, postdocs, and junior faculty members on fixed-term non-tenure-track contracts are eligible for the discounted rate.

Stipends and travel grants

The Cathie Marsh Institute for Social Research (CMI), one of our partners, offers between 10 and 20 CMI Conference Stipends to cover the registration and workshop fees for local PhD students and early-career researchers at the University of Manchester. Please find details under CMI conference stipends.

The APSA Political Networks Section, one of the organising partners, offers 10 APSA Travel Grants for students and postdocs from North America. Please find details under APSA travel grants.

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer other financial support (other than the subsidised registration and workshop rates due to the generous Hallsworth Fund support we received).

Visa applications

If you have been invited to present a paper or poster and require a formal letter confirming your invitation for visa purposes, please get in touch at polinetworks2026@gmail.com with the following details:

1. Your full name and the title(s) of your presentation(s).

2. Your date of birth, birthplace, and country.

3. Citizenship.

4. The type of visa you will apply for (probably the UK Standard Visitor Visa).

Terms and conditions

The standard terms and conditions for conferences and events at the University of Manchester as described on the University of Manchester Online Store help pages apply. These terms and conditions can be viewed here. They set out the rules regarding refunds and event cancellation.

Should you wish to send someone in your place, change your registration or submission details, require a formal invitation letter for visa purposes, or discuss any other requests, please get in touch at polinetworks2026@gmail.com.

Registration number updates

Registration opened on 8 May 2026 with a capacity of 150 participants.

By 11 May 2026, 11 participants had registered.

By 19 May 2026, 30 participants had registered.