RN32 - Political Sociology

Call for Panels and Papers

Across and Beyond Covid-19. The future of European political sociology

7th Interim Conference, November 10th-12th November 2022
Political Sociology Research Network 32
Convener: Institute of Political Science, University of Lausanne, Switzerland

Since 2020, European society and politics have been confronted to one of the most important challenges since the end of the II World War. How does political sociology deal with the social and political consequences of the pandemic? Is the Covid-19 pandemic an intensification of previous trends or a turning point in Europe? To what extent has the pandemic disturbed consensus on the politics of expertise and the geo-politics of European integration? How has the pandemic shifted patterns of social inequality, gender, racial and ethnic stratification, social protest, securitization, immigration, climate change, illiberalism and populism? Can we observe dynamics of depoliticization, de-democratization and or re-politicization? Political sociology is well placed to interrogate the continuities and discontinuities, in ideas, interests and social patterns, across and beyond the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 7th Mid-Term Conference what will be held in November 2022 represents an opportunity for scholar in political sociology aiming to re-assessment, and renew conceptualizations, to share theoretical reflection and discuss empirical research. In this conference we seek to offer a space for colleagues to reflect on the role of Political Sociology not only in generating innovative analyses, but also in considering the social and political conditions of the production of academic knowledge in linking with the multiple and complex challenges posed by the transformation of contemporary democracies, in Europe and elsewhere.

We seek research that includes:

• the role science plays between society and politics;
• the politics (macro and micro) of social, economic and cultural change;
• intersectional approaches to systems of economic, racial, colonial and gendered institutions and inequalities;
• urbanization, gentrification and local political institutions and practices;
• civil society and social mobilization, including the effects of contestation and collective action;
• elites in political systems and civil society;
• voting behavior and party mobilisation;
• populism and anti-populist contention;
• social policy and social policy making, with specific attention to the process of EU integration;
• political controversies around rights;
• transformations and polarization of the public and the political sphere, digital politics and media, theoretical and empirical insights on populism, its roots and its effects;
• politicization of identity, identity politics, political representation, and the transformations of political parties’ membership;
• the politics of knowledge and the public role of researchers in political sociology;
• political economic analyses of labor markets;
• No-vax protest and conspiracy theories.

The Political Sociology Section of the European Sociological Association (RN 32) has a longstanding commitment to supporting research on social politics, political processes and institutional configurations attendant to European Integration and operating within, across and beyond European societies. Our members work from a diverse range of methodological and theoretical perspectives to examine political formations, social mobilisations and policy processes.

We are delighted to announce our Plenary speakers:

• Professor Olivier Fillieule (University of Lausanne)
• Professor Stefania Milan (University of Amsterdam)

We will also organise a Roundtable on Academic freedom. Ideally, scholars have control on their knowledge production. Evidence in many countries shows the conditions of academic knowledge are under threat, both for economic and political reasons. This roundtable will address the following questions: what are the current challenges of academic freedom in Europe and in other democratic countries? How does political sociology contribute to understand this trend and resist to it?

We also scheduled a book presentation.

The interim conference offers a forum for scholars to interact, network and workshop with colleagues. We look forward to welcoming you to the University of Lausanne.

We invite panel and paper proposals.

Submission details: For panel proposals please include details of organisers, brief description and title of the proposed panel. Normally sessions will include 4 papers. For papers, abstracts should not exceed 250 words and include contact details.

Please submit to rn32esa[at] gmail.com proposals for panels by 28th February 2022 and proposals for papers by April 15th 2022. All submissions will be peer reviewed by the organizing committee and external reviewers.

Further information: The conference will be organised, if possible, in presence. Participants are expected to cover their own accommodation and travel costs. Further details on accommodation and travel will follow. Online/hybrid solutions will be also available.

Registration: Participation in the conference is free but all participants are required to register: details to follow. For more information contact: RN coordinators Alberta Giorgi, University of Bergamo, alberta.giorgi[at]unibg.it (Coordinator of RN 32) and Louisa Rosemarie Parks, louisa.parks[at]unitn.it, University of Trento (Vice- coordinator of RN 32)

Deadline for panel proposals February 28h 2022

Deadline for paper abstracts April 15th 2022 Notification 15th June 2022
Registration 15 th August 2022
Conference 10th-12th November 2022