ISA Annual Convention 2009 Blog

Schedule of Meetings and Receptions

The final schedule of the meetings and receptions planned during the Annual Convention has been posted to our website as a PDF file: download file

Locating Panel Contact Info

We have received a few inquiries from participants asking where they can find the contact info for their panel. Here are the instructions on how to access panel contact info in MyISA:

1. Login (http://isanet.ccit.arizona.edu/myisa/)

2. On right menu, click: Convention: New York 2009

3. On right menu, click: View Program

4. On tabbed menu, click the My Program tab.

5. Click the checkbox "+" to the left of the panel name to reveal participants.

6. Click the checkbox "+" to the left of the participants name.

The e-mail address will be displayed on the far right of the screen.

Professional Development Events

The Professional Development Committee is sponsoring the following events at the ISA Annual Convention in New York, Feb. 15-18, 2009. We hope that these events will encourage the active participation of young scholars in ISA and help them develop their careers in international studies:

• Panel on Publishing: Finding Appropriate Outlets and Learning the Rules of the Road. Sunday, Feb. 15th, 10:00-11:45 PM, Shubert at Marriott Marquis
• Professional Development Committee Meeting: Monday, Feb. 16th, 2:00-3:00 PM, J.W. Marriott Suite Room 4329, Marriott Marquis
• Panel Discussion on Academic and Non-Academic Careers: From Survival Skills to Ultimate Goals. Wednesday, Feb. 18th, 8:00-9:45 AM, Shubert at Marriott Marquis

Full information on the panel participants can be found on page 31 of your Convention Program.

Online Program

The program has been posted online and is now fully searchable within the MyISA system. We have also made the program available as a PDF accessible without having to login to MyISA. To download the program, please click here:

http://isanet.ccit.arizona.edu/newyork09/program.pdf

Annual Convention Notification Letters

ISA is sending out notification letters by e-mail starting today. You will be notified about the status of your paper, panel or poster proposal and invited to login to the MyISA system to check on your participant status. If you do not receive an e-mail announcement by Friday, please let ISA HQ know.

Using the MyISA system, you will be able to view at a glance all of your convention details. You will be able to review your panel information as well as build a listing of the panels you would like to attend. The MyProgram feature allows you to take advantage of our now fully searchable online program to find and select panels that you would like to attend and print out your own personalized schedule for the convention.

For more information on how we are using these new features please see this summary website.

New Poster Session Format

As part of a pilot project for the 2009 ISA Convention in New York City, posters are organized in thematic groups, which allow scholars with specific interests to visit the poster area and participate in scholarly exchange and communication.  Under this new format, a poster presenter will briefly present their research in a small group setting.  To maximize feedback, we have assigned poster discussants to each poster session. These colleagues will discuss the paper with you during the session.  Poster discussants are encouraged to add written comments to their discussion of a paper. Papers are required for poster presenters and poster presenters should submit their completed paper to the discussant at least 5 days prior to the start of the conference.  All poster panel sessions will occur in the Upper Terrace of the 9th floor of the Marriott Marquis.

Program Status Report

A status report from the Annual Convention program chairs has been posted on the ISA website. This report features data being used to assemble the convention program and includes a breakdown of submissions by type and sponsor. This aggregate data does not include any personally identifiable information on convention participants. Paper, panel and poster acceptance letters will be sent by e-mail starting on Sept. 26, 2008. You may download the report here in PDF.

Acceptance Letters

Paper, Panel and Poster acceptance letters will be sent by e-mail starting on Sept. 26th.

Participant Registration Deadline

This is a reminder about the participant registration deadline for the ISA Annual Convention 2009. All ISA convention participants (ISA members and non-members alike) must pre-register by October 13th to reserve their place on the program. Registration rates and multiple methods of registration are found on the registration website.

Guidelines for Convention Participants

This document has been prepared by the Committee on Professional Rights and Responsibilities to answer basic questions about the convention and to help you as you prepare for your convention participation:

I. Composition of the Program
I.1 Panels may be organized according to a variety of formats, ranging, for example, from the traditional oral presentation of research papers to poster presentations to more innovative means of presentation that utilize computer software, film, or demonstrations of teaching techniques.
I.2 The numbers of roundtables on the program should not be increased at the expense of the number of panels.
I.3 Chairs of roundtables are encouraged to assign titles to participants' topics and to request discussion papers. To facilitate applications for institutional travel funds, chairs need to send letters to roundtable participants inviting them to "prepare a paper on topic X for discussion at session Y."
I.4 Panel proposals from ISA sections are subject to review by the program chair(s) using the same standards of quality and suitability that are applied to other proposals.
I.5 Joint panels and roundtables organized collaboratively by two ISA sections are particularly encouraged and should be given special consideration by the program chair(s).

Rationale: Scholars can participate in the program in a variety of ways: by chairing a panel or roundtable, by delivering a formal paper or prepared remarks on a given topic, or by serving as a discussant. The primary purpose of program activities are to encourage the full presentation and active discussion of theories and research findings, as well as to explore topics of interest from a wide range of disciplinary and theoretical perspectives. The specific format used in panels and roundtables to accomplish these goals may vary as deemed appropriate by panel chairs and the program chair(s).

II. Composition of Panels
II.1 The program chair(s) should maintain flexibility in order to accommodate the various scholarly aims of different types of panels. Those panels seeking to debate contending views on a topic are generally well served by a structure of two papers and two discussants. Other panels may range between three and four papers, and might have a single discussant. Only under the most extraordinary circumstances should a panel have more than four papers or a roundtable have more than six participants.
II.2 Regardless of the composition of panels, thirty minutes should be reserved for discussion from the floor and among the panelists. The panel chair has the right and responsibility to enforce this norm.
II.3 Panel organizers should strive for a good mix of participants. The best panels often include scholars from different countries, a range of institutions, and different career stages. The best discussants are often scholars with significant experience in the field. In general, graduate students should not fill this role.

Rationale: There is no ideal composition for the panels. The number of formal papers and the time allocated for their presentation should be based on the scholarly objectives of the panel. In all cases, including roundtables, adequate time should be reserved for a full and active discussion after the formal presentations.

III. Responsibility of Panel and Roundtable Chairs
By proposing and accepting responsibility for chairing a panel or roundtable, the chair accepts these obligations:
III.1 To inform the program chair(s) of all changes in the composition of the panel or roundtable prior to the publication of the final program. And, similarly, to inform all other participants of such changes well before the meetings begin.
III.2 To inform the program chair(s) of any panelist who fails to attend the panel without providing advance notification of those extenuating circumstances preventing their participation.
III.3 If chairing a roundtable, to circulate a detailed memo regarding the issues to be discussed by the participants well in advance of the meeting.
III.4 If chairing a panel, to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the discussants receive advance copies of papers, even in draft form. Five working days prior to the commencement of the meetings is the absolute minimum acceptable lead-time.
III.5 To hold participants to agreed-upon time limits for their presentations, so that at least thirty minutes are available for general discussion.
III.6 ISA will provide an overhead projector and screen for your panel. If your panelists require PowerPoint hookups, film projectors, or other A/V equipment, they must arrange this with the hotel at their own expense.

Rationale: Stimulating scholarly interchange requires that panelists attend their panels and roundtables, and that adequate time be set aside for discussion among panelists and the audience. The purpose of these guidelines is to provide accurate information about the nature and composition of a particular panel or roundtable and to provide sufficient time for the participants and audience to interact.

IV. Responsibility of Panelists and Roundtable Participants
By proposing and accepting formal participation, participants accept these obligations:
IV.1 To inform the panel chair, discussant of your paper, and program chairs(s) at the earliest possible date of any changes in the status of your work, your availability, or travel funding which will or is likely to prevent your participation. Failure to show up for your panel without having previously notified the panel chair, discussant, and program chairs(s) could adversely affect the likelihood of your being included on the program in future years.
IV.2 If giving a prepared paper, to circulate copies to discussants and other panelist in advance of the meetings, and at least five working days before the commencement of the meetings. Paper presenters are also responsible for providing copies of their paper to other attendees and uploading their paper to the online paper archive.
IV.3 If serving as a discussant, to read carefully each of the papers that you receive at least five days prior to the conference and comment upon these papers in a constructive manner.
IV.4 To abide by the panel chair's stipulations regarding the length of presentation and comments.
IV.5 Unless you are a co-author and the other author(s) are presenting your paper, you have an obligation to attend and fulfill the responsibility for which you applied. This year, like last, we had far more people applying than we had space for in the program, and literally hundreds of worthy applicants were turned away. In turn, ISA's Governing Council imposed a deadline of no later than November 1st, by which time you could still cancel your participation (and the program chair could substitute another worthy participant); of if you failed to cancel your professional obligation by that date, you would be penalized by not allowing you on the program for future conferences.
IV.6 If you are a co-author, and you are not planning on attending, and your co-author is presenting your work, please notify us immediately so we may plan for this and not spend resources unnecessarily. You can notify us by e-mail at isa@u.arizona.edu.
IV.7 ISA will provide an overhead projector and screen for your use. If you require PowerPoint hookups, film projectors, or any other A/V equipment, you must arrange this with the hotel at your own expense.

Rationale: The quality of scholarly interaction among panelists and the audience increases when panelists receive copies of papers in advance of the meeting and when members of the audience have access to the papers. The inability of attendees to purchase papers is a source of considerable frustration. Panelists have a professional responsibility to make copies of their papers available to convention attendees.

V. Participation of Scholars from outside North America

V.1 Panel and roundtable chairs are encouraged to invite the participation of relevant scholars outside of North America.

V.2 Letters confirming the participation of scholars from outside North America should be sent by the program chair(s) at the earliest possible date and, whenever possible, in advance of the publication of the preliminary program.

V.3 If participation of a scholar from outside North America is contingent on funding from ISA or other sources, that fact should be made clear when the proposal is submitted.

Rationale: The participation of scholars from outside North America is in keeping with the purposes of the Association. Their participation is most effective if North American members have ample opportunities to interact with them as panelists and discussants and vice versa. Early indication of the need for funding will allow the program chair(s) and section organizers to provide the potential participant with the appropriate application.  

VI. Frequency of Appearances

 VI.1 Participants should appear on no more than two panels or roundtables. A participant may present only one paper, except in the case of co-authorship.

VI.2 The limitation on the number of appearances will be waived for participants serving on a panel that is honoring an ISA member, for participants from outside

North America, or for other exceptional circumstances identified by the program chairs(s).

Rationale: Minimizing the number of appearances by any one participant increases the opportunities for participation by others.

VII. Proposal Submission
VII.1 Scholars who submit more than one panel, roundtable or paper proposal must inform the program chair(s) and the relevant section organizers of these multiple submissions. In addition, they must indicate the order in which they wish the proposals to be considered.
VII.2 Scholars who submit proposals for panels or roundtables must not place an individual on the proposed panel or roundtable without his or her consent.
VII.3 Scholars wishing to participate in the program must adhere to the submission deadline. Proposals received after the deadline stipulated by the program chair(s) are unlikely to be included in the program.

Rationale: The fact that some scholars submit multiple proposals without informing the program chair(s) and other appropriate personnel creates serious difficulties in preparing the program. Accurate information on multiple submissions will assist the program chair(s) in making the most efficient use of available sections. Adherence to the submission deadline facilitates timely completion of the program.

VIII. Notification of Unsuccessful Proposals
VIII.1 It is the responsibility of the program chair(s) and section organizers to ensure that scholars who cannot be accommodated on the program are notified by letter of that fact prior to the publication of the preliminary program. Acceptance letters and notifications for those who submitted proposals will sent out by e-mail from ISA starting the last week in September.

Rationale: Not informing scholars that their proposals are unsuccessful until publication of the preliminary program is a professional discourtesy and a source of some bitterness.

IX. Registration and Membership
IX.1 Pre-registration is required for all participants to be listed in the program.
IX.2 Membership in ISA is not required for participation in the annual meetings. Nonetheless academic participants are strongly encouraged to join the Association.

X. Paper and Panel Proposal Deadline
X.1 The deadline for paper and panel proposals is May 30th , all proposals may be submitted online using the MyISA conference management system.

XI. Travel Grant Deadline
XI.1 The travel grant application deadline is September 12th. For more information on the grant application process, please see the website located at the following URL: http://www.isanet.org/travelgrants/

Rationale: We ask that you submit your travel grant application prior to receiving your participation confirmation. This early deadline allows us to carefully consider the many applications received before awarding the limited funds available.

XII. Pre-Registration Deadline
XII.1 The pre-registration deadline is: October 13^th. Participants who do not register by this date will not appear in the Convention Program.

Rationale: We request that participants pre-register for the program no later than by October 13th. If you fail to do so we will assume that you will not be participating and we will rearrange the program by removing your contribution and adding those who have currently been placed on a considerably long waiting list. In previous years, some participants have been, for various reasons, unable to meet their professional commitments to present at ISA meetings. In an attempt to limit these occurrences to only those with legitimate reasons, this new procedure was instituted. We hope that this will help ensure full participation in the ISA Annual Convention.