Seminars and Workshops

Faculty and students listen to panel discussion

Political Science students and faculty participate in a number of ongoing seminars and workshops sponsored by the department, by the Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy (ISERP), and other university departments, institutes and centers. A list, by subfield, of those most commonly attended by department members can be found below.

Seminars and workshops by primary field

American Politics Workshop

The American Politics Workshop explores issues and controversies involving the role of politics in American society. It provides a forum for scholars in the American politics academic community to exchange ideas and receive feedback on their ongoing work. Topics are various, including public opinion and political behavior, electoral politics, American public policy, political institutions and their interactions, and the connections among the demands of society and public opinion on the one hand and public policy on the other.

Workshop on 20th Century Politics and Society

(On hiatus)
The purpose of the Workshop on 20th Century Politics and Society is, first, to bring together scholars in history and political science (and other disciplines) to talk about issues of shared interest and to compare perspectives; second, to create a small intellectual community for students and faculty who work in related areas to reduce some of the isolation that can characterize academic life; and, third, to tackle some interesting and important problems in the current scholarship on twentieth-century politics and society.

Workshop on Political Psychology

This Workshop on Political Psychology brings together local political psychologists twice each year to discuss a small number of papers and to talk about political psychology more generally. The workshop provides an opportunity for people with similar intellectual and research interests to present work in progress, talk informally among themselves about developments in the field, discuss common issues of concern, and introduce others to potential collaborators.

Themes covered in paper sessions reflect the array of interests shared by political psychologists, which include the dynamics of public opinion, the impact of the media on political attitudes, the organization of political beliefs, the role of cognition and affect, political information processing, political socialization, leadership, and international negotiation.

The workshop has been meeting since 1990. The profile of the meeting has grown over the years and now attracts participants and speakers from around the country.

Comparative Politics Seminar

the Columbia University Comparative Politics Seminar meets weekly during the academic year for presentations of new research on a diverse range of topics in comparative politics. The seminar is hosted by Columbia’s Department of Political Science with funding from the Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy (ISERP), the Harriman Institute, and the Institute for Latin American Studies).

The Comparative Politics Seminar meets Wednesdays from 12:15-1:45 pm in Room 707 of Columbia University’s International Affairs Building (IAB). A light lunch is provided for attendees. The seminar draws a range of Columbia faculty and graduate students as well as community members.

Columbia University International Politics Seminar

The Columbia University International Politics Seminars (CUIPS) provides an essential forum for faculty and graduate students to meet and discuss cutting-edge research in international relations. The mission of this seminar series is to bring the country's foremost junior faculty in international relations to present their work at Columbia. The series also creates multiple opportunities for graduate students to meet and discuss their research with invited speakers. CUIPS is sponsored by ISERP, the Department of Political Science, and the Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies.

Political Economy Colloquium

(On hiatus in 2021-22)
The Columbia Political Economy Colloquium is an interdisciplinary forum where graduate students, faculty, and visitors in economics and political science present work in progress in political economy.

Its meetings are on Tuesdays, 9:30-10:30 in Room 801 of the International Affairs Building. Coffee and bagels/pastries are provided.

Political Economy Seminar

The primary goal of the seminar is to bring innovative scholars in the field of political economy to Columbia University to share their work with faculty and students to their work. In addition, the seminar creates a unique opportunity for cross-disciplinary discussion between economists and political scientists.

The Political Methodology Colloquium invites speakers from both Columbia and other universities who are developing and applying political methodology and applied statistics in general. Please visit https://sites.google.com/view/columbiapmc for more information. (Note that the site is not accessible from a Google account managed by Columbia University.)