EPSS 2026 panel formats will look very different from past European political science conferences. EPSS is introducing several innovative formats to foster more dynamic, inclusive, and engaging scholarly exchange at our 2026 conference in Belfast. These changes are the result of thoughtful deliberations by the EPSS Council and Conference Committee.
Traditional and Organised Panels
The backbone of the conference remains the standard panel format: 4–5 papers, a discussant, and a chair. These panels continue to offer a robust setting for presenting and receiving feedback on original research. Proposals for individual papers can be submitted via our paper submission portal:
👉 Submit a paper proposal
In a departure from the norm at some earlier European conferences, EPSS 2026 will also welcome proposals for pre-organised panels. This provides an opportunity for colleagues to coordinate submissions around a common theme or topic. Panel proposals will be peer-reviewed with the same rigour as individual paper submissions.
👉 Submit an organised panel proposal
We expect that most papers will still be submitted individually and formed into panels by the section chairs. But the option to propose a full panel opens the door to more curated conversations.
New EPSS 2026 panel formats
To enrich the intellectual exchange and make space for a broader range of contributions, EPSS 2026 introduces the following new formats:
⚡ Lightning Rounds
Fast-paced and high-energy, lightning rounds adopt a modified PechaKucha format—15 slides, 20 seconds each. Each of 8 presenters has five minutes to present followed by five minutes of feedback or Q&A. The session is chaired and supported by two discussants. This format is ideal for emerging work, early-stage ideas, and scholars keen to hone their communication skills.
📘 Author Meets Critics
Centred on a significant scholarly contribution—a book or influential article—these panels bring together discussants to debate the work’s insights, contributions, and implications. This is a format for deeper, focused scholarly engagement.
💬 Topical Round Tables
These sessions address salient issues—either professional (e.g. academic publishing, pedagogy, diversity) or political (e.g. elections, democratic backsliding, policy debates). Organisers are encouraged to include voices from beyond academia, such as journalists, policymakers, or practitioners.
🔍 Agenda-Setting Panels
These forward-looking panels are initiated by section chairs and convened sparingly—perhaps once every three or four years per section. A lead speaker presents for 30 minutes, surveying the state of a subfield and outlining future directions. Two or three respondents offer short reflections, followed by open discussion. Accompanying papers will be published on the EPSS website. If you have ideas for such a panel, please contact the relevant section chair.
The call for papers for EPSS 2026 is open now until November 7, 2025.
— The EPSS 2026 Conference Committee: Sara Hobolt, Simon Hix, Ken Benoit, John Garry, Macartan Humphreys, Sven-Oliver Proksch, and Zeynep Somer-Topcu