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A. BACKGROUND At its September 1981 meeting the Council approved, in principle, the establishment of Sections of organized subfields within the Association. Called Organized Sections, these groups became a formal component of the American Political Science Association in 1983 when the Sections on Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations, Law and Courts, Legislative Studies, Public Policy, Political Organizations and Parties, and Public Administration were formed. Presently, the APSA has 34 Organized Sections ranging in topics from legislative studies, to politics and literature, and human rights. Almost half of all APSA members belong to at least one Organized Section and many belong to two or more. B. ROLE WITHIN THE ASSOCIATION Organized Sections are a benefit both to individual members of the APSA and to the Association itself. Sections were formed to help advance the goals of the Association, particularly its objective to encourage the study of Political Science. They provide an opportunity for groups of APSA members who share a common interest in a particular subfield of the discipline to organize meetings and coordinate communications under Association auspices. Secondly, Sections provide our membership with outlets for research and opportunities for scholarship. In addition, they receive logistical support from the national office in collecting dues and maintaining membership lists. As components of the Association, Sections are accountable to its Constitution and are regulated by the Organized Section Committee. Organized Sections have become a vital part of the Association by sponsoring panels at the Annual Meeting, producing journals and informative newsletters, and recognizing the scholarly achievements of their members. C. INVOLVEMENT IN ANNUAL MEETING Beginning with the 1985 Annual Meeting, Organized Sections have played an integral part in the planning for the Official Program, a responsibility shared with the Program Committee. Sections sponsor panels and Short Courses. Short Courses are half- or full-day sessions devoted to a diverse set of opportunities for learning and professional development for their participants. D. APSA COMMITTEE ON ORGANIZED SECTIONS A Committee on Organized Sections, under which all Sections operate, was established in 1994 to help Sections carry out their work and to oversee the balance between the Sections and APSA as a whole. This group is charged with the responsibility to:
- Monitor Section activities - Advise the staff of the National Office on administrative arrangements for Sections; and - Conduct Section reviews The Committee meets as needed to review policies and practices involving Sections, to make recommendations to the Council, and to help set the agenda for the annual Section Breakfast at the Annual Meeting. |
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