30th DVPW Convention, 7–10 September 2027, Leipzig University
The current global crises and processes of transformation range from shifts in geopolitical power and signs of democratic erosion to digitalisation, climate change and new forms of conflict. They pose fundamental challenges not only to political systems but also to the discipline of political science. At the convention, we will explore how politics, societal expectations and the self-understanding of the discipline are changing and influencing one another.
The convention brings together all sub-fields of political science in a variety of formats to foster dialogue. The focus is on questions of representation, legitimacy and the capacity for political action in a world undergoing radical change. Topics for discussion include changes to democratic institutions and the public sphere, new forms of political mobilisation and polarisation, shifts in international power and security structures, and normative debates on democracy, participation and global justice. At the same time, the focus turns to political science itself: which concepts, methods and theoretical perspectives are suitable for analysing current dynamics? How are interdisciplinarity, internationalisation and new thematic priorities in EU and German funding policies transforming the discipline? How is political science responding to fundamental challenges such as growing scepticism towards academia, as well as constant pressure to cut funding? And what role does political science expertise play in polarised public spheres?
Leipzig is the perfect place to explore these questions: it was here that the peaceful revolution of 1989 gained decisive momentum through mass street protests. Years of restructuring and contraction followed, and not all the hopes raised in 1989 were realised in the course of this transformation. Since the 2010s, the city has once again been undergoing profound change. Rapid migration from within Germany and abroad, fuelled by the establishment of new businesses and by refugee movements, has created new demands on infrastructure and integration. Having undergone decades of upheaval, Leipzig today combines local developments with international perspectives and interdisciplinary exchange, drawing on its long tradition as a centre for trade fairs, research and music.
