Strongly influenced by the foundation of the International Political Science Association (IPSA) in Paris in 1949, the GPSA was established in February 1951. Over the past seventy years, the GPSA has evolved into one of the largest professional organizations for the study of political science in Europe. Starting with 40 members in the early 1950s, it currently counts more than 1,850 full members.
The mission of the GPSA, expressed in its constitution, is to strengthen the professional environment of political science in Germany and to promote high quality teaching and education about politics. In its activities, the GPSA promotes scholarly research and communication both on a national and international level. Its tasks include the organization of public events, the publication of major research findings of German political scientists, and the support of the work of early career scholars. The GPSA furthermore strives for a diversification of the profession, promoting the diversity of its members as well as gender equality in political science. The association cooperates with political and social science associations nationally and internationally.
According to the GPSA constitution, the EC consists of eleven members, including the president and two vice-presidents. The following persons are members of the 2021-2024 Executive Committee:
President
Prof. Dr. Diana Panke, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, E-Mail
Vice-Presidents
Prof. Dr. Claudia Ritzi, Universität Trier, E-Mail
Prof. Dr. Markus Tepe, Universität Oldenburg, E-Mail
Further Board Members
Dr. Sonja Blum, FernUniversität in Hagen, E-Mail
Prof. Dr. Thorsten Faas, Freie Universität Berlin, E-Mail
Prof. Dr. Patricia Graf, BSP Business and Law School / Hochschule für Management und Recht, E-Mail
Prof. Dr. Dirk Jörke, Technische Universität Darmstadt, E-Mail
Prof. Dr. Tanja Klenk, Helmut-Schmidt-Universität / Universität der Bundeswehr Hamburg, E-Mail
Prof. Dr. Franziska Martinsen, Universität Duisburg-Essen, E-Mail
Prof. Dr. Armin Schäfer, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, E-Mail
Prof. Dr. Bernhard Zangl, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, E-Mail
Responsibilities in the Executive Committee:
Committee for the Promotion of Women and Equality: Patricia Graf, Tanja Klenk, Franziska Martinsen & Bernhard Zangl
Committee for the Promotion of Early Career Scholars: Sonja Blum, Dirk Jörke & Bernhard Zangl
Finances: Claudia Ritzi, Armin Schäfer & Markus Tepe
Research: Dirk Jörke, Tanja Klenk, Diana Panke & Bernhard Zangl
Communication: Sonja Blum, Thorsten Faas, Tanja Klenk & Armin Schäfer
Teaching: Sonja Blum, Dirk Jörke & Claudia Ritzi
Cooperation with the Research Groups: Patricia Graf, Franziska Martinsen & Markus Tepe
Meetings and Congresses: Thorsten Faas, Patricia Graf & Diana Panke
Members: Franziska Martinsen, Armin Schäfer & Markus Tepe
The General Assembly is the supreme body of the GPSA. It is convened every three years by the Executive Committee. All voting members of the GPSA can submit proposals for the agenda in advance. Among other things, the General Assembly decides on the membership fees. The last General Assembly took place virtually during the convention in September 2021.
The Council advises the Executive Committee, e.g. with regard to the convention topic. Its purpose is to promote exchange among the research groups as well as between the research groups and the Executive Committee. The Council meets at least once a year. Members of the Council are the spokespersons elected in the research groups (research sections, standing groups, and thematic networks) or delegated representatives. The Women's Assembly and the Assembly of Early Career Scholars each elect a representative to the Council.
The Ethics Committee becomes active when it is called upon because of scientific misconduct that violates the Code of Ethics. This includes, in particular, violations of objectivity in research and review, infringement of intellectual property (plagiarism), discrimination against students and staff, as well as sexual harassment and sexualized violence. In the latter case, the Ethics Committee recommends to first contact Prof. Dr. Birgit Sauer, the person of trust appointed specifically for this purpose.
The Executive Director is member of the EC without voting rights. He or she is responsible for administering all EC business and oversees the organization of the GPSA conventions. The GPSA Headquarter is located at Freie Universität Berlin.
Executive Director: Dr. Vera van Hüllen
The GPSA supports the research activities of its members by setting up research sections, standing groups, and thematic networks in various sub-fields of the political science discipline. Membership to all established groups is open to individual members of the GPSA. Among the most active and internationally operating groups are the research sections on International Relations, Political Economy, and Comparative Politics; the standing groups on Democratization, Migration Politics, Party Politics, Politics and Religion, Europe and Regionalism, Digitalization, and Elections and Public Opinion; and the thematic network on Foreign and Security Policy.
Between the national conventions, nearly all research groups of the GPSA hold annual conference and/or workshops on relevant research topics currently being discussed in the discipline.
Of particular importance is the Academic Convention that takes place every three years. The last convention took place digitally in September 2021 on the topic "It’s our Choice! Politics in Times of Uncertainty and Autocratisation". International colleagues from non-German speaking countries are most welcome to attend the conventions as several panels and roundtables are always organized in English language.
GPSA issues a journal called Politische Vierteljahresschrift (PVS) / German Political Science Quarterly (GPSQ). The journal has been published since 1960. It appears four times a year and covers a total of about 700 printed pages. The journal provides space for theory-based and methodologically reflected articles from all sub-disciplines of political science. It also publishes scientifically well-grounded statements with reference to current political issues or societal affairs. Finally, the journal also provides a review section where new publications within the sub-fields of political science are discussed.
