Symposia

A symposium consists of a set of articles focused on a single topic or set of related topics. Symposia are popular among our readership and provide one of the few outlets in the discipline for a group of authors to write on a single topic. 

They are published under one of three headings: Politics, The Profession, and The Teacher. 

Symposia can be particularly beneficial to the progress of our discipline, as they encourage a more comprehensive and integrated focus on a particular question. Symposium and all symposium contributions are peer reviewed. 

Symposia include five to ten original research contributions, with each article being 3,600 words or fewer (inclusive of references, notes, tables, and figures). Each piece must make an empirical or theoretical contribution. Appendices in the form of supplemental materials which are hosted by Cambridge University Press and published online alongside the article do not count toward the word limit.

Proposal Structure

For consideration by PS, a proposal for a symposium should be submitted to Editorial Manager. During submission, when the system prompts you to select an article type, choose “Proposal—Symposium.” 

You will receive a confirmation email upon successful upload and submission. Then, the article will be assigned a PS handling editor and be sent out for review, generally to a member of the PS Editorial Board or to a subject matter expert. 

To upload, you will need to prepare a file labeled “manuscript”, which should include the elements below. This is the proposal itself and the document that will be sent out for review. The proposal should not be anonymized. 

Proposals must include the following elements: 

1. The name and affiliation of the guest editor(s) 
2. A one to two-paragraph description of the topic of the symposium 
3. A list of authors and paper topics with brief (2-3 sentence) abstracts 
4. A diversity statement
5. A list of 4-6 potential external reviewers 
6. Intended date of submission

Special Issue Proposal

A submitted Special Issue Proposal is internally reviewed by the PS editors. The proposal should outline:

1. The proposed guest editors’ names and institutions
2. Rationale for the topic being of broad enough interest and importance to warrant a special issue
3. The importance of an open call for papers
4. A draft of the proposed call for papers

Best Practices

PS strongly encourages symposium organizers to consider writing or soliciting a concluding article that places the symposium in a broader context or provides a critical perspective on the contributions. 

Achieving diversity and inclusion is a priority for the APSA. As part of this commitment, symposium proposals must include a diversity statement. The statement should describe the ways you sought out junior scholars, graduate students, international scholars, or scholars from traditionally underrepresented communities, and assured that appropriate methodological and epistemological perspectives are represented. The statement should also include ways in which you reached out to any individuals or groups who may have otherwise been unaware of this opportunity.

Guest Editor Responsibilities

Guest editors provide subject matter expertise and also manage the peer review process, in partnership with the editorial team. Guest editors should work to ensure all manuscripts are within the word limit and offer suggestions to edit material as needed. All material in PS is peer-reviewed, including symposia. Additional details about the review process are provided after the proposal is accepted and are available upon request.

Editorial Manager

All manuscripts must be submitted and reviewed through Editorial Manager. This tool is critical for helping the managing editor work efficiently with the guest editor.