Kansas State University

Political science department brings leading conflict scholars to Manhattan with Peace Science Society Conference

Submitted by Braylee Jones

The political science department in the College of Arts and Sciences will host the 53rd Peace Science Society International North American Conference Nov. 7-9. Many K-Staters will present as part of the conference program. 

This is a major international conference that has been hosted by Indiana University, Rice University, Yale University, Ohio State University, University of Pennsylvania, Notre Dame, among others. More than 200 scholars from all over the globe will be in attendance at K-State, sharing their research on peace and conflict through presentations and workshops. After K-State, the conference will be hosted by the University of Michigan and Washington University in St. Louis. 

The society was established as the Peace Research Society International in 1963 and operates as an objective scientific organization without political, social, financial, or national bias. Its objectives are to foster the exchange of ideas and promote studies on issues of peace and conflict utilizing tools, methods and theoretical frameworks drawn from the social and natural sciences, law, engineering and other disciplines and professions. The society's primary concern is improving the social science theory as it relates to world politics. This is the premier association and conference for scholars who study political violence with game theoretic and quantitative methods.

The K-State political science department was among several institutions that submitted bids to host this conference. The executive director of the society, in consultation with the governing body of the society, selected K-State based on an evaluation of the quality and prominence of departmental faculty and assessment of the facilities available to ensure a successful conference.

"This is a is great opportunity to further demonstrate the strength of our department to a group of the top scholars in the field of international relations," said Sam Bell, political science department head. "We are excited to bring this conference to Kansas State University and thankful to Carla Martinez Machain and Jeff Pickering for their efforts in organizing the conference."

Read more about the conference, scholars participating and how to register.