Leading Pacific Scholars to Discuss Political Issues

Leading Pacific Scholars to Discuss Political Issues

The 12th Pacific Islands Political Studies Association (PIPSA) biennial conference will be hosted by the University of the South Pacific’s Alafua Campus in Apia on 8 and 9 December 2011. The theme for this year’s conference is “Pacific Politics, Pacific Communities.” The last conference in 2009 was hosted by the University of Auckland.

The conference is an opportunity for scholars, policy makers and diplomats from the Pacific region and beyond to share research findings, exchange ideas and debate on contemporary political, economic and social issues in the Pacific. About 100 scholars, researchers, policy-makers and diplomats are expected to attend from universities, governments and organizations from Samoa, Tonga, Niue, Fiji, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, USA, Australia and as far as Asia and Europe. Papers presented deal with a range of issues including democratic institutions, regime change, law and order, regional politics, conflict, corruption, peace-building, identity, constitutional reform, youth, gender and community participation.

“The PIPSA conference is an opportunity for Pacific scholars to discuss political problems and possible solutions in an academic environment, explore and redefine new ideas on Pacific politics and development in an independent and critical way,” says PIPSA President, Dr Steven Ratuva, a political sociologist at the University of Auckland.

This conference is timely at a time when the Pacific is beset by political and socio-economic challenges.

PIPSA was established in Hawaii in 1987 as a forum for Pacific scholars, policy makers and analysts to engage in discussion, research, publication and policy advise on political issues in the Pacific Islands.

In 2011, the PIPSA conference is being held in Samoa for the first time. The conference has been made possible through the support of the State, Society and Governance in Melanesia Program at the Australian National University, University of Auckland and the University of the South Pacific, Samoa Campus.

Registration for the conference can be done in person on the first day or online here.

ENDS

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