information for confirmed workshop directors

1. ACADEMIC PREPARATION
2. SELECTION OF PARTICIPANTS
3. DUPLICATION AND CIRCULATION OF PAPERS
4. RUNNING THE WORKSHOP
5. ACCOMMODATION AND FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS

ACADEMIC PREPARATION

Individual workshop directors are responsible for all academic aspects of their workshop. In particular, directors decide on the topics to be covered and select participants. They are responsible for ensuring that papers are circulated in advance and that a timetable of presentations is drawn up before the Joint Sessions takes place.

SELECTION OF PARTICIPANTS

Participants should be selected on the basis of the director's own contacts and other applications. To be considered, potential participants must currently be conducting research in the field of the workshop; they are expected to present a paper or a research document at the workshop. The deadline for applications is 1 DECEMBER in the year preceeding the Joint Sessions and it is best to assess applications altogether after this date.

The maximum number of people or papers presented in each workshop is twenty, but in order to allow for the possibility that several people may drop out, directors should have a reserve list of two or three papers. Where a paper is co-authored, only one of the authors should be invited to attend the workshop. If both do attend, this is on the condition that there is room in the workshop and no place is denied someone who could contribute a relevant paper.

In the event that the number of participants falls to below eight, the director/s may consider cancellation of the workshop.

Anyone from a research student to a full professor working in the field of the workshop is entitled to apply. Please note, however, that graduate students accepted to participate should be well advanced in their research.

Workshop directors should try to ensure that there is a wide geographical spread of participants. No more than two participants should be included from one institution. Care should also be taken to ensure an age and gender balance.

There should be no more than two non-ECPR participants per workshop, and their participation should be sought only where this is essential to the academic development of the workshop. When the list of participants has been drawn up, it should be sent to the ECPR Central Services, so that any queries can be dealt with. This should be done before informing the applicants of their acceptance.

DUPLICATION AND CIRCULATION OF PAPERS

Each participant is responsible for the duplication of his/her paper or research document and its circulation in advance of the Joint Sessions. A copy of each paper or research document must be sent (preferably by e-mail) to each participant in the workshop. One copy (by e-mail or on disk) should also be sent to the Central Services in Essex, and one copy to the European Journal of Political Research commissioning editor Professor Kris Deschouwer (Kris.Deschouwer@vub.ac.be).

So long as papers have been circulated to workshop participants in advance, there is no need to bring extra copies to the Joint Sessions, as there is no longer a papers room.

Provided participants express no objection, copies of papers will be available on-line via the ECPR web site.

If workshop directors are considering developing the papers presented in the workshop into a published volume, please note that because papers presented at the Joint Sessions are an integral part of the ECPR's activities, ECPR-Routledge Series in European Political Science should have first right of refusal. This is a well-established and highly respected series, currently edited by Professor Thomas Poguntke (presently at the University of Birmingham, from October 2006 at the University of Bochum) and he should be contacted in the first instance regarding possible publication.

RUNNING THE WORKSHOP

A workshop should be planned to last eight or nine sessions (each session being a morning or afternoon). Each participant should be allocated a minimum of one hour for presentation and time should be given for a more general or summing up discussion at the end of the workshop.

A detailed programme of the workshop meetings should be sent to all participants in the workshop and the Central Services well in advance. Workshop directors should schedule the workshop to last for the whole period, i.e. eight sessions.

Workshop directors should appoint from among their participants a 'secretary' for each workshop meeting, to summarise the main points of the discussion. These summaries will be published as reports on the web.

All participants are expected to attend all sessions of the workshop and to participate fully. Workshop directors should, therefore, ensure that participants are aware of this before accepting them.

ACCOMMODATION AND FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS

The host institution is responsible for accommodation/hotel arrangements. Information about this and travel options will be sent to all workshop directors by email. They are then expected to forward this to their participants after participation has been confirmed.

Individual participants should try to raise finance for both travel and accommodation from sources in their own country. Workshop directors should, where possible, make an application to an appropriate research council or foundation for support for the workshop as a whole.

In the event that they are unable to raise such finance, the ECPR may make a contribution towards the expenses of participants from ECPR member institutions (up to a maximum of four people per institution). Any contributions made by the ECPR will be dependent on distance and cost of travel from different parts of Europe. A per diem grant towards the cost of accommodation, may also be made. The exact amount will vary each year according to the local budget and the ECPR's general budget. Please note that The ECPR will reimburse no more than two participants from one institution attending the same workshop and only one participant per paper presented.

The ECPR has a mobility fund, which gives grants to graduate students and young scholars from ECPR member institutions. Further information may be obtained from the Central Services or from the ECPR web site.

Any contribution from the ECPR will be sent after the Joint Sessions to the Official Representative, and on condition of the effective participation of the members of the institute/department. Participants wishing to receive an advance should ask their home institution.

The ECPR is unable to make any financial contribution towards the expenses of associate members or non-ECPR participants, including associate members who co-direct workshops. In addition, non-ECPR participants are required to pay a conference fee of £300. Invoices are sent out by the Central Services in advance of the Joint Sessions.

One director per workshop (excluding associate members) is reimbursed in full for reasonable accommodation (hotel B&B) and travel expenses within Europe (APEX air fares/2nd class rail fares). Please note that no per diem allowance is provided. Where a workshop has two directors, the other being treated as a workshop participant. If applicable, please inform the Central Services, which of the two directors is to be fully reimbursed.

Queries relating to the academic content of workshop proposals should be addressed to:

Queries relating to the Joint Sessions should be addressed to:

ECPR Central Services
University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester
Essex CO4 3SQ
England

Tel: + 44 1206 87250/872497
Fax: +44 1206 872500
e-mail: ecpr@essex.ac.uk

February 2006