Horizontal Party Linkages and Democratic Resilience: APSA Virtual Research Group Workshop
APSA 2026 Virtual Research Meeting
April 15 – April 16, 2026 (EST) | Apply to Research Group Workshop
Application Deadline: February 25, 2026
Workshop Organizer: Kateryna Odarchenko (Institute for Democracy and Development “Polita”)
This Research Group explores how political parties contribute to democratic resilience during periods of crisis, conflict, and institutional instability. Moving beyond traditional research focused on electoral competition and vertical accountability, the workshop examines horizontal party linkages—cooperation and coordination among political parties, civil society organizations, local governments, and informal political networks. The workshop uses Ukraine as a central empirical reference point, particularly following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, while maintaining a broader comparative perspective that includes cases from Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, and other democracies facing institutional fragility or political conflict. Participants will examine how horizontal political networks can sustain governance capacity, legitimacy, and democratic practices under extreme pressure.
During the Workshop
Workshop sessions will emphasize interactive collaboration rather than traditional paper panels and will include brief participant presentations, structured group discussions, and thematic breakout sessions focused on comparative mechanisms and theory development. Breakout sessions may address topics such as party–civil society coordination, risks of elite collusion, and democratic reconstruction following political crises. The cumulative workshop structure is designed to foster sustained engagement, collaborative agenda-setting, and cross-case comparison. Scholars working across different regions, methodological approaches, and theoretical traditions are encouraged to apply, particularly those examining party systems, democratic governance, conflict politics, and institutional resilience.
The workshop aims to produce several collaborative scholarly outputs, including coordinated panel proposals for future APSA meetings, the development of a special journal issue or edited volume on horizontal party linkages and democratic resilience, and the initiation of cross-national research collaborations that may support future grant proposals. More broadly, the Research Group seeks to establish a durable scholarly network focused on party politics and democracy under conditions of crisis, contributing cumulative theoretical and empirical insights to the field.
How to Apply
The submission system is open for workshop participant applications! The application deadline is Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific.
Research Group Workshops are the central feature of the APSA Virtual Research Meeting, designed to bring scholars together over two days of collaborative engagement, interactive discussion, and joint research development. Each Research Group will meet for eight 90-minute sessions across both days, with participants expected to engage throughout the full workshop series.
Due to limited capacity and overlapping schedules, participants may only apply to one Research Group. To apply, candidates must submit a Statement of Interest tailored to their selected workshop by the deadline and are encouraged to review the workshop descriptions carefully before applying.
The American Political Science Association’s 2026 Virtual Research Meeting, held on April 15 & 16, 2026, is an annual two-day online event provides a forum for scholars worldwide interested in sharing their research, receiving in-depth feedback, and creating partnerships and networks for future collaboration. Stay tuned for registration! Visit the website to learn more.
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