May 8 - 9, 2025   Cornell University  Ithaca, NY   

This conference honors the legacy of Nic van de Walle who  has shaped the field of political science, and African politics in particular, in substantial and important ways. His insights into the politics of economic policymaking and “permanent crisis”, the driving forces of regime dynamics, electoral politics, and democratic transitions continue to underpin the foundations of comparative politics. 

Call for Papers

We welcome colleagues to submit proposals on these core themes of African political economy, regimes, and modes of electoral and social participation and contestation. We also welcome the extension of these foundational principles into new domains that they shine light on, but did not take up directly, such as the security challenges and roles of international organizations.