Guidelines for Program Coordinators and Session Organizers

 

1. Conference format

Schedule of the sessions
All sessions of Research Committees (RC), Working Groups (WG) and Thematic Groups (TG) will last 110 minutes except of an evening time-slot 19:30-20:50 that lasts only 80 minutes and is recommended for Business Meeting.

For Congress complete schedule see timetable.

Session allocation
The number of sessions will be allocated based on the number of the ISA members in good standing in the group as of October 2012 according to the scheme provided below. Members in good standing are individual members who have paid both ISA and the RC/WG/TG membership due for the current year.

Number of ISA members in each group  as of October 2012	Number of sessions
250 members and more	26
200-249 members	24
150-199 members	22
100-149 members	18
50- 99 members	14
25- 49 members	10
Less than  25 members	6

 
The number of allocated sessions is the total number of all sessions assigned to RC/WG/TG and includes all types of sessions as well as:

• A time slot for a Business Meeting;
• Joint sessions. Joint sessions cannot constitute more than 50% of all sessions in which a RC/WG/TG is involved (as host and/or co-organizer).

Number of sessions allocated to each RC/WG/TG:

Number of ISA members in each group as of October 2012
> 250	200-249	150-199	100-149	50-99	25-49	< 25
Number of sessions
26	24	22	18	14	10	6
RC16	RC04	RC02	RC01	RC03	RC17	TG07
RC32	RC21	RC05	RC08	RC10	RC43
	RC31	RC06	RC14	RC12	RC45
		RC07	RC18	RC25	RC49
		RC09	RC20	RC26	RC50
		RC11	RC23	RC29	WG05
		RC13	RC27	RC35	TG06
		RC15	RC28	RC36
		RC19	RC30	RC37
		RC22	RC33	RC38
		RC24	RC39	RC40
		RC34	RC42	RC41
		RC48	RC44	RC46
			RC47	RC53
			RC51	RC54
			RC52	RC55
			WG03	WG01
			TG03	WG02
			TG04

 

Type of sessions

RC/WG/TG are encouraged to diversify the form of their sessions. A combination of the following types of sessions is suggested:

• Paper presentation session
  It is recommended that each session uses its 110 minutes to accommodate 4-5 papers and 15-20 minutes of collective discussion.
  
  All other papers should be listed as distributed papers in the relevant session and serve as “waitlist” for Session Organizers. These papers will be listed in the program and, providing the authors register in time, their abstracts will be included in the abstracts book. If a participant does not show up, the first participant listed under distributed papers will be asked to present a paper.
  
  

• Featured or Keynote Speaker
  A session featuring a leading researcher in one of the RC/WG/TG fields, with a presentation of between 35 and 60 minutes duration, followed by a discussion period. This kind of session can attract more people from outside your group.
  These sessions are organized directly by Program Coordinators and/or Session Organizers and are not open for abstract submission.
  
  
• Panel Session
  Panel session accommodates a larger number of invited panelists who will debate around a specific theme or on current issues of particular importance to the area of research. The floor will then be opened to the audience.
  
  Panel sessions are organized directly by Program Coordinators and/or Session Organizers and are not open for abstract submission.
  
  
• Invited Session
  Sessions organized directly by Program Coordinators and/or Session Organizers.
  These are not open for abstract submission.
  
  
• Author meets their Critics
  A debate around an important recent publication that could be presented by the author(s), with commentators and opening the floor to the audience. These sessions are organized directly by Program Coordinators and/or Session Organizers and are not open for abstract submission.
  
  
• Roundtable Session
  In order to accommodate more papers, a regular session time-slot may be used for a maximum of 5 concurrent running round table presentations in one room (maximum of 5-6 presenters at each table).  Five tables will be set up at the same time and in the same room.  Each table will accommodate 10 persons including the presenters (suggested number of 5 presenters). 
  
  
• Poster session
  Poster presentations of research information and results.
  
  
• Joint Session
  Joint Sessions are sessions organized jointly by two or more RCs, or an RC combined with a WG or TG on a theme of overlapping interest. Please note that Joint Sessions must be included in the regular session allocation of one of the participating units. Joint sessions cannot constitute more than 50% of all sessions in which a RC/WG/TG is involved (as host and/or co-organizer).
  
  
• Integrative Session
  Integrative Sessions connect around a debate on a common theme at least 3 Research Committees, Working Groups, Thematic Groups, National Associations (ISA collective members), or a combination of any 3 units. The deadline for submitting proposals is January 15, 2013.
  See more details.
  
  
• Business Meeting
  Each RC/WG/TG is obliged to hold a Business Meeting to discuss current organizational matters as well as to conduct election, if appropriate. As an evening time-slot 19:30-20:50 is shorter and lasts only 80 minutes, it is recommended for Business Meeting.
  
  
• Other formats
  Having a variety of types of sessions can enhance the quality of a meeting, especially if the organizers find the right people to participate in them. The above are simply suggestions. Other formats, such as a hands-on workshop, or a session on pedagogy may also be appropriate for your group.

Linguistic diversity

Although English is the administrative language of ISA, the Association does have three official languages, English, French and Spanish.

Presentations are primarily in the official three. However RC/WG/TGs are encouraged to support language diversity. If paper presentations are in languages other than English, then it is up to the RC/TG/WG to work this out creatively, given that ISA does not have funds to support simultaneous interpretation.

Suggested possibilities:

• to have a translation of the abstract available as overheads, Power Point or distributed hard copy
• for the presenter to use a mixture of English and their preferred language
• to provide an oral sequential informal interpretation/summary by another RC member
• to have a whispered interpretation/ summary provided by another RC member
• to have a volunteer typing on a computer a summary of the remarks as they are made

 

2. Program Coordinators and Session Organizers

Role of Program Coordinator and Session Organizer

The Program Coordinator of each RC, WG and TG is responsible for organizing a program of high-quality sessions.

In cooperation with the Board of the group the Program Coordinator must define session themes and, perhaps, an overall theme for the group’s program, and choose competent Session Organizers who will ensure that the program achieves the academic quality expected at a World Congress.

The Program Coordinator will be contacted by the ISA Secretariat about any matters concerning the group’s program and, if needed, the Program Coordinator will then inform Session Organizers.

After the issuing of the Call for Papers, the Program Coordinator will help Session Organizers to decide on acceptance of abstracts submitted on-line by conference participants. If needed, the Program Coordinator can transfer abstracts between various sessions of the group.  

The Program Coordinator is expected to keep close track of the progress made by each Session Organizer and decide on the final structure of the program. The Program Coordinator is also responsible for sessions’ schedule.

Session Organizer is responsible for all correspondence concerning the session. It is the Session Organizer’s responsibility to submit accurate details about the session. All changes/updates should be done via on-line system.

It is very important that Program Coordinators and Session Organizers respect conference deadlines. No extension of deadlines is possible.

3. Duties and deadlines

• Call for Sessions: 15 January, 2013 24:00 GMT
  RC/WG/TG provide name and contact details of Program Coordinator and indicate a deadline for sessions’ proposals submission having in mind that a final list of sessions needs to be received at the ISA Secretariat isa@isa-sociology.org by April 7, 2013. Those Calls for Sessions will be posted on the ISA Congress website.

• Proposals for Integrative Sessions: 15 January, 2013 24:00 GMT
  Proposals for Integrative Sessions which involve at least 3 RC/WG/TG, 3 National Associations or a combination of any three units, must be received at the ISA Secretariat isa@isa-sociology.org for selection process. See also: Guidelines for applying for integrative sessions.
  

• Call for Papers: 7 April, 2013 24:00 GMT
  Program Coordinator must submit final list of sessions and their extensive descriptions and the language in which they will be held (English, French or Spanish), as well as contact details of session organizers (name, affiliation, country, e-mail) to the ISA Secretariat at isa@isa-sociology.org for posting on the ISA Congress website as Call for Papers.

• Abstracts submission: 3 June – 30 September, 2013 24:00 GMT
  Participants must submit abstracts on-line via Confex platform. Abstracts must be submitted in English, French or Spanish. Only abstracts submitted on-line will be considered in the selection process.

• Abstracts selection: 4 October – 24 November, 2013 24:00 GMT
  Session Organizer must complete selection of abstracts and provide a final presentation designation (oral, distributed, poster, round table). Session Organizer can move good quality abstracts unsuited for the session to the Program Coordinator’s bin for transfer to another session. Note: abstracts transfers should be done as early as possible so that abstracts may be transferred to other sessions.

• Notification letters: 30 November, 2013 24:00 GMT
  Session Organizer must send notification letters to:
  • Authors and co-authors of accepted abstracts
  • Submitters whose abstract was rejected in this session but has been transferred to Program Coordinator for review and possible consideration in another session  
  • Authors of rejected abstracts.
    

A final presentation designation (oral, distributed, poster, round table) needs to be stated; this information can be modified later once registration check has been completed.

• Applications for financial support deadline: 31 January, 2014 24:00 GMT
  Program Coordinator receives applications for ISA grants submitted by the participants till January 31, 2014.

• Submission of proposed ISA Grant Recipients: March 1, 2014 24:00 GMT
  Program Coordinator sends a list of selected individuals and amounts recommended to the ISA Secretariat (isa@isa-sociology.org) for verification and posting on the ISA website.

• Registration deadline for presenters: April 1, 2014 24:00 GMT
  Confex matches registrations with accepted presenters.

• Final modifications: April 14 – May 1, 2014 24:00 GMT
  Session Organizer modifies sessions based on withdraw of non-registered presenters. Chairs and discussants are assigned from among the registered participants. In case a type of individual’s presentation is changed, or if a presentation is transferred to a different session, Session Organizer sends a new notification.
  Program Coordinator completes sessions schedule according to the conference timetable.

              
4. Rules for all presenters

• Limited appearance in the Program
  Participants may be listed no more than twice in the Program. This includes all types of participation – except being listed as Program Coordinator or Session Organizer.  Program Coordinators and Session Organizers can organize a maximum of two sessions where their names will be additionally listed in the program.
  
  A “participant” is anyone listed as an author, co-author, plenary speaker, roundtable presenter, poster presenter, panelist, critic, discussant, session (co)chair, or any similar substantive role in the program.
  A participant cannot present and chair in the same session.
  
  
• ISA and RC/WG/TG membership
  ISA does not require anyone to be a member in order to present a paper, and provides different registration fees for members and non-members. Those RCs which require that presenters in their sessions are members of the RC, and/or also of ISA, should clearly inform potential presenters about these requirements from the very start of conference preparations.

• Registration payment
  In order to be included in the program the participants (presenters, chairs, discussants, etc.) need to pay registration fees by April 1, 2014. If not registered, their names will not appear in the Program Book and in the Abstracts Book. 
  
  In case of a co-authored paper, in order for a paper to appear in the program, at least one co-author should pay the registration fee by the early registration deadline April 1, 2014; the names of other co-authors will be listed as well.
  
  If other co-authors wish to attend the conference they must pay the registration fee.