Conferences

Call for bids for hosting the V ISA Forum of Sociology 2025

The Executive Committee of the International Sociological Association (ISA) invites all ISA collective members to make a bid for the site of the V ISA Forum of Sociology to be held in 2025. The bids should be submitted by March 1, 2023.

Offers to host a Forum of Sociology should be extended by national sociological associations, in order to ensure that there is an active sociological community in the host country that is formally committed to organizing the Forum. While first initiatives may obviously emanate from other institutions (universities or sociology departments, national tourist organizations, airlines, congress centers, professional congress organizers), these initiatives will only be seriously considered by the ISA Executive Committee if fully backed by the national sociological association concerned.

The conference venue must be available for 4 days, preferably during the months July-August 2025.

THE ISA FORUM OF SOCIOLOGY

The ISA Forum is an international conference designed primarily as a meeting place for over 60 ISA Research Committees, Working Groups, and Thematic Groups. Aiming to provide an array of opportunities for the promotion of global dialogue about transformative change, it focuses on a socially relevant theme, involving public actors, to which different areas of sociology can contribute. Examples of such themes include environmental issues, human rights, welfare, social justice, inequality, and democratic participation.

The first ISA Forum was held in Barcelona, Spain (2008), the second in Buenos Aires, Argentina (2002), the third in Vienna, Austria (2016), while the fourth originally planned in Porto Alegre, Brazil was held on-line, attracting over 3,500 participants. The ISA will be organising its fifth Forum of Sociology in 2025. The ISA aims for geographic diversity when selecting the locations of its events in order to reflect its global membership. The ISA is looking for a university venue for an in-person meeting with the possibility of a hybrid format.

CONFERENCE REQUIREMENTS

Venue Requirements 
Facilities for 3,500 or more participants in attendance must be available for free, or at a minimal cost, and must include:

• Plenary hall for at least 2,000 attendees
• 3 rooms for 300 attendees (simultaneous semi-plenary sessions)
• 65 rooms for simultaneous sessions by Research Committees:
  • 6 rooms for 250 attendees
  • 6 rooms for 200 attendees
  • 15 rooms for 150 attendees
  • 14 rooms for 100 attendees
  • 12 rooms for 75 attendees
  • 12 rooms for 60 attendees
• Book exhibition space for approx. 30 book sellers
• Luncheon facilities on the conference site or in restaurants within walking distance that could serve 2,000 persons within two hours
• At the conference site, or in very close proximity, the following services must be available: banking, postal and public copy facilities, travel agency and medical services

Technical Equipment Requirements

• Wi-Fi at the conference site
• Audio-visual equipment in all session rooms: computer with PowerPoint, possibility of a hybrid format
• Availability of other equipment: internet connection, video player, slide projector, overhead projector, projection screen, white/blackboard or flip charts, microphone system (if needed)
• Office facilities for ISA Secretariat staffed by 5 persons: computer, printer, copying machine, internet connection

Hotel Facility Requirements

• Efficient and reliable hotel-booking system
• Total room capacity in the city of more than 4,000 rooms
• Hotels of different categories:
  • 40% two star hotels
  • 50% three star hotels
  • 10% four star hotels
• Availability of medium and low-cost accommodations (including student dormitories) for at least 2,000 persons
• A distance between conference venue and hotels of no more than 10 minutes by public transport or 20 minutes on foot

International Transport

• An international airport, with regular, direct connection to all main airports worldwide, must be located close to the host city.
• A possibility of airline discount offers.

LOCAL ORGANISING COMMITTEE

The Local Organizing Committee must be committed to assist in the organization of the following aspects of the conference:

• Design of conference poster and logo
• Organization of sessions on national sociology / social issues in cooperation with the ISA Program Committee
• Opening Ceremony and Reception
• Social programme, for example conference party and/or other cultural events
• Address problems regarding visa for participants coming from many different countries
• Responsibility for the tasks associated with ensuring that the conference runs smoothly, including at least: establishing media relations, developing regional contacts, encouraging participation in the conference, mobilizing volunteers
• Rent of the conference venue(s), including for book exhibition and social events
• Preparation and handling of sightseeing tours
• On-line booking of hotel accommodation for participants
• Production of paraphernalia (t-shirts, logos, souvenirs, etc.) for sale at the conference (optional)

The following financial aspects should be taken into consideration when preparing a bid. Please clearly specify the costs for each point.

• Conference facilities: rent and cleaning; technical equipment and support; signs and decoration; internet connection, Wi-Fi,  exhibition space; registration area
• Medical and child-care services; special arrangements for disabled participants
• Streaming with subtitles in English/French/Spanish of Plenary Sessions (provide cost per 2-hour session) 
• Conference materials: design of conference poster and logo; conference bag (including local information, maps)
• Social events: Opening Ceremony and Reception; tourism programs
• Exhibition handling expenses
• Cost of a Professional Conference Organizer company selected for the event
• A list of approximate air fares from representative sites across the globe, including the discounts that might be secured by the national or other airlines

The bidder shall demonstrate its ability to assume advance costs (from its own funds or from subsidies it shall obtain locally) for the conference on the following basis:

o The ISA handles all pre-registrations as well as on-the-spot registrations during the conference days. The ISA shall set registration fees.

o ISA Program Committee assumes responsibility for preparing the scientific program, together with the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) composed of representatives of the local sociological association(s).

o The LOC shall seek funds to help meet the travel expenses of conference paper-givers coming from the less developed countries.

o The surplus from receipts of the conference shall be divided 80-20 between the ISA and the LOC.

DEADLINE FOR BIDS

Bids, including all information requested in this call, should be received by the ISA Secretariat (see contact information below) no later than March 1, 2023.

International Sociological Association
Faculty of Political Sciences and Sociology
University Complutense
Campus de Somosaguas
28223 Madrid, Spain
isa@isa-sociology.org