ISA World Congress of Sociology

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.

Session allocation

The number of sessions was allocated based on the number of ISA members in good standing in the group as of October 2021. Members in good standing are individual members who have paid both ISA and the RC/WG/TG membership due for the current year.

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.

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
  Such a session features 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
  A 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
  These sessions are organized directly by Program Coordinators and/or Session Organizers and are not open for abstract submission.
   
• Author meets their Critics
  These sessions feature 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 roundtable 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).  Each RC/WG/TG can organize up to 2 Roundtable Sessions within its overall sessions allotment.
• Poster session
  These are poster presentations of research information and results. Each RC/WG/TG can organize up to 2 Poster Sessions within its overall sessions allotment. Each RC/WG/TG will be given a specific date/time for its Poster Session.
• 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 only count towards the session limit of the host committee. 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.
   
• 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 Meetings.
   
• 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.

Hybrid format rules

Oral sessions (regular and joint sessions of RC/WG/TG, Integrative Sessions) may include virtual presentations but must include 80% in-person presentations to qualify for a hybrid format. Otherwise, they will be online sessions. The session format will be decided after the early registration deadline (March 22, 2023).

Oral sessions will be categorized as:

• in-person sessions if all presenters will be doing oral presentations. The audience will be able to choose whether to attend these sessions in person or virtually.
• online sessions if all presenters will be presenting online. A meeting room will be assigned for those who wish to watch the session at the venue.
• hybrid sessions in all other cases. The audience will be able to choose whether to attend these sessions in person or virtually.

Chairs/Co-Chairs of in-person and hybrid sessions are expected to be present in-person on-site. In case the Chair or co-Chair cannot participate in-person, s/he can ask a colleague (attending the session in-person) to launch the zoom application.

The below listed sessions will have in-person format only:

• Roundtable Sessions (concurrent running roundtable presentations in one room)
• Poster Sessions
• Ad Hoc Sessions
• Sessions of National and Regional Associations
• Professional Development Sessions
• Author Meets Critics Sessions

Registration fees are the same for in-person and online presentations and cover participation in all types of sessions.

Abstracts’ submitters must specify a preferred format of presentation in an oral session: on-site or virtual.

It will be possible to change from in-person to online presentation (and vice versa) four weeks before the start of the Congress. These last-minute changes in the form of presentations are inevitable and will not affect the previously assigned session format.

The online program platform permits uploading papers.

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 these three official languages. 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 the 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 mix 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;

Most likely, there are other strategies as well. Implementing the strategies requires advanced planning, including the recruiting of qualified volunteers. It is equally important that the possibility of using such strategies also be widely known in advance, for the information of both potential paper presenters and also members of the audience and for the necessary technological devices to be available on the spot. Conference rooms are provided with screen and computer for PowerPoint presentations.

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 online 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 online system.

It is very important that Program Coordinators and Session Organizers respect conference deadlines. There will be no deadline extension.

3. Duties and deadlines

March 7, 2022  24:00 GMT

Announcing Program Coordinators:  RC/WG/TG provide name and contact details of Program Coordinator to the ISA Secretariat isa@isa-sociology.org

May 10, 2022  24:00 GMT

Submission of proposals to the ISA Secretariat isa@isa-sociology.org for:

• Integrative Sessions which involve at least 3 Research Committees, 3 National Associations or a combination of the two
• Regular sessions by National, Regional, Linguistic and Thematic Associations
• Author Meets Critics sessions
• Ad Hoc Sessions

May 31, 2022: Announcement of the Program Committee decision on accepted proposals.

May 2 - 31, 2022  24:00 GMT

Call for Sessions

• RC/WG/TG session proposer must submit session’s description (250 words, in English, French or Spanish) online via Confex platform.
• Invited Session organizer (RC/WG/TG, Presidential, Plenary, LOC sessions, etc.) must submit session’s description (250 words, in English, French or Spanish) online via Confex platform.

June 1 - 26, 2022  24:00 GMT

Final list of Sessions: RC/WG/TG Program Coordinator must finalize a list of sessions. Sessions format, titles, 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) will be available on the ISA conference platform run by Confex.

July 1 - September 30, 2022  24:00 GMT

Abstracts submission: Participants and organizers of invited sessions must submit abstracts online via Confex platform. Abstracts must be submitted in English, French or Spanish. Only abstracts submitted online will be considered in the selection process.

October 7 - November 7, 2022  24:00 GMT

Abstracts selection:  Session Organizer must complete selection of abstracts and provide a final presentation designation (oral, distributed, poster, roundtable). Session Organizers move good quality abstracts unsuited for their sessions to the Program Coordinator’s bin for transfer to another session.

Note: abstracts transfers should be done to the Program Coordinator’s bin as early as possible so that good abstracts may be transferred to other appropriate sessions to enable organizers to consider these transferred abstracts and make decisions within the deadlines.

Session Organizers add chairs, co-chairs, discussants, and panelists to their sessions as needed.

November 8 – 25, 2022  24:00 GMT

Abstracts re-location: Program Coordinator re-locates to other sessions good quality abstracts considered unsuited by Session Organizers from the Program Coordinator's bin.

No more sessions can be added after that deadline.

December 2, 2022  24:00 GMT

• Notification letters: Confex sends notification letters to:
  • authors and co-authors of accepted abstracts
  • authors of rejected abstracts

December 15, 2022 – January 26, 2023 24:00 GMT

•    Sessions Scheduling
December 15 - January 15: Confex schedules Joint Sessions, Roundtables, and Poster sessions
January 16 - January 26: Program Coordinators schedule regular sessions

January 31, 2023 24:00 GMT   

•    Applications for Registration Grants: Program Coordinators receive applications for ISA grants submitted by the participants by this deadline.

February 15, 2023 24:00 GMT   

•     Submission of proposed Registration Grants recipients: Program Coordinators send a list of selected individuals and amounts recommended to the ISA Secretariat isa@isa-sociology.org for verification and approval.

March 22, 2023 24:00 GMT     

•     Registration deadline for presenters: Registration must be paid by the deadline. Confex matches registrations with accepted presenters and will send out a last reminder to register. Presenters who have failed to register will be automatically deleted from the program.

April 3 - 18, 2023 24:00 GMT

•    Session Organizers modify sessions based on withdrawal of non-registered presenters.
•    Chairs and discussants are assigned from among the registered participants.
•    Program Coordinators complete session schedule according to the conference timetable.
•    In case the type of an individual presentation is changed, or if a presentation is transferred to a different session, Confex will send notifications to authors with final session and presentation details.

May 9, 2023 24:00 GMT

•     Online program published

4. Rules for submitters and presenters

ISA user account
To submit a session proposal or/and an abstract, you need to create an ISA user account, unless you already have one. If in doubt, please contact isa-secretariat@isa-sociology.org.
To create an ISA user account, go to https://www.isa-sociology.org/en/login and complete the form.

ISA membership
The ISA does not require anyone to be a member in order to submit a session proposal or an abstract, and provides different registration fees for members and non-members.
Those Research Committees, Working and Thematic Groups which require presenters in their sessions to be members of the RC/WG/TG, and/or also of the ISA, should clearly inform potential presenters about these requirements from the very start of conference preparations.
To join the ISA, please submit an electronic membership form available on https://www.isa-sociology.org/en/membership/individual-membership
ISA individual membership fees cover a 4-year period (January 1 - December 31). Membership fees are based on the country of current residence.

ISA membership does not include registration to the ISA World Congress.

Registration for ISA World Congress of Sociology
To register for the XX ISA World Congress of Sociology, complete the online registration form. Registration is now open.
Registration for the ISA World Congress does not include ISA membership.

-Registration rules for presenters
In order to be included in the program, participants (presenters, chairs, discussants, etc.) need to pay the congress registration fee by March 22, 2023. If not registered, their names will not appear in the Program Book nor in the Abstracts Book.
For co-authored papers, in order for a paper to appear in the program, at least one co-author must pay the congress registration fee by the deadline March 22, 2023; the names of other co-authors will be listed as well. If other co-authors wish to attend the conference, they must pay their registration fee.

-Registration grants
ISA members in good standing (i.e. who have paid their individual membership fees) who participate in the program (presenters, chairs, discussants, session organizers) are eligible to apply for a registration grant.

How to apply:
An e-mail requesting a registration grant must be sent by the participants directly to the RC/WG/TG Program Coordinators by January 31, 2023. Applications for a grant cannot be submitted to more than one RC/WG/TG. 

Limited appearance in the Program  
A person may be listed in the Program:

• up to 3 times as Session Organizer
• up to 2 times as author or co-author (oral or poster presentation, distributed paper, roundtable presentation)
• up to 2 times as chair or co-chair, panelist, critic, discussant

RC/WG/TGs can further limit the number of appearances within their own sessions.

There is a limit of:

• 3 co-organizers per session
• 7 authors per abstract

Authors and co-authors cannot present and chair in the same session.

Registration
The 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 presenters in their sessions to be members of the RC, and/or also of the ISA, should clearly inform potential presenters about these requirements from the very start of conference preparations.

In order to be included in the program the participants (presenters, chairs, discussants, etc.) need to pay full registration fees by March 22, 2023. If not registered, their names will not appear in the Program Book nor in the Abstracts Book.  
For co-authored papers, 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 March 22, 2023; the names of other co-authors will be listed as well. If other co-authors wish to attend the conference they must pay their registration fee.

5. Rules for ISA Registration Grants Allocation

Rules
Each Research Committee (RC), Working Group (WG) and Thematic Group (TG) is responsible for allocating registration grant(s) to person(s) selected by its Board, following the criteria established by the ISA.

Eligibility

1. Individual ISA member
   Registration grants can be allocated to individual ISA members in good standing (i.e. who have paid the individual membership fee) who are active participants in the conference program.
   
   How to apply:
   An e-mail requesting a registration grant must be sent by the participants directly to the RC/WG/TG Program Coordinators by January 31, 2023. Applications for a grant can be submitted to only one RC/WG/TG. The ISA Secretariat will inform the RC/WG/TG if someone has applied to, or has been recommended by, more than one group for the grant.
    
2. Program Coordinator
   In addition to registration grants for active participants in the program, each RC/WG/TG will receive a registration grant for one Program Coordinator.  (Note: In the event of multiple program coordinators in an RC/WG/TG, only one grant will be provided.)
   
   Only Program Coordinators who are individual ISA members in good standing are eligible for a registration grant.
   
   How to apply:
   Program Coordinators must submit a request to receive this grant to the ISA Secretariat isa@isa-sociology.org by January 31, 2023.

Selection process

1. Each RC/WG/TG will select candidates and allocate the funds available for that group.
2. The Program Coordinator shall decide on allocation in consultation with the RC/WG/TG President and Secretary and the results shall be published at the ISA conference website.
   
   2a. A backup list of potential grant recipients in order of priority shall also be prepared to be used in case someone cancels participation or has been allocated a grant by another RC/WG/TG.
   
   2b. It is recommended to avoid repetition of the same persons who have received grants for previous conferences.
   
   2c. Full amount of registration grant has to be allocated to each grantee; grants are not paid in cash but a special code will be given to each participant.
    
3. A list of selected individuals and registration grant amounts must be sent by the Program Coordinator to the ISA Secretariat (isa@isa-sociology.org) before February 15, 2023 for verification and approval.
    
4. Registration grants will be handled directly by the ISA Secretariat prior to the early registration deadline of the conference, March 22, 2023.

Funds allocation
Each RC/WG/TG will be allocated an amount for Registration Grants according to the following scale: