Founded May 5, 1939 · Turkey Run State Park, Indiana
An international society dedicated to the advancement of scholarship in all areas of political science, publisher of the American Journal of Political Science, and host of an annual conference in Chicago.
Order of Proceedings
On May 5, 1939, a Conference of Midwest Political Scientists meets at Turkey Run State Park in Indiana. The program is small, with 21 people on the official panels. James K. Pollock of the University of Michigan serves as the association's first president.
Charles Kneier of the University of Illinois organizes a second meeting at the same state park, with 19 participants across four panels. Afterward the young association makes the hard decision to leave Turkey Run behind.
The association launches the Midwest Journal of Political Science, the publication that will become the American Journal of Political Science.
The journal takes the name American Journal of Political Science, reflecting a readership and author base that reaches far beyond the Midwest.
University departments, bulletins and newsletters link to the association's site at www.mwpsa.org for calls for papers, program committees and important dates. MPSA's site now lives at mpsanet.org.
More than 5,700 presenters deliver almost 4,700 papers at the annual meeting in Chicago.
April 23–26, 2026, at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, with in-person and virtual participation.
Scheduled for April 1–4, 2027, at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago.
Each Spring · Chicago, Illinois
MPSA’s annual meeting is traditionally held at the Palmer House Hilton in downtown Chicago. It historically draws more than 4,000 attendees from across the United States and over 60 countries, making it one of the largest gatherings in the discipline.
Faculty, graduate students and undergraduates present research across every subfield, through paper panels, roundtables and poster sessions. For many graduate students it is the first place they present their work.
Upcoming & recent meetings
Publications
The American Journal of Political Science (AJPS) is MPSA’s flagship journal and one of the leading peer-reviewed journals in the field. It began in 1957 as the Midwest Journal of Political Science before adopting its current name in 1973.
AJPS publishes research across American politics, comparative politics, international relations, political theory and methodology. It is published by Wiley on the association’s behalf, with editorial teams appointed by MPSA for fixed terms.
Honors & Recognition
MPSA recognizes outstanding research presented at its conference each year. A selection of its paper awards:
Best paper in comparative politics.
Best paper investigating race or ethnicity and politics, honoring the spirit and work of Professor Lucius Barker.
Best paper delivered by a graduate student, sponsored by the National Political Science Honor Society.
Best paper presented in poster format by an undergraduate student.
Full award listings, committees and past recipients are on mpsanet.org.
For Students
Compare costs, admissions and outcomes at schools with strong political science programs.
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EducationDataExplorer is not affiliated with the Midwest Political Science Association. Conference dates and award details change; confirm them on mpsanet.org.
