GSIS Monograph Series in World Affairs. Science, Politics, and International Conferences : A Functional Analysis of the Moscow Political Science Congress

While there are many widely held assumptions about the impact of international scientific congresses (ISCs) on individual scientists, collective bodies, a particular branch of science, or even the establishment of world order, these assumptions have not previously been fully examined or tested empirically. Merritt and Hanson present here the results of their systematic investigation of the uses and consequences of ISCs. Deriving their data from a survey of political scientists from the nonsocialist countries who attended the XIth World Congress of IPSA in Moscow, as well as a control group of North American political scientists who did not attend the Moscow meetings, they provide a solid basis for evaluating the costs vs. the benefits of future scientific congresses. Contents Tables and Figures Preface ONE International Scientific Congresses: A Functional Approach TWO International Political Science: From Paris to Moscow (and Back) THREE Who Went to Moscow and Why? FOUR An Occasion for Learning FIVE Politics at Play SIX Functions of International Scientific Congresses APPENDIX A Breakdown of Registrants by Country APPENDIX B Questionnaires APPENDIX C Scales of Professionalism and Internationalism Bibliography Index About the Book and the Authors