PSA: Our History

The Political Studes Association was founded in 1950, following the establishment of the International Political Science Association in 1949, with the aim of developing and promoting the study of politics in the UK and globally

Over the last 70 years, we have supported countless academics and helped the discipline flourish. A history of the organisation was published in 2010 in The Development of a Discipline by Wyn Grant. You can also see more from our archives by viewing our 50th Anniversary publication.

Click here to read "Disciplining Politics: The PSA at 70" - a historical retrospective of our organisation written by two former chairs (Angela Wilson and Wyn Grant) published in our Political Insight magazine in June 2020.

If you have any fond memories of the PSA from years gone by that you'd like to share with us, we'd love to hear from you - please send any photos or anecdotes to our team on info@psa.ac.uk.

Opening of the new PSA HQ in London, "the Elizabeth Meehan Suite", in memory of our first female chair
Norman Chester, first chair of the PSA
Matt Flinders, PSA Conference 2015, Sheffield
Wyn Grant and colleagues at IPSA Conference, Washington DC, 2010
Angie Wilson, PSA Conference 2019, Nottingham

PSA Chairs (Vice-Presidents)

Norman Chester (1950-57)
K.B. Smellie (1957-60)
W.J.M. MacKenzie (1960-63)
Wilfrid Harrison (1963-65)
S.E. Finer (1965-69)
Graeme Moodie (1969-72)
A.H. Birch (1972-75)
J.E.S. Hayward (1975-77)
Hugh Berrington (1977-80)
Geraint Parry (1980-83)
Maurice M. Goldsmith (1983-86)
Raymond Plant (1986-88)
Trevor Smith (1988-89)
M.J.F. Goldsmith (1989-93)
Elizabeth Meehan (1993-96)
Ian Forbes (1996-99)
Rod Rhodes (1999-2001)
Wyn Grant (2002-04)
Jon Tonge (2005-07)
Vicky Randall (2008-11)
Charlie Jeffery (2012-14)
Matt Flinders (2014-17)
Angie Wilson (2017-20)
Roger Awan-Scully (2020-23) Current PSA President
Rose Gann (2023-)

 

 

PSA Conferences

Each year we host the PSA International Annual Conference. Participants come from all over the globe to present their research and we've travel the length and breadth of the UK to our host cities and institutions.

2000        LSE
2001        Manchester
2002        Aberdeen
2003        Leicester
2004        Lincoln
2005        Leeds
2006        Reading
2007        Bath
2008        Swansea
2009        Manchester
2010        Edinburgh
2011        London
2012        Belfast
2013        Cardiff
2014        Manchester
2015        Sheffield
2016        Brighton    
2017        Glasgow
2018        Cardiff
2019        Nottingham
2020        Edinburgh
2021        Belfast
2022        York
2023        Liverpool
2024        Glasgow - Strathclyde
2025        Birmingham