Name

The group shall be called Populism Specialist Group of the Political Studies Association (PSA).

Objectives

• To promote the study of populism

• To disseminate research about populism

• To promote a critical discussion about populism between academics, politicians and the people

• To foster the exchange of ideas and research about populism in its various local, national and international guises

• To facilitate a group that is able to account for and respond to the shifting dynamics of populist practices

Membership

Membership shall be open to all academics with a research interest in populism, including lecturers, researchers and postgraduate students. Membership will also be open to practitioners working with and through democratic institutions. Membership is explicitly oriented towards the international arena, especially as a series of significant political phenomena of this type and a set of important theoretical and analytical advances in populism research have originated from abroad, for instance from Latin America, Southern Europe and the US.

There will be no membership fee. However, non-PSA members will pay a differentiated, higher fee to events organised by the group. Reduced fees will be applicable to graduate students, and to those academics where such resources are severely limited due to economic circumstances.

Officers

The officers of the group will be two Co-Convenors and a Treasurer. They shall hold office for three years and, once the founding term has expired, shall be elected by separate vote from among the members of the group at the group’s GM (or equivalent). They must be a current PSA member. The Co-Convenors and Treasurer shall be eligible for re-election.

Records

Records shall be kept by the Co-Convenors and made available for inspection by any member of the group if so required. These records will include minutes of any meetings, minutes of the AGM, and the Annual Report. Current membership lists shall be maintained. The Annual and Financial Reports shall be made publicly available on the group’s website together with a list of members.

Vacation of Office

Any officer shall vacate their office upon resignation or upon dismissal by resolution of a general meeting of the group.

Casual Vacancies

Vacancies shall be filled by election from among the members of the group under such rules of procedure as the Co-Convenors shall direct. All those elected to such casual vacancies shall be current PSA members.

Annual General Meeting

This meeting will be held during the PSA annual conference each year or at a special event convened at the decision of the Co-Convenors. Notice of no less than fourteen working days shall be given. Attendance is only open to members of the group.

General Meetings

These shall be called at the discretion of the Co-Convenors or at the written request of not less than five members of the group. Notice of not less than five working days shall be given. Attendance is only open to members of the group.

Finance

Applications by the group for grants of money shall be made by the Co-Convenors in consultation with group members. The funds will be managed through a dedicated account held by the University of one of the Convenors. A Financial Report shall be presented to the PSA and to all group member each year along with the Annual Report, and will be posted on the group’s website.

Priorities for the group’s financial expenditure are:

a) Offsetting travel, accommodation and registration costs so that postgraduate students may participate in events organised by the group and in those circumstances where prominent international scholars and figures expenses are restricted by economic circumstances;

b)  Meeting the organisational costs required to support group events;

c)  Meeting the travel and accommodation costs of high profile speakers invited to participate in events organised by the group;

On vacating office, the group’s officer(s) shall hand over the books of account to their successor(s).

Amendments to the Constitution

This constitution may be amended or altered by consensus amongst the group’s members at any point, provided that no alteration shall contravene any part of the PSA’s Constitution.