34rd Annual PGSG Preconference to the 2022 AAG Annual Meeting
The AAG Political Geography Specialty Group is pleased to announce the 34th Annual Preconference, which will be held virtually on Friday February 18th, 2022. Due to uncertainties regarding event scheduling with the local host and participant travel concerns, as well as cost and technology constraints that preclude a hybrid option, the Preconference will be held virtually this year. We hope this decision accommodates broader participation and provides certainty in the midst of changing conditions. We plan to return to an in-person Preconference in 2023 at the University of Colorado Boulder (details below).
34rd PRECONFERENCE DATE: Friday, February 18, 2022
TIME: start time 10 am EST
PAPER PRESENTERS: Paper titles and abstracts of 250 words or less are due December 15, 2021. Please submit them with 2022 PAPER ABSTRACT SUBMISSION in the subject line to: aag.pgsg@gmail.com. Please use the template here to prepare your abstract.
REGISTRATION: Registration will take place online using the AAG’s registration software. Details on how to register will be posted soon. As with our past Preconferences, there will be a nominal $20 registration fee for tenure-track faculty. This fee will be charged online when registering and will go toward supporting the use of AAG’s conferencing software and student awards. There is no fee to register for student, post-doc, and non-TT attendees.
BREAK OUT ROOMS/“Coffee hour”: PGSG will coordinate several “break out” rooms during the Preconference. More details will follow.
PGSG ORGANIZERS: Kara E. Dempsey (dempseyke@appstate.edu) and Meredith DeBoom (DEBOOM@mailbox.sc.edu)
INQUIRIES: All inquiries should be directed to the PGSG organizers (Kara and Meredith) individually or at: aag.pgsg@gmail.com
Why a virtual Preconference on Friday, February 18, 2022:
This summer we arranged Preconference booking at a university in Manhattan. However, the host university’s reservation policies remain in flux due to Covid-19 restrictions and they are unable to officially confirm our reservations. We also secured an alternative site at the AAG conference center, but the internet and technology costs for the PGSG were cost prohibitive (for either an in-person only or hybrid event). Additionally, while international travel restrictions have recently relaxed, we are also concerned about potential new international travel bans in winter due to Covid-19.
Date: The AAG asked that the virtual Preconference not be held on our original date (2/24/22) because the AAG plans to test the software we will be using that day. The PGSG Board selected to change the date to the Friday (2/18/22) before the AAG conference to accommodate participants with care responsibilities and to minimize conflicts due to AAG travel and teaching. We recognize it will be difficult to hold a virtual Preconference on a weekday across numerous time zones, but we do hope you will join us in continuing the PGSG tradition of excellent Preconferences.
*We plan return to an in-person Preconference in 2023 at the University of Colorado Boulder on Wednesday, March 22nd, 2023. (The 2023 AAG Conference is scheduled in Denver March 23-27, 2023.)