A Standing Section is a section that focuses on a topic that a relatively large group of EISA members have an interest in. While Regular Sections run only one year, Standing Sections are established for a period of three years and renewable thereafter. Their aim is to foster community, innovation and research in the practical topic within our discipline. 

For PEC, we are particularly encouraging proposals addressing topics that are currently underrepresented at the EISA, including but not limited to gender, the environment, postcolonial, decolonial and indigenous studies and science and technologies studies. Proposals on other broad topics are also welcome. 

Standing Sections are chaired by two EISA members, who are committed to work on the section and attend PEC for three consecutive years. 

The PEC call for sections is also a call for potential Standing Sections. Please tick the box at the bottom of the application form if you would like to be considered for a Standing Section. Your proposal might be accepted, and if it is not, it could still be accepted as a Regular Section. 

The proposals for Standing Sections are evaluated by the Governing Board based on the following criteria: 

1. 1. Theme: the section should focus on a relevant and representative thematic area or sub-discipline. The proposal should clearly state how the section will contribute to the development of new avenues and new directions within this field. It should also demonstrate how the new section’s theme is different from existing Standing Sections.
   2. Participation: identify potential groups of scholars who are likely to participate in the section and who would be encouraged to submit, as well as identifying potential panels or roundtables. The proposal should also indicate how people from different disciplines or subfields would be recruited and encouraged to apply.  
   3. Sustainability: the proposal should include a clear plan on how the chairs would envisage sustaining the section for 3 years.  
   4. Diversity: the EISA Governing Board will look for balance of status, institution/country, gender, research agenda and encouragement to include early career scholars in all applications. 
   5. Renewal: Standing Sections will be approached to apply for renewal after three years and will be subjected to assessment and approval by the Governing Board based on criteria such as engagement, number of applications and panels held at PEC. 

Do not hesitate to get in touch with the board members who overseeing PEC to discuss your ideas ahead of the deadline by emailing info@eisa-net.org. 

When you become the chair of a Standing Section, you commit to organize the section for three years. 

This commitment includes core duties: 

• • Participating in all PEC conferences for the duration of the three-year term;
  • Updating information on the section annually, if applicable, but before the general call for abstracts is sent out;
  • Promoting the section widely to attract a broad and diverse set of proposals;
  • Evaluating and selecting panels, roundtables and paper proposals for EISA-PEC, with a commitment to openness, fairness, diversity and equity.
  • Organizing roundtables or panels to ensure cross-cutting conversations between sections happen within the section.
  • Attending all panels and roundtables within the section (if possible) – but at least by one of the chairs.

In addition, we would encourage section chairs to: 

• • Organise an informal event during the PEC conference to allow participants to network;
  • Maintain contact with section participants through for example circulating relevant information throughout the year;
  • Ensure a rotation of chairs and continuity especially if there is interest for the section to be renewed for a further three years through conversation with section participants.

Any EISA member! We however, encourage section participants and section chairs to consider multiple criteria for a balance in governance: 

• • A balance between career stages. We recommend that people who commit to this role are postdocs or at least in their third year of their PhD;
  • Gender;
  • Other relevant criteria such as geographical and national representation.

If Standing Section is seeking renewal, at least one of the section chairs must change. If your section has changed chairs within the three year-term, this can be taken into account as a change. No one can remain chair of a Standing Section more than two terms or six consecutive years. 

Each section is free to organize as its participants and chairs decide. We encourage all year around engagement if possible and if there is interest within the section. A few examples of what Standing Sections chairs have done in the past: 

• • Some set up mailing-lists to help to circulate information about events, special issues calls within the network;
  • Some organize lunch/dinner during the PEC;
  • Some circulate their own call for papers and a compiled program for the conference based on the section’s panels alone;
  • Some organize workshops and meetings outside of PEC.

Most of the support offered by EISA is built within the governance structure of the association: 

• • Two EISA board members are in charge of PEC and can answer your questions all year round, just send them an email to info@eisa-net.org;
  • (Regular or Standing) Section chairs benefit from a reduced registration fee at PEC;
  • (Regular or Standing) Section chairs are invited to attend a special dinner during PEC as a token of the board’s appreciation of all their work;
  • (Regular or Standing) Section chairs, like all EISA participants can apply for a mobility grant. This financial support is granted according to need.
  • Standing sections can also apply for funding to support activities all-year long.

If you wish to organise an event outside of PEC (or EWIS), EISA can provide a contribution of up to €1,000 during the three–year term of a Standing Section. Two deadlines will be set every year (March and October) when section chairs will have to submit a short proposal and budget to justify their need for this fund. The maximum annual EISA budget to support standing sections is €1,000. 

Funding requests must include: 

• • Description of event or academic activity to be supported (max 250 words);
  • General budget with breakdown of expenses and other sources of funding if applicable;
  • Total amount requested;
  • List of EISA members and section participants involved in the project (names, institution, EISA membership ID);
  • Proposed timetable. Spending has to occur within maximum 12 months of the fund being granted.

Funding can be requested for example: 

• • To support an academic event organized by members of the section;
  • To support the organization of an artistic event during PEC (exhibition etc.);
  • To support a collective publication involving at least five EISA members and participants in the section (part of open access rights for example);
  • Other activities to support the life of the section and community outside PEC events;

Funding CANNOT be requested: 

• • To purchase licenses for images or other material to be used in a publication
  • To fund mobility to PEC or EWIS (see specific event-related mobility funds for that purpose)

Priority will be given to proposals of academic events outside PEC to support participation of EISA members from institutions from the “Global South” and ECRs, and to support open-right access publication for EISA members from institutions from the “Global South” and unaffiliated ECRs. 

EISA support should be acknowledged at all events. 

Life happens! If you are for example expecting a child, or you are starting on a new job, have unexpected caring responsibilities, or got sick, it is fully understandable that you cannot attend PEC.  

If this is the case, we would like to ask you to email info@eisa-net.org. If possible, find someone from your section who could take over the responsibilities and let us know their names. If not, we will facilitate this. If your absence will affect your availability to fulfil your duties for the rest of your tenure, it would be best to find a replacement. Your replacement should be sought according to the rules of set out above (“Who can become a Standing Section chair?”) 

The name of the person replacing you will replace your name on the program. It is important for you to support this person and make sure they have all the information necessary to take over from you so the section can run smooth while you are not available. 

Once your three-year term is up EISA will contact you whether you are interest in renewing the section. This will happen shortly after PEC on the final year of the section’s term.  

The current section chairs must apply jointly with the future section chairs. The call will encourage you to reflect on your current term and indicate the future plans of the section. 

The EISA Governing Board will evaluate and consider your application for renewal according to the following conditions:   

1. 1. The work of section chairs including meeting timelines, attending PEC conferences etc.  
   2. The section theme should continue to hold relevance and have a strong research agenda. The application should include an updated abstract, a reflection on the section, shifts in the sub-discipline/thematic area and new directions. The proposal can also reflect on things that were abandoned or changed. 
   3. Section chairs should demonstrate section participation by providing number of panels and of individual participants. They can indicate their preference for either reduced or increased slots (available slots are only 5 or 10). 
   4. We encourage section chairs to consider replacing at least one of the section chairs, keeping in mind diversity, research agenda and offering opportunities for early career scholars to get involved. 
   5. Applications for renewal are assessed and approved by the Governing Board.