Dear all, Three of us cordially invite those of you working on/interested in policy research to consider applying for a panel on “Critical Policy Studies in the Age of Digital Imperialism, Sovereignty Crises and Tech Races” at the forthcoming IPA conference – and sending the call on to interested colleagues, especially in the Global South. The call is here: https://www.ippapublicpolicy.org/conference/14a-ipa-conference-br/panel-list... More information on the wider conference setting can be found below. Please do reach out should you have any questions. Guilherme (Guilly), Regine and Preeti --- Dear colleagues, We are pleased to invite the critical-interpretive policy studies community to submit proposals for IPA2026BR – the Interpretive Policy Analysis Seminar, to be held in Brasília, Brazil, from November 9–11, 2026. IPA2026BR is an international gathering dedicated to critical and interpretive approaches in public policy. It is designed as a welcoming academic space, open to interdisciplinary dialogue and methodological experimentation, where theory and practice are understood as deeply intertwined dimensions of social life and of the critical analysis of contemporary policies. Originally launched in 2006, the IPA conferences have been held in multiple regions worldwide, but never before in the Global South. This relaunch, under the overarching theme “Interpretive Policy Analysis Community: Renewing Critical Dialogue, Building Connections,” seeks to renew both the format and the experience of these meetings, strengthening more collaborative and interactive approaches while expanding the reach, diversity, and depth of debate in the field. IPA2026BR will take place at the University of Brasília (UnB), at the Darcy Ribeiro Campus, located in the Plano Piloto de Brasília, Brasil. The seminar unfolds in a territory shaped by intellectual and political projects associated with foundational critical thinkers such as Paulo Freire and Darcy Ribeiro. The choice of Brasília is not merely logistical, but political: the city is positioned here as a decolonial hub for the production and circulation of critical interpretive knowledge in public policy. The event is supported by the Critical Policy Studies Journal (CPS), the Critical Interpretive Policy Studies Network (ipa.science), and the International Public Policy Association (IPPA), as well as by the National School of Public Administration (ENAP) and the Foundation for Support to Research and Technology (FINATEC). IPA2026BR combines interactive and agile methodologies, articulating academic production, territorial experiences, and decolonial perspectives. It also seeks to reduce the environmental impacts associated with long-distance travel while reinforcing Brasília’s role as a hub for global and macro-regional circulation of knowledge. You can explore the full proposal and program here: https://www.ippapublicpolicy.org/conference/14a-ipa-cnference-br/28 Beyond academic panels, the seminar offers an expanded experience of learning and exchange. The program balances intellectual debate, territorial immersion, and formative activities. It will include advanced workshops, ethnographic walks across Brasília, and visits to insurgent democratic initiatives in the Federal District, alongside dedicated time for discussion, networking, and research group meetings. We believe this initiative may resonate with your work, as it seeks to foster both the collective construction of critical knowledge in public policy and dialogue across diverse theoretical traditions, including Latin American critical thought and other situated perspectives. Call for Papers The Call for Papers is now open. We warmly invite the submission of extended abstracts (up to 500 words) aligned with the thematic tracks of the panels, all developed and coordinated by members of the Scientific Committee. Submission period: April 15, 2026 – June 12, 2026 Notification of acceptance: July 25, 2026 Full paper submission deadline: September 29, 2026 Please note that this is an in-person event. Explore our eight panels, organized and led by members of the Scientific Committee, on the website. We are confident that at least one of them will be of interest to you! https://www.ippapublicpolicy.org/conference/14a-ipa-conference-br/28 In addition to panel submissions, calls for advanced workshops will be published on the website starting May 15. Registration for ethnographic walks and visits to insurgent democratic initiatives will open soon and close two months prior to the event. Governance and committees IPA2026BR is supported by a strong international network of scholars committed to academic excellence, including an Executive Organizing Committee, an International Advisory Committee, and a Scientific Committee composed of 61 researchers from 18 countries, reflecting a diverse and plural academic community. Full details are available on the website! We warmly invite you to visit the website, explore the proposal, submit your work, and join this international space of ideas, practices, and dialogue. This is an opportunity to contribute to a more plural and situated production of knowledge, attentive to the inequalities shaping the global field of public policy, and to engage with multiple epistemologies, particularly from the Global South. For any further information, please feel free to contact us at: ipa2026br@gmail.com We very much hope to welcome you to Brasília! Best, Preeti -- Dr Preeti Raghunath, SFHEA Lecturer in Digital Media and Society School of Sociological Studies, Politics and International Relations University of Sheffield, UK 🌐preetiraghunath.com