Created at the 18th World Congress of the IPSA (Quebec City, 2000), GEPANC (Political Studies Group on Contemporary North Africa, or RC-51) gathers political scientists, economists and other social scientists studying the dynamics of political change in North Africa (Morocco, Mauritania, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt), providing them with international academic exchanges and a platform for discussion, free of political interference.

Objectives :

It gathers researchers studying North Africa from the political sociology, the sociology of the public communication and medias, the international relations and the compared politics, in order :

to use the theories and analytical paradigms offered by Political Theory, Sociology and Political Economy for a better understanding of contemporary North Africa;

to use contemporary North Africa as a laboratory of observation to understand political phenomena, and more particularly, the mechanisms of "democratisation" and "liberalisation";

to promote intellectual exchanges between members and to share their findings.

Activities :

To carry out these objectives, GEPANC :

organizes and hosts an online discussion forum. Found at : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gepanc/, this forum is reserved exclusively for regular members of GEPANC and is used occasionally for "virtual conferences".

puts out academic publications. Its first collective book, Challenging the Hypothesis of the "Clash of Civilizations”, gathered the observations of eighteen authors from four continents and has already been published by Laval University Press in Quebec City.

participates in the triennial congresses of the International Political Science Association (hereafter IPSA) as well as its publications

Organizes, between the congresses of the IPSA, conferences and workshops which allow its members to present and discuss their research.

Financing :

The group raises the funds (contributions, grants, subsidies...) necessary for its activities. At each triennial congress, it presents to its members a statement of income and expenditures as well as a list of contributors. The group does not accept financial assistance, directly or indirectly, from political institutions (government or civil) except with the unanimous agreement of its Executive Board.

Members :

In accordance with the rules of the IPSA, only members of national associations affiliated with the IPSA or individual members of the IPSA can become members. To join GEPANC, please complete and submit the membership form available at : http://www.com.ulaval.ca/gepanc/membership_form.html

Exécutive Board :

At each triennial meeting, the group elects an Executive Board, comprised of a chair and vice-chairs, in accordance with the rules of the IPSA. The Board runs GEPANC, organizes its activities, and implements its regulations.

Affiliation :

The Political Studies Group on Contemporary North Africa is affiliated with the IPSA, paying its fees and adhering to its code of academic ethics. It's also affiliated with both the Department of Information and Communication Studies of Laval University (Quebec City, Canada) and the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of Mohamed V University (Agdal-Rabat, Morocco).