Article I. Name

This section shall be known as the "Post-Communist Systems in International Relations Section" of the International Studies Association (ISA).

Article II. Purpose

In view of the dramatic changes that have taken place in international politics and in the former Soviet Union since the 1980's, the Post-Communist Systems in International Relations has three specific goals:

1. The Section seeks to identify the factors that have affected and will affect the relations of the United States and Canada with any or all of the states that have emerged from the former Soviet Union and to foster discussion of these factors by sponsoring panels and roundtables at annual meetings of the ISA. As the Section name suggests, the geographic scope of the Section's concerns embraces all 15 of the former Soviet republics, including the Baltic states, as well as the former Communist states of Central and Eastern Europe. The Section understands by its use of the phrase "Post-Communist Systems" that the scope of the Section's inquiry is not limited solely to intergovernmental relations, but extends to unofficial and transnational activity as well. A broad range of factors falls within the purview of the section's analysis. Domestic considerations and conditions in both the post-Communist states and the United States will play ever larger roles than they did previously in shaping relations. Such factors may differ in varying degrees from one of the post-Communist states to another, but there also may be relevant similarities in the situations of several or even all of them. Interaction between and among the post-Communist states is growing as the Newly Independent States (NIS) and the states of Central and Eastern Europe develop their opportunities to fashion ties with countries within and without the former Communist bloc. Such interaction is of growing importance in shaping their behavior towards the United States and countries in other parts of the world, as well as their impact on United States policy. Finally, diverse circumstances and trends in the world outside the boundaries of the former Communist bloc, particularly the expansion of the European Union and the future of NATO, will have an impact on the relations of these states with the United States, and with one another.

2. In attempting to stimulate and carry out analysis of the foregoing sort, the Section encourages and draws upon diverse methodologies, ranging from the strictly historical to the highly mathematical. Especially in an era of flux and rapid change, eclecticism in approach seems more likely to yield the kind of insights desired than any single conceptual framework. In addition, eclecticism promotes intellectual dialogue so vital to the health of the academic community.

3. The Section aims to promote the continuous expansion and diversification of its contact with scholars in the post-Communist states and will encourage more active participation of such scholars in the work of the Section and in the annual meetings of the Association. The Section believes that there are increasing opportunities to engage in meaningful discussions with a growing number of scholars from Central and Eastern Europe and the NIS. Inside Russia, the collapse of the Soviet Union has meant wider access to a highly trained group of scholars representing a wide array of disciplines and analytic perspectives. Through its efforts, the Section hopes to facilitate the development of vigorous networks of communication and collaborative research among scholars working in the post-Communist states. Article III Membership

1. The Section consists of North American and non-North American members of ISA, including scholars and others from the post-Communist states.

2. Every ISA member who signifies a desire to belong and meets whatever additional requirements may be established by the Section or its Executive Committee may be enrolled as a member of the Section.

3. To increase graduate student participation in the section, dues will be reduced for graduate students for a period of up to five years.

4. Dues for scholars from the post-Communist states will be waived until the Executive Committee determines that the hard currency situation has improved sufficiently to warrant reinvestment of dues.

Article IV. Executive Committee

1. The governing body of the Post-Communist States in International Relations Section shall be the Section Executive Committee.

2. The Executive Committee shall consist of eight members: four from regions not formerly part of the Communist bloc and two from the post-Communist states. The Section chair and other officers as may be temporarily appointed by the Committee to conduct Section business will also sit on the committee. Non-post- Communist states membership on the Executive Committee shall be for a period of two years, staggered so that two members will be elected each year. Members from the post-Communist states will have two seats for two years, staggered so that one member will be replaced each year. The two remaining seats on the Executive Committee will be filled by the two immediate past chairs of the Section.

3. The Section Executive Committee will meet annually during the ISA convention and at such other times as the chair may designate. All Section members have the right to attend and speak at Section Executive Committee meetings, but not the right to vote.

4. The Section chair in consultation with the Section Executive Committee will appoint standing and ad hoc committees for the Section including a nominating committee and a program committee. The Section chair will name representatives or liaison officers, as appropriate, for the ISA Assembly and the various standing committees of the Association. Members of the Section may serve on any of the section's committees.

Article V. Chairperson

1. The chairperson of the Post-Communist States in International Relations Section will be elected by the Section membership for a two-year term.

2. The Section Executive Committee may, at its discretion, also elect one or more vice-chairpersons or other officials deemed appropriate to carrying out the Committee's responsibilities.

3. The chairperson will preside over Section Executive Committee meetings and may call such special Executive Committee meetings as deemed appropriate.

4. The Chairperson will prepare an annual report of the Section activities for the ISA newsletter. Expenditure of Section funds is at the direction of the Section chairperson, who submits a financial report to the annual Section business meeting.

Article VI. Nominations and Elections

1. For the election of members of the Section Executive Committee and the Section chairperson, a nominating committee, chosen by the current Section chair in consultation with the Executive Committee, will present to the Section's business meeting at the ISA annual convention one name for each open position. Additional nominations may be made from the floor. The chairperson of the nominating committee, after ascertaining the willingness of all nominated members to serve if elected, will within a week of the annual meeting send ballots to all section members. Ballots must be returned to the chair of the nominating committee no later than 28 full days following the sending of the ballots.

2. The nominating committee should include an Executive Committee member, a non-Executive Committee member, and a former Section chairperson. If no former chairperson is available, then the third member of the nominating committee may be elected at the discretion of the chair in consultation with the Section Executive Committee. The Section chair will designate one of the three members of the nominating committee to be chairperson of that committee.

3. The post-Communist states will have two representatives, of which one must be from a country other than Russia. Every effort should be made to include individuals from a broad range of affiliations, such as government, universities, research institutions, and private organizations.

Article VII. Program Committee

1. Nominations for the Program Committee Chair for the next annual ISA meeting will be taken at the annual business meeting and will be voted on at that meeting. The Program Committee Chair in consultation with the Section Chair and Executive Committee will appoint members to the Program Committee as needed.

2. The Program Chair and Committee will be responsible for the organization of Section panels at the next ISA annual conference.

3. Special program organizers will be appointed to organize Section conference workshops and other undertakings. A committee chairperson or conference director will be appointed by the Section Chair in consultation with the Executive Committee, as required.

Article VIII. Meetings

1. There will be a business meeting of the Section at the annual ISA conference and at such other Section programs and meetings as the Section Executive Committee may determine.

2. The chairperson or his/her designated representative will preside over all business meetings and programs of the Section.

Article IX. Administration

1. The chairperson of the Post-Communist States in International Relations shall be responsible for the administration of the Section's affairs subject to the rules and regulations of the ISA and the Section.

2. The Section Executive Committee may solicit funds from external sources for Section-sponsored events or undertakings, but it may use the name of, or commit, the ISA only after consultation and agreement with its officers.

Article X. Amendments

1. Amendments to the Charter of the Post-Communist States in International Relations may be proposed by the Section Executive Committee to be submitted to the total Section membership by a mail ballot. Such proposed amendments will be adopted if endorsed by a two-thirds majority of members who return ballots within six weeks of the mailing date.

2. Amendments to the Charter may be submitted by any member, and if they are approved by a majority of Section members present and voting at the annual business meeting of the Section, they shall be submitted to the total Section membership by mail ballot. If endorsed by a two-thirds majority of members who return ballots within six weeks of the mailing date, such amendments will be adopted.

Article XI. Implementation of Rechartering