ISSM

ISSM
Name	ISSM

ISSM is an international scholarly organization focused on the interdisciplinary study and practice of subjects related to social sciences, international studies, and specialized management fields. Founded by a coalition of academics, practitioners, and institutional partners, the society developed networks linking universities, think tanks, and policy institutes. Over time it became noted for convening conferences, publishing peer-reviewed research, and operating professional development programs that connect scholars from diverse institutions such as Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Oxford, London School of Economics, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

History

The organization traces roots to collaborative workshops held among researchers from Columbia University, Princeton University, Yale University, University of Cambridge, and University of Chicago in the late 20th century. Early milestones include a founding congress attended by delegations from United Nations, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Commission, and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Subsequent decades saw strategic partnerships formalized with Brookings Institution, Chatham House, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Council on Foreign Relations, and RAND Corporation. Major events such as symposia at United Nations General Assembly side events, workshops at European Parliament venues, and colloquia at International Monetary Fund facilities shaped its trajectory. Notable collaborations involved scholars associated with the Nobel Prize laureates, recipients of the Pulitzer Prize, and fellows from the MacArthur Foundation.

Mission and Objectives

The society’s stated mission emphasizes advancing rigorous inquiry, fostering practitioner–scholar exchange, and promoting evidence-based approaches among institutions including National Academy of Sciences, British Academy, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Royal Society, and Academia Europaea. Objectives include convening cross-disciplinary dialogue with participants from United States Department of State, European Commission, African Union, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation; supporting capacity building programs connected to World Health Organization, UNESCO, UNICEF, and International Labour Organization; and disseminating research through channels linked to Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Springer, Taylor & Francis, and SAGE Publications.

Organizational Structure

Governance typically comprises a board of directors and advisory councils populated by elected and appointed representatives from institutions such as University of California, Berkeley, University of Toronto, University of Melbourne, Peking University, and Tsinghua University. Administrative offices coordinate activities with liaison offices at regional centers including Asian Development Bank Institute, African Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and Gulf Cooperation Council secretariats. Professional staff roles are informed by models used at American Council on Education, International Institute for Strategic Studies, Institute of Development Studies, Center for Strategic and International Studies, and Asia Society. Committees oversee finance, ethics, conferences, and publications, often populated by fellows affiliated with Helsinki Commission, Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences, and national academies.

Programs and Activities

Core programs have included annual congresses, regional workshops, executive education, and online webinars with partners such as Harvard Kennedy School, INSEAD, Wharton School, Columbia Business School, and IESE Business School. Activities frequently feature panels with speakers from United Nations Development Programme, World Economic Forum, G20, ASEAN Summit, and B20; training modules co-developed with OECD Development Centre and International Finance Corporation; and collaborative projects alongside Peace Research Institute Oslo, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, International Crisis Group, and Transparency International. Student-led initiatives liaise with associations like Model United Nations, Young Professionals in Foreign Policy, and Scholars at Risk.

Membership and Partnerships

Membership categories span individual scholars, institutional members, student affiliates, and corporate partners drawn from Google, Microsoft, IBM, Goldman Sachs, and McKinsey & Company. Institutional partnerships include agreements with universities such as Syracuse University, Johns Hopkins University, Georgetown University, King’s College London, and National University of Singapore. Collaborations extend to foundations and donors like Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Ford Foundation, Open Society Foundations, and Gates Cambridge Trust. Regional chapters coordinate with municipal actors including City of New York, Greater London Authority, Paris Métropole, and Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

Research and Publications

Research outputs include peer-reviewed journals, monographs, policy briefs, and digital data repositories distributed through outlets such as Science, Nature, The Lancet, Foreign Affairs, and Journal of International Affairs. Editorial boards often feature editors from The Economist, Financial Times, The New York Times, The Guardian, and Le Monde. The organization maintains thematic working groups that publish in collaboration with publishers like Routledge and institutes such as Center for Global Development, European Council on Foreign Relations, and Migration Policy Institute.

Awards and Recognition

The society administers prizes and fellowships that have been awarded to scholars and practitioners associated with Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences winners, recipients of the Right Livelihood Award, Tang Prize laureates, and recipients of the Fields Medal in related quantitative work. Awards ceremonies have been held at venues including Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, and United Nations Headquarters, often attended by dignitaries from European Commission President, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, President of the United States, and ministers from multiple national cabinets.

Category:International learned societies