Maria Zaitseva’s participation in the 2026 virtual research meeting of the American Political Science Association
On April 15–16 2026, Maria Zaitseva, a teaching assistant in the “International Communications” program, took part in the 2026 virtual research meeting of the American Political Science Association.
Topic: “Horizontal Party Linkages and Democratic Resilience”
The research group brought together scholars and practitioners from various countries, including India, the United States, and Ukraine. Participants discussed key challenges facing contemporary politics — from polarization to opportunities for cooperation.
Focus areas included:
political polarization and cooperation
party systems and interparty alliances
electoral dynamics and coordination
democratic resilience in times of crisis and war
the role of informal networks and external actors
As part of the group’s work, discussions also addressed external influence on electoral processes in different countries around the world, particularly the ways in which Russia and China exert such influence.
The meeting concluded with the identification of directions for future collaboration and joint research.