Call for abstracts for the Conference of the International Research Society on Public Management

Civic engagement and social capital: The role of police trustworthiness

Conference of the International Research Society on Public Management

University of Bologna, Bologna (Italy): 7-9 April 2025 (physical participation only)

Panel convenors 

Eckhard Schröter (German University of the Police, Germany); eckhard.schroeter@dhpol.de

Jean Hartley (Open University, UK); jean.hartley@open.ac.uk

Nicky Miller (Open University, UK); nicky.miller@open.ac.uk

Kathryn Quick (University of Minnesota, USA); ksquick@umn.edu

Brad Cotton (University of Edinburgh)  brad.cotton@ed.ac.uk

Corresponding chair: Eckhard Schröter eckhard.schroeter@dhpol.de

Review group chair: Eckhard Schröter eckhard.schroeter@dhpol.de

Panel theme

The creation and maintenance of public order and safety involve activities of public authorities, for-profit security providers, non-profit or voluntary associations, and residents. Simultaneously, the policing of society often creates or reinforces lines of conflict between different segments of society or between security agents and residents. It follows that trustworthiness and trust among all actors involved play crucial roles in whether civic engagement in ways which foster safety are successful. This panel invites contributions on shaping factors in policing approaches, particularly on issues of institutional trust, trustworthiness, integrity and legitimacy, which can be involved in safety, policing, and other security initiatives.

The panel is open to a broad range of theoretical approaches that adequately address core questions of trust and trustworthiness in policing arrangements (including theories of public legitimacy and trust, co-production of public services, civic engagement, collaborative managements as well as theories of police integrity, organizational culture and change management.

The panel invites theoretical expositions as well as theoretically informed empirical papers, maintaining a diversity of research designs and methodological approaches (including large-N, survey-type quantitative research and qualitative work using case studies or ethnographic methods in organization research). In particular, we welcome genuinely comparative contributions across country borders, time horizons, levels of government or sectors.

Submission of abstracts

Deadline: 28 October 2024

We welcome abstracts addressing the panel theme and fitting the formats offered by the panel. The panel in its entirety will be conducted in the English language and will use two different formats (using standard equipment only, such as computer projectors and flip charts for presentations):

• Standard panel presentations with discussants: Academic papers to be presented, with each paper to be given, ahead of time, a discussant, so that there is time for the paper, the discussant and general discussion among the participants. Discussants will be guided to be constructively challenging, with the aim of helping the presenter to improve their paper for publication.
• Roundtable discussion: We intend to hold a particular round table on police integrity and trustworthiness with speakers from countries with differing approaches to policing to compare cross-national perspectives and explore the links to public management regimes. If you are interested in participating or you wish to submit a roundtable idea, please contact the panel convenors directly in the first instance.

Submissions, based on a short description of no more than 500 words (including abstract), should be made through the IRSPM conference system ExOrdo.

When submitting your abstract, please note that the conference will be organized as a ‘physical event only’ event. Therefore, please ensure that you are: a) committed to participate in person in Bologna and b) do not propose a paper presentation in hybrid or online modes.

https://www.irspm.org/conference-2025/conferences/call-for-abstracts-1