What is next?

Throughout its editions, the IPA Conference has developed a thematic overview that not only reflected the intellectual concerns of each moment, but also helped shape the evolution of interpretive policy analysis as a field. Early themes focused on democracy, governance, and methodological reflection, establishing a basis for examining how power operates through meaning-making practices. As the conferences progressed, recurring motifs such as Discourse, Power, and Politics emerged in successive editions, underscoring the field's commitment to unraveling how language, symbols, and interpretive struggles influence public action. Editions such as Cardiff’s “Discursive Spaces: Politics, Practices, and Power” and Tilburg’s “Societies in Conflict: Experts, Publics, and Democracy” broadened the conversation by examining how publics, expertise, and political practices intersect in contested environments. Subsequent conferences, including Wageningen’s focus on “Governance and Beyond: Knowledge, Technology, and Communication in a Globalized World” and Lille’s emphasis on “Policies and Their Publics: Discourses, Actors, and Power,” expanded interpretive inquiry into transnational issues, technological mediation, and the complex relationships between actors, publics, and political discourses.

After 2016, part of the IPA community gravitated towards the International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP/IPPA), held biennially, where the interpretive strand has consistently attracted strong participation. Others found their place at events such as ASPA or in national and regional networks, for example, the Netherlands Interpretive Group (NIG) and similar initiatives in the UK and elsewhere. These spaces have been vital for sustaining interpretive work and cultivating community in different contexts. At the same time, the absence of a conference dedicated to IPA has altered the collective landscape. Without a regular, shared focal point, opportunities for smaller gatherings, intensive methodological experimentation, and sustained, field-defining exchange have become more dispersed. For some, this period is experienced as one of dispersion or fragmentation; for others, it reflects a diversification of spaces and trajectories. These different narratives coexist within the community. What is widely shared, however, is the recognition that the many vibrant groups and networks that currently exist have largely operated in parallel, and that there is a growing desire to better connect and te these spaces, creating a renewed sense of collective purpose across the interpretive tradition.

Now, in 2026, we are relaunching the IPA conferences in a renewed format designed to be more inclusive and environmentally responsible. The conference will unfold through three interconnected events, one in South America, one in Oceania, and one in Europe. This structure seeks to reduce our carbon footprint while enabling broader participation across regions. At the same time, it strengthens and expands our global network of critical-interpretive scholars in public policy.