Research Committees

RC35 statutes were drafted by George Graham and Alberto Marradi and adopted by a majority rate at the RC35 business meeting during the 13th ISA Congress in Bielefeld, July 21, 1994. They were then replaced by unanimous vote by the following statutes drafted by David Strecker on behalf of the board at the RC35 Business Meeting held on August 2, 2012 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, during the 2nd ISA Forum of Sociology.

Preambulum

The Committee on Conceptual and Terminological Analysis (COCTA) promotes discussion of and research on conceptual and terminological issues within the social sciences. COCTA developed out of an Open Meeting at the 1970 World Congress of the International Political Science Association (IPSA) and was initiated by Fred Riggs and Giovanni Sartori with the aim of providing a forum for the clarification of basic social science concepts. COCTA was recognized in 1976 as IPSA RC01 (now active as 'Concepts and Methods'), in 1978 as RC35 of the International Sociological Association (ISA), and has at times also been institutionally represented within the International Social Science Council (ISSC) and the American Political Science Association (APSA). Today, as ISA RC35, COCTA continues to provide a lively forum for the discussion of social science concepts. COCTA advances academic exchange in the field of conceptual analysis specifically by participating at ISA congresses, organizing conferences, promoting publications and maintaining a newsletter.

Article I: Objectives

The Committee on Conceptual and Terminological Analysis (COCTA) is a Research Committee within the International Sociological Association (ISA) aimed at promoting discussion of and research on conceptual and terminological issues within the social sciences.

Article II: Membership

Members shall either be regular members or affiliated members. Regular members shall be individuals or institutions in good standing within the ISA. Affiliated members shall be individuals or institutions interested in the activities of this Research Committee, who are not members of the ISA. All regular and affiliated members of this Research Committee shall be entitled to participate in the discussions about organizational matters at the General Business Meetings which are to be held at least once every four years and to vote as individual members according to the principle "one member, one vote", meaning that one institution also has one vote. All regular and affiliated members shall be entitled to participate in the scientific activities of the Research Committee and to receive its newsletter free of charge. All regular and affiliated members of the committee shall be obliged to uphold the Research Committee's present Statutes and to adhere to the stipulations of the present Statutes, to conscientiously fulfill the tasks entrusted to them by the General Business Meeting or other bodies of the Research Committee, and to pay their fee for the respective period (i.e. 4 years). This fee shall be fixed by the Board of the Research Committee at each General Business Meeting for both individual members and organizations. The respective amounts to be paid shall be specified in the By-Laws to the present Statutes.

Article III: Governing Bodies

The Research Committee is governed by a Steering Board consisting of a President, a Secretary, and at least three other Board members. The Secretary shall serve as the Research Committee's Treasurer, unless this role has been specifically assigned to another Board member at elections. The Steering Board is elected for a term of four years, and its members are re-eligible. The President shall not serve more than three consecutive terms. If vacancies arise in the period between elections, the President may fill them by appointment in accordance with the ISA Statutes. In case of the death, incapacitation, resignation, or other inability of the incumbent to carry out the responsibilities of the office of the President, the Research Committee's Secretary or one of the other Board members, identified by the Board, will assume the responsibilities of the President of the Board. Each member of the Board must at all times be a member in good standing of the ISA in accordance with the ISA Statutes, and a member in good standing of the Research Committee on Conceptual and Terminological Analysis. Each member of the Steering Board has one vote. The Board may establish ad hoc committees for administering specific functions.

Article IV: Electoral Procedures

The Steering Board of the Research Committee on Conceptual and Terminological Analysis is elected according to the following procedures: All regular and affiliated members of this Research Committee have the right to nominate candidates for its Board. Nominated candidates shall be regular members of the Research Committee. Regular members may nominate themselves. Nominated candidates shall confirm their preparedness to accept the respective position on the Board in case they are elected and to remain a regular member in good standing for the duration of their mandate. Nominations and the respective confirmations of preparedness shall be collected by an Elections Officer. The Research Committee's Secretary shall serve as Elections Officer, unless this role has been specifically assigned otherwise. Elections are held either at General Business Meetings or by mail or email, as determined by the Board. The Secretary shall inform all members of the Research Committee about the next election at least twenty weeks before the election day.

In case of elections held at a General Business Meeting, all members of the Research Committee are entitled to request a list of the nominated candidates at any time up to ten weeks before the elections from the Elections Officer. The Elections Officer shall send a list of all the candidates nominated and prepared to accept a position on the Board if elected to all members of the Research Committee at least one week before the General Business Meeting. Further candidates may be nominated at the General Business Meeting. The size of the Board to be elected for the next term of four years as well as the function and designation of the offices to be filled in addition to the President and the Secretary are determined by the General Business Meeting prior to the election.

In case of elections held by mail or email, the Elections Officer shall send a list of all potential nominees for the next elections (all regular members of the Research Committee) to all the members of the Committee at least twenty weeks before the election day. The Elections Officer shall prepare a ballot listing all nominated candidates along with the respective positions on the Board. The ballot shall be sent to all regular and affiliated members of the Research Committee by mail or email at least ten weeks before the election day. Regular and affiliated members shall send their ballot by mail or email to the Elections Officer.

Article V: Responsibilities and Duties of the Officers of the Governing Bodies

The Board shall provide a newsletter or equivalent to the membership at least twice annually. The Board shall take responsibility for the organization of the Research Committee's sessions at ISA World Congresses and for organizing at least one mid-term conference. The President designates the Research Committee's Delegate and Alternate to the Research Council. The Secretary shall organize the General Business Meetings and the meetings of the Board in co-operation with the President, assist the President in organizing the work of the Board and in observing the fulfillment of its decisions, serve as Newsletter Editor in case no other Board member has been entrusted with this duty, oversee the collection of the membership fees and other incomes, prepare the financial report to the Board to be accepted by the General Business Meeting, and realize the financial relations between the Research Committee on Conceptual and Terminological Analysis and the ISA. The Treasurer must be discharged of his/her financial responsibilities by the General Business Meeting.

Article VI: Final Regulations

Proposals for amendments to the Statutes or By-Laws may be made by any member of the Board, or by any five members in good standing of the Research Committee on Conceptual and Terminological Analysis. Amendments may be voted on either at General Business Meetings or by mail or email.

In case of amendments to be voted on at General Business Meetings, such a proposal must be received by the Board at least twenty weeks before the day of the General Business Meeting at the next ISA World Congress. The proposal will be circulated among all members of the Research Committee, together with an explanation of its rationale, at least ten weeks before the day of the General Business Meeting at the next ISA World Congress. The Board will be entitled to propose amendments, to be circulated at least ten weeks before the day of the General Business Meeting at the next ISA World Congress. The proposed amendments will be put to the consideration of the General Business Meeting, and adopted if approved by a three-quarters majority of the attendant Research Committee members.

In case of amendments to be voted on by mail or email, such a proposal must be received by the Board at least one year before the vote. The proposal will be circulated among all Research Committee members, together with an explanation of its rationale, at least six months before the vote. The Board will be entitled to propose amendments, to be circulated at least two months before the vote. The proposed amendments are adopted if approved by a two-thirds majority of all Research Committee members in good standing.
 

By-Laws

Membership Fee

The membership fees are fixed as follows: US-$10 for a period of four years irrespective of type of membership.