Committee
Chair: Greg Claeys – term of election ends 2025
Secretary: Zsolt Czigányik – (until 2025)
Treasurer: Kenneth Hanshew – term of election ends 2026
EDI Officer: Marta Komsta - term of election end 2026
Alexandra Sippel, Artur Blaim, Barnita Bagchi, Burcu Kayışcı Akkoyun, Fátima Vieira, Jose Eduardo Reis, Nathaniel Coleman, Nicole Pohl, Sorin Antohi, Susanna Layh – until 2025
Conference Organisers:
Corin Braga (until 2025)
Iva Dimovska (until 2026)
Constitution and Regulation
1. The Utopian Studies Society (Europe), (hereinafter referred to as "the Society") is an inter-disciplinary society that aims to co-ordinate and encourage the diverse work currently taking place on the subject of utopianism.
2. Members of the Society are individuals who pay Society Fee. All members of the Society are entitled to vote in Society elections and on all matters decided on during the Annual General Meeting and are eligible to be elected for office. Membership in the Society signifies assent to its rules and protocols.
a. The Society Fee is separate from the Conference Fee. It is not possible to participate in a USS/E Conference without paying the Society Fee. It is possible to be a member of the USS/E without attending the USS/E conference/s.
b. Exemptions to the Society Fee will be provided based on the individual’s circumstances and granted by the 3 Society Officers (Chair, Secretary, Treasurer). The Society Fee for those exempt will be covered with Society funds.
3. The Society shall promote the study of Utopianism by whatever means its committee deems appropriate, for example by holding conferences or lectures, or encouraging publications in related fields of study.
4. All USS/E conferences will be hybrid events. An Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Society shall be held online during every USS/E conference.
a. The quorum for the AGM of the Society shall be 30 members. If the quorum is not reached, another meeting is called within 30 minutes.
b. All voting on Society matters and voting for positions within the Society will take place electronically. All members of the Society (as defined in point 2. above) are entitled to vote. The voting will start at the start of the annual USS/E conference and close at the end of the day when the AGM takes place. Results will be announced at the conference closure.
5. At the Annual General Meeting, a Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer, all other officers, and a Committee of up to 15 members will be elected.
a. The maximum size of the USS/E Committee will be 21.
b. The Committee members will be the 3 Officers (Chair, Secretary, Treasurer) and up to 18 members, which number includes Conference Organiser(s) invited to join the Committee every year prior to USS/E conference they organise and remain on it for the duration of 3 years in total.
6. A Bank Account in the name of the Society shall be opened. Instructions to the Bank and cheques may be signed by either the Chairperson or the Treasurer as a sole signatory.
7. Committee members will hold office for a period of three years, after which they are eligible to stand for re-election, provided they are duly nominated as noted in point 9 below.
8. Office holders may serve for more than six years if they are re-elected. If more candidates are elected than vacancies exist, those with the majority of votes will be elected.
9. Information on the elections to any positions within the Society and the bio-notes of the candidates will be sent out to all participants of the USS conference in advance of the AGM (if possible, one month before). Nominations for membership of the committee and the office-bearers will be made in writing in advance of the meeting. No nominations for any positions within the USS/E will be taken from the floor at the AGM.
10. Decision making within the committee is based on the consensus of those present at the Committee meeting.
a. if no consensus is reached, decisions are taken with the majority of 50% + 1
b. no Committee meeting can take place without a quorum (50% +1)
c. on some aspects decision-making via email is possible
The Committee is required to make decisions about Society procedures, for instance in the choice of a future conference venue, where time may be of the essence, and consultation with the membership may be unwieldy, it may by majority vote take preliminary decisions, such as soliciting proposals, without recourse to an AGM. An AGM will normally vote (electronically) to accept or reject such proposals.
11. The Committee is required to make decisions about Society procedures, for instance in the choice of a future conference venue, where time may be of the essence, and consultation with the membership may be unwieldy, it may by majority vote take preliminary decisions, such as soliciting proposals, without recourse to an AGM. An AGM will normally vote (electronically) to accept or reject such proposals.
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Utopian Studies Society
Click on the links below to view details on the specific meeting minutes from the Annual General Meeting of the Utopian Studies Society.
Minutes of the Committee Meetings of the Utopian Studies Society
Click on the links below to view details on the specific meeting minutes from the Committee of the Utopian Studies Society.
2021: 7th October online Committee meeting
2021: 19th October online Committee meeting
2021: 9th November COMMITTEE MEETING
2021: 4th December committee meeting minutes
2022: 6th June Committee meeting
2022: 18th September Minutes USSE Committee
2023: 2nd February Minutes USSE Committee
2023: 16th June Committeee Meeting Minutes
2023: 18th Dec Committeee Meeting Minutes