Welcome to The International Association for the Study of Popular Music UK and Ireland Branch

About IASPM

The International Association for the Study of Popular Music (IASPM) is an international organisation established to promote inquiry, scholarship and analysis in the area of Popular Music. Founded in 1981, IASPM has grown into an international network of almost 600 members world-wide. The organisation’s activities include conferences, publications, and research projects designed to advance an understanding of Popular Music and the processes involved in its production and consumption. To build a large and diverse body of knowledge of Popular Music, IASPM is interprofessional and interdisciplinary. It welcomes as members anyone involved with Popular Music. To preserve its autonomy, the association remains independent of all commercial and governmental interests.

The executive committee of IASPM UK and Ireland:

Chair: Simon Zagorski-Thomas (UWL)

Membership Secretary: TBC

Treasurer: Jan Herbst (University of Huddersfield)

Ireland Rep: TBC

ECR Rep: Sam Murray (University of Liverpool)

PGR Rep: Ivan Mouraviev (Bristol)

Newsletter Editor: TBC

Member-at-Large: Sarah Hill (Cardiff)

Webmaster: Simon Barber (Birmingham City University)

IASPM UK & Ireland branch statutes 

1. Name and Seat

The name of the association is ‘The International Association for the Study of Popular Music UK and Ireland Branch’ (IASPM UK&I).

2. Aim

The aim of the association is to provide in the UK and Ireland, an interdisciplinary and interprofessional organization for promoting the study of popular music, operating as a regional branch of the International Association for the Study of Popular Music (IASPM).

The association is a non-profit organisation with no formal political ties. The activities of IASPM UK&I shall be compatible with the aims, functions, interests and statutes of IASPM.

3. Membership

The association has to have at least 5 members. All IASPM UK&I members will be subscribed to the international parent body, IASPM. Membership is confirmed on payment of fees. Members have access to UK&I and international email lists, are able to submit papers to IASPM Journal, and speak at IASPM conferences.

4. Executive Committee (EC)

Applicants to the EC must be IASPM UK&I members. Election to the EC will ordinarily be for 2 years, although committee members may leave at any time. Elections will take place at the branch conference general meeting, voting will be possible in person and by postal and email votes cast in advance. A call for applications for election will be give via the IASPM UK&I email list at least 2 months before the conference. Candidates for the EC will be circulated at least 2 weeks before the conference, to allow email and postal votes.

The EC will consist of at least a chair, treasurer and membership secretary. The successful proposer of the next conference should be co-opted as an EC member. Other posts on the EC may be added as appropriate, such as Ireland Representative, Postgraduate Representative, Web Manager, or Communications Officer.

IASPM UK&I EC are responsible for collecting international IASPM dues from members and transmitting them annually to the IASPM EC.

5. Conference

An IASPM UK&I conference is held usually every 2 years. Only IASPM members (from any branch) may present at the conference. A member of the IASPM committee is to be a member of the organising committee and must be invited to each meeting of the organisers. Any member of IASPM UK&I may propose to hold the conference. The conference organisers will be chosen at an AGM. Usually a call for proposals will be released prior to each conference for proposals for the subsequent venue. Conference organisers will be required to include the IASPM AGM in the programme, at a time agreed by the executive committee. This would usually be on a middle day of the conference, in the middle of the day (i.e. not the first or last day, not at 9am or 5pm). Accounts of the conference income and expenditure must be submitted to the executive committee by the organisers within 12 months of the conference.

6. General Meeting (GM)

A GM will take place at the conference, every two years. Additional general meetings may take place at IASPM International Conferences, and additionally if there are particular reasons to do so. General Meetings must have at least 5% of members participating to be quorate, including virtual participation. Meetings must be quorate to make changes to the constitution or make official policy. Changes to this constitution will need a two thirds voting majority.  Branch accounts will be presented at the conference GM.