IPSA RC26 on Human Rights

Board 2025-2027

 

Chair

Alex Sander Xavier Pires

PhD in Political Science (Brazil, 2012-2015) and a PhD in Legal and Social Sciences (Argentina, 2006-2009), with post-doctoral studies in constitutional justice (Portugal, 2014) and human rights within the culture of peace (Spain, 2022-2023). He has been teaching for almost thirty years, and currently teaches in bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programmes as an associate professor in the Department of Law at the Autonomous University of Lisbon (UAL), having previously taught regular courses in Brazil and Argentina; at the same university, he is the coordinator and doctoral researcher of the Research Group on Culture of Peace and Democracy linked to the Ratio Legis — Research and Development Center for Legal Sciences, and deputy director of Galileu, a Law and Economics journal. He is also a doctoral researcher at the JUSGOV — Research Centre for Justice and Governance linked to the University of Minho (Portugal), and Collaborating Researcher at CEDIS – Research & Development Centre on Law and Society linked to the NOVA School of Law (Portugal). In addition, he is affiliated with numerous prestigious scientific associations worldwide, such as: Chair of RC26 on Human Rights from the International Political Science Association (IPSA), member of the French Political Science Association (AFSP), and member of the International Association of Constitutional Law (IACL). He is a lawyer registered with the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB), actively participating in Class Committees, and is currently a member of the Economic Rights Committee; he is also a member of the Constitutional Law Committee of the Brazilian Lawyers Institute (IAB). He is the author of several books and scientific articles in the fields of Law, Political Science and Philosophy of Law and Politics.

 

Personal website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-sander-pires-076094124

Chair-elect

Anju Gupta

 

She currently serves as the Associate Dean and Head of the Department of Political Science and Liberal Studies at JECRC University, Jaipur. She holds an illustrious academic profile with multiple advanced degrees: Master of Arts (M.A.),
Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.), Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.), Master of Laws (LL.M.), and
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Political Science. She qualified the prestigious National Eligibility Test (NET) conducted by the University Grants Commission in June 1998.

With a dedicated research focus on Indian Government and Politics and Indian Political Thought, Ms. Gupta has contributed significantly to the academic discourse in these areas. Her scholarly contributions include:
● 1 research paper in a Scopus-indexed journal,
● 4 research articles published in UGC-CARE Group I journals,
● 3 peer-reviewed articles in national journals,
● 2 authored books, and
● 1 book chapter in an edited academic volume.
She has actively participated in 35 national and international conferences, where she has presented 32 research papers and has also chaired multiple sessions in both national and international seminars, showcasing her academic leadership and subject expertise.

Dr. Gupta is also a recognized international academic figure, serving as a Board Member of the Human Rights Research Committee (RC-26) of the International Political Science Association (IPSA). Her role in this globally reputed organisation reflects her ongoing engagement with human rights and political scholarship at a global level.

At JECRC University, Dr. Gupta plays a pivotal role in advancing interdisciplinary
education, fostering a research-intensive environment, and promoting civic and
policy-based discourse. Her mentorship and institutional contributions continue to
nurture the next generation of scholars, thought leaders, and policy professionals.

Vicechair

Jedrzej Skrzypczak 

 

He is Head of the Department of Media Systems and Media Law and Chair of Research Committee 26 on Human Rights of the International Political Science Association. Author of numerous expert opinions in this field. His academic interests focus on several research areas: freedom of expression, censorship, propaganda, and human rights.
He completed a research internship at the European University Institute, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, Center for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom in Florence. He participated as an expert in the CMPF EUI project “Media Pluralism and Strengthening Journalism in Europe: Tools, Networking, Training and Media Policy,” implemented by the London School of Economics. He graduated from the Annenberg-Oxford Media Policy Institute (2018). He participated in the European Union DESTIN international project (2019–2022), which aimed at preparing curricula for universities in Ukraine in the field of Journalism and Social Communication.
He has been/is a member of the American Political Science Association, the Polish Political Science Association, and Vice President of the Polish Press Law Scientific Society.

In previous terms, he served as a member of the RC26 Board and as treasurer of that committee. At the World Congress of IPSA in Lisbon in 2021, he was nominated as Chair-Elect. During the 2023–2025 term, he has served as Chair of RC26 of IPSA.
He is the author of numerous scientific papers, studies, and monographs, including:
•    “Media Policy in the Period of Digital Conversion of Radio and Television,” Poznań 2011 (honored by the National Broadcasting Council for the best scientific publication in the field of electronic media in 2011),
•    “Reaction to Media Criticism. Protection of Personal Goods in the Era of New Media,” Poznań 2017 (honored in 2019 by the Mojsiewicz Award),
as well as (co-)editor of volumes such as:
•    “Professionalism in Journalism in the Era of New Media” (co-editor: J. Sobczak), Logos Verlag Berlin 2015;
•    “Religious and Denominational Media in Poland and the World” (co-editor: J. Sobczak), Poznań 2015;
•    “Media Law in the Time of Liquid Modernity: Hot Topics in European and Polish Media Law” (co-editors: J. Skrzypczak, J. Sobczak, K. Kakareko), Logos Verlag Berlin 2017;
•    “Coping with Media and the Internet in the Contemporary World” (J. Skrzypczak, ed.), Poznań 2020;
•    “The Role of the Media in Shaping Physical Activity and Pro-Health Interests in Students” (J. Skrzypczak, T. Wallas, eds.), Logos Verlag Berlin 2022;
•    “Minorities, Free Speech and the Internet” (co-editors: Oscar Pérez de la Fuente, Alexis Tsesis, Jędrzej Skrzypczak), Routledge 2023;
•    “Lessons for Implementing Human Rights from COVID-19. How the Pandemic Has Changed the World”(Jędrzej Skrzypczak, Oscar Pérez de la Fuente, eds.), Routledge 2025, 208 pp., ISBN 9781032765600;
•    “Bridging the Digital Divide: Perspectives on Inequality and Discrimination in the Digital Age” (Oscar Pérez de la Fuente, Jędrzej Skrzypczak, eds.), Palgrave 2025.
He is a member of the editorial boards of scientific journals such as “Strategic Review,” “Central European Political Studies,” and “Cognitive Science and Media in Education.”
From 2011 to 2016, as a candidate of Adam Mickiewicz University, he was elected by the National Broadcasting Council to the Supervisory Board of the Regional Broadcasting Station of Polish Radio in Poznań, serving for two terms as Vice-Chairman. In 2016 and 2022, he was a candidate of opposition parties in the Polish Parliament for the National Broadcasting Board. Since 2017, he has been a member of the Audit Committee of the collective management organization of copyright and related rights of the Association of Journalists and Publishers “REPROPOL”.
He graduated from the Faculty of Law and Administration (1995) and the Institute of Political Science and Journalism (1996) at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań.
He has frequently been recognized by the Rector of Adam Mickiewicz University, the Dean of the Faculty of Political Science and Journalism, the Local Press Association, the District Council of Attorneys in Poznań, and “Forbes” monthly magazine.
He is an attorney-at-law and judge of the District Disciplinary Court in Poznań, he was delegate to the District and National Congress of Attorneys-at-Law, and a member of the Higher Audit Commission of the National Chamber of Attorneys-at-Law in Warsaw.

 

Secretary

Furqan Ahmed

He is currently pursuing M.Phil. in European Studies from the department of Area Study Center for Europe, University of Karachi. He is serving in the capacity of Senior Research Associate at the South Asia Research Institute for Minorities, SARIM and also serving as member advisory board for the journal of humanities and social sciences at Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Chair, University of Karachi. He is a celebrated researcher and academic among his peers with analytical point of view about contemporary topics in human rights, minority rights, politics, climate change, diplomacy, cricket, and international Relations. Furqan Ahmed is a goal-oriented team player committed to excellence with 1 1 + years of organizational development and strategic planning, communication, networking, program design, compliance management and monitoring, M&E, research, fundraising, and project delivery experience contributed to the rights and protection of women and Human Rights Defenders, Activities, G ender Mainstreaming and peacebuilding while directly serving approximately 400 women and professionals. He has d emonstrated expertise in interfacing, negotiating, compliance, and regulation, and cultivating relationships with key development sector actors for a diverse array of development initiatives in and outside Pakistan. His distinctive approach to media’s impact is highly acclaimed among the industry leaders.

Board

 

 

Cassius Guimaraes Chai

Treasurer

 

 He is Full Law and Geopolitical Professor Universidade Federal do Maranhão (PPGDIR/Law) (PPGAERO/Aerospace Engineering) and Faculdade de Direito de Vitória (PPGD/Law). IPSA member. State Prosecutor (MPMA/Brazil). Member of the European Society of International Law, International Association of Prosecutors, International Association of Penal Law, Law and Society, International Association of Law, International Criminology Society, Associação Brasileira de Pesquisa e Pós-graduação em Direitos Humanos, Director of the Interamerican Observatory on Health and Citizenship, Member of the Scientific Council of the Brazilian Academy of International Law, External Program Recipient the Hague Academy of International Law 2011. Member of the G20 Research Center on International Cooperation Beijing Criminal College. Superior War College 2019 Diploma on Politics and Strategies.

 

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5893-3901. cassiuschai@gmail.com

 

Oscar Pérez de la Fuente

Executive editor

Associate Professor (accredited as Full Professor) of Philosophy of Law and Political Philosophy at Carlos III University in Madrid, Spain. He has written several books and articles on cultural diversity, human rights and judicial interpretation in specialised scientific journals. Coordinator of the Cultural Pluralism and Minorities Workshop. 

Recent publications:

-Pérez de la Fuente, Oscar, Tsesis,Alexander, Skrzypczak, Jędrzej (eds.), Minorities, Free Speech and the Internet, Routledge, 2023; 

-Jedrzej Skrzypczak, Oscar Pérez de la Fuente (eds.), Lessons for Implementing Human Rights from COVID-19. How the Pandemic Has Changed the World, Routledge, 2025; 

-Pérez de la Fuente, Oscar, Skrzypczak, Jędrzej (eds.), Bridging the Digital Divide. Perspectives on Inequality and Discrimination in the Digital Age, Palgrave, 2025.

Personal website: http://www.oscarperezdelaafuente.com

 

Mr. Thiruppathi P.

He is a Ph.D. research scholar at the Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bengaluru, specializing in the political communication of Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu. His research critically examines activism, populism, and welfare as tools of political communication in Dravidian Tamil politics. He aims to deepen the understanding of political discourse and its influence on public policy, with a particular interest in ideological politics and communication strategies. His work focuses on electoral tactics, identity mobilization, and democratic participation, with broader implications for regional party dynamics in India. He holds an M.A. in Comparative Literature from the University of Hyderabad and an M.A. and M.Phil. in Political Science from the University of Madras. He served as a reviewer for the IAPSS World Congress Conferences in 2024 and 2025. As the Chair of Comparative Politics in the Student Research Committee (CP-SRC) of the International Association for Political Science Students (IAPSS).

 

Ms. Sanghamitra Mallick 

She is a Ph.D. (UGC-SRF) research scholar, awaiting her Ph.D. defence at the Department of Politics and International Studies, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India. She is a Research Associate at BITS Pilani K.K. Birla Goa Campus, India. She is a first-generation Dalit Student with a master’s degree in Political Science from Ravenshaw University, India. Her doctoral research focuses on the Geopolitical Implications of China’s Belt and Road Initiative in the Indian Ocean Region: The Case of Sri Lanka, based on her field studies in Sri Lanka. She has published in Sage Journal (Scopus-indexed) and UGC-Care listed journals and works as a reviewer of Sage and other peer-reviewed journals. She presented her research paper in national and international conferences at the University of Warsaw, Poland and at the 28^th World Congress of Political Science (IPSA) in Seoul.  She is the Chair of the Asia and Oceania Student Research Committee of the International Association of Political Science Students (IAPSS). Sanghamitra is interested in exploring the cultural footprints of Buddhism and its interlinkages with Human Rights.

 

Matthew Manuelito S. Miranda

He is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science, University of the Philippines Diliman. In 2017 and 2018 respectively, he obtained his Bachelor of Arts – Honors (magna cumlaude) and Master of Arts – Honors degrees in Political Science at the same university. He teaches social, economic, and political thought and theories from ancient to contemporary political thinkers. He serves in the Department’s Library, Quality Assurance, and BA-MA Honors (Political Science) Committees. He is also a current board member of the International Political Science Association (IPSA) Research Committee 26 on Human Rights. He had also worked with the UP Center of Integrative and Development Studies (UP CIDS) as a consultant and project director.

Overall, his research interests involve the discourse of human rights, intersectionality of human identities, and social constructivism. He aims to compile a dataset on human rights and anti-discrimination policies especially in Southeast Asia and the Philippines. Specifically, his tenure publication and lecture studies the policy-framing and comparative discourse analysis of Philippine anti-discrimination ordinances. He has presented his research in national and international conferences including the IPSA’s 2025 World Congress. Through his teaching and research, he seeks to help socially marginalized sectors gain a voice in society.

Website: https://polisci.upd.edu.ph/faculty/mmiranda/

 

Yukti Gupta

She is a dedicated academician and researche scholar from Banastahli Vidyapith (Rajasthan, India) specializing in International Relations. She has done her higher education degrees from prestigious institutions like Miranda House, University of Delhi and holds Rajasthan University Gold Medal in M.A. Political Science. Currently, she serves as an Assistant Professor at JECRC University, Jaipur. Ms. Yukti is a Young Leaders for Active Citizenship Fellow and has assisted parliamentarians with their research projects.

She has published widely, with her work appearing in prestigious journals, books and newspapers. She has presented research papers at national and international conferences, exploring topics like India’s foreign policy, soft power, and women’s empowerment. She is also recognized for her leadership, having held various roles during her academic journey and earned numerous accolades.

 

 

Laitinjam Muhindro

He is serving as Director of the Research and Development Cell and Head of the Department of Human Rights at S. Kula Women’s College under Manipur University. He passed MA Political Science from Manipur University; PG Diploma in Human Rights from Indian Institute of Human Rights, New Delhi, Ph. D from the Department of Political Science, Manipur University, and Post-Doctoral Fellow under (UGC-TEC Mauritius Fellow) from University of Mauritius and recipient of Short-term Doctoral Fellow ICSSR, New Delhi; UGC FIP Doctoral Fellow; and Senior Research Fellow, ICSSR New Delhi.

He has been involved in different academic administration and management in various capacities as Coordinator – Human Resource and Research Innovation Centre (2019-23), Coordinator – Human Rights Study Centre, (2008-2021) Project & Research Officer – Women’s Studies Centre, (2009-2021) Coordinator – IQAC (Internal Quality Assurance Cell (2016- Feb. 2021) Project Coordinator– UGC STRIDE – C1 – (2019-22), Nodal Officer: University Activity Monitoring Portal UGC, Member – Academic Council 2021-23, Member – Board of Studies UG, Manipur University 2022-23, Project Coordinator –           ICSSR Major Research Project – 2023 till date at S. Kula Women’s College.  

Besides, he belongs to different academic associations like: Member -International Political Science Association; Human Rights RC 26-IPSA, American Political Science Association, International Foundation for Electoral Systems, Indian Political Science Association, Indian Sociological Society, New Delhi.

His academic-related achievements include – 

• Prof G. Ram Reddy, IPSA National Award 2020 by the Indian Political Science Association, conferred during 59^th All India Political Science Conference, 
• International Award 2020: PERFICIO AWARD – Educational Supporter of the Year 2020, conferred by DHS Foundation, New Delhi and CAMPBELL University, North Carolina, USA.

He has completed 11 research projects including – (2023) Human Security and Police – Public Relation: Changing Dynamics of Public Confidence in Manipur, funded by ICSSR – New Delhi; (2015) Insurgency and human rights in the emerging electoral trends: Shifting paradigm in conflict state, Manipur – under UGC New Delhi; (2009) Human Rights and Election in Conflict Zone (An empirical study on Hill Districts of Manipur 1995-2007), UGC/NERO; (2009) Human Rights and Armed Conflict (An experience in Manipur in contemporary 2000-2007) under IGNOU/EDNERU

His 33 research papers have been published in reputed peer-reviewed and UGC Care Listed Journal and Scopus, some of them may be mentioned – 

• Corruption and Governance: An assessment on BJP led NDA Government in contemporary – Indian Journal of Political Science Vol. LXXIX, Issue -4, October- December, 2018
• Human Rights in A Decade’s Back in Manipur, International Journal of Current Advanced Research, Vol. 7 Issue – I, January 2018
• Electorate’s Consciousness in India and Mauritius: Quantum of Electoral Integrity, Indian Journal of Political Science. Vol. LXXVIII Issue -4, October- December, 2017
• Dynamics of ethnic politics in conflict state Manipur: Repercussion on representative democracy, Indian Journal of Political Science, Vol. LXXVI, No. 3, July – September 2015
• Human Rights And Plight of HIV- Women: A case in India, Indian Journal of Political Science, Vol. LXXXI, No. 2, April- June, 2010
• Political Dialogue of NSCN-IM and Government of India: an Introspection, South East, Asia Politics, Vol. 7, Issue.6, October 2008
• Political Morality and Ethics in Indian Polity, Indian Journal of Political Science, Vol. LXIX Issue. 2 Apr.-Jun. 2008

He has published 2 books as sole author in 2015 – Consciousness of Voting Effect: North East India’s Experience, LAMBERT, Germany Academic Publishing, GMB, H & Co, ISBN 978-3-8484-3657-6; and in 2022 – Human Rights Electoral Integrity in India and Mauritius, Adhyyan Books Publication, New Delhi. He also published 8 edited books out of which some of them that connects human rights issues may be mentioned – 2013 – Conflict Transformation, Peace and Ethnic Divide in India’s Northeast: The Context of Recent Trends, in 2013 Emerging Electoral Trends and Violation of Human Rights: A Paradigm of Exacerbating India’s Democracy; in 2021 – Citizenship Illegal Immigration and Politics; in 2013 – Human Rights Impact of COVID-19; in 2023 – Human Rights and Global Pandemic, in 2024 – Crimes against Women: Chronological Record; in 2024 – Emerging Issues on Rights and Equality

He has published under UGC E-content Program (NME-ICT-under MHRD), EMRC- Manipur University, on human rights issues for undergraduate courses in 2013 – Human Rights Movement during the Freedom Struggle- EMRC- Manipur University; 2014 – Civil and political rights Movement During Indian freedom struggle; 2014- Social, Economic and Educational Rights Movement – EMRC- Manipur University; 2014 – Human Rights Education and role of NGOS, 

He has presented 92 research papers in national and international conferences/seminars/ workshops, and delivered keynote addresses 14 times. His areas of interest include Election Studies, Armed Conflict, Human Rights, and Peace Studies. He is also Editor-in-Chief – SKWC Journal of Social Sciences, (international peer-reviewed journal) ISSN 2278- 2737 

 

 

Bruno Konder Comparato
Universidade Federal de São Paulo