This is a guest post by Beth DeSombre, Camilla Chandler Cross Professor of Environmental Studies at Wellesley College. 

When I was program chair for the ISA conference the last time it was in New Orleans, I decided to use my chair’s prerogative to add an event to the program: the inaugural ISA Cabaret. It was essentially an open mike performance – some people signed up in advance; others decided that evening to play, and I brought a guitar to lend. The Cabaret ran for one more year, but foundered for lack of long-term institutional support.

Thanks to the advocacy of Neta Crawford and the support of program co-chair Lily Ling (along with co-sponsorship from MIT Press, and University of Massachusetts Boston programs in International Relations and Global Governance and Human Security), and in honor of our return to New Orleans, the Cabaret is back!

Thursday evening between 8 and 11 p.m. (in Grand Salon 3 of the Hilton) we’ll be playing music for anyone who wants to listen. (Refreshments are available too.) About half the performance slots are taken with the others available for sign-ups at the event (or email edesombr@wellesley.edu) before then if you’d like to reserve a time to play.

In the two years the Cabaret ran previously, I heard comments from many that it was the highlight of the conference for them. ISA has so many places where we try to impress each other with how smart or academically accomplished we are. Here’s a place where we can relax and hang out. You may discover that your colleagues have hidden musical talents you hadn’t known about.