The Oversight Project at American University Washington College of Law is hosting a research conference on the work of federal oversight and accountability institutions, including Inspectors General, the General Accountability Office, the Office of Government Ethics, the Office of Special Counsel, the Office of Management and Budget, and the role of the Congress in oversight and accountability of the federal government. Submissions (for papers, posters and panels) are welcome for this conference. Submit proposals via email through April 1, 2020.

Important Dates

• Submission of proposals for papers, posters, and panels: through April 1
• Notice of decisions to the submitting author: May 1
• Final, complete papers for presentation: July 31

Topic Areas

The program committee encourages submissions from diverse organizations, disciplines, approaches, and geographies on the following and related topics:

• Inspectors General, authorization, mission, practice, function, efficacy
• Government Accountability Office
• Office of Government Ethics
• Office of Special Counsel
• Office of Management and Budget
• Congressional oversight, congressional support for oversight community, congressional interaction with the oversight community
• Freedom of Information Act requests and litigation
• Judicial resolution of oversight disputes
• The impeachment process
• The role of the media and social media in oversight and accountability
• The role of civil society in oversight and accountability
• Interagency cooperation, intra-agency cooperation, conflicts and dispute resolution, and the role of CIGIE
• Proposed legislation
• Career development and preparation

Papers and posters

Submit an abstract of research (in progress or recently completed) and present the completed paper in a conference session or as a poster. The presentation format is best for work that has been completed, whereas posters are ideal for feedback on work-in-progress and completed work where detailed feedback and engagement is desired. Posters will be prominently displayed and provide an opportunity to discuss your research in detail with conference attendees.

Paper sessions generally include three presentations of selected papers, grouped by common topic, with a moderator. Presentations are 20 minutes, followed by a 10-minute discussion period. In the poster session, participants display materials that highlight their research and discuss such research with conference attendees. Posters should display the question, hypothesis, data, and results.

Submit proposals via email to through April 1, 2020.

Authors may present only one paper or poster at the conference, although they may also participate in a panel or be a coauthor of papers or posters presented by others. An author may submit multiple abstracts for consideration, but at most one will be accepted.

Papers not submitted in final form by July 31 will be removed from the program.

Important Dates:

• Submission of Abstracts: through April 1
• Notice of decisions: May 1
• Final accepted papers in full form due: July 31
• Final accepted posters due: October 20

Panels

Propose a panel discussion of a relevant topic. If your proposal is selected, you will be asked to organize the panel. Panels should convene a slate of experts to address current topics of interest to the oversight and accountability community. They should include:

• Three or four panelists plus a moderator. Participants may include scholars, policymakers, practitioners, and industry experts.
• 90 minutes of discussion, of which 30 are reserved for audience questions.

The submitter of an accepted panel is responsible for organizing the session.

Submit proposals via email through April 1, 2020.

When submitting a panel proposal, you should, in 500 words or less:

• State the panel’s objectives and topics
• Justify its relevance to the oversight and accountability community
• Explain the proposed composition of the panel and its diversity, including the perspectives and contributions that each participant will bring to the topic
• Include the participants’ names, organizational affiliation, and any other relevant identifying information

Submitters must ensure availability of all participants. Remote participation by panelists is discouraged but may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Important Dates for Panel Proposals:

• Submission of panel proposals: through April 1
• Notice of decisions: May 1

Any questions or comments? Email us.