Professional Associations in Early Career Scholar Development: Getting There Faster, Higher, and Stronger

Why do scholars join professional associations? The majority do so in order to present their research and network. While important, this is only part of the picture. Utilizing the case of the International Studies Association, we discuss how professional associations can act as a clearinghouse for resources on learning, networks, exposure, and community, and in doing so, help democratize the playing field for scholars. We pay particular emphasis to how early career scholars and instructors can maximize the resources available to them across in-person and virtual platforms to help them arrive at where they want to go faster, higher, and stronger.