1. World Order in Transition? Major Power Competition and Comparative Regional Conflicts (online/closed)
Chair: Dr. Sharyl Cross
This panel will explore implications of a shifting world order or lack of order for regional conflict clashes throughout the world. Panelists will employ international relations theories and frameworks to analyze sources and consequences of major power competition as the world security environment shifts from a unipolar to multipolar structure. Regional case study conflicts among panel papers will provide a basis for assessing similarities and differences in interests and strategies among competing major powers. The panel should yield research findings of relevance to both the academic and policy communities.
2. Neoclassical Geopolitics: Theory, Methodology, Empirical Case Studies (onsite/open)
Chair: Dr. Nuno Morgado
Neoclassical geopolitics has been emerging as a stream or a renovated body of scientific tools for the study of International Relations. The purpose of this panel is to focus on geographical and identity realities as the substance of the geopolitical approach and, therefore, increase the explanatory power of international phenomena by the neoclassical geopolitics’ stream. In this way, the core lines of this panel are designed by theories, variables, factors, and concepts, with the highest value for geopolitical analysis.
3. Post-Westphalian Approach to Sovereignty: Political Space through New Lenses? (onsite/open)
Chair: Dr. Martin Riegl
While the demise of the Westphalian state, predicted in the euphoria at the end of the Cold War, did not occur, the 21st century brought many new challenges to the established paradigm of Western-style sovereignty. The increase in anomalies in the political space – territorial terrorist groups, continued rampant warlordism, international business conglomerates and non-governmental organisations, stalled global integration, along with the continued de-territorialisation/re-territorialisation of traditionally powerful states – warrants the re-evaluation of the theoretical and conceptual prisms used to analyse our current world. This panel aims to discuss and evaluate novel or repurposed approaches to sovereignty to better capture the modern geopolitical reality.
4. West/East Dichotomy Rebirth: Othering in World Politics (onsite/open) [co-sponcores with RC15 Political and Cultural Geography]
Chair: Dr. Igor Okunev
Edward Said's concept of Orientalism begins by paraphrasing the writing of a French journalist’s view of contemporay Orient as an expression of a major common Western misconception about the East, as it is rooted in the Western self-projection. Said used the phrase “The Other” to describe the Western fascination with the Orient , raising a number of debates among the scholars on around an epistemological and ontological way of looking at the world. The aim of this panel is to re- visit debates, conceptions and perspectives on global politics resting on this Othering. Our scope is short time and long time readings, ranging from the last world conflicts and cooperation issues to methodological and epistemological critical geopolitics and reflections around this dichotomy.