WSF Conference 2016

Deadline for abstract submission is November 15, 2015

Download here: Call for Papers

The forces of globalization seem to be giving way to those of geopolitics. And while it is still important to focus on what is common to the global community, we are also compelled to try and understand those shifting tectonic forces that are drawing the world back to geopolitical tensions epitomized by the Russian annexation of Crimea and support for pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, the continuing disorder and migrant crises in the Middle East, and disputes over islands, atolls, and air space in the South and East China Seas. There are, obviously, many other examples.

Return of Geopolitics seeks to provide a forum for experts from different countries and disciplines to meet, exchange views, and assess the extent to which today’s geopolitical resurrection of boundaries has eclipsed yesterday’s de-bordering globalization processes. The conference will also consider the implications of this rise of geopolitics for future international tension, conflict, and war.

We welcome papers related – but not restricted to – the following topics:

• The Geopolitics of the EU’s Economic Crisis
  
• The Migrant Crisis in Europe
  
• The rise right-wing parties in Europe
  
• Hegemonic Decline and Emerging Conflicts
  
• New Directions in Geopolitical Thinking/Theory
  
• Russia and the Ukraine
  
• German and Russian Relations Today and Tomorrow
  
• The Geopolitics of Disorder in the Middle East
  
• Iran and Saudi Rivalry
  
• The Islamic State (ISIS, ISIS, Daech)
  
• Turkey’s Geopolitics
  
• Iran and Nuclear Weapons
  
• The US and the Middle East
  
• Russia and Syria
  
• Geopolitics of the Syrian Civil War
  
• China and the US: Competition and Cooperation
  
• Russia and China: Competition and Cooperation
  
• Maritime claims in the South China Sea
  
• Re-Militarization of Japan
  
• North Korea and East Asian Politics
  
• The Future of War: Is Symmetric War Coming Back?
  
• The Geopolitics of Cyber Security
  
• China’s New Silk and Maritime Roads
  
• Conflicts and competition in the Indo-Pacific
  
• The Geopolitics and the Environment
  
• China vs. US trade: RCEP vs. TPP
  

The Conference will be held April 4-5, 2016 at the University of Arizona (USA).

The Return of Geopolitics conference is spread over two days, Monday, April 4th and Tuesday, April 5th.

The World Society Foundation will provide financial support for travel to and from the conference. Hotel accommodations will be for three nights (Sunday to Wednesday). It is incumbent on those who wish to stay longer (earlier or later) to make their own hotel arrangements.

Abstract Submissions will take the form of a 1-page abstract. Send your abstract via email to: geopoliticsconf@gmail.com. The deadline for abstract submission is November 15, 2015. Authors of accepted abstracts will be invited to elaborate their proposal into a draft paper (of 15-20 pages). Notification of acceptance or refusal of abstracts will be given end of November 2015. The deadline for delivering the draft paper is January 15, 2016. The authors of the most outstanding papers will be invited to the conference. Notification of selected papers will be given end of January 2016.

Outstanding conference papers will be published in a conference volume. Author’s full papers are required after the conference if they want them to be considered for the conference publication.

Albert J. Bergesen (University of Arizona), Sallie Marston (University of Arizona), Christian Suter (University of Neuchâtel), Thomas J. Volgy (University of Arizona).

The main sponsor of the conference is the World Society Foundation (Zurich, Switzerland). In addition the conference is supported by the International Studies Association and the School of Sociology, University of Arizona.