International Security in the Post-Pandemic Era: Threats and Opportunities

Conference Program

The interdependence between the economic, environmental, military, political or societal sectors of security represents a core debate in social sciences. Beyond its theoretical approaches, policy-makers strive to implement optimal strategies for assuring national security. In spite of the interest for national security, the experts, sometimes, fail to foresee the ‘black swans’ that generate serious dangers to the national security. The COVID-19 pandemics was one of the ‘black swans’ that made the world to the face one of the biggest security challenges since the beginning of the 21st century. This crisis made clear how and why the security sectors are interdependent and challenged the policy-makers and experts to identify solutions for maintaining the optimal functioning of societies.

This conference aims to bring together works addressing issues about the threats or opportunities to the national security raised by the COVID-19 pandemics. The papers can address – but not be limited to – one of the following questions:
        • How was security defined during the pandemic?
        • Why do / do not we have to rethink contemporary security?
        • How policy-makers or security actors should act after the pandemic?
        • How the security-liberty debate evolved during the pandemic?
        • What local, regional or global strategies should be implemented to ensure security?
        • How border securitization was assured during the pandemic?
        • How the security of economic sector was realized during the pandemic?
        • What opportunities for enforcing the national security has brought the pandemic?
        • How state surveillance was used to maintain the national security during the pandemic?

The event will gather a group of 30 researchers working on these topics in order to facilitate the knowledge sharing and a better understanding of current events. The organizers strive for a balance between established academics, early career scholars (PhD candidates may also apply) and practitioners. We encourage theoretical, empirical or methodological papers on any of the above outlined issues. Papers can cover any country or region of the world, there are no limitations in terms of geographical focus.

Depending on the quality, and scope of works, the organizers have in mind either a special issue in an international peer-reviewed journal or an edited volume with a high-profile publisher.

Papers

Papers will be presented in the following format: 15 min. presentation + 15 min. discussion. The papers will be included in thematic panels with one discussant per panel.

In line with the goals of this conference, three types of papers are encouraged:
        • Theoretical papers that discuss the definition and conceptualization of new perspectives in surveillance, security or state institutions. Such contributions should ideally bring a broad perspective of the concepts and relate them to existing analytical dimensions.
        • Methodological papers addressing specific issues or assessments related to surveillance, security or state institutions Contributions that bring innovative methods and data are particularly welcomed.
        • Empirical papers that seek to explain new developments, existing challenges, different forms of surveillance, security or state institutions in diverse settings, drivers of surveillance, functioning or consequences of security etc. Longitudinal analyses and comparative works are particularly encouraged. We have no preference for qualitative or quantitative techniques of analysis. However, we expect papers presenting single case studies to aim at building, testing, or modifying theories instead of being centered on individual instances.

Application procedure and costs

The language of the conference is English. Authors should fill in the application form (available here) until 10 September 2023. Early submissions are encouraged because the selection committee will assess them and will communicate the acceptance decisions on a rolling basis. Applications received after deadline will not be reviewed. For any further enquiries, please contact the organizers at gis@dsiic.ro.

There is no conference fee. The organizers will provide accommodation and meals for the entire duration of the conference. In case of co-authored works, the organizers will cover the costs for one author.

The conference program is available here.