The Centre for Global Security Challenges Conference: New Ordering? World Politics and the Future of Global Challenges

The CGSC Conference will explore the shifting international order – and the contested concept of order itself – with a focus on what this means for the management of global challenges.

Conference theme

It is widely believed that the international order – however defined – is not merely in ‘transition’ but rather in a state of rupture. Yet the concept of ‘order’ in international relations and security studies remains deeply contested as an analytical device, as a normative framework, and indeed as a political goal. A heated debate about the future of ‘world order’ in transition reflects controversies about shifting distributions and dynamics of power, emerging regions and technologies, and the crumbling legitimacy and crisis of global governance and institutions. This debate has generated necessary critiques of the abuses of power, hegemony, exclusion, and inequality in international relations, but less clarity on what this implies for ‘global challenges’ and their management. Collective action around shared challenges – such as climate change, trade, nuclear weapons, migration, and armed conflict – relies, implicitly if not explicitly, upon institutions and norms to bring reciprocity amongst stakeholders, political commitment, and shared expectations. In this sense effective collective action requires order. This conference will facilitate discussion on the theme of ordering, broadly defined, to explore the state and future of ‘global challenges’ and their management.

• What do questions of world order and transitions mean for pressing global challenges such as climate change, nuclear weapons, geopolitical conflict, food security, etc.?
• What are the processes and dynamics of the ‘transitional international order’?
• What is being contested in such transitions – power relations, alliances, norms, institutions, culture, civilisations, identities, or ontologies…?
• What are the processes of re-ordering in regional and global contexts and how do they reflect counter-hegemonic forces and narratives?
• How does the concept of order and ordering shape security studies and IR debates and subjects broadly, including securitisation, armed conflict, conflict resolution, the technologies of security, the polycrisis, and the widening/deepening of the security agenda?

If you have any questions please get in touch with us at: cgsc@leeds.ac.uk.

Provisional programme outline

Thursday 21st May – Day one

10:00   Welcome (room LT B (2.37))

10.30am-12:15 Panel 1: Ontological Security and the Politics of the 'New Right' 

12:15-13:15    Lunch (will be provided at room LT D (3.32))

13:15-15:00    Panel 2a: Global Challenges in a Transitional International Order (room LT B (2.37))

13:15-15:00    Panel 2b: From Global to Local: Ordering Domestic Governance (room LT D (3.32))

15:00-15:30    Coffee break (room LT D (3.32))

15:30-17:00    Panel 3: Human Protection (room LT B (2.37))

17:00               Drinks reception (room LT D (3.32).

Friday 22nd May – Day two

11:30-13:00    Panel 5a: Order in Violent Conflict 1 (room LT B (2.37))

11:30-13:00    Panel 5b: Governing International Relations (room LT D (3.32))

13:00-14:00    Lunch (will be provided at room LT D (3.32))

14:00-15:45    Panel 6: Order in Violent Conflict 2 (room LT B (2.37))