Topics

The topic of this year’s academic event is Transformation of State and Professional Practices in International Security. The field of international security has undergone a tremendous change during the past two decades. Although the traditional threat of interstate war has not been eliminated, new issues have emerged on the international peace and security agenda such as human rights, cyber security or climate change. The state is still the key international security actor, but it is no longer “the only show in town”. Non-state actors such as international organizations, multinational corporations, NGOs or private security companies play increasingly important roles in the field of international security. Technology is advancing at the staggering pace, progressively shortening the periods needed for the invention of new game changers. The state is not withering away but rather adapts to the new environment through engaging in new forms of governance. As a result, the practice of international security is undergoing deep transformation.

As of late, a torrent of research has been devoted to studying theoretical and practical implications of this fundamental change. Interestingly, very little attention has been paid to the ramifications of this transformation on traditional professional practice of international security, particularly on diplomacy, policing and the military. Drawing on insights from International Relations, Security Studies and Sociology of Professions, this conference wishes to raise the following questions: What are the consequences of state transformation on professional international security practices such as the military, the police and diplomacy? What is the impact of privatization of international security on those professions? Is the social standing and autonomy of these professions intact or are they being challenged by the deep transformation of the field of international security?  How are their professional culture and ethos affected by new technological and political transformations?

We are also interested in the following issues: relationship with the state; democratic control and oversight; education and training; evolving codes of practice; professional advancement; conflict resolution and regulatory bodies; public relations and public scrutiny; professional specialization; cross-professional cooperation and competition; commercialization; internal competition and professional hierarchies; professional deviations; professional socialization; transnational epistemic communities etc.

How to apply:

All submissions must include the applicant’s CV (two pages at most) attached to his/her paper proposal (up to 400 words). Submissions should be made electronically to jrs@fpn.bg.ac.rs, and titled “Call for paper proposals for BSF 2013”.Deadline for submissions is 1 May 2013. Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration. All successful candidates will be contacted by 20 May. The organizers will provide financial support for travel and accommodation expenses of selected participants on a need basis that should be explicitly stated in the application. After the conference, all the papers will be peer-reviewed for publication in the Journal of Regional Security.

• Other

• General/no specific focus
• International; Other

• Social Sciences