Four panels proposed for XXII IPSA World Congress to be held at Madrid, Spain from July 8-12, 2012

Panel One: Changing role of military in the 21st century

Militaries in the 21st century are required to play not only multi-faceted but complex roles. It is expected to play a more proactive role in promoting democratization, modernization, social stability and resilience, human security and peace, etc. It is not only responsible for protecting national integrity, sovereignty and culture but also responsible for paving the way for globalization through multi-ethnic and multi-national forces fighting for a common cause beyond the national borders just as war on terrorism. Our research group covers a range of topics, such as, dealing with insurgencies, providing humanitarian aid, managing natural disasters, civil-military relations and militarization of justice. Proposals are welcome related to any such theme.

Panel two: Changing role of military within a country

Of late, we find geostrategy playing an important role as the subfield of geopolitics and geoeconomics. It has altered the role of military in a big way. It involves matching means to ends as per country’s resources. It can justify imperial or hegemonic designs in some cases or render military’s too much involvement in politics as redundant due to technological advancements and/or fast means of communication. In a knowledge-based and technology-driven modern economy, military may be found more engaged in solidifying security personnel or seeking global resources. With the rise of the NGOs, global integration of the economy and privatization of security, geo-economic norms have become more important in international relations than geopolitical concomitants. Pakistan military is now forced to look for enemies in terms of the jihadis within its territory and Germany‘s military is proposing withdrawal from the nuclear option after the recent hazards faced by Japan. Paper/panel proposals related to political economy of militaries are welcomed.

Panel Three: Comparative study of military’s role in two or more countries

Our research Committee specially encourages comparative study of the military’s role in two similar of different set ups. For instance, one can study military’s role in India and Pakistan, Pakistan and Turkey, Nigeria and Ghana, etc. It is also possible to make a comparative study of the role of militaries in South-east Asia, Latin American or African countries on regional basis .The idea is to trace the impact of socio-cultural, political, geographical or economic factors on the civil-military relations and/or the impact of civil-military relations on the political and economic development of a country. We would welcome papers related to revolutionary changes in the role of military or those explaining civil-military relations in any two or more countries in complex political environment. An attempt may be made to trace the role of military in the two emerging powers - India and China.

Panel Four: Future of military or the military in future

This panel provides vast opportunities to our scholars explore the future of militaries or the role of militaries in future in a more innovative way. We look forward to interesting proposals on unlimited themes, such as, human-robot interactions in future military operations, Islamophobia, reorientation of military education and training towards peace-keeping roles, engendering peace and security, cosmopolitan militaries fighting for a common cause - war on terrorism, divergence of civil-military relations, the laws related to armed conflicts and insurgencies, managing defense transformation, dealing with ethnic minorities within military, greater role of military in nuclear developments, improving the role of UNO in ensuring collective security, revamping the militaries, exploring the role of militaries working in collaboration with police forces, tracing the role of militaries in democratization and/or prevention of major crisis.