Towards a new ‘comprehensive security’ in the Gulf

The 6th Annual International Conference of the Gulf Studies Center

7th-10th November, 2021

Rationale

Since the beginning of the 21st century, the Gulf region has encountered multiple new and old security challenges of different natures. Among others, these challenges included:

Intermittent political unrest provoked by the events of the 2010 – 2011 Arab Spring
Socio-economic grievances caused by domestic mismanagement, structural problems and corruption
Rise to power of non-state actors that challenged the existing governments, borders and regional order
Traditional inter-state conflicts driven by old feuds
Regional proxy wars fueled by some power ambitions to shape the future of the Gulf
Sanctions and economic blockades imposed both from inside and outside of the region
Growing food, water and energy insecurity that is directly connected to long-neglected environmental issues of the region
Transformation of oil and gas markets that negatively affects the volume of revenues ensuring socio-political stability of Gulf states
Finally, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic reminds the Gulf on the necessity to ensure health and social security for both expats and nationals.

This list of issues faced by the region within the last twenty years is incomplete and can be continued. Yet, it already demonstrates that the Gulf – considered here as the six GCC states, Iran, Iraq and Yemen- is far from being secure. Existing threats are diverse in nature and capable to affect both domestic politics, state-society relations, economic development and foreign policies of every Gulf state. What is more important is that the existing diversity of the nature of threats makes classical approaches towards regional security obsolete and often inapplicable of searching for potential answers to existing challenges: the majority of traditional approaches are based on hard power and military deterrence doctrines and cannot deal with the new set of multi-dimensional threats.

Under these circumstances, the top priority of the 6th Annual Conference, organized by the Gulf Studies Center, is to discuss original approaches that may address the wide range of threats faced by the Gulf countries starting with traditional military security challenges and ending with the latest issues such as environmental, health, economic, food, water, energy, human, and cyber security challenges. Applicants are welcome to submit Gulf-related contributions in any of the five broad areas listed below:

Military security
Political security
Economic security
Societal security
Environmental security

Submission details:

Abstract submission:

An abstract of around 500 words should be sent as an email attachment along with the author’s biography to GSEvents@qu.edu.qa by 31st July, 2021. Abstract or paper proposal should include, in the same order, the following:

Title
Name, title, and institutional affiliation of the author(s),
Email address,
Abstract (up to 500 words),
Brief resumé focusing on recent research publications (150 words).

Papers in English and Arabic are welcome, but even if the final papers are in Arabic, the abstracts should be submitted in English as well.

While reception acknowledgment will be sent to every submission immediately, only letters of acceptance will be sent by 16th August 2021.

Full Paper submission:

The full paper should be sent by 15th October 2021. The length of the submitted paper should be no less than 5,000 words and no more of 10,000 words, including references and footnotes. The center expects to publish a selection of the presented papers in an edited volume.

Due to the current existing restrictions provoked by the Covid-19 pandemic, the conference will be held virtually.