Complex security narratives in South Asia are deeply intertwined with historical conflicts, post-colonial territorial disputes, terrorism and increasing geopolitical rivalries. While they pertain to a range of state-centric and non-traditional security challenges, a more comprehensive, interconnected, and inclusive understanding is needed. This understanding should also factor in South Asia’s geopolitical context and potential within the emerging 21st Century world order. Understanding and addressing these narratives is crucial to promote stability, contribute to regional peace, address shared security challenges, and help secure a sustainable and inclusive future for the region’s diverse populace. South Asia can strive towards peace, stability, and prosperity by building trust, promoting economic integration, and fostering diplomatic engagement.
Addressing both shortcomings and opportunities requires a paradigm shift towards a more inclusive and comprehensive approach to security, addressing pressing traditional security threats but also encompassing human security concerns and regional cooperation. By re-evaluating and deconstructing security discourses and their assumptions and concepts, policymakers and scholars can work towards fostering a more stable and secure South Asia that prioritises the security and welfare of its diverse populations.
In light of the rapidly changing and interconnected global geo-political, geo-economic and geo-strategic environments, which significantly impact the security narratives in South Asia, it is imperative that we rethink narratives on security at play in the region and about the region. The issues raised in this concept note need reflection, research, and deeper insight, not merely as an academic exercise but also for meaningful inputs into the policy-making process.
Articles, Commentary and (relevant) Book Reviews, are invited from scholars and practitioners, and may be submitted to editor@ifrs.org.au following publication guidelines which can be accessed here.
Preference will be for papers on:
- Security narratives in/about particular countries in the region
- Security narratives in/about the region
- Critique or articulation of either of traditional or non-traditional security narratives (or both)
- Relevance and impact of security narratives on policy-making.
Papers must be submitted in English, but versions may be submitted in the national language(s) of the author if the paper is accepted, and once edited.
* See the accompanying concept paper by Prof Ajay Darshan Behera, Editor, South Asia for Security Challenges, accessible here.