Call for Abstract

We are inviting a number of high-profile International Relations scholars to deliver keynote speeches and address key themes in the plenary session. The conference will bring together established and emerging academics, as well as representatives from governments, international organizations, and civil society across Asia and beyond. We welcome abstract submissions that align with the designated panel topics.

Abstracts should be 250–300 words and include the following components: author name(s) and affiliation(s), paper title, selected panel, background (context and urgency), research objective and specific aim, analytical question, method, and preliminary findings (if available).

Rationale

Drawing on Thucydides’ insight that “the strong do what they can, while the weak suffer what they must,” ICON-IR 2026 is grounded in the contemporary reality of a fragmented global order shaped by great power rivalry, unilateralism, and the weakening of multilateral institutions. As major powers prioritize narrow self-interests, lesser powers and small states increasingly face marginalization, uncertainty, and neglect. In this critical context, ICON-IR 2026 positions lesser powers not merely as passive victims, but as potential agents of change capable of advancing cooperation, diplomatic innovation, and renewed multilateralism, and invites scholarly and practical contributions that examine how these actors survive, adapt, and assert relevance in today’s global politics.

Panels