The 7th NTS-Asia Consortium Annual Conference

Abstract

The Asia-Pacific region is experiencing the effects of rapid geopolitical shifts characterised by intensifying great power competition and emerging conflicts in the last few years. With the theme of “Changing Geopolitics and Impacts on Non-Traditional Security Challenges in the Asia-Pacific,” this year’s 7th NTS-Asia Annual Conference brings together NTS-Asia members and experts from across the Asia-Pacific to deliberate on the significance of such geopolitical dynamics on a wide range of NTS issues in the region, and to explore effective policies to respond to pressing challenges.

The 1.5-day conference features four panel sessions that combine theoretical insights with rich empirical cases. The first panel on Rethinking Security in a Shifting World Order sets the stage by discussing the conceptual foundations of NTS within International Relations and examines how great power rivalry, especially with the return of Trump to the U.S. presidency, reshapes multilateral approaches in the Asia-Pacific. The second panel on Climate, Food, and Economic Security then looks at the sectoral implications of such shift, specifically at the intersection of climate change, food security, and environmental resilience. With the theme of Gender Issues and Resource Distribution in the Asia-Pacific, the third panel delves into various vulnerabilities facing the region—from the threats posed to inclusive peacebuilding efforts to the new geopolitics of critical minerals— by discussing how rising conservatism, political instability, and diminishing support for civil society actors shape the future of peace and gender-responsive governance, and how ASEAN countries are positioning themselves in the contested terrain of critical minerals. Last not least, the fourth panel Digitalisation, Peacebuilding, and Human Security offers an interdisciplinary lens on resilience in times of geopolitical change by highlighting how communities navigate identity politics and shifting narratives on digital space, and how health diplomacy can serve as a peacebuilding tool in times of crisis.

The conference will conclude with a discussion on the future agenda for the NTS-Asia Consortium.