What is ‘Critical’ in South Asian Geopolitics? Statist vs Beyond the Statist Discourses – prof. Niloy Ranjan Biswas from University of Dhaka, Bangladesh 9.01.2024 ladesh
Center for French Culture and Francophone Studies at the University of Warsaw, Faculty of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Warsaw invite you to the “Geopolitical Tuesday” seminar entitled:
What is ‘Critical’ in South Asian Geopolitics?
Statist vs Beyond the Statist Discourses
with the participation of prof. Niloy Ranjan Biswas from University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
which will be held on Tuesday 9th of January 2024 at 3 pm (CET)
Inscription: seminarium.okf@uw.edu.pl
The seminar will be held in English.
Abstract:
This lecture will shed light on the question through the statist and alternative theoretical lenses. Among the theoretical alternatives, the focus will be on critical, constructivist, and feminist approaches. The lecture presents the theoretical diversity and a possible eclectic approach, rather than a singular narrative of the futures of South Asian borders and geopolitics. Recent years have seen the re-emergence of traditional geopolitics in South Asia and the wider world. The withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces from Afghanistan, India’s border conflict with China and Pakistan, and the Rohingya refugee influx in Bangladesh are among some of the principal issues. India’s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizenship (NRC) have adverse effects on its bilateral relations with Bangladesh. Various forms of ethno-nationalist struggles, state responses to such armed rebellions, and the consequent human rights repercussions are also widely documented. The cases are not limited to Sri Lanka’s Tamil insurgency or Pakistan’s Baloch insurgency, the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh and India’s troubled Northeast have also been longstanding security concerns from both the perspectives of national security and human security. While much has been written on the historical roots of issues affecting the South Asian states and having cross-border implications, there are few futuristic and theory-driven assessments of the South Asian border and geopolitics. In addressing the prevailing knowledge gap, it is important to look at border and geopolitics through the lens of territorial space but also explore the extent to which cyberspace, outer space, ecology, and human relations come to prominence in debating South Asian futures.
Bio:
Dr. Niloy Ranjan Biswas is a Professor at the Department of International Relations, University of Dhaka. In 2016, he completed his PhD in International Politics from City, University of London. He was a recipient of the Fulbright Fellowship (2010-12) to pursue a second Master’s degree in Security Policy Studies at The George Washington University, Washington DC. In 2017, he completed the United States Institute of Peace (USIP)-Resolve Fellowship to conduct a post-doctoral study on community policing and its challenges in preventing violent extremism. He was the country-lead research fellow to conduct a three-year-long research on Measuring Opportunities for Women in Peace Operations Study in collaboration with the Armed Forces Division, Prime Minister’s Office, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. The Governments of Canada and Norway jointly fund this research project and falls within the Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations framework. Dr. Biswas has several academic and policy publications to his credit. He has co-authored his first book on Rohingyas and violence-protection dialectic, published by the University of Dhaka and University College London; co-edited four books and authored thirty-five journal articles and book chapters. He has written extensively on law-enforcement agencies, deradicalization and preventing violent extremism, refugees and forced migration, security governance reform, and South Asian regional contributions to United Nations peace support endeavors. His most recent articles are published in Bandung Journal of Global South (Brill), National Security (VIF), Asian Journal of Comparative Politics, The Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs, International Peacekeeping (Taylor & Francis), Journal of International Peacekeeping (Brill), Promoters of Peace (BIPSOT) Journal, Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) Journal and Mirpur Papers (Defense Services Command and Staff College, Bangladesh). He frequently visits the Bangladesh Foreign Service Academy, Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operations and Training (BIPSOT), National Defense College, Defense Services Command and Staff College, and Bangladesh Ansar & VDP Academy as guest speakers and subject-matter experts.