On 16th November, 2019, the Department of International Studies and History, CHRIST(Deemde to Be University) in collaboration with National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) organised a research workshop to
promote young voices in the field of International Studies. The event was
titled “NIAS Strategic Forecast 2020” to accentuate the aim of the workshop
which was to create predictions for 2020 based on events happening in 2019. The
workshop saw participation of scholars from a variety of different institutes
such as Christ University, Stella Maris College, Jain University and NIAS
itself. The young participants also were diverse in their level of academics,
ranging from Masters to MPhil and PhD scholars to Research Associates.
The events was inaugurated by prominent
personalities such as Prof. Shailesh Nayak, Amb. PS Raghavan and Prof. Sachin
Chaturvedi. Amb. Raghavan advised the young scholars to not ignore domestic
events in their pursuit to discern global happenings. Prof. Chaturvedi imbibed
a fresh understanding of economy on the politics-dominated study of the world.
Thereupon, they launched the first issue of NIAS Quarterly on Contemporary
World Affairs.
The paper presentations were divided
according to theme and thus divided into three sessions. The first hour was
filled with issues of global politics regarding big- power interactions such as
the US-China trade dispute, the retreat of American imperialism and China’s
Belt and Road Initiative. The next two sessions were on regional interactions.
The Middle East was particularly highlighted, with scholars detailing the
activities of ISIS, Israel, the US and Russia in the region. Attention was also
given to Brexit, peace in South-East Asia, and India-Pakistan relations. For a
non-conventional approach towards International Studies, the issue of climate
change and its effects on refugees, and the Indian Ocean were also discussed.
Each session was chaired by a different
professor. Additionally, a discussant initiated discourse amongst those present
at the end of each session. Prof. Srikumar Menon and Dr. Anshuman Behera, both
from NIAS, were the chair and discussant of the first session respectively. Dr.
Behera cautioned the presenters to deconstruct ideas and stop taking them at
their face value. Prof D. Suba Chandran, the second chair and the organiser of
the event, additionally advised the young scholars to not consider general
assumptions as facts. Dr. Priyanca Mathur from Jain University, the discussant
of the last session, directed the researchers to restrict the time of their
presentation as the ability to speak within a time limit is an advantageous skill.
At the end of the event, Dr. Chandran
gathered the participants and let them voice their personal experience and what
they learnt from the event. The general consensus was positive. The workshop acted
as a trial run for their papers. The final drafts will be that much better due
to the imparted guidance and the knowledge gained.
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