Terms of Reference
The 7th International Conference on Business, International Relations, and Diplomacy (ICOBIRD)
“Repositioning Indonesia in the World; Geopolitics, Diplomacy, and Business”
The post-Cold War international relations have been much linked to the process of globalization. The massive trade liberalization agreement among states has resulted in the diminishing boundaries and the growing interconnectivity among states which in the end created a complex web of economic interdependence. International relations, in this sense, are the triumph of liberalists as economic cooperation sets more peaceful relations among states than the preceding era.
This, however, is only part of the story. Economic interdependence has limitation in explaining the persistence of conflicts in international relations. Besides, economy is only one aspect of globalization. Other aspect that is no less important, yet still underexplored is its geopolitical and technological aspect.
While many agreed that the digital and technology era has revolutionized human interaction, few have explored its significance for international relations. States are growingly dependent on information technology for running government, conducting diplomacy, and managing their economic and defense infrastructure. Business and individuals are dependent on IT for running their corporations and day to day communication. This has not mentioned civil society organizations that depend on IT for promoting democratization and human rights. At the same time, however, hostile states, terrorist groups, criminals, and hackers also use these facilities to conduct their activities. Information technology, in this sense, is the new battlefield in international relations that shapes the dynamics of peace and conflict between states, non-states, or between states and non-state actors.
Against this backdrop, the 7th International Conference on Business, International Relations, and Diplomacy will be conducted under the theme “Repositioning Indonesia in the World: Geopolitics, Diplomacy, and Business”.
Subtopics
- Indonesia’s geopolitical strategy in the changing Asia Pacific region.
- Indonesia in ASEAN
- Indonesia in Business
- Indonesia and the era of globalization
- Indonesia’s diplomacy
- Indonesia in the digital era
- Indonesia’s Foreign Policy
- Indonesia’s Social Media, Human Rights, and Democratization in the new millennia.
Workshop
Conducting Research in Information Age