ICOPEC 2025 Call for Papers

“Geopolitical Shifts, Green Transitions, and the New Global Order”

The International Conference on Political Economy (ICOPEC) is delighted to announce its 2025 edition, themed “Geopolitical Shifts, Green Transitions, and the New Global Order.” This year’s conference seeks to delve into the most pressing challenges and transformations shaping our world today, exploring the multifaceted intersections of global power realignments, ecological imperatives, and the evolving global economic landscape.

The contemporary world is witnessing seismic shifts in the political and economic order. Rising geopolitical tensions, the decline of unipolarity, and the resurgence of regional alliances are reshaping the frameworks of international governance and cooperation. Simultaneously, the urgent need for sustainable development in the face of climate crises is driving an unprecedented green transition, which is redefining industries, labor markets, and trade systems. These transformations are further complicated by the rapid advancement of digital technologies and artificial intelligence, which are both empowering and disrupting societies globally.

Against this backdrop, persistent inequalities in wealth, opportunity, and environmental burdens highlight the necessity of addressing questions of social justice. Vulnerable populations, marginalized communities, and the Global South often bear the brunt of economic disruptions, environmental degradation, and migration crises, underscoring the need for inclusive solutions to these challenges. At the same time, grassroots movements, innovative policies, and interdisciplinary research offer hope for equitable and sustainable transitions.

ICOPEC 2025 invites scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to critically engage with these intertwined dynamics and explore pathways to a resilient and inclusive global order. This year’s theme seeks to address key questions:

  • How are shifting geopolitical alliances shaping the global response to climate change and sustainability?
  • What are the political, economic, and ethical implications of the green transition across nations, regions, and industries?
  • How do global trends in technology, health, urbanization, and trade interact with the pursuit of equity and sustainability?

By integrating perspectives from economics, sociology, political science, environmental studies, law, philosophy, and other disciplines, this conference aims to foster a vibrant dialogue on the challenges and opportunities of this critical moment in history. Papers addressing theoretical, empirical, and interdisciplinary approaches are encouraged, as are those offering innovative methodologies or proposing actionable solutions to these global issues.

Join us at ICOPEC 2025 as we bring together diverse voices to reimagine the political economy of a rapidly changing world. Together, we aim to illuminate new insights and co-create transformative solutions for a just and sustainable global future.

Key Topics of Interest:

  1. Geopolitical Realignments in a Fragmented World
  • Emerging Multipolarity:
    • Dynamics of power between established and rising economies (e.g., U.S., China, India, EU, and the Global South).
    • The role of regional alliances such as BRICS, ASEAN, and the African Union in reshaping global governance.
  • Resource Wars and Energy Security:
    • Strategic competition over critical minerals and resources for the green transition.
    • The geopolitics of energy in the context of declining fossil fuels and renewable energy proliferation.
  • Global Governance in Crisis:
    • Challenges faced by multilateral organizations like the UN, WTO, and IMF.
    • Can global governance adapt to current crises, or are new frameworks needed?
  1. The Green Transition: Economics, Politics, and Justice
  • Financing Sustainability:
    • The role of public and private investments in decarbonizing economies.
    • The politics of green bonds, carbon taxes, and climate funds.
  • Global Green Inequities:
    • Unequal access to green technologies across developed and developing nations.
    • The concept of “climate reparations” and responsibilities of industrialized nations.
  • Labour and the Green Economy:
    • Green jobs versus displaced industries: A political economy of labor transitions.
    • The role of unions, grassroots movements, and policy frameworks in ensuring equitable transitions.
  1. Rethinking Globalization and Trade
  • Deglobalization or Restructuring?
    • Global value chains in the face of protectionism, regionalization, and technological shifts.
    • The future of trade agreements and the role of the WTO in a greener economy.
  • Digital and Green Trade Policies:
    • Regulations for digital trade and their interplay with sustainability.
    • The impact of carbon border taxes and other green trade barriers on global cooperation.
  • The Role of Informal Economies:
    • Informal economies’ adaptation to changing global trade dynamics.
    • Potential for informal sectors to contribute to or hinder green transitions.
  1. Social Justice and Economic Inequalities
  • Climate and Inequality:
    • Disparities in climate change impacts on vulnerable communities.
    • Gender, race, and class dimensions of climate adaptation and resilience.
  • Migration and Climate Refugees:
    • Political, legal, and economic implications of rising climate-induced displacement.
    • The role of international frameworks in addressing climate migration.
  • Intergenerational Equity:
    • The economic burden of climate transitions on future generations.
    • Balancing immediate socio-economic needs with long-term environmental goals.
  1. Technological Transformations and Sustainability
  • AI, Automation, and the Environment:
    • Opportunities and risks of deploying AI in energy systems, agriculture, and urban planning.
    • Carbon footprints of emerging technologies and their regulation.
  • Techno-Authoritarianism:
    • The rise of surveillance technologies under the guise of climate governance.
    • Ethical debates around data ownership and its implications for social equity.
  • Blockchain and Circular Economies:
    • Decentralized technologies in promoting sustainable supply chains and consumption.
    • Risks of resource overuse in blockchain and other emerging technologies.
  1. Health, Well-Being, and Resilience
  • Global Health in the Age of Climate Change:
    • The economic and social impacts of climate-induced health crises.
    • Building resilient healthcare systems for future pandemics and climate shocks.
  • Mental Health and Economic Transitions:
    • The psychological toll of economic instability caused by climate disruptions.
    • Policies to mitigate mental health challenges during large-scale transitions.
  1. Political Movements and Grassroots Action
  • Global and Local Activism:
    • The role of social movements in influencing climate and economic policies.
    • Intersections of activism and academia in shaping the green transition.
  • Political Economy of Populism:
    • How populist politics influence climate and economic policies.
    • Mobilization of communities around climate justice and equity.
  1. Education, Knowledge, and the Green Economy
  • Transforming Education Systems:
    • The role of education in promoting sustainability and economic resilience.
    • Integrating climate and political economy studies into global curricula.
  • Research and Policy Interface:
    • Bridging academic research with policy-making for effective climate action.
    • The role of interdisciplinary studies in addressing global challenges.
  1. The Future of Urbanization and Infrastructure
  • Green Cities and Urban Policies:
    • Political and economic dimensions of transitioning to sustainable urban infrastructures.
    • Addressing housing, transportation, and energy challenges in megacities.
  • Rural-Urban Linkages:
    • Economic policies that balance urban growth with rural sustainability.
    • Ensuring equity in access to green infrastructure across geographies.
  1. Philosophical and Ethical Dimensions
  • The Political Philosophy of Sustainability:
    • Revisiting concepts of justice, fairness, and responsibility in the Anthropocene.
    • Ethical considerations in balancing human development with ecological preservation.
  • Reimagining Global Citizenship:
    • Fostering a global ethos of responsibility in a fragmented world.
    • The role of academia in shaping the narratives of global citizenship.

Contact and More Information

For questions regarding submissions, registration, or the program, please contact us:

Join ICOPEC 2025 to contribute to shaping the discourse on these critical issues, network with global experts, and collaborate on innovative solutions for a just and sustainable future.