Religion, Identity and Human Security attempts to articulate a 'post-secular' approach to Human Security suited to a globalizing and increasingly post-Western world. It is divided into two sections. The first section ... more abstractReligion, Identity and Human Security attempts to articulate a 'post-secular' approach to Human Security suited to a globalizing and increasingly post-Western world. It is divided into two sections. The first section provides the theoretical framework for re-conceptualizing Critical Human Security along post-secular lines. The second attempts to apply this framework to three sites of insecurity: the EU, South Asia and Japan. It will primarily be of interest to students of International Relations, Critical Security Studies and Religion and Politics.

International Relations, Peace and Conflict Studies, Postcolonial Studies, Religion and Politics, South Asian Studies, and 17 more

More Info: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415509060/

Publisher: Routledge

Publication Date: Apr 18, 2014

ikh Nationalism and Identity in a Global Age examines the construction of a Sikh national identity in post-colonial India and the diaspora and explores the reasons for the failure of the movement for an independent Si... more abstractikh Nationalism and Identity in a Global Age examines the construction of a Sikh national identity in post-colonial India and the diaspora and explores the reasons for the failure of the movement for an independent Sikh state: Khalistan. Based on a decade of research, it is argued that the failure of the movement to bring about a sovereign, Sikh state should not be interpreted as resulting from the weakness of the ‘communal’ ties which bind members of the Sikh ‘nation’ together, but points to the transformation of national identity under conditions of globalization. Globalization is perceived to have severed the link between nation and state and, through the proliferation and development of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs), has facilitated the articulation of a transnational ‘diasporic’ Sikh identity. It is argued that this ‘diasporic’ identity potentially challenges the conventional narratives of international relations and makes the imagination of a post-Westphalian community possible. Theoretically innovative and interdisciplinary in approach, it will be primarily of interest to students of South Asian studies, political science and international relations, as well as to many others trying to come to terms with the continued importance of religious and cultural identities in times of rapid political, economic, social and cultural change.

Sikhism, International Relations Theory, Religion and Politics, South Asian Studies, Identity (Culture), and 12 more

Publisher: Routledge

Publication Date: Dec 6, 2007

The failure of the US-led coalition to achieve its stated objectives of removing the threat of terror illustrates the ineffectiveness of the national security paradigm in addressing the principal sources of insecurity... more abstractThe failure of the US-led coalition to achieve its stated objectives of removing the threat of terror illustrates the ineffectiveness of the national security paradigm in addressing the principal sources of insecurity in our globalizing, post 9/11 world. However, the concept of 'human security', which seeks to replace the state with the individual as the primary locus of security, remains vague, conceptually fuzzy and difficult to put into practice. In an effort to address these limitations and to suggest ways in which the concept of human security can be protected in the light of the US-led 'war on terror', this unique volume brings together leading international scholars from Asia, Africa, Europe, and North and South America to critically examine human security in the post 9/11 environment and to suggest a new research agenda in critical human security studies. Challenging and provocative, this book is a timely contribution to understanding the post 9/11 era.

International Relations, Peace and Conflict Studies, Security Studies, Critical Security Studies, Human Security, and 2 more

More Info: Edited by Giorgio Shani, Makoto Sato and Mustapha Kamal Pasha

Publisher: Palgrave

Publication Date: Nov 9, 2007

Giorgio Shani (2007) ‘Provincializing’ critical theory: Islam, Sikhism and international relations theory, Cambridge Review of International Affairs, 20:3, 417-433, DOI: 10.1080/09557570701574105 Abstract This artic... more abstractGiorgio Shani (2007) ‘Provincializing’ critical theory: Islam, Sikhism and international relations theory, Cambridge Review of International Affairs, 20:3, 417-433, DOI: 10.1080/09557570701574105 Abstract This article will attempt to ‘provincialize’ or ‘decentre’ critical theory by looking at the development of critical discourses from within the Islamic and Sikh religious traditions. Although important theological, philosophical and historical differences exist between the two communities, Islamic and Sikh narratives share a rejection of the subordination of the religious to the political and thus potentially challenge the Westphalian order. However, in the case of the Sikh Qaum, no clear distinction between ‘nation’ and ‘religion’ is possible given the strong attachment to a territorially defined ancestral homeland. This article suggests that both critical Islamic and Sikh discourses, particularly those emanating from the diaspora, are potentially compatible with the ‘discourse ethics’ of critical theory. This is, however, conditional on the recognition of the universality of their beliefs, a position incompatible with the ‘thin’ cosmopolitanism of critical theory.

Critical Theory, Sikhism, International Relations, Postcolonial Studies, Islam, and 5 more

Giorgio Shani (2016): Religion as security: an introduction, Critical Studies on Security, DOI: 10.1080/21624887.2016.1221194 http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/WFTjePgXxGkZMzcQpWNZ/full

Religion, International Relations, Postcolonial Studies, Religion and Politics, Security Studies, and 5 more

This article illustrates how Japanese national identity continues to be imagined along ethnic lines in the aftermath of the ‘triple disasters’ of March 11, 2011 (hereafter 3/11). It critically examines the ‘new’ disco... more abstractThis article illustrates how Japanese national identity continues to be imagined along ethnic lines in the aftermath of the ‘triple disasters’ of March 11, 2011 (hereafter 3/11). It critically examines the ‘new’ discourse of tabunka kyōsei which seeks to incorporate migrants and other ethnic minorities in the nation through an emphasis on cultural difference and argues that the stress on the insurmountability of cultural difference reifies the identities of migrant and minority populations. This in turn allows the State to treat them as homogeneous groups with different interests which can be accommodated through the provision of public services at a local level, while effectively excluding them from the national level. In a post-3/11 context, the myth of an ethnically ‘homogeneous’ nation is reproduced through the discourse of Ganbarō Nippon with profound implications for the human security of migrant and minority populations.

Japanese Studies, International Relations, Multiculturalism, Resilience, Identity (Culture), and 6 more

More Info: Volume 32, 2015

Journal Name: Protosociology: An International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research

‘Spectres of partition: Religious Nationalism in Post-Colonial South Asia’ in Jeff Kingston ed. Asian Nationalism Reconsidered (Abingdon: Routledge 2015), pp. 35-47.

International Relations, Peace and Conflict Studies, Religion and Politics, South Asia, Politics, and 3 more

This article seeks to draw attention to some of the core issues which beset the study of Sikh nationalism as a coherent phenomenon in an increasingly globalized and socially fragmented world. First, it highlights the ... more abstractThis article seeks to draw attention to some of the core issues which beset the study of Sikh nationalism as a coherent phenomenon in an increasingly globalized and socially fragmented world. First, it highlights the importance of revisiting the debate about the community’s religious boundaries, arguing that in contrast to the new conventional wisdom informed by poststructuralism, Sikh identity has exhibited a remarkable degree of continuity from the establishment of the Khalsa in comparison with other South Asian religio-political communities. The second key issue highlighted is the role of the Sikh diaspora in the development of Sikh nationalism and statehood. It critically examines the extent to which diaspora may be regarded as an instrument of ‘long-distance’ nationalism. Third, it argues that the existing literature on Sikh nationalism is remarkably community-centric and needs to engage with theories of nationalism. Finally, while acknowledging the cleavages which fragment the Sikh nation, it concludes that Sikh nationalism has been remarkably cohesive.

Religion, Sikhism, South Asian Studies, Nationalism, South Asian Politics, and 4 more

21 years after the publication of the 1994 Human Development Report which introduced the term to the academic and policy communities, Human Security has finally come of age. Adopted by the United Nations General Assem... more abstract21 years after the publication of the 1994 Human Development Report which introduced the term to the academic and policy communities, Human Security has finally come of age. Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012 and institutionalized within the UN system through the Trust Fund for Human Security, Human Security is a basic policy goal of the Japanese government. However, definitions of Human Security often appear vague and contradictory limiting its relevance to international relations and public policy. This conference seeks to critically evaluate some of the tensions which lie at the ‘vital core’ (Commission on Human Security 2003) of Human Security and to examine different ways in which the concept of Human Security can be used as an analytical tool. To this end, it is proposed that the conference will have two main themes. The first will examine the empirical efficacy of Human Security as a ‘problem-solving theory’; a tool of International Development and Peacebuilding which can provide concrete solutions to practical problems with particular reference to health. The second theme, which will be addressed in the second plenary session, will examine the conceptual strengths and shortcomings of Human Security as ‘critical theory’; one designed not only to solve empirical problems but to transform existing social and political relations in order to make a world of ‘freedom and dignity’ (UN General Assembly 2012) possible. Of particular relevance to this theme is the relationship between the particular nature of cultural identities and the universal aspirations of Human Security. To what extent can they be reconciled and how can Human Security become more inclusive of religious, cultural and gender diversity?

Human Rights, Critical Security Studies, Human Development, Responsibility to Protect, Human Security, and 9 more

The overall objective of this series is to open up space for critical scholarship on Religion and International Relations and to “post-secular” approaches to global politics. We understand “critical” in a broad sense ... more abstractThe overall objective of this series is to open up space for critical scholarship on Religion and International Relations and to “post-secular” approaches to global politics. We understand “critical” in a broad sense to denote a perspective which seeks to bring into question both the main metaphysical underpinnings of the discipline of IR and of the category of religion itself. The main aims of the series are to decentre and pluralize discussions of religion in international politics by bringing into question the theological underpinnings of IR and by creating room for the articulation of alternative understandings of the relationship between the ‘religious’ and ‘political’ from other faith traditions.

Critical Theory, Religion, Sociology of Religion, International Relations, Philosophy Of Religion, and 10 more

The rise to political and economic prominence of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and India, along with other members of the BRICS, has constituted a powerful challenge to the dominance of Western powers and ideas... more abstractThe rise to political and economic prominence of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and India, along with other members of the BRICS, has constituted a powerful challenge to the dominance of Western powers and ideas in world politics. However, both Asian superpowers - like Japan and the East Asian ‘Tiger’ economies before them - have as yet been unable to re-shape International Relations (IR) theory and practice. The rise of Asia more generally has led to a proliferation of national schools of IR (such as the Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Indian) which have attempted to challenge the hegemony of Western ideas and theories in the discipline yet have left the traditional ontology of IR intact. The region is also characterised by a complex of people-centred non-traditional insecurities and vulnerabilities including human insecurities, people movements, environmental degradation, the politics of identity and democratisation which together challenge orthodox state and market centric approaches to the study and practice of International Relations. This conference, hosted by the Asia-Pacific Region of the International Studies Association, will investigate the ways in which IR is being transformed IR in the Asia-Pacific. In particular, we invite the submission of papers and panels on the following topics: the nature of global transformations in the Asia-Pacific; the rise of the BRICS and China and India in particular; regionalism and sub-regionalism; the impact of globalization on regional identity and inequality; traditional and non-traditional security threats in the Asia-Pacific; Bandung and the Non-Aligned Movement in historical perspective; regional perspectives on peacebuilding and human security (including but not limited to the Responsibility to Protect); and regional histories, epistemologies and ontologies of IR with reference to attempts to go beyond Western IR theory.

Asian Studies, Japanese Studies, International Relations, Southeast Asian Studies, International Relations Theory, and 39 more

21 years after the publication of the 1994 Human Development Report which introduced the term to the academic and policy communities, Human Security has finally come of age. This conference seeks to critically evaluat... more abstract21 years after the publication of the 1994 Human Development Report which introduced the term to the academic and policy communities, Human Security has finally come of age. This conference seeks to critically evaluate some of the tensions which lie at the ‘vital core’ (Commission on Human Security 2003) of Human Security and to examine different ways in which the concept of Human Security can be used as an analytical tool for critical problem-solving or coping. To this end, it is proposed that the conference will have two main themes. The first will examine the empirical efficacy of Human Security as a ‘problem-solving theory’; a tool of International Development and Peacebuilding which can provide concrete solutions to practical problems with particular reference to health. The second theme, which will be addressed in the second plenary session, will examine the conceptual strengths and shortcomings of Human Security as ‘critical theory’; one designed not only to solve empirical problems but to transform existing social and political relations in order to make a world of ‘freedom and dignity’ (UN General Assembly 2012) possible. Of particular relevance to this theme is the relationship between the particular nature of cultural identities and the universal aspirations of Human Security. To what extent can they be reconciled and how can Human Security become more inclusive of religious, cultural and gender diversity?

International Relations, Development Studies, Security Studies, Critical Security Studies, Human Development, and 2 more

The Japanese have been bound together by a collective trauma since Hiroshima and Nagasaki, an experience reawakened by the impact of the Fukushima disaster.

Japanese Studies, International Studies, Identity (Culture), Nationalism, National Identity, and 2 more

Please see attached for the provisional program for the ISA Asia-Pacific region conference to be held at City University of Hong Kong, June 25-27 2016. Kindly note that this is NOT the final draft which will be upload... more abstractPlease see attached for the provisional program for the ISA Asia-Pacific region conference to be held at City University of Hong Kong, June 25-27 2016. Kindly note that this is NOT the final draft which will be uploaded on the conference website: http://www.isanet.org/Conferences/Asia-Pacific-Hong-Kong-2016

International Relations, International Studies, Political Science, and Asia Pacific Region

Since 2013 over 50 million people have been displaced making dominant state-centric models of protection and containment increasingly irrelevant. Within Europe and Asia, states have increasingly sought to “securitize”... more abstractSince 2013 over 50 million people have been displaced making dominant state-centric models of protection and containment increasingly irrelevant. Within Europe and Asia, states have increasingly sought to “securitize” migration by subjecting asylum-seekers and would-be migrants to “biopolitical” controls designed to stop them from crossing borders. As the mass exodus of migrants to Europe from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) shows, these attempts to curb migration are increasingly futile as migrants take to land and sea in order to flee insecurity, often with tragic results. The global migration crisis, in short, forces us to rethink “security.” The main aim of this paper is to rethink “security” along “post-secular” lines by taking into account the continued importance of culture, religion and identity to human security. Specifically, the paper will examine whether religion per se can be seen as a form of ontological security. For Giddens (1991:47), to be “ontologically secure is to possess, on the level of the unconscious and practical consciousness, ‘answers’ to fundamental existential questions which all human life in some way addresses”. Religion and nationalism provide “answers” to these questions in times of rapid socio-economic and cultural change (Kinvall 2004). The dislocation engendered by successive waves of neo-liberal globalization has resulted in the deracination of many of the world’s inhabitants resulting in a state of collective “existential anxiety” (Giddens 1991). Under such conditions of existential anxiety, the search for identity and community becomes paramount. However, secular conceptions of Human Security as ‘freedom from fear and want’ (Commission on Human Security 2003) fail to take into account the importance of identity for security. It will be suggested that a ‘post-secular’ understanding of Human Security (Shani 2014) is better able to provide ontological security in times of rapid global transformation.

Religion, International Relations, Religion and Politics, Critical Security Studies, Human Security, and 5 more