Call for Papers at "Human Security in the Northeast Region: Challenges & Predicaments" Seminar
- Last Date : 15th February, 2012 -

Two Days International Seminar
on
HUMAN SECURITY IN THE NORTHEAST REGION: CHALLENGES & PREDICAMENTS
March 2–3, 2012
Department of Social Work
Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Regional Campus, Manipur
in collaboration with
The Centre for Alternative Discourse, Manipur

Call for Papers

The Department of Social Work, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Regional Campus, Manipur in collaboration with the Centre for Alternative Discourse, Manipur is organizing a Two Days International Seminar on “Human Security in the Northeast Region: Challenges & Predicaments” on March 2–3, 2012 at Imphal.

Submission of abstracts: Interested scholars may submit abstract of 350 words on any of the themes listed in the Concept note given below by 20th December 2011 to hanjabam(at)gmail(dot)com

Acceptance of the papers shall be communicated to the applicants by 27th December, 2011. Selected scholars are requested to send well-researched papers of about 4500-6000 words latest by 15th February, 2012

Registration: There is no registration fee for selected papers. Registration for delegates is as follows:

Category   Registration fees (INR)*
University & College faculty   500.00
NGO & CSO   500.00
Research scholars   300.00
PG Students   200.00
Others   300.00
* Includes certificates, seminar kits, lunch, snacks, etc.

For any details kindly contact the following:
Dr. Hanjabam Shukhdeba Sharma
Convenor
e-mail: hanjabam(at)gmail(dot)com

Grace Laltlinzo
Co-Convenor
email: grace_laltlinzo(at)rediffmail(dot)com

Dr. Homen Thangjam
Co-Convenor
e-mail: homenth(at)gmail(dot)com

About the Seminar
HUMAN SECURITY IN THE NORTHEAST REGION: CHALLENGES & PREDICAMENTS

The concept of security has for so long been interpreted narrowly: as security of territory from external aggression, or as protection of national interests in foreign policy or as global security from the threat of a nuclear holocaust. It has been related more to nation-states than to people.

Traditional notion of human security shaped largely by the Cold War, were concerned mainly with a state’s ability to counter threats to their territorial integrity, autonomy, and domestic political order, primarily from other states. However, such a classical formulation based on national security has been criticized on various grounds, giving rise to concepts such as co-operative security, comprehensive security and then finally, human security.

Over the last few decades, understanding of state security and various types of threats has broadened. In addition to securing borders, peoples, values and institutions, the threat to environment pollution, transnational terrorism, massive population movements and infectious diseases such as as HIV/AIDS (Commission on Human Security 2003) has been broadly included within the concept of human security.

The shift in the new understanding to human security evolved as a result of the changes in security environment after the end of the Cold War. A combination of numerous factors, such as, decreased threat of global nuclear and rise of non-military threats, led to its formation. At the same time, implementation of human rights treaties, covenants, acts at the national and international level became more significant.

Simultaneously, globalization changed international rules for facilitating the faster flow of capital and technology by breaking down national boundaries. New non-state actors came to play a critical role in the international political system, some as threat, and others as bridges between communities and nations. In this circumstance, the role of the state started undergoing transformation and the traditionally accepted concept of power was contested.

These shifts necessitate new thinking that would address problems and trade-offs linked with the age old question of development and security. Thus, the new understanding of security includes “new” non-military aspect of security, such as environment, economic, demographic, criminal, terrorist, health, information and immigration, etc. at the the horizontal level.

And at the vertical level, it includes other non-state referent objects, such as individuals, local communities, groups of people by common ethnic, religious or ideological characteristics, global community, etc. It is this combination of non-military security dimensions and non-state referent objects that give birth to the concept of human security.

Under this broad understanding, in year 2003 the Commission on Human Security defines human security as a way to protect the vital core of all human lives in ways that enhance human freedom and human fulfillment. Therefore, human security means:

• Protecting fundamental freedoms that are essence of life
• Protecting from critical (severe) and pervasive (widespread) threats and situations
• Using processes that build on people’s strengths and aspirations
• Creating political, social, environmental, economic, military and cultural system that together give people the building blocks of survival, livelihood and dignity

However, this new understanding of human security does not mean replacing the security of the state. The two aspects are mutually dependent. Security in states remains a necessary condition for the security of people, but national security is not sufficient to guarantee people’s security. For that the state must provide various protections to its citizen. But individuals also require protection from the arbitrary power of the state, though the rule of law emphasis on civil and political rights as well as economic rights (Commission on Human Security 2003).

Under the above understanding of human security currently prevalent, the proposed two days international seminar endeavors to focus on the issues of human security in the Northeast India. Predicament of lives in the region is characterised by uncertainty on account of the prevailing forms of conflicts, such as ethnic tensions and above all the conflict situation arising on account of armed conflcit between the Indian state and non-state actors.

For example, the imposition of the Armed Forces (Special) Powers Act 1958 in the region has rendered the region under a perpetual state of seige by the India state. At the same time, the region also witnesses violation of human rights, equally by the non-state actors. At the same time, mega developmental projects, exploration and extraction of minerals by MNCs (both Indian and foreign) under the “accepted” norms of LPG (liberalization, privatization and globalization) have severely affected the livelihood chances of the people as dwelling places are destroyed, cultivable lands and forests are either submerged or destroyed and river and other water bodies destroyed.

In this situation of conflict and turmoil, the Northeast is also under the threat of HIV-AIDS, a disease that takes away the lives of the most productive section of the population. Second generation status of the disease in the region is that it has already started affecting partrners of the deceased and their offsprings. Moreover, illegal immigrants from outside the region have severely challenged the utilization of land and resources of the indigenius population. In short, human security is under threat in the region and it is conspicuous by the silence on the part of the India state.

In this context, the proposed seminar under the theme of “Human Security in the Northeast Region: Challenges and Predicaments” seeks to address the following broad subthemes:

• Livelihood challenges under conflict situation
• Livelihood threats and development
• Human security and immigration
• Others related to the theme of the seminar

Dr Hanjabam Shukhdeba Sharma
Convener
Assistant Professor
Department of Social Work.
Indira Gandhi NAtional Tribal University (A central University),
Regional Campus MAnipur

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* This was sent by Dr Hanjabam Shukhdeba Sharma
The sender can be contacted at hanjabam(at)gmail(dot)com
This was webcasted on December 09 2011 .

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