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    Canadian Political Science Association
    2020 Annual Conference Programme

    Confronting Political Divides
    Hosted at Western University
    Tuesday, June 2 to Thursday, June 4, 2020
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    Presidential Address:
    Barbara Arneil, CPSA President

    Origins:
    Colonies and Statistics

    Location:
    Tuesday, June 2, 2020 | 05:00pm to 06:00pm
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    KEYNOTE SPEAKER:
    Ayelet Shachar
    The Shifting Border:
    Legal Cartographies of Migration
    and Mobility

    Location:
    June 04, 2020 | 01:30 to 03:00 pm
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    Keynote Speaker: Marc Hetherington
    Why Modern Elections
    Feel Like a Matter of
    Life and Death

    Location:
    Wednesday, June 3, 2020 | 03:45pm to 05:15pm
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    Plenary Panel
    Indigenous Politics and
    the Problem of Canadian
    Political Science

    Location: Arts & Humanities Building - AHB 1R40
    Tuesday, June 2, 2020 | 10:30am to 12:00pm

CPSA/ISA-Canada section on International Relations



C07(a) - Workshop: The State of IR Scholarship II

Date: Jun 2 | Time: 03:15pm to 04:45pm | Location:

Chair/Président/Présidente : Eric Tanguay (Balsillie School of International Affairs)

Discussant/Commentateur/Commentatrice : W. R. Nadège Compaoré (University of Toronto)

Decolonizing the (IR) Discipline: African Agency in Humanitarian Intervention Theory and Practices: Nafisa A. Abdulhamid (Dalhousie University)
Abstract: The common narrative of International Relations (IR) as a discipline is one that comprises of a small number of clear-cut theoretical perspectives that are in intense competition with each other; a so-called “battle of the paradigms.” Discussions of Africa within this narrative present an interesting paradox: while Africa is often sidelined by most mainstream approaches, it remains a popular case-study, representative of misconduct on the global stage. Still, Africa remains increasingly present within IR; the region’s unique cultural, economic, political and social practices can and should influence IR theory’s development. While this path has been illuminated by scholars who continue to push for Africa’s contributions to IR theory and practice (i.e. Dunn and Shaw 2001; Cornelissen et al. 2012), this paper focuses specifically on how African experiences and African scholarship about norms of civilian protection can contribute to a greater understanding of how to improve humanitarian intervention practices in the continent. In particular, this paper highlights Africa’s agency, exhibited by efforts of officials, states, scholars, and non-state actors, in conceptualizing and advocating for the emergence and adaption of the African Union’s non-indifference norm. This paper will illustrate what is meant by “African knowledge and experiences,” outline how these can contribute significantly to the (sub-)discipline of IR and highlight how African agency has been crucial in the generation and diffusion of humanitarian intervention norms and practices. In doing so, this paper actively thinks of a decolonized IR discipline; one that overcomes problematic silences of forgotten and marginalized regions of the world.


Towards a Historiography of Canadian International Relations: Jeffrey Rice (Carleton University)
Abstract: There is a growing interest as of late in the direction, character, and history of Canadian international relations. Questions abound as to whether Canadian IR is sufficiently different from its American and British counterparts to warrant a ‘Canadian IR’ label. In spite of this interest, however, there continues to lack a clear narrative about the development of international relations in Canada, its foundational history, and the voices and interests represented in early debates. This paper begins to develop a narrative of the early foundations of Canadian international relations through a meta-analysis of over 10,000 scholarly articles published in Canadian IR journals. This paper argues that early Canadian IR was a distinct field of International Relations, insofar as the issues covered were salient to Canada’s foreign policy interests. In part, this was due to the fact that Canadian journals publishing on International Relations, at least early on, saw major contributions from diplomats and former politicians who were publishing alongside academics. Overtime, the field of International Relations in Canada became a professionalised, and also significantly more diverse, enterprise. The result has been greater diversity in the interests and subjects reflected in journals, while at the same time making assessments about whether the field is “Canadian” all the more difficult to determine.


An Alternative View: Integration through Inclusive Governance: Karolina Werner (Conflict Frontiers)
Abstract: This paper introduces and explores the concept of inclusive governance. By examining scholarly literature to analyze the meaning of governance, inclusion, and legitimacy, as well as concepts such as hybridity and modernity, I argue that inclusive governance offers a more neutral and relevant alternative to available paradigms and explanatory theories of governance and peace, especially in the context of sub-Saharan Africa. By taking into account the colonial history of state formation on the continent, the resurgence of customary indigenous institutions, and their concurrent delegitimization, inclusive governance offers a new perspective on the need for the integration of customary structures into governance systems to foster peace.




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