Past Events
CPG’s 7th Annual Conference on “Order and Disorder in Geopolitics and Global Governance – The Great Game Reloaded”
Agenda
Wednesday, 12 October 2016, Opening Ceremony
Welcoming words:
Dr. Peer Gebauer, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
Prof. Dr. Udom Rathamarit, Dean, Faculty of Law, Thammasat University
Prof. em. Dr. Ingwer Ebsen, Faculty of Law, Goethe University Frankfurt
Henning Glaser, Director, German-Southeast Asian Center of Excellence for Public Policy and Good Governance (CPG), Faculty of Law, Thammasat University
Thursday, 13 October 2016
Chair:
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pinai Nanakorn, Faculty of Law, Thammasat University
Speakers:
Prof. Dr. Arie M. Kacowicz, Chaim Weizmann Chair in International Relations, Faculty of Social Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
“Alternative Normative Orders in the Age of Globalization”
Dr. Sabine Selchow, Fellow, Civil Society and Human Security Research Unit, Department of International Development, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
“Beyond Order and Disorder in a Cosmopolitised World: Understanding Recent Developments in the Global Security Discourse and its Consequences for the International Order and Global Governance”
Discussants:
Phattharaphong Saengkrai, Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Thammasat University
Iain Cowie, Lecturer, Faculty of Political Science, Thammasat University
Chair:
Natthanicha Lephilibert, Lawyer (Professional level), Office of the Council of State
Speakers:
Dr. Michael Lüders, President, Deutsch-Arabische Gesellschaft
“Defeating Chaos? Why a Military Victory Against the ‘Islamic State’ is not Possible”
Dr. Fabio Tronchetti, Advisor, HaoliMo Law Firm, Beijing
“The Geopolitical Dimension of Space Activities: Assessing the Strategic Impact of Space Policies and Laws at Global and Regional Level”
Discussants:
Dr. Christopher Ankersen, Head, Security and Safety Section, United Nations Department of Safety and Security Bangkok Thitirat Thipsamritkul, Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Thammasat University
Chair:
Prof. em. Dr. Dr. h. c. Dirk Ehlers, Faculty of Law, Münster University, CPG Supervisory Board member
Speakers: Prof. Dr. Roland Dannreuther, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Westminster
“Energy, Geopolitics and International Security”
Prof. Dr. Jona Razzaque, Bristol Law School, University of the West of England
“Dismantling Resource Sovereignty in the Context of Right to a Healthy Environment”
Discussant:
Dr. Kriengsak Chareonwongsak, President, Institute of Future Studies for Development
Friday, 14 October 2016
Chair:
Prof. Dr. Prasit Aekaputra, Dean, Faculty of Law, National Institute for Development Administration
Speakers:
Prof. Dr. Kjell Engelbrekt, Department of Security, Strategy and Leadership, Swedish Defence University, Stockholm
“A Stakeholdership of the Few? The Promise and Perils of High-Table Diplomacy”
Prof. Dr. Andrew Cooper, Department of Political Science, University of Waterloo
“The Ascendancy of Informal Summits via the G20 and BRICS: Global Governance meets Geo-politics”
Discussant:
Manfred Hornung, Director, Heinrich Böll Foundation, Southeast Asia Office Bangkok
Chair:
Dr. Warawit Kanithasen, Senior Research Fellow, German- Southeast Asian Center of Excellence for Public Policy and Good Governance (CPG), Faculty of Law, Thammasat University, Ambassador (ret.)
Speakers:
H.E. Kasit Piromya, National Reform Steering Assembly, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand
“The Great Game Reversed: PRC Moving West”
Assist. Prof. Dr. Andrej Krickovic, Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow
“Cautious Riser and Desperate Challenger: China and Russia as 21st Century Great Powers and the Symbiotic China-Russia Relationship”
Discussants:
Prof. em. Dr. Ingwer Ebsen, Faculty of Law, Frankfurt University, CPG Supervisory Board member
Dr. Kevin Downey, Lecturer, Faculty of Political Science, Thammasat University
Chair:
Assist. Prof. Dr. Viravat Chantachote, Faculty of Law, Thammasat University
Speakers:
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Saori Katada, School of International Relations, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California
“Competitive Standard-setting: TPP, AIIB and Global Economic Order”
Prof. Dr. Niels Petersen, Chair of Public Law, International Law and EU Law, Faculty of Law, University of Münster
“The Political Backlash Against Free Trade: Towards a New Era of Economic Isolationism?”
Discussant:
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Monti Datta, Faculty of Political Science, University of Richmond
Report
From 12-14 October 2016, CPG hosted its 7th Annual International Conference on the topic “The Great Game Reloaded: Order and Disorder in Geopolitics and Global Governance” at Lebua at State Tower Hotel, Bangkok. The conference offered a forum to discuss issues of geopolitics and global governance in interdisciplinary perspectives with a focus on the linkage of normative orders and (geo-) political strategies. 12 speakers from 9 countries, including Canada, China, Germany, Israel, Russia, Sweden, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the USA, contributed with fascinating presentations to the great success of the conference.
The conference opened with a ceremony on the evening of 12 October 2016. Welcoming words were delivered by Dr. Peer Gebauer, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Prof. Dr. Udom Rathamarit, Dean, Faculty of Law, Thammasat University, Prof. em. Dr. Ingwer Ebsen, Faculty of Law, Goethe University Frankfurt, and CPG Director Henning Glaser, Director, German- Southeast Asian Center of Excellence for Public Policy and Good Governance (CPG), Faculty of Law, Thammasat University. An informal get-together with cultural program and live music completed the evening.
The first conference day on 13 October 2016 started with the presentation by Prof. Dr. Arie M. Kacowicz, Chaim Weizmann Chair in International Relations, Faculty of Social Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, on “Alternative Normative Orders in the Age of Globalization”, differentiating eight normative orders that inform the study of globalized international relations. Dr. Sabine Selchow, Fellow, Civil Society and Human Security Research Unit, Department of International Development, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), followed with her presentation on the topic “Beyond Order and Disorder in a Cosmopolitised World: Understanding Recent Developments in the Global Security Discourse and its Consequences for the International Order and Global Governance”. The second conference panel was opened by Dr. Michael Lüders, President of the German-Arabic Society, whose talk “Defeating Chaos? Why a Military Victory Against the ‘Islamic State’ is not Possible” outlined the historical developments behind current violent conflicts in the Middle East, highlighting the particular role of Western powers in the region. Dr. Fabio Tronchetti, School of Law, University of Mississippi, then presented on the topic “The Geopolitical Dimension of Space Activities: Assessing the Strategic Impact of Space Policies and Laws at Global and Regional Level”. He analyzed the strategic importance of outer space activities and corresponding legal challenges for global governance.
The afternoon session started with the presentation “Energy, Geopolitics and International Security” by Prof. Dr. Roland Dannreuther, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Westminster. Professor Dannreuther particularly examined the role of fossil fuels, emphasizing substantial distributive and strategic differences between coal and oil/gas explorations.
He was followed by Prof. Dr. Jona Razzaque, Bristol Law School, University of the West of England, who gave a talk on the topic “Dismantling Resource Sovereignty in the Context of Right to a Healthy Environment”, focusing on the legal challenges for local communities in the face of natural resource extraction by domestic and multinational corporations.
The second conference day had to be arranged in a non-public workshop format due to the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the evening before.
Following a minute of silence the academic program was continued by Prof. Dr. Kjell Engelbrekt, Department of Security, Strategy and Leadership, Swedish Defence University, Stockholm, and his presentation “A Stakeholdership of the Few? The Promise and Perils of High-Table Diplomacy” in which he assessed the various formats of international diplomacy and their respective significance as forums for formal or informal international rule-making. Prof. Dr. Andrew Cooper, Department of Political Science, University of Waterloo, then talked about “The Ascendancy of Informal Summits via the G20 and BRICS: Global Governance meets Geo-politics”. He examined the role, aspirations and strategies of the BRICS countries in the framework of informal summits as distinguished from established formats. The following panel consisted of presentations by H.E. Kasit Piromya, National Reform Steering Assembly, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, and Assist. Prof. Dr. Andrej Krickovic, Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow. H.E. Kasit Piromya presented on the topic “The Great Game Reversed: PRC Moving West” by assessing economic and military strategies of the People’s Republic of China and its impact on countries of Central Asia. Professor Krickovic’s presentation “Cautious Riser and Desperate Challenger: China and Russia as 21st Century Great Powers and the Symbiotic China-Russia Relationship” treated the Sino-Russian relationship based on the two countries’ mutual economic and geo-strategic interests as well as their internal political systems.
The final panel was opened by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Saori Katada, School of International Relations, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, who gave a presentation on “Competitive Standard-setting: TPP, AIIB and Global Economic Order”. Professor Katada analyzed current free trade frameworks with a particular view to the strategic interests of major economic powers such as PR China, Japan and the United States of America. Prof. Dr. Niels Petersen, Chair of Public Law, International Law and EU Law, Faculty of Law, University of Münster, then talked about “The Political Backlash Against Free Trade: Towards a New Era of Economic Isolationism?”, exploring the current lack of public support for free trade agreements as well as possible remedies.
The panel presentations were critically discussed and commented by Mr. Phattharaphong Saengkrai, Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Thammasat University; Mr. Iain Cowie, Lecturer, Faculty of Political Science, Thammasat University; Dr. Christopher Ankersen, Head, Security and Safety Section Bangkok of the United Nations Department of Safety and Security; Ms. Thitirat Thipsamritkul, Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Thammasat University; Dr. Kriengsak Chareonwongsak, President, Institute of Future Studies for Development, Prof. em. Dr. Ingwer Ebsen, Faculty of Law, Frankfurt University; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Monti Datta, Faculty of Political Science, University of Richmond; and CPG Director Henning Glaser.
The panels were chaired by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pinai Nanakorn, Faculty of Law, Thammasat University; Ms. Natthanicha Lephilibert, Lawyer (Professional level), Office of the Council of State; Prof. em. Dr. Dr. h.c. Dirk Ehlers, Faculty of Law, Münster University; Dr. Warawit Kanithasen, Senior Research Fellow, CPG; and Dr. Lasse Schuldt, CPG.
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