What is the duration of the conference?

The conference spans several days, from the beginning of September to the fourth day of September.

Is there a specific venue mentioned for the conference?

The specific venue within Lisbon is not detailed in the provided information.

19th Pan-European Conference on International Relations

Name: 19th Pan-European Conference on International Relations
Start: 2026-09-01T00:00:00Z
End: 2026-09-04T00:00:00Z
Location: Lisbon

Sep 1–4, 2026Lisbon, PortugalIn-person

Starts in 24 daysRegistration open

The Pan-European Conference on International Relations is a significant academic gathering, bringing together scholars and practitioners to discuss pressing issues in international relations. This iteration of the conference will be held in Lisbon, PRT, offering a platform for diverse perspectives on global affairs. The event fosters intellectual exchange and collaboration among participants from various backgrounds. Attendees can anticipate a comprehensive program designed to explore the complexities of the international landscape. The conference serves as a crucial forum for presenting new research, debating current challenges, and shaping future directions in the field of international relations.

Committees & topics

Topics
The Evolving Architecture of International Relations

Why it matters

This conference provides an essential venue for understanding the evolving dynamics of international relations. In an era marked by rapid geopolitical shifts and interconnected global challenges, such gatherings are vital for fostering informed dialogue and developing nuanced analyses. The discussions held here contribute to a deeper comprehension of the forces shaping our world.

The event's location in Lisbon, PRT, adds a unique dimension, situated at a historical crossroads of global interaction. This setting encourages a broad perspective on international issues, drawing on both European and wider global contexts. The insights shared at the conference are instrumental for academics, policymakers, and anyone seeking to navigate the complexities of contemporary international affairs.

Participation in this conference allows for engagement with leading thinkers and emerging scholars, facilitating the exchange of ideas that can influence policy and academic discourse. It underscores the importance of continuous learning and adaptation in the face of an ever-changing international environment, making it a critical event for those committed to understanding and addressing global challenges.

How to prepare

To maximize engagement at this conference, attendees should prepare to contribute to discussions on a wide array of international relations topics. Given the pan-European scope, a broad understanding of regional and global issues will be beneficial. Participants should consider how their research or expertise can contribute to ongoing debates about international cooperation, conflict, and governance.

Developing a clear articulation of one's research and its implications for the broader field will be key. Engaging with the diverse perspectives presented at the conference requires an open mind and a willingness to consider different theoretical and empirical approaches. Preparing to network with fellow scholars and practitioners can also lead to valuable collaborations and insights.

Considering the conference's location in Lisbon, PRT, it would be advantageous to reflect on how geographical and historical contexts influence international relations. This can enrich presentations and discussions, offering a more complete picture of global dynamics. Focusing on clear communication and the ability to synthesize complex information will enhance the overall experience for both presenters and attendees.

Country perspectives

Where the most-relevant 1 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile.

Portugal

As the host nation, PRT provides the geographical and cultural backdrop for the conference.

Role in topic

PRT's historical role as a maritime power and its current position within the European Union offer a unique lens through which to view international relations, influencing discussions on global trade, diplomacy, and regional integration.

Topics & background

The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it.

The Evolving Architecture of International Relations

The modern international system traces its conceptual roots to the Peace of Westphalia (1648), which entrenched sovereign equality among states, but its operational architecture is largely a product of the twentieth century. The collapse of the League of Nations, the trauma of two world wars, and the onset of the Cold War produced the United Nations system in 1945, the Bretton Woods institutions, and a dense web of regional organisations including NATO, the European Communities (later the EU), and the Warsaw Pact. For nearly half a century, bipolar competition between the United States and the Soviet Union structured alliances, decolonisation processes, and the rules governing trade, arms control, and intervention. The end of the Cold War in 1989-1991 ushered in a period often described as the 'liberal international order', characterised by expanding democratic governance, deeper economic interdependence, and the consolidation of multilateral regimes such as the WTO (1995) and the International Criminal Court (2002). Yet this moment proved transitional. The 2003 Iraq War strained the legitimacy of US-led intervention, the 2008 financial crisis weakened Western economic primacy, and China's rapid rise reshaped global trade and security calculations. Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea, the 2016 disruption of Western politics, and the COVID-19 pandemic further exposed the fragility of cooperative norms. Today the system is widely described as multipolar or 'non-polar', marked by intensified US-China strategic competition, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine since 2022, conflict in the Middle East, and contestation over technology, climate, and trade governance. Middle powers and the Global South increasingly assert independent agendas through forums such as BRICS+ and the G20, while traditional institutions face questions about reform, representativeness, and effectiveness. The central debate is whether the rules-based order can be adapted to accommodate new power distributions, or whether it is fragmenting into competing blocs governed by transactional bargains.

Key players