What is the primary focus of the ICIRRS 2027?

The conference focuses on international relations and regional studies, providing a platform for discussing contemporary issues and research findings in these fields.

What type of event is the ICIRRS 2027?

The ICIRRS 2027 is an international conference format.

International Conference on International Relations and Regional Studies (ICIRRS) 2027

Name: International Conference on International Relations and Regional Studies (ICIRRS) 2027
Start: 2027-03-04T00:00:00Z
End: 2027-03-05T00:00:00Z
Location: Rome

Mar 4–5, 2027Rome, ItalyIn-person

Registration open

The International Conference on International Relations and Regional Studies (ICIRRS) 2027 will convene in Rome, ITA, offering a platform for scholars and practitioners to explore contemporary issues in international relations and regional dynamics. This event is designed to foster dialogue and present research findings on the evolving global landscape, with a particular focus on the intricate interplay between state and non-state actors, as well as the forces shaping regional stability and conflict. Participants will engage with a diverse range of topics, from geopolitical shifts and economic interdependencies to cultural exchanges and security challenges. The conference aims to provide a comprehensive overview of current trends and future trajectories in international affairs, encouraging interdisciplinary approaches and critical analysis.

Committees & topics

Topics
International Relations and Foreign Policy · Theories of International Relations and Their Real-World Reflections · Levels of Analysis and Their Application to Real-World Problems · Institutions in International Relations · Regional Studies in International Relations · Asymmetric Threats and State Security · The Effects of Non-Governmental Actors on the International System · Humanitarian Intervention and Sovereignty

Why it matters

Understanding international relations and regional studies is paramount in an increasingly interconnected world. Events like ICIRRS provide crucial forums for dissecting complex global challenges, such as the rise of new powers, the persistence of traditional conflicts, and the emergence of novel forms of cooperation and competition. By bringing together experts from various fields, the conference facilitates the exchange of ideas that can inform policy-making and academic discourse.

The discussions at ICIRRS are particularly relevant given the dynamic nature of international politics. The insights generated can help to illuminate the underlying causes of global instability, identify potential pathways to peace, and foster a deeper appreciation for the diverse perspectives that shape international interactions. This collective intellectual effort is essential for navigating the complexities of the modern world and for developing effective strategies to address shared global concerns.

Furthermore, the conference's focus on regional studies underscores the importance of understanding localized dynamics within the broader international system. Regional conflicts, economic blocs, and cultural movements often have significant ripple effects that transcend geographical boundaries. Analyzing these regional specificities is key to comprehending the global mosaic and to formulating nuanced responses to international challenges. The gathering in Rome, ITA, offers a unique opportunity to consider these issues from a European vantage point, adding another layer of perspective to the discussions.

How to prepare

To effectively engage with the themes presented at ICIRRS, participants should consider a robust preparation strategy. A foundational understanding of international relations theories, such as realism, liberalism, and constructivism, will provide a strong analytical framework. Reviewing recent developments in global geopolitics and specific regional conflicts will also be beneficial, allowing for informed contributions to discussions.

Delegates can enhance their participation by employing methodologies like What Is Stakeholder Mapping? to identify key actors and their interests in various international and regional contexts. Applying Dynamic Analysis can help in understanding the evolving nature of global power structures and alliances. Furthermore, exploring the concept of Hidden Stakeholders can reveal less obvious but influential actors in international affairs.

Consider preparing case studies or brief analyses on specific regional issues that align with the conference's themes. This could involve examining the roles of countries like USA, CHN, RUS, DEU, IND, GBR, FRA, IRN, ISR, BRA, TUR, SAU, ZAF, UKR, or CHE in particular regional dynamics. Understanding the motivations and relationships between these actors, as outlined in lessons like Understanding Motivations and Mapping Relationships, will facilitate more insightful contributions and discussions at the conference.

Country perspectives

Where the most-relevant 6 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile.

Italy

As the host nation, ITA provides a European perspective on international relations and regional studies, emphasizing multilateralism and regional cooperation.

Role in topic

Italy's geographic position and historical role place it at the crossroads of European, Mediterranean, and broader international affairs, making it a relevant setting for discussions on regional stability, migration, and economic integration.

United States

The USA often frames international relations through the lens of global leadership, security alliances, and economic influence, with a focus on maintaining a liberal international order.

Role in topic

The United States is a major global actor whose foreign policy decisions and engagement in various regions significantly impact international relations and regional dynamics worldwide.

China

China's perspective often highlights multipolarity, economic development, and non-interference in internal affairs, while asserting its growing influence in various regions.

Role in topic

China's economic and military rise has profound implications for regional studies, particularly in Asia and Africa, and is a central theme in discussions about global power shifts and international governance.

Russia

Russia emphasizes its role as a major power, often focusing on national sovereignty, security interests in its near abroad, and challenging perceived Western dominance.

Role in topic

Russia's actions and policies, particularly in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and the Arctic, are critical to understanding regional conflicts, energy politics, and international security dynamics.

Germany

Germany typically advocates for multilateralism, European integration, and a rules-based international order, often playing a leading role within the European Union.

Role in topic

As a key economic and political power in Europe, Germany's foreign policy and regional engagements are central to discussions on European stability, economic cooperation, and global governance.

India

India's perspective often centers on strategic autonomy, non-alignment, and the promotion of a multipolar world order, while navigating complex regional dynamics.

Role in topic

India's growing economic and strategic importance in South Asia and the Indo-Pacific region makes its foreign policy and regional interactions crucial for understanding Asian geopolitics and global power balances.

Topics & background

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

International Relations and Foreign Policy

The modern study of international relations emerged from the wreckage of the First World War, when scholars and statesmen sought to understand why states go to war and how diplomacy might prevent it. The interwar idealism embodied in the League of Nations gave way after 1945 to a more pragmatic, state-centric system anchored by the United Nations, the Bretton Woods institutions, and competing Cold War blocs. Foreign policy — the set of strategies states use to advance interests abroad — became professionalized in foreign ministries and increasingly shaped by domestic politics, economic interdependence, and ideology. Since the end of the Cold War, foreign policy has had to adapt to a more multipolar and interdependent world. The unipolar moment of the 1990s has given way to renewed great-power competition between the United States, China, and Russia, alongside the rise of middle powers asserting strategic autonomy. Issues that were once 'low politics' — trade, climate, migration, technology — now sit at the center of grand strategy. Today, debates over foreign policy increasingly focus on the tension between liberal internationalism and a return to spheres of influence, on the weaponization of economic interdependence (sanctions, export controls, semiconductors), and on how middle and small powers navigate a fragmenting order. Delegates will examine how states formulate foreign policy doctrines and how those doctrines interact in the international system.

Key players

Theories of International Relations and Their Real-World Reflections

International relations theory developed through successive 'great debates.' Classical realism, articulated by Morgenthau after World War II, framed politics as a struggle for power among self-interested states. Neorealism (Waltz) and neoliberal institutionalism (Keohane) sharpened the debate in the 1970s and 1980s, disagreeing over whether anarchy doomed states to conflict or whether institutions and interdependence could foster cooperation. Constructivism, advanced by Wendt and others in the 1990s, argued that interests and identities are socially constructed, opening space for norms, culture, and ideas in explaining state behavior. These theories are not merely academic: they shape how policymakers diagnose problems. Realist logic underpins NATO enlargement debates and balancing against China; liberal institutionalism informs the design of the WTO, the Paris Agreement, and arms-control regimes; constructivist insights help explain the spread of human rights norms and the stigmatization of certain weapons. Critical theories — Marxist, feminist, post-colonial — challenge the field's Western-centric assumptions and highlight structural inequalities. Contemporary events test each tradition. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been read as vindication of realism; the global response, including sanctions coordination and ICC referrals, suggests institutions and norms still matter. Delegates will be asked to evaluate which theoretical lenses best illuminate today's crises and what blind spots each carries.

Key players

Levels of Analysis and Their Application to Real-World Problems

Kenneth Waltz's 1959 work 'Man, the State, and War' formalized three images for analyzing international politics: the individual (leaders, psychology), the state (regime type, domestic politics), and the international system (anarchy, distribution of power). J. David Singer later articulated the 'levels of analysis problem,' warning that conclusions can change dramatically depending on the unit chosen. Subsequent scholarship has added sub-state, transnational, and global levels, reflecting the complexity of modern problems. Applying these levels to real-world crises produces sharply different explanations. The 2003 Iraq War can be analyzed as the product of George W. Bush's decision-making (individual), American post-9/11 politics (state), or unipolar incentives (systemic). Climate change involves individual consumption, national energy policies, and a global commons problem simultaneously. Russia's war in Ukraine has been variously attributed to Vladimir Putin personally, Russian regime characteristics, or NATO expansion at the systemic level. Methodologically, levels-of-analysis discipline forces analysts to specify mechanisms and avoid conflating evidence. Policymakers, however, often blend levels intuitively. Delegates will be expected to apply the framework rigorously to contemporary issues — from pandemic response to AI governance — and to defend their analytical choices.

Key players

Institutions in International Relations

International institutions — formal organizations and informal regimes — proliferated after 1945 as states sought to manage interdependence and prevent another world war. The United Nations, IMF, World Bank, and GATT/WTO formed the institutional core of the liberal international order, complemented by regional bodies such as the EU, ASEAN, the African Union, and the Organization of American States. Neoliberal institutionalists argue these bodies reduce transaction costs, provide information, and lock in cooperation; realists counter that institutions merely reflect underlying power. The past two decades have stress-tested this institutional architecture. UN Security Council paralysis on Syria, Ukraine, and Gaza has revived debates over veto reform and 'Uniting for Peace.' The WTO's appellate body has been hobbled since 2019. The WHO faced credibility tests during COVID-19. Meanwhile, new institutions — the BRICS+ grouping, the AIIB, the SCO, and minilateral formats like the Quad and AUKUS — reflect both dissatisfaction with existing bodies and shifting power balances. The core questions today concern legitimacy, representativeness, and effectiveness. Reform proposals for the UNSC, IMF quota reallocation, and demands for greater Global South voice in climate finance are increasingly urgent. Delegates will weigh whether existing institutions can adapt or whether the system is drifting toward parallel orders.

Key players

Regional Studies in International Relations

Regional studies — the systematic analysis of distinct geographic and political subsystems — gained prominence during the Cold War, when area expertise became strategically valuable. The field combines history, language, political economy, and security studies to explain why regions like the Middle East, East Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, or Latin America exhibit distinctive patterns of conflict and cooperation. Regional security complex theory (Buzan and Wæver) argues that security interdependence clusters geographically, producing relatively autonomous regional dynamics. Regions have become increasingly central to global politics. East Asia is the epicenter of US-China competition, with flashpoints around Taiwan, the South China Sea, and the Korean Peninsula. The Middle East continues to be reshaped by the aftermath of the Arab uprisings, Iran's regional posture, the Abraham Accords, and the Israel-Hamas war. Africa is the locus of demographic growth, climate vulnerability, and renewed great-power competition. Latin America navigates migration, organized crime, and shifting trade relationships, while Europe confronts war on its eastern flank. The rise of 'connectivity geopolitics' — Belt and Road, the EU's Global Gateway, the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor — has blurred regional boundaries even as regional organizations gain importance. Delegates will examine how regional dynamics interact with global structures and how area-specific knowledge informs effective policy.

Key players

Asymmetric Threats and State Security

Asymmetric threats — challenges from actors weaker in conventional power who use unconventional means — moved to the center of security thinking after the Cold War and especially after the 9/11 attacks. Terrorism, insurgency, cyberattacks, drone warfare, disinformation, and the weaponization of migration all bypass the symmetrical state-versus-state battles for which militaries were traditionally designed. The 'global war on terror' shaped two decades of US and allied strategy, with mixed results in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Sahel. New forms of asymmetric pressure have emerged. State-sponsored cyber operations against critical infrastructure, ransomware ecosystems, election interference, and influence campaigns have blurred the line between war and peace. Hybrid warfare — exemplified by Russia's actions in Crimea in 2014 and ongoing gray-zone activity in the Baltic and Black Seas — combines conventional, irregular, cyber, and informational tools. Cheap drones, seen extensively in Ukraine, Yemen, and the Red Sea, have democratized precision strike capabilities. States are responding with new doctrines: NATO's recognition of cyber and space as operational domains, national resilience strategies, and updated definitions of armed attack. Yet legal frameworks lag behind, and attribution remains difficult. Delegates will assess how states can defend themselves while preserving rights, alliances, and proportionality.

Key players

The Effects of Non-Governmental Actors on the International System

The Westphalian image of a system populated exclusively by sovereign states has long been incomplete. Multinational corporations, NGOs, transnational advocacy networks, religious movements, organized crime, armed non-state actors, and increasingly powerful technology firms now shape international outcomes. Robert Keohane and Joseph Nye's 1971 work on transnational relations recognized this complexity, and globalization since the 1990s has only deepened it. Non-state actors operate in every domain. NGOs like the ICRC, MSF, and Amnesty International deliver services and shape norms; advocacy networks have driven the landmine ban, the ICC's creation, and climate mobilization. Corporations such as the major tech platforms, energy majors, and semiconductor firms wield influence that rivals many states, with content moderation decisions and supply-chain choices carrying geopolitical weight. Armed non-state actors — from Hezbollah and Hamas to the Wagner/Africa Corps network and various Sahelian jihadist groups — directly shape conflicts. Philanthropic foundations and individual billionaires increasingly fund global health and development. The central debates concern accountability, regulation, and legitimacy. Should social media platforms be treated as quasi-public utilities? How should international law address private military companies? Can civil society sustain its role under pressure from 'closing space' laws? Delegates will examine how the rise of non-state actors reshapes sovereignty, diplomacy, and global governance.

Key players

Humanitarian Intervention and Sovereignty

The tension between state sovereignty and the protection of populations from mass atrocity is one of international law's oldest dilemmas. The UN Charter enshrined non-intervention (Article 2(4)) and sovereign equality, but the Nuremberg trials and the Genocide Convention established that there are crimes against which the international community must respond. The failures of the 1990s — Rwanda, Srebrenica, and the contested NATO intervention in Kosovo in 1999 — exposed the gap between norm and practice. The 2005 World Summit endorsed the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine, articulating that sovereignty entails responsibility and that the international community has a duty to act when states manifestly fail to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. R2P was invoked in UNSC Resolution 1973 authorizing intervention in Libya in 2011 — an operation many states, particularly Russia, China, Brazil, and India, came to see as exceeding its protection mandate and pursuing regime change. That backlash has hindered subsequent collective action, notably on Syria. Today, debates over Sudan, Myanmar, Gaza, and Ukraine reveal both the enduring relevance and the political fragility of humanitarian norms. Selective application, geopolitical rivalry, and concerns about neo-colonialism complicate consensus. Delegates will weigh whether R2P can be revitalized, whether new mechanisms are needed, and how to reconcile sovereignty with the imperative to prevent mass atrocity.

Key players

Resources

News, lessons, and country profiles to prep for International Conference on International Relations and Regional Studies (ICIRRS) 2027.

Recent reporting to ground your prep

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Lessons

Bite-sized lessons to build the basics

Hidden Stakeholders

Dynamic Analysis

What Is Stakeholder Mapping?

The Power-Interest Grid

Courses

Guided courses that go deeper on the topic

Policy Brief Writing

Media & Press Relations

Advanced Negotiation

Multilateral Negotiation

The states in play, with the data that shapes their stance

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

By committee

Frequently asked questions

International Conference on International Relations and Regional Studies (ICIRRS) 2027

Mar 4–5, 2027Rome, ItalyIn-person

Registration open

Committees & topics

Topics
International Relations and Foreign Policy · Theories of International Relations and Their Real-World Reflections · Levels of Analysis and Their Application to Real-World Problems · Institutions in International Relations · Regional Studies in International Relations · Asymmetric Threats and State Security · The Effects of Non-Governmental Actors on the International System · Humanitarian Intervention and Sovereignty

Why it matters

How to prepare

Country perspectives

Where the most-relevant 6 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile.

Italy

As the host nation, ITA provides a European perspective on international relations and regional studies, emphasizing multilateralism and regional cooperation.

Role in topic

United States

The USA often frames international relations through the lens of global leadership, security alliances, and economic influence, with a focus on maintaining a liberal international order.

Role in topic

The United States is a major global actor whose foreign policy decisions and engagement in various regions significantly impact international relations and regional dynamics worldwide.

China

China's perspective often highlights multipolarity, economic development, and non-interference in internal affairs, while asserting its growing influence in various regions.

Role in topic

Russia

Russia emphasizes its role as a major power, often focusing on national sovereignty, security interests in its near abroad, and challenging perceived Western dominance.

Role in topic

Russia's actions and policies, particularly in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and the Arctic, are critical to understanding regional conflicts, energy politics, and international security dynamics.

Germany

Germany typically advocates for multilateralism, European integration, and a rules-based international order, often playing a leading role within the European Union.

Role in topic

As a key economic and political power in Europe, Germany's foreign policy and regional engagements are central to discussions on European stability, economic cooperation, and global governance.

India

India's perspective often centers on strategic autonomy, non-alignment, and the promotion of a multipolar world order, while navigating complex regional dynamics.

Role in topic