CONFERENCE PROGRAM
Asymmetric Neighbours and International Relations: Living in the Shadow of Elephants
in-person at Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea and on-line
June 20-21, 2022
The rise and return of populism and nativism, the intensity of the competition between the United States, China and Russia, the lack of coordination and collaboration between states in response to the pandemic, all highlight the challenges of international and bilateral relations in the third decade of the twenty-first century. Smaller states, in particular, living beside a larger neighbour are affected by the politics and priorities of their neighbours. This timely conference, especially given events in Eastern Europe, examines asymmetrical bilateral relations between states sharing a border particularly from the perspective of the smaller of the two neighbours.
This conference is supported by funding received from Yonsei University (South Korea), the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies, and Glendon College, at York University (Canada)
Room 401 - Yonhi Hall, College of Social Science, Yonsei University, Seoul and via Zoom (link to be provided to registered participants)
ALL TIMES SHOWN IN THE PROGRAM ARE KOREA STANDARD TIME (KST)
TO CONVERT TO YOUR TIME ZONE PLEASE CLICK HERE
JUNE 20, 2022
OPENING REMARKS 9:15am - 9:30am – Tae Joon Lah, President of the Korean Association for Policy Studies
PANEL 1 - 9:30am - 10:45am
Russia and Belarus: An endless story of integration - L. Karabeshkin, independent researcher, Russia, Pierre Jolicoeur & Frédéric Labarre, Royal Military College, Canada
In the shadow of elephants: Mongolia landlocked between Russia and China -
Undraa Agvaanluvsan, Mitchell Foundation for Arts and Sciences
Borders, Brexit, and citizenship - Willem Maas, York University, Canada
BREAK 10:45-11:00
KEYNOTE 11:00-11:45 – Professor Young Jun Choi, Department of Public Administration, Yonsei University
LUNCH - 11:45-13:00
PANEL 2 - 13:00-14:15
Legacies of a Trans-Tasman relationship - Jennifer Curtin, University of Auckland, New Zealand & Dominic O’Sullivan, Charles Sturt University, Australia
A tripartite dilemma: Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan relations at the intersection of identity and national interest - Merve Özdemirkiran-Embel, Marmara University, Turkey
Comparing the socio-economic, political and cultural developments in Togo and Ghana - Frank L.K. Ohemeng, Concordia University, Canada
BREAK 14:15-14:30
PANEL 3 - 14:30-15:45
Stepping out of the shade: Qatari-Saudi relations amidst the rise of ‘cosmopolitan Qatar’ - Gertjan Hoetjes, University of Amsterdam
Sandwich theory: Smaller state status of Korea in between Japan and China - Nara Park, South Korea
The little red dot that roared: Singapore between the giants - Yohanes Sulaiman, Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani, Indonesia
DAY ONE CLOSING COMMENTS 15:45 -16:00 – Conference Organizers
JUNE 21, 2022
DAY TWO WELCOME - 9:25am - 9:30am – Conference organizers
PANEL 4 - 9:30 - 10:45
Dealing with Russia: Georgia's endeavor to escape the unavoidable - Salome Minesashvili, Georgia Institute of Politics, Georgia, Pierre Jolicoeur & Frédéric Labarre, Royal Military College, Canada
Never going to let you go: The Middle East, Great Power competition, and the rise of China - Jeremy Wildeman, University of Ottawa & Michael Atallah, Senior Middle East Analyst, Privy Council Office, Government of Canada (Dr. Atallah's views expressed in the presentation are his own and do not represent those of the Government of Canada)
Balancing the elephant and the dragon – Nepal’s struggle for political in(ter)dependence - Jawad Hussain Qureshi, Privy Council Office, Government of Canada
BREAK 10:45 - 11:00
PANEL 5 - 11:00-12:15
Canada-US cross-border economic corridors: A binational advantage or complex entanglement? - Charles Conteh, Brock University, Canada
From enemies to friends? Timor-Leste and Indonesia - Nicholas Morris, La Trobe University, Australia
Colombian foreign policy towards Brazil: Limited cooperation and competition for regional leadership - Eduardo P. Buelvas and Diego Vera Piñeros, Pontifical Xavierian University, Colombia
CONFERENCE WRAP-UP & NEXT STEPS - 12:15-12:45
The mouse fights back: The maneuvering room of smaller states with respect to their larger neighbour - Ian Roberge, York University, Canada
Closing Remarks: Nara Park, Yonsei University; Ian Roberge, York University; and Thomas Klassen, York University
Asymmetric Neighbours and International Relations: Living in the Shadow of Elephants
in-person at Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea and on-line
June 20-21, 2022
The rise and return of populism and nativism, the intensity of the competition between the United States, China and Russia, the lack of coordination and collaboration between states in response to the pandemic, all highlight the challenges of international and bilateral relations in the third decade of the twenty-first century. Smaller states, in particular, living beside a larger neighbour are affected by the politics and priorities of their neighbours. This timely conference, especially given events in Eastern Europe, examines asymmetrical bilateral relations between states sharing a border particularly from the perspective of the smaller of the two neighbours.
This conference is supported by funding received from Yonsei University (South Korea), the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies, and Glendon College, at York University (Canada)
Room 401 - Yonhi Hall, College of Social Science, Yonsei University, Seoul and via Zoom (link to be provided to registered participants)
ALL TIMES SHOWN IN THE PROGRAM ARE KOREA STANDARD TIME (KST)
TO CONVERT TO YOUR TIME ZONE PLEASE CLICK HERE
JUNE 20, 2022
OPENING REMARKS 9:15am - 9:30am – Tae Joon Lah, President of the Korean Association for Policy Studies
PANEL 1 - 9:30am - 10:45am
Russia and Belarus: An endless story of integration - L. Karabeshkin, independent researcher, Russia, Pierre Jolicoeur & Frédéric Labarre, Royal Military College, Canada
In the shadow of elephants: Mongolia landlocked between Russia and China -
Undraa Agvaanluvsan, Mitchell Foundation for Arts and Sciences
Borders, Brexit, and citizenship - Willem Maas, York University, Canada
BREAK 10:45-11:00
KEYNOTE 11:00-11:45 – Professor Young Jun Choi, Department of Public Administration, Yonsei University
LUNCH - 11:45-13:00
PANEL 2 - 13:00-14:15
Legacies of a Trans-Tasman relationship - Jennifer Curtin, University of Auckland, New Zealand & Dominic O’Sullivan, Charles Sturt University, Australia
A tripartite dilemma: Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan relations at the intersection of identity and national interest - Merve Özdemirkiran-Embel, Marmara University, Turkey
Comparing the socio-economic, political and cultural developments in Togo and Ghana - Frank L.K. Ohemeng, Concordia University, Canada
BREAK 14:15-14:30
PANEL 3 - 14:30-15:45
Stepping out of the shade: Qatari-Saudi relations amidst the rise of ‘cosmopolitan Qatar’ - Gertjan Hoetjes, University of Amsterdam
Sandwich theory: Smaller state status of Korea in between Japan and China - Nara Park, South Korea
The little red dot that roared: Singapore between the giants - Yohanes Sulaiman, Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani, Indonesia
DAY ONE CLOSING COMMENTS 15:45 -16:00 – Conference Organizers
JUNE 21, 2022
DAY TWO WELCOME - 9:25am - 9:30am – Conference organizers
PANEL 4 - 9:30 - 10:45
Dealing with Russia: Georgia's endeavor to escape the unavoidable - Salome Minesashvili, Georgia Institute of Politics, Georgia, Pierre Jolicoeur & Frédéric Labarre, Royal Military College, Canada
Never going to let you go: The Middle East, Great Power competition, and the rise of China - Jeremy Wildeman, University of Ottawa & Michael Atallah, Senior Middle East Analyst, Privy Council Office, Government of Canada (Dr. Atallah's views expressed in the presentation are his own and do not represent those of the Government of Canada)
Balancing the elephant and the dragon – Nepal’s struggle for political in(ter)dependence - Jawad Hussain Qureshi, Privy Council Office, Government of Canada
BREAK 10:45 - 11:00
PANEL 5 - 11:00-12:15
Canada-US cross-border economic corridors: A binational advantage or complex entanglement? - Charles Conteh, Brock University, Canada
From enemies to friends? Timor-Leste and Indonesia - Nicholas Morris, La Trobe University, Australia
Colombian foreign policy towards Brazil: Limited cooperation and competition for regional leadership - Eduardo P. Buelvas and Diego Vera Piñeros, Pontifical Xavierian University, Colombia
CONFERENCE WRAP-UP & NEXT STEPS - 12:15-12:45
The mouse fights back: The maneuvering room of smaller states with respect to their larger neighbour - Ian Roberge, York University, Canada
Closing Remarks: Nara Park, Yonsei University; Ian Roberge, York University; and Thomas Klassen, York University