Eurograd message

Dear colleagues,

I would like to share with you the CfP for the workshop Societal Security in Times of Crisis: Navigating Uncertainty through Security Narratives which will take place in NTNU, Trondheim on May 26-27. Please note that the deadline for abstract submission is March 15. Feel free to share this CfP with colleagues who might be interested in the workshop.

Societal Security in Times of Crisis: Navigating Uncertainty through Security Narratives Workshop, 26-27 May 2025, Trondheim, Norway Deadline for abstract submission: 15 March 2025 In an increasingly interconnected world marked by profound ecological, social, economic, and political crises, the concept of societal security has become more critical than ever. These multifaceted crises are not isolated; they overlap and reinforce one another, exposing vulnerabilities across communities and testing the resilience of societies worldwide. As these crises challenge existing security frameworks, they also raise important questions about how security is understood, who gets to define it, and what is considered a threat. Central to this inquiry are security narrativesthe stories and discourses that shape our understanding of risk, security, and collective well-being. As global uncertainties intensify, not only do the material threats facing societies change, but also do the narratives about security evolve. These narratives often stage definitions of who is perceived as vulnerable, who is seen as a threat, and what solutions are deemed appropriate. Processes of securitization, or the framing of issues as security concerns, play a significant role in determining what is prioritized in policy responses. Similarly, understandings of vulnerabilityboth perceived and realneed to be understood in relation to these security narratives, as these influence how risks are managed and whose security is ultimately protected. The interplay between resilience, risk, and security narratives reveals the complexity of responding to crises while managing societal fears, anxieties, and aspirations for safety. We invite contributions that critically engage with the concept of societal security in the context of global crises and uncertainties, with a special focus on securitization, vulnerability, resilience, risk and security narratives. We welcome interdisciplinary perspectives and theoretical, methodological and empirical contributions that explore the following themes:

• Securitization and Governance: How are issues such as climate change, migration, economic inequality framed as security threats? What impact do these securitization processes have on policy, governance, and the prioritization of security measures? How do security narratives influence political and social responses, and what are their broader implications for human rights and social justice?
• Security Narratives and Public Perception: How do security narratives shape public understanding of risks and threats? How do these narratives affect social cohesion and trust in institutions? What role does the media play in constructing these narratives, and how can alternative narratives be fostered to challenge dominant discourses?
• Reframing Security Narratives: How can we shift dominant security narratives to foster more holistic, inclusive, and sustainable responses to global crises? How can alternative narratives, particularly those rooted in community resilience, environmental justice, and human rights, be promoted to challenge traditional state-centric security frameworks?
• Vulnerability, Inequality, and Exclusion: How are vulnerabilities to global crises distributed across different populations and regions, and how do security narratives contribute to these inequalities? What are the implications of framing certain groups as "vulnerable" or "at-risk"? How can security narratives be reimagined to promote inclusivity, equity, and social justice?
• Resilience and Adaptation: How do societies and communities build resilience in response to crises, and how are these resilience efforts framed within security narratives? What are the challenges in promoting adaptive strategies in communities that are disproportionately affected by multiple risks, and how can security narratives support or hinder these efforts?
• Risk, Future Trajectories, and Scenarios: What emerging risks are communities facing in the context of global uncertainty, and how are these risks framed within security narratives? How do scenarios in particular provide narratives with a high degree of solidity? How do security narratives influence decision-making processes about future vulnerabilities, and how can they guide more effective and equitable responses to these challenges?

This call for papers encourages interdisciplinary dialogue and contributions that critically explore how societal security is framed, enacted, and contested in the face of overlapping crises. We welcome papers that engage with security narratives across various domains, across social, behavioral sciences and humanities. Keynote Speakers TBA Submission of papers The abstract submission deadline is 15 March 2025. Abstracts of 300-500 words, along with a short bio should be sent in Word-or PDF format to olga.usachova@ntnu.no, with the subject line Workshop: Security Narratives. The decision of acceptance will be communicated by the end of March 2025. Accepted papers will get the opportunity to receive feedback from peer-discussants. Therefore, before the workshop in May, participants will be expected to share draft discussion papers with other participants. Furthermore, we aim to develop an edited volume on the basis of the submitted papers, for which all workshop participants will have the opportunity to contribute. Costs The workshop will be free of charge and include lunches and 1 dinner. Participants are to organize and cover their own travel and lodging. The Workshop is funded by NTNU's thematic area Civil Security. It will be hosted by the thematic group Security Narratives, part of NTNU's thematic area Civil Security in collaboration with the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture and the Department of Information Security and Communication Technology. Workshop Organizers Govert Valkenburg, Research Professor, Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture, NTNU Aristidis Kaloudis, Professor, Department of Information Security and Communication Technology, NTNU Olga Usachova, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture, NTNU

Olga Usachova, PhD (she/her) Postdoctoral Research Fellow Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture (KULT) Room 6544B, Bygg.6, Dragvoll, Trondheim

Email: olga.usachova@ntnu.no Website: https://www.ntnu.edu/employees/olga.usachova EASST's Eurograd mailing list -- eurograd-easst.net@lists.easst.net Archive: https://lists.easst.net/hyperkitty/list/eurograd-easst.net@lists.easst.net/ Edit your delivery settings there using Account dropdown, Mailman settings. Website: https://easst.net/easst_eurograd/ Meet us on Mastodon: https://assemblag.es/@easst Or X: https://twitter.com/STSeasst