6th International Conference on Business, Management and Social Sciences (ICBMASS-26)

Theme: Beyond the Binaries: Reconfiguring the security-development nexus amid a transitioning Order

• Conference Dates: October 21–22, 2026
• Venue: NUST H-12 Campus, Islamabad, Pakistan
• Organized By: Centre for International Peace and Stability (CIPS)
• In Collaboration With: School of Social Sciences and Humanities (S3H), Jinnah School of Public Policy and Leadership (JSPPL), & NUST Business School (NBS)

1. Concept Note

The contemporary international system is standing at the cusp of a new order. As President Xi said, “The transformation unseen in a century is accelerating across the globe, …the future belongs to the Global South”. The shift/transition is profound and is characterized by shifting geopolitical alignments, economic uncertainty, technological disruption, environmental crises, and the evolving patterns of governance. Contemporary crises refuse to fit in traditional and neat disciplinary boundaries: Climate change, pandemics, health security, migration and refugee flows and technological novelties along with hybrid threats simultaneously entail security challenges as well as development imperatives, rejecting the sectoral boundaries. The Conventional analytical lens relying on security – development binary obscures the complex realities and hinder an integrated response to the challenges and opportunities at hand.

This changing global milieu demands a shift in the states’ foreign and domestic policy postures and their responses to the emerging challenges. Pakistan, a significant actor in global politics with a strategic geopolitical positioning and a credible diplomatic posture requires a fundamental reconceptualization of security – development nexus. Caught at the intersection of multiple crises: terrorism, persistent inflation and economic challenges, climate change, health security, unresolved geopolitical tensions at the eastern and western borders, burgeoning transnational security threats, and endemic governance deficit— the orthodox treatment with security and development as separable domains would prove faulty at best.

Epistemic communities — network of policy experts, academics, researchers, analysts, government officials, security professionals and development practitioners with their evidence – based knowledge on policy problems, play a crucial role in the reconceptualization of security- development nexus beyond a binary approach. Academic and higher education institutions must serve as a platform for this reconceptualization endeavor by facilitating dialogue across and between the disciplines that relate to security and development sectors in a multitude of ways. Such interdisciplinary dialogue should be inclusive of government policy makers, civil society organizations, academicians and subject experts both from Pakistan and abroad.

The 6th ICBMASS conference focusing on the theme Beyond the Binaries: Reconfiguring the security- development nexus amid a transitioning order is a step in this direction. The objective of this year’s conference is to provide an intellectual space to subject experts from fields of business management, public policy, leadership studies and humanities to brainstorm towards a nuanced problematization transcending the existing boundaries. The effort to explore integrated solutions to Pakistan’s contemporary challenges in the light of global and regional dynamics require synergy across sectors and institutions. Thriving in an age of comprehensive security needs a simultaneous pursuit of structural transformations that bring inclusive policies and sustainable growth.

This conference aims to generate practical pathways for policy makers to navigate the complexities rooted in the security-development nexus that no longer respects boundaries (specific to the case of Pakistan). The conference will provide a multidisciplinary platform to explore theoretical innovations, policy frameworks, and practical strategies that transcend disciplinary boundaries and contribute toward resilient, inclusive, and sustainable futures.

The conference will comprise plenary sessions organized around the four thematic tracks. Each plenary session will commence with a keynote address delivered by a distinguished practitioner, policymaker, or subject expert. The keynote presentation will establish the broader policy context and practical perspective for the session, followed by research paper presentations and an interactive discussion. Particular emphasis will be placed on generating evidence-based policy insights, including the deconstruction of politicized agendas through counter-narratives of success and development initiatives by the state, thereby fostering constructive discourse on Pakistan’s security-development challenges. Following the conference, selected peer-reviewed papers will be published as conference proceedings. In addition, a comprehensive Conference Report and Policy Proceedings will be produced, synthesizing the key deliberations, thematic takeaways, and actionable policy recommendations for Pakistan. These outputs will serve as a knowledge resource for policymakers, academic institutions, development practitioners, and strategic stakeholders to support evidence-informed policymaking and future research.

2. Conference Tracks & Sub-Themes

We invite abstract submissions that address the intersections of security and development across four primary interdisciplinary tracks:

Track 1: Peace, Stability and Security

• Deconstructing traditional vs. non-traditional security binaries in the Global South.
• Geopolitics, regional alignment, and conflict transformation in a transitioning order.
• Hybrid transnational threats, and their developmental costs.
• The role of strategic peacebuilding and stability operations in enabling economic growth.
• Borderlands, Connectivity and Security
• Afghanistan as a Gateway to Central Asia: Opportunities and Strategic Implications
• Gwadar as the Linchpin of CPEC Success: Linking Development with Balochistan’s Stability and Prosperity
• Kashmir: The Unfinished Agenda and Regional Peace
• Pakistan in a Multiplex World: Security, Development, and Strategic Adaptation
• Water Security, Resource Governance, and Regional Stability
• Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) and Community-Based Resilience
• Human Security and Comprehensive Security Approaches in the Global South
• Deconstructing politicised agendas through counter narratives of socio- economic development.

Track 2: Socio-Economic Dynamics & Business Resilience

• Business continuity and corporate survival in volatile geopolitical environments.
• Supply chain resilience, inflation mitigation, and fiscal management during global transitions.
• Sustainable business models and digital transformations acting as stabilizing forces.
• Financial technologies (FinTech), inclusive growth, and ethical commerce.
• Financial Resilience and Economic Security in Emerging Economies
• Geopolitics, global value chains, and economic security in a transitioning world
• Consumer vulnerability, ethical marketing, and development in times of crisis

Track 3: Public Policy, Society & Governance

• Reconfiguring public policy frameworks to bridge the security-development divide.
• Mitigating Pakistan’s governance deficits through evidence-based policymaking.
• Crisis leadership, institutional capacity building, and strategic foresight.
• Navigating Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) amid shifting global and domestic political landscapes.
• Participatory Governance in Post-Conflict Policy Design
• Governance Challenges, Economy and National Resilience in Contemporary Pakistan
• National Cohesion, Social Integration and Interprovincial Harmony

Track 4: Culture , Identity & Human Security

• Climate change vulnerabilities, pandemics, and human health security.
• Forced migration, refugee flows, and identity dynamics in transitioning societies.
• Gender, inclusivity, and social justice as prerequisites for structural peace.
• Community well-being, mental health, and social resilience in times of multi-crises.
• Pakistani Youth, Identity Crisis and Behavioural Vulnerabilities in the Digital Age
• Women, Peace and Security (WPS): Advancing Inclusive Development
• Religious Pluralism, Social Harmony, and Peaceful Coexistence
• Digital Cultures, Social Media, and Societal Polarization

3. Submission & Important Timeline

Abstract Submission Criteria: Abstracts must be written in English and be between 250–300 words. Submissions must clearly outline the research problem, methodology, and key findings/arguments, and include 3–5 keywords. A separate cover page or header must include the author(s) full name, institutional affiliation, and contact email address.