“Mapping the Global Dimensions of Policy 10: Building Beyond Uncertainty” McMaster University’s tenth annual Graduate Conference, invites interventions speaking to the all questions raised at the intersections of globalization and policy studies. We welcome graduate students from all disciplines to submit proposals for a paper or poster presentation addressing any aspect of public policy that has a global dimension.

Building Beyond Uncertainty: Discussions of existing global policy paradigms, and globalization more generally, have been marking strong and significant shifts in our understanding, for the last ten years. New influences on our global system are emerging, and historic power structures are under revitalized analysis, some eventually reconsidered, reduced or removed from deliberation. And recent global crises have invigorated researchers to ask new questions, while revealing enormous inconsistencies and changeability in the foundations of existing policy paradigms. There is an expanding spotlight on both past and present changes to the global system, including global economic trends, population movement, information sharing, governance structures, and global health systems.

The conference will be held virtually from March 11th -13th 2021.

Day 1: 1:30PM to 6:00PM EST

Includes Keynote from Simon Dalby, Balsillie School of International Affairs, Wilfrid Laurier University: Anthropocene Geopolitics: Governance Challenges in New Epoch, 1:45-3:00 PM

The Anthropocene specifies our present times in terms of a new geological epoch. The traditional themes of geopolitics, of rivalries for power and space, and how the world is known in political discourse, need to be updated in light of this new understanding. Industrial humanity has become a planet altering force. This is the new context in which we have to understand matters of climate change, economic transformation and the dangers of pandemics. This is leading to new configurations of politics, innovative ideas of governance in the face of environmental emergencies, and the need to come to terms with a generational politics which is very different from the geopolitical rivalries of the previous century.

Day 2: 9:00AM to 3:30PM EST

Includes Keynote from Johnna Montgomerie, King's College London: Forming a Global Progressive Agenda: A Vision of Economic Democracy, 9:00-10:15 AM

Includes Professional Development Panel focused on career opportunities for graduate students. 10:25-11:40 AM

Day 3: 10:30AM to 3:30PM EST

Includes thematic Closing Roundtable, considering How do we Build Beyond Uncertainty? 2:10-3:25 PM