News

Dr. Philipp Gieg from the Chair of International Relations and European Studies participated in the South Asia in World Politics (SAWP) Conference of the International Studies Association (ISA) in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The conference focused on South Asia’s role in international politics and the implications of a changing international order for the region. Philipp Gieg presented his research on India’s contestation of global norms.

The final conference programme for the Open Conference of the ‘International Relations’ Section of the German Political Science Association (DVPW) is now available online. The conference will take place from 21 to 23 September 2026 at the University of Würzburg.

Elena Dück wurde für den in der Zeitschaft International Political Sociology erschienen Artikel „Female Fighters and Male Vulnerabilities. Gendered Depictions in Ukraine’s Visual Narrative of the Russia-Ukraine War“ mit dem Matilda-Preis der Fakultät für Humanwissenschaften ausgezeichnet.

How can international relations be explained without reducing them to rigid binaries such as friendship and enmity or cooperation and competition? Indian political scientist Professor Deepshikha Shahi addressed this question in a public guest lecture at the University of Würzburg.

Elena Dück nahm an den 13th European Workshops in International Studies (EWIS 2026) teil, die vom 1. bis 3. Juli 2026 an der İzmir University of Economics in der Türkei stattfanden. Die von der European International Studies Association (EISA) ausgerichteten Workshops bringen Wissenschaftler*innen aus aller Welt in kleinen Arbeitsgruppen zusammen, um aktuelle Forschungsprojekte intensiv zu diskutieren und weiterzuentwickeln.

How do conceptions of gender change in international politics and across the life course? These questions were at the heart of the two-day ICAS:MP workshop “The Challenge of Gender”, held in Würzburg on 2–3 July 2026. Alongside panels on age and ageing in transcultural contexts, the panel "The Contestation of Global Gender Norms" provided a particular focus from the perspective of International Relations.

Auf der Dreiländertagung 2026 der Deutschen Vereinigung für Politikwissenschaft (DVPW), der Österreichischen Gesellschaft für Politikwissenschaft (ÖGPW) und der Schweizerischen Vereinigung für Politische Wissenschaft (SVPW/ASSP) an der Zeppelin Universität Friedrichshafen war Elena Dück in mehreren Funktionen aktiv und beteiligte sich an aktuellen Debatten zu Demokratie, Autokratisierung sowie zur politikwissenschaftlichen Lehre.

As part of the Erasmus+ programme, Tabea Yilu and Nea Solander from the Chair of International Relations and European Studies visited Ilia State University in Tbilisi, Georgia.

On 15 June 2026, the India Forum at IPS welcomed Dr. Barnaby Dye (King’s College London / DGAP Berlin) for a public guest lecture at the University of Würzburg. Under the title "India-Africa Relations in the 21st Century: Over-Hyped, a Historic Success, or a Middling Muddle?", Dr. Dye discussed the development and future prospects of relations between India and African states before an audience of students, scholars, and other interested participants.

The Diplomat has just published a new article by Philipp Gieg (IPS) and Barnaby Dye (King’s College London and DGAP) on the upcoming 4th India-Africa Forum Summit. The article examines the geopolitical significance of the summit and discusses why India is hosting a high-level Africa summit in New Delhi again for the first time in eleven years.

On May 8 and 9, 2026, university and high school students simulated negotiations within the United Nations bodies. WüMUN 2026 offered participants practical insights into the work of the United Nations. You can find the award winners, as well as highlights and photos from WüMUN 2026, here.

Prof. Sonja Grimm sprach am 11. Mai 2026 im Rahmen der Reihe "Hochschulbildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung" (HBNE). zum Thema "SDG 16 – Frieden, Gerechtigkeit und starke Institutionen: Eine Zwischenbilanz". Eine Aufzeichnung des Online-Vortrags kann hier angesehen werden.

In March 2026, Dr. Philipp Gieg undertook a two-week working visit to India, which served to facilitate his participation in international conferences, strengthen international collaborations, and engage in intensive exchange with partner institutions on site.

Die zweite Fellow Assembly der Bayerischen Wissenschaftsallianz für Friedens-, Konflikt- und Sicherheitsforschung (FoKS) fand am 12. und 13. Februar 2026 in München statt. Die Veranstaltung versammelte Fellows der Allianz, unter ihnen Prof. Sonja Grimm, Dr. Elena Dück und Dr. Philipp Gieg vom IPS. Ein besonderes Highlight war das Side Event der Wissenschaftsallianz bei der Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz (MSC).

Transitional justice, hybrid warfare, gendered role models in the discourse on war – just some of the topics addressed by the students' posters, which were exhibited and presented at the Forum at Wittelsbacherplatz.