St Mary’s University, Twickenham, UK, Friday 27th November 2026
THEME: The Commonwealth and Geopolitics
In recent years there have been an increasing number of significant challenges to the post-WWII rules-based world order: from the continued erosion of multilateralism, the unravelling of the UN, the upending of the international developmental model, increasing defiance of international law, contraction of free trade, constriction of freedom of navigation, the slide towards authoritarianism and the use of force to settle disputes in international politics. What space and opportunities are there for the Commonwealth, a self-declared values-based association, when confronted by such fragmentation of the broader international system? When the greatest dangers to international peace and security appear to come from great powers, what tangible benefits can a highly diverse association offer its middle power members and the majority of small and Small Island Developing States? Are there still spaces available for the so-called “Commonwealth Advantage”? Is there still any substance or future in the Commonwealth’s claim that it has ‘help[ed] the world to negotiate’? Can individual Commonwealth major powers ‘lead the way’ on action to protect norms and institutions? In a deeply troubling era of ‘hard power’, what are the possibilities and options for a financial constrained ‘soft power’ association?
Building on the success of the first two Annual Conferences organised at St Mary’s University, interdisciplinarity will remain a key theme of the day. Dialogue between not only academics from different traditions and disciplines will be actively encouraged, as will interactions between politicians, policy advocates, diplomats, and academic staff and students.
Topics of interest for the 2026 conference include (but are not limited to):
- The Commonwealth and geopolitics.
- The Commonwealth and international institutions: mini-lateralism, regionalism, and multilateralism.
- The Commonwealth and globalisation.
- The Commonwealth and intellectual ideas.
- The Commonwealth and activism.
- Different and innovative theoretical perspectives on the Commonwealth.
- Interdisciplinary approaches to issues affecting the Commonwealth as a whole or its member states: including, but not limited to, climate change, democratisation, cultural exchange, education, health, human rights, development, civil society, media, information & communications, business development, and international trade. (Individual and comparative case studies of Commonwealth member states are welcomed).
- Comparative studies that bring the Commonwealth as an organisation into dialogue with each other, or non-Commonwealth countries.
- Research applying innovative or historically grounded methodologies, ideologies, or epistemic principles.
Submission Guidelines:
- Please send an abstract of no longer than 250 words that explains how your research focuses on the Commonwealth and/or its member states.
- Additionally, please include a brief biography (up to 150 words), considering your academic affiliation, research interests, and contact information.
- Please send your proposal to [email protected] and [email protected] (subject line: 3rd Annual Conference on the Commonwealth) no later than July 1 2026. Notification of acceptance will be sent by August 1, 2026.
- Please note the organisers will give preference to in-person papers; hybrid/Zoom arrangements will be made available for presenters, if necessary.
We hope to select papers for inclusion in a book or special edition of The Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs and Policy Studies, and look forward to receiving your research proposals.
