Call for Papers: Global Shifts and Contemporary Debates in Geopolitics
Call for Papers: Global Shifts and Contemporary Debates in Geopolitics
Editors of the Special Issue:
Zoltán Lechner (University of Pécs), Kata Murányi (University of Pécs)
Geopolitics has re-emerged as one of the most dynamic fields of inquiry in political science and international studies. In today’s world, shifting regions and emerging orders highlight how regional dynamics and integration processes redefine the balance of global power. At the same time, scholars are rethinking geopolitical theories, blending classical insights with critical approaches to explain the complexities of an increasingly multipolar system.
Security and conflict remain central concerns, with new frontlines appearing in hybrid wars, cyber threats, and unconventional arenas of confrontation. Yet geopolitics is no longer confined to military and strategic spheres, climate change and sustainability are reshaping borders, resources, and migration flows, introducing new vulnerabilities into international relations. Alongside these material dimensions, soft power and cultural influence play an equally important role in shaping global narratives and diplomatic engagement.
The transformation of relations between the Global South and North further complicates the picture, as emerging powers challenge long-standing inequalities and propose alternative visions of order. Energy and resource rivalries, from oil and gas to rare earth materials, continue to fuel tensions and dependencies across regions. Meanwhile, geopolitics is increasingly mediated through culture, media, and everyday practices, making popular geopolitics a key area of study.
Cities themselves have become strategic spaces where global struggles intersect with local realities: urban geopolitics captures how infrastructure, migration, and security policies reshape urban life. Digital technologies add yet another layer, as cyberspace emerges as a decisive arena of geopolitical competition. Together, these perspectives demonstrate that geopolitics today is multidimensional, spanning physical territories, cultural imaginaries, urban contexts, and digital networks.
This thematic issue of Polarities (Pólusok) invites contributions that explore global shifts and contemporary debates in Geopolitics. We seek papers that analyze the multifaceted geopolitical approaches of the following topics and beyond:
- Shifting Regions, Emerging Orders
- Rethinking Geopolitical Theories
- Security, Conflict, and the New Frontlines
- Geopolitics of Sustainability and Climate Change
- Soft Power, Culture, and Global Influence
- Global South and North in Transformation
- Energy and Resource Rivalries
- Popular Geopolitics: Media, Culture, and Perceptions
- Urban Geopolitics: Cities as Strategic Spaces
- Digital Geopolitics: Power in Cyberspace
We encourage interdisciplinary perspectives and innovative approaches to these issues.
Submission Guidelines:
Authors interested in contributing to this issue should submit full papers in English/Hungarian by December 15, 2025. Manuscripts should have a minimum of 20,000 and a maximum of 40,000 characters, including spaces but excluding references. For detailed guidelines and additional information, please visit our submission page.
Publication Timeline:
- Submission of author(s)+title+abstract: November 15, 2025
- Submission of Full Papers: December 15, 2025
- Publication of the Issue: February/March 2026
Open Access and peer-review:
The journal is published in Open Access format. Publication is free of charge, but subject to prior editorial screening and evaluation by two anonymous reviewers.
Contact Information:
For any queries, please contact the editorial team at polusok@pte.hu
About Pólusok/Polarities Journal:
Pólusok/Polarities is a peer-reviewed scientific journal founded in 2020, focusing on political science and international studies. It holds a B-level qualification in the Hungarian academic ranking system and maintains an international editorial board and scientific advisory board. The journal publishes articles in both English and Hungarian, ensuring wide accessibility for regional and global audiences. All contributions undergo a rigorous review process, and accepted papers are published immediately after typesetting. Pólusok/Polarities is an open access journal, providing DOI numbers through CrossRef registration. It is currently indexed in ERIH PLUS and Google Scholar, with acceptance for indexation in CEEOL and an application submitted to DOAJ. This makes the journal a growing platform for high-quality research dissemination in the field.
