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Call for Submissions: Navigating the “Poly-Crisis” through Autonomous Social Sciences and Alternative Development

The UP CIDS Program on Alternative Development (AltDev), in partnership with SAINS, IPB University and IRASEC, invites scholars, activists, and practitioners to a transdisciplinary dialogue this May 2026 in Bogor, Indonesia.

The Asia-Pacific region is currently grappling with a severe “poly-crisis”—a volatile convergence of ecological emergencies, political instability, and persistent socio-economic precarity. As traditional development models struggle to address these overlapping challenges, the need for transformative, historically grounded, and contextually meaningful alternatives has never been more urgent.

To address these issues, the UP CIDS Program on Alternative Development (AltDev) is co-organizing an international conference titled “Autonomous Social Sciences and Alternative Development in Times of Multiple Crises.” The event will be held from May 21 to 23, 2026, at IPB University in Dramaga, Bogor, Indonesia.

Moving Beyond Technical Solutions

This conference aims to move beyond mere technical fixes to global crises. Instead, it seeks to foster critical reflection on the intersections of knowledge, power, and justice. By strengthening “autonomous social sciences”—theories and methodologies rooted in the realities of the Global South—the event aims to equip participants with alternative development imaginaries that prioritize people and the planet.

A Call for Transdisciplinary Dialogue

We invite scholars, students, activists, social movements, and practitioners to join this vital conversation. The organizers are calling for submissions in the following formats:

  • Individual Papers

  • Posters

  • Panel Sessions

  • Agricultural Product Showcase

Key Conference Themes

The dialogue will revolve around several critical pillars, including:

  • Decolonizing social science & alternative knowledge.

  • Participatory development & governance.

  • Solidarity economy & community innovation.

  • Agroecology, food sovereignty, and ecologically just agrarian reform.

  • Climate crisis and alternative development.

  • Digital politics and the threat of authoritarianism.

Featured Plenary Speakers

The conference will feature a distinguished lineup of plenary speakers at the forefront of critical social science and alternative development:

  • Dr. Syed Farid Alatas – Professor of Sociology at the National University of Singapore (NUS). A leading global voice for the “autonomous social science” movement, focusing on decolonizing knowledge and developing independent academic traditions in the Global South.

  • Dr. Eduardo C. Tadem – Professor Emeritus at the University of the Philippines Diliman and Convener of UP CIDS AltDev. A pioneer in study of alternative development paradigms, agrarian reform, and grassroots regionalism.

  • Dr. Damayanti Buchori – Professor at IPB University and the former Director of the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development Studies (PSP3)

  • Prof. Saturnino “Jun” Borras Jr. – International Institute of Social Studies (ISS), The Hague, Netherlands. He is recognized for his extensive work on global agrarian politics and social movements.

  • Dr. Inaya Rakhmani – Universitas Indonesia (UI), Indonesia. She is a prominent scholar focusing on the politics of knowledge and social sciences in Southeast Asia.

Important Dates & Details

  • Abstract & Panel Proposal Submission Deadline: February 28, 2026

  • Conference Dates: May 21–23, 2026

  • Venue: IPB University, Dramaga, Bogor, Indonesia

Partners

The conference is a collaborative effort between:

  • Sajogyo Institute (SAINS)
  • Center for Agricultural and Rural Development Studies (PSP3), IPB University
  • Program on Alternative Development (AltDev), UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies (UP CIDS)
  • Institut de Recherche sur l’Asie du Sud-Est Contemporaine (IRASEC)
  • Department of Communication and Community Development Sciences, IPB University

How to Apply

Interested participants can view the full conference concept note and sign up via the official portal: https://conference.ipb.ac.id/Icasad

Join us in Bogor as we collectively reimagine a more just and sustainable future for the region.