Fighting Divisions: Conflict and Power in a Post Globalisation Order – 38th Annual SASE Conference – 22-24 June 2026 (Virtual events)

Virtual events: 22 to 24 June 2026

These sessions are open to the public. You can find the program here: https://virtual.oxfordabstracts.com/event/74989/program

In person (SASE members): 1 to 4 July 2026 (Bordeaux)

Theme Overview
Conflict and power shape every socio-economic and political system. Institutions help regulate these dynamics by defining how power is exercised and which forms of conflict are legitimate. During periods of crisis or transition, existing institutions may fail to manage new or intensified divisions, and social actors often assert power to advance their interests.

Today’s global landscape suggests we may be entering a new phase where national borders regain importance. Economic and political interests are shifting inward, and collective identities are being reshaped around national frameworks. This trend is not a rejection of globalisation but a consequence of it.

While globalisation led to significant economic growth in parts of the world, particularly in Asia, many advanced economies now view their growing interdependence as a strategic risk. The benefits of globalisation have also been uneven. Although some income gaps between countries have narrowed, internal inequalities have widened. Institutions such as welfare systems and industrial relations have weakened. Migrants continue to face exclusion. Gender, class, and education remain strong determinants of opportunity.

New tensions have emerged. Population aging creates intergenerational conflict over pensions and healthcare. Climate policy reveals clashes between industries, sectors, and time horizons. Digitalisation enables algorithmic control in workplaces while introducing new forms of surveillance into daily life.

Armed conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine have exposed the limits of international cooperation. Political shifts in major countries underscore how power struggles continue to define both domestic and foreign policy.

SASE 2026 will explore how conflict and power operate in this changing environment. Are we witnessing the end of the globalisation era? What role does the state still play? What are the prospects for regional and transnational cooperation? How are trade, finance, and global value chains adapting? In employment relations, what types of conflict are surfacing, and which forms of power are being mobilised by workers and employers? Are institutions still capable of mediating these tensions? How do these dynamics differ between the Global North and the Global South? 

SASE President: Roberto Pedersini

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