Call for Papers: 2016 Annual SORA Symposium
The Special Operations Research Association is pleased to announce the 2015 Annual Symposium, 28-29 October 2016, in Old Town Alexandria, VA. Events will be held at the Embassy Suites.
The theme of this year’s conference is Special Operations at the Crossroads. Special operations forces have never been more popular as instruments of national policy. This popularity is reflected in the growth of special operations organizations and their budgets, as well as the willingness to deploy them. Is this short-term trend merely a fad that will be reversed or will special operations perhaps become a "sixth armed service" to address hybrid threats and “gray zone” challenges?
The primary focus of this conference is on the exchange of ideas through scholarly presentations by researchers, policy makers, and operators on the broad range of issues facing the SOF community today and in the future.
We invite papers across the full range of issues related to special operations, both historically and contemporary and unilaterally or multilaterally. We encourage submissions from a diverse population of those with expertise and interests in special operations, including scholars and researchers from different academic disciplines, military practitioners and strategists, and policy makers and analysts.
Potential topics include:
• Special Operations and State Actors
• Policy and Strategy Implications of Special Operations
• Special Operations as Instruments of National Security
• Small State and Coalition Considerations of Special Operations
• Special Operations: The Fourth Offset?
• Special Operations and Gray Zone Challenges
• Special Operations: Realist, Liberal, and Constructivist Perspectives
• Special Operations, Deterrence, and “Compellence”
• Economic and Social Aspects of Special Operations
• Organizational and Cultural Aspects of SOF
• The Legal and Ethical Dimensions of Special Operations
Paper proposals should consist of a title, abstract (150-300 words), contact information (name, affiliation, address, phone, email), and 1-page CV. Along with your proposal, please indicate if you would be willing to serve as a panel chair or discussant at the conference.
Panels consist of a panel chair/discussant, and 3-4 paper presenters. Panel submissions must provide all of the following information: title/theme of panel; contact information (name, affiliation, address, phone, email), and 1-page CV for chair, discussant, and all presenters; and paper proposals for all presenters on the panel (title and 150-300 word abstract).
Roundtable proposals should consist of a title/theme; brief summary of why topic is important and what questions will be addressed by the roundtable (150-300 words); and 1-page CV and contact information for all proposed roundtable members (name, affiliation, address, phone, email).
Submissions This year we are using a rolling acceptance policy, meaning we will try to get your paper accepted within 1-2 weeks of submission, if not sooner. This will allow people to make the necessary plans to participate at the conference. All proposals should be submitted via email to [email protected]. More information is available at our website.