News Voices of a Better Normal

Voices for a Better Normal: Think Pieces Contributing to a Culture of Human Rights and Peace in Southeast Asia

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As our societies slowly recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, systematic securitization continues to push affected communities and individuals at edge of uncertainty and vulnerability. It has affected how we are governed, and our ability to claim our rights and enjoy our freedoms. We’ve witnessed and experienced multiple levels and forms of inequality and injustices— particularly in fragile areas of the region. Furthermore, popular authoritarian regimes and misinformation continue to plague socio-political spaces. 

There is a wealth of knowledge and expertise on critical themes about our region that deserve to be expressed and disseminated. In the spirit of our COVID-19 opinion piece series, SHAPE-SEA is inviting academics, activists, as well as allies to be part of our newest online project, “Voices for a Better Normal: Think Pieces Contributing to a Culture of Human Rights and Peace in Southeast Asia.” 

We envision this to facilitate a solidarity of human rights and peace champions through knowledge production and informed advocacy. We hope that your submissions will shape a “better normal” that not only recognizes and addresses diverse lived experiences, but also allows for the full protection of human rights of Southeast Asian peoples and the improvement of peace situation in the region.

Thematic Areas

  • Academic Freedom and Activism
  • Peace, Conflict and Human Security
  • Safe and Dignified Migration
  • Democracy and Justice
  • Cultures, Values and Identities
  • Technologies, Human Rights and Peace
  • Business Accountabilities
  • Marginalized Peoples
  • Shrinking Civic Spaces

Mechanics and Requirements

Written in English, submissions may come in the form of a short academic academic or policy brief. Articles should be 500 to 1000 words long (excluding title and list of references). Articles should also include a 100- word bio. You may write them individually or as a group.

Think pieces (MS Word format) should be submitted to shapesea.pmo@gmail.com. Our team will be editing/proofreading your work.


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