On behalf of the Organising Committee, I am pleased to draw your attention to the Final Call for the Global Inclusion Forum: Navigating Paradoxes, Cultural Nuances, and New Realities (please see below), which will take place in Bangkok, Thailand, from 20-23 August 2026.
We warmly invite scholars, students, practitioners, and policy-makers engaged in research and/or practice and policy related to inclusion / DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) or similar topics, to join us for this inaugural Forum. The event is designed as an intimate and interactive space for meaningful dialogue, exchange, and collaboration.
We would love to hear your voice and to receive your abstract submission.
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Final Call for Conference Abstracts:
The Global Inclusion Forum, 2026: Navigating Paradoxes, Cultural Nuances, and New Realities
20-23 August 2026
Sasin School of Management, Chulalongkorn University
(Bangkok, Thailand)
Dear Colleagues, Practitioners, and Students,
We are excited to welcome you to the inaugural Global Inclusion Forum, 2026: Navigating Paradoxes, Cultural Nuances, and New Realities. The Forum invites scholars, practitioners, and students to explore redefining inclusion through culturally grounded, globally resonant models.
Participants have multiple routes for engagement, including attending, presenting their work, and interacting in the methodology or inclusion lab. We also invite proposals for additional practitioner-oriented sessions and labs. Expect a dynamic program featuring insightful presentations, valuable networking opportunities, including a facilitated networking event on Day 1, and a global discussion of inclusion that both encompasses and extends beyond Western frameworks. To foster an intimate and interactive discussion environment, the number of participants for the Forum will be limited to 60.
The Forum is organised around the forthcoming Edward Elgar handbook on global inclusion (co-edited by the members of the Organisation Committee), in which currently around 30 authors around the globe are in the process of preparing their chapters.
Thus, participants can submit an abstract based on either their ongoing work relating to a book-chapter or other work. Maximum one abstract per presenting author, per track (academic and applied). Submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis by the Organising Committee, which shall carry out a double-blind peer-review process and convey the results (acceptance / rejection / acceptance with modifications), by 15 June or before. Final participant confirmation will be completed by the end of June to allow ample time for travel arrangements. You do not need to be involved as a book-author to submit your work to the Forum, and chapter authors may submit work other than their chapter to the academic track.
In addition, the participants who are preparing a chapter to the handbook are invited to chapter-development workshops on Day 1, prior to the opening reception.
Abstracts dealing with any aspects linked to the "Why now?" and "Major Key themes" below are welcomed!
Currently, participation is complimentary; however, please note that a modest registration fee may be implemented, pending final negotiations regarding event logistics and supplier costs. Any final decision regarding a fee will be announced on the conference website by 18 May 2026.
Submission deadline (abstracts): by 8 June 2026 (your time zone)
All abstracts must be submitted via the dedicated online portal on the conference website. We offer two distinct submission tracks:
- Track 1: Academic Presentations & Chapter Development Workshops Participation (For all academic research and scholarly presentations pertinent to the Forum's themes, including those wishing to attend the Author Workshops).
- Track 2: General Presentations & Applied Sessions (For presentations, workshops, and non-chapter-related academic or practitioner work, for conference presentation only).
General programme (a detailed programme will be circulated by the end of June):
| | Day 1 (20 Aug) | Day 2 (21 Aug) | Day 3 (22 Aug) | Day 4 (23 Aug) |
| Chapter-Development Workshops | * | | | |
| Opening Reception | * | | | |
| Presentations | | * | * | |
| Methodology & Inclusion Labs | | * | * | |
| Conference Dinner | | * | | |
| Lunch | | * | * | * |
| Coffee & Networking Hub | | * | * | * |
| Panel | | * | | |
| Closing Ceremony | | | | * |
Why now? Global DEI discourse is at a turning point. In the West, resistance to established frameworks is growing, while in Asia and among historically marginalised communities worldwide, powerful new narratives are emerging. As many work to safeguard past gains, the path forward clearly demands approaches beyond historically American-centric models-models that have often produced contradictory outcomes both in the U.S. and globally.
This evolving landscape underscores the urgency for regionally rooted, globally resonant dialogue. In this spirit, we at Sasin School of Management-Thailand's first business school accredited by both AACSB and EQUIS, and recognised among ASEAN's top institutions for inclusion-are honoured to host the upcoming Global Inclusion Forum. The Forum will convene participants across disciplines and contexts to explore the meaning of inclusion today, with sensitivity to the contradictions and complexities it entails.
Major Key Themes Include:
- Decolonizing the Discourse: Challenging Western-centric biases and foregrounding indigenous wisdom.
- The Power of Paradox: Navigating the inherent contradictions in inclusive practices.
- Cultural Tapestries: Exploring alternative and existing local realities and indigenous DEI models from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas.
Join us in Bangkok to:
- Gain exposure to new, non-Western-centric frameworks for inclusion.
- Acquire practical, research-based, and culturally-attuned strategies.
- Expand your global network of scholars and practitioners.
- Enhance your cultural intelligence for effective DEI implementation.
- Contribute to a groundbreaking publication showcasing some of the best evidence-based and theoretical ideas that can help reintroduce the concept of inclusive business, purpose organisations (e.g., NGOs, impact enterprises), education, and strategy to the world.
Please consider registering to attend or proposing a presentation to be part of this unique opportunity to engage with leading global thought leaders and contribute to the future of inclusion. We would love to hear your voice.
If you have any
questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Organising Committee: inclusion+
conference@sasin.edu
We look forward to welcoming you to be a part of this crucial conversation.
Sincerely,
The Organising Committee–
Dr. Drew B. Mallory (Sasin School of Management, Thailand)
Professor Lailani L. Alcantara (Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan)
Professor David S. A. Guttormsen (University of South-Eastern Norway, Norway)
Professor Saba Safdar (University of Guelph, Canada)
Best wishes,
David S. A. Guttormsen
-
Professor in Organisation and Management
USN School of Business
Department of Business, Strategy and Political Sciences
University of South-Eastern Norway
Deputy Director, University Strategic Research Area: 'Democracy, Societal Organisation and Governance'
Elected Member, Faculty Board (USN School of Business)
Associate Editor (Journal of Global Mobility)
Country Representative 2024–2027 for Norway (Country Representative Council, European Academy of Management)
Editorial Board Member (European Journal of International Management, Human Resource Development International, International Studies of Management & Organization, International Journal of Qualitative Methods)
Tel: +47 464 101 18
david.guttormsen@usn.no
www.usn.no
