Call for Papers for Special Issue: The Arabian Gulf amid Current Regional and International Transformations Legal, Strategic, Economic, and Technological Approaches

1. Background and Objectives

The Arabian Gulf is experiencing rapid regional and international transformations in which security and strategic considerations intersect with political, economic, and technological developments. Rising geopolitical tensions, shifting balances of power, and challenges to regional stability have implications that extend beyond the immediate political dimensions of crises and conflicts. These developments also affect international law, maritime security, energy markets, financial stability, supply chains, institutional governance, and the security of critical and digital infrastructure.

These transformations are particularly significant for the Gulf states because of their strategic place in regional and international security, their central role in global energy and trade, and their extensive economic and security relationships with major powers. Technological change, especially advances in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital infrastructure, introduces additional challenges for national resilience, risk management, and decision-making. At the same time, institutions face growing pressure to prepare for crises and adapt to conditions of uncertainty.

Against this background, the special issue seeks to examine how regional and international transformations are reshaping the Gulf states’ security, strategic, economic, and technological environments, and how states and institutions respond to the resulting risks, challenges, and opportunities. It welcomes research that moves beyond descriptive accounts of events toward explanation, evaluation, and forward-looking analysis. The issue aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and generate theoretically informed, evidence-based insights that enrich scholarship and inform policy and institutional responses.

1. Research Themes and Topics

Contributions are invited on the following themes:

1. Regional Security and Strategic Transformations: Shifting balances of power and regional security arrangements; deterrence and escalation management; conventional and asymmetric threats; security of maritime routes and critical facilities; and the future of security frameworks and defense partnerships in the Gulf.

1. International Law and International Humanitarian Law: The legality of the use of force and self-defense; protection of civilians and critical facilities; legal rules governing maritime navigation; international responsibility for transboundary harm; and legal questions raised by cyber operations and conflicts.

1. Political Economy, Energy, and Financial Markets: Economic consequences of regional transformations; energy security and oil and gas markets; disruptions to trade and supply chains; investment flows and financial markets; and the effects of crises on transport, aviation, tourism, and economic stability.

1. Accounting, Governance, Disclosure, and Risk Management: The effects of geopolitical risk on financial reporting and the valuation of assets and liabilities; disclosure under uncertainty; institutional transparency and accountability; financial governance; and the role of accounting systems in crisis management and decision support.

1. Gulf Foreign Policy and International Relations: Foreign policies of Gulf states; diplomacy, mediation, and crisis management; shifts in regional and international alliances; relations with global and Asian powers; and comparative analyses of Gulf responses to geopolitical transformations.

1. Internal and Societal Security and Crisis Management: Domestic stability and national resilience; crisis and disaster management; protection of essential facilities and services; societal security; media, public opinion, and information management during crises; and institutional preparedness for regional risks.

1. Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Digital Infrastructure: Artificial intelligence in national security and risk management; security of data centers and digital infrastructure; cyber threats; modeling, simulation, and scenario analysis; risks associated with automated decision-making; and ethical issues concerning the security applications of emerging technologies.

These themes are indicative rather than exhaustive. Interdisciplinary and other relevant proposals are welcome, provided they demonstrate a clear and substantive connection to regional and international transformations and their implications for the Arabian Gulf.

1. Types of Contributions and Submission Requirements

The Journal welcomes theoretical and applied studies, empirical, analytical, and comparative research, and other scholarly contributions consistent with the article types accepted by the Journal. Submissions must meet the following requirements:

• Papers must be original, make a clear scholarly contribution, and address a well-defined research problem using an appropriate methodology.
• Papers must directly engage with the special issue's scope and offer analysis that goes beyond description of current events.
• Papers must not have been published previously or be under submission or review elsewhere.
• Papers must comply with the Journal's author guidelines, citation requirements, and publication ethics policies.
• Submissions are welcome in Arabic and English. All full papers are subject to editorial screening and peer review in accordance with the Journal's established procedures.

1. Submission and Peer-Review Process

Abstract Submission

Prospective authors should submit an abstract of 250–300 words specifying the proposed paper's title, research problem, objectives, methodology, preliminary or expected findings, and anticipated scholarly contribution, together with 4–6 keywords. The abstract should be accompanied by the author(s)' name(s), institutional affiliation(s), and contact email address(es).

Abstracts will undergo an initial assessment of relevance, scholarly significance, and methodological suitability. Authors will be notified of the preliminary decision according to the schedule below.

Full-Paper Submission

Authors whose abstracts receive preliminary acceptance will be invited to submit their full manuscripts. Manuscripts must comply with the Journal's author guidelines, including requirements for manuscript preparation, word limits, references, and formatting.

Peer Review and Final Revisions

Full manuscripts passing the initial editorial screening will undergo peer review in accordance with the Journal's established policies and procedures. Authors asked to revise their manuscripts must submit the revised and final versions within the specified deadline and, where requested, explain how they have addressed reviewers' comments.

Preliminary acceptance of an abstract does not guarantee publication; final acceptance depends on peer-review outcomes and compliance with all publication requirements.

Important Dates

• Call opens: November 15, 2026
• Abstract submission deadline: December 31, 2026
• Notification of abstract acceptance: January 31, 2027
• Full-paper submission deadline: April 30, 2027
• Notification of first-round peer-review decisions: June 30, 2027
• Deadline for revised and final manuscripts: July 31, 2027
• Expected publication of the special issue: September 24, 2027

The Editorial Board of the Scientific Journal of Ahmed Bin Mohammed Military College looks forward to receiving rigorous contributions that advance scholarly understanding of regional and international transformations affecting the Arabian Gulf and provide meaningful interdisciplinary insights for research and practice.