Special Centre for the Study of North East India (SCSNEI)
Jawaharlal Nehru University
Is organizing a National Seminar on
“Ecology, Sustainability and Community Practices in North East India”
27-28 November, 2025
at Jawaharlal Nehru University
Call for Abstracts
As part of the Eastern Himalayan and Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspots, North East India hosts approximately 8,000 species of flowering plants, 800 bird species, and numerous endemic mammals. The region supports diverse ecosystems, ranging from the subtropical rainforests of Manipur to the alpine meadows of Sikkim and the vast Brahmaputra floodplains of Assam. These ecosystems provide critical services, such as carbon sequestration, water regulation, and livelihoods for millions.
However, North East India faces significantly critical environmental challenges in recent times. Deforestation, infrastructure development, and illegal logging, has led to habitat fragmentation and biodiversity loss. Climate change compounds these issues, with rising temperatures, erratic monsoons, and frequent extreme weather events, such as floods in Assam, landslides in Arunachal Pradesh and GLOF in Sikkim.
Community practices in North East India are rooted in traditional ecological knowledge and therefore foster sustainable resource management. In spite of their resilience, however, the community practices in the region face threats from infrastructural projects, land privatization, technological intervention and policy gaps. While community-led conservation has drawn inspiration from broader environmental movements, the region’s unique socio-ecological context requires smart and well thought-out solutions that integrate traditional knowledge with modern sustainability frameworks.
The seminar aims to facilitate dialogue among our young scholars on issues around ecology, sustainability, and community practices in North East India, contributing to the Viksit Bharat vision. It will also highlight successful models, such as Sikkim’s organic farming and Assam’s community-based flood adaptation strategies, while addressing challenges like climate vulnerabilities and policy implementation. The conference seeks to co-create strategies for ecological resilience, sustainable development, and community empowerment in the region and its surrounding milieu.
We invite abstracts from the young scholars in Social Sciences, North East Studies, Himalayan Studies, Border Studies, and related fields. Submissions should be 250-300 words, clearly outlining the research focus, methodology, and relevance to the conference sub themes, accompanied by 4-6 keywords.
Eligibility:
• PhD scholars
• Young faculty at colleges, universities, or research institutes
• Emerging researchers affiliated with recognized research organizations and policy institutes
Submission Guidelines:
Abstracts should engage with any of the sub-themes of the conference: Cultural Narratives of Biodiversity Conservation, Climate Change and Community Resilience, Sustainable Livelihoods through Agro-biodiversity and Eco-tourism, Social Dimensions of Green Economies, Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Heritage, Gender and Youth in Sustainability, Community-Based Governance, and Policy & Social Justice. Submit abstracts as a Word document to scsneijnuseminars@gmail.com with the subject line “Abstract Submission: Seminar 2025.” Include a brief bio note (50 to 100 words) detailing institutional affiliation and contact information.
Key Dates:
Abstract Submission Deadline: 15 July 2025
Notification of Acceptance/Rejection: 7 August 2025
Full Paper Submission Deadline: 15 October 2025
Conference Mode: Hybrid (in-person at JNU and virtual, subject to funding)
Selected papers may be published in a peer-reviewed edited volume or a reputed journal of a special issue. The conference provides a platform for shaping policy-relevant discussions on sustainable development in North East India.
For any further inquiry, contact Vimal Khawas/G Amarjit Sharma in the given email address.
