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Inaugural Editorial: ‘Envisioning south–south relations and development: past, present and futures’

A Publisher's Erratum to this article was published on 29 June 2016

I am very pleased to share with you a piece of very good news. With the publication of this inaugural issue entitled ‘Envisioning South–South Relations and Development: Past, Present and Futures’, Bandung: Journal of the Global South is now successfully launched! All published articles in this issue are fully reviewed and revised research articles. They can now be freely downloaded by not just the academic audience, but also by the general public.

This inaugural issue is resultant of the journal’s inaugural conference held in the City University of Hong Kong from 20 to 21 May 2014. It was intended to respond to two global trends.

On one hand, since Deng Xiaoping announced his infamous “three worlds” international relations theory in the 1970s, the People’s Republic of China has been making it clear to the world through its constitution that she will only identify and unite with the oppressed people and nations, especially in the Global South. Such position has been kept in line in the most updated 2004 version of the Chinese constitution, which guides the direction of the Chinese socialist state’s foreign relations. China consistently projects herself that she will not be a superpower, always opposes hegemonism, colonialism and imperialism, neo-colonialism and neo-imperialism, and stands for world peace. Nevertheless, neither we know enough whether such wish of the Chinese socialist state is fully materialized or not, nor we know enough to what extent such wish has been actualized in the cultural, social, political and economic realities, at least from the perspectives of the peoples of the Global South.

On the other hand, according to the Human Development Report 2013: The Rise of the South: Human Progress in a Diverse World (United Nations Development Programme), although the Global South is not taking the same paths as those of the former colonial powers to greatness or to development, the growing figures in South–South trade (e.g. with such countries as Brazil, China, India, Indonesia and South Africa) have surpassed South–North and North–North trades, and, increasing foreign investment flows into the Global South since the 1990s would necessitate a re-examination of the past and present, and to envision on how the peoples in the Global South will not only survive, but also thrive together towards alternative greatness and development.

The inaugural conference had the following objectives:

  • To gather interested local and international scholars to interrogate the theoretical, conceptual, methodological and empirical as well as policy issues pertaining to south–south relations and development. south–south relations is broadly defined as the cultural, historical, social, political, economic and security relations between and among the states and societies in the Global South, i.e. Africa, Asia and Latin America. Any aspects in the humanities and social sciences pertinent to the south–south relations will be considered relevant.

  • To gather interested local and international scholars to present original research papers and eventually publish their papers in Bandung: Journal of the Global South.

  • To gather interested local and international scholars to discuss and finalize the plan to establish a transnational research network on the Global South.

I am pleased to share with you that with all the financial and manpower resources, hard and intelligent work dedicated by the conference organizing committee and the journal’s managing editorial team, the editorial board and the international advisory board, we have fully achieved the first and second objectives.

Regarding the third objective, although there has already been an international network of prestigious scholars and renowned practitioners formed and associated with Bandung: Journal of the Global South, future serious efforts will be needed. In order to generate sustainable resources to maintain this international network-platform for the Global South, I have decided to commit myself to a ‘long march’ fund-raising campaign for the journal.

I am therefore extremely grateful for PT. Bank Negara Indonesia (Persero) Tbk. (Indonesia), which was generous enough to donate a good sum of start-up money to boost up my confidence in this ‘long march’ for the Global South. I am also very grateful for an anonymous donor who supported this ‘long march’.

Without the institutional and financial supports from the following individuals, this ‘long march’ for the Global South would not be possible: Professor Arthur Ellis (the Provost of the City University of Hong Kong) and Professor Tit-wing Lo (Head of Department of Applied Social Studies, the City University of Hong Kong), Ms. Felia Salim of PT. Bank Negara Indonesia (Persero) Tbk., and Mr. Chaerun Anwar of the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia. I would like to thank all the talented student helpers who participated and helped in the inaugural conference. I owe a great debt of gratitude to the conference organizing committee, managing editorial team, editorial board and international advisory board for their time and efforts. Therefore, I would like to dedicate this inaugural issue to all of them. Thank you very much!

Pak Nung Wong

Editor-in-Chief

Bandung: Journal of the Global South

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Wong, P.N. Inaugural Editorial: ‘Envisioning south–south relations and development: past, present and futures’. Bandung J of Global South 2, 19 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40728-015-0017-7

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