Journal of Integrative International Relations

Sports Diplomacy of Batu City Government through the Batu International Sport Tourism Festival Paragliding Accuracy League 2024

Dicha Khansa Aziza — 2026-05-01

Tourism is one of the main pillars driving regional development. Batu City, with its natural potential and supportive geographical conditions, continuously strives to strengthen its position as a leading tourist destination. This research focuses on analyzing the implementation of sports diplomacy by the Batu City Government through the organization of the Batu International Sport Tourism Festival (BISTF) Paragliding Accuracy League 2024 as a tourism promotion effort. The author uses the sports diplomacy concept by Stuart Murray, which posits sports people and sporting events as essential components for achieving diplomatic goals. This descriptive qualitative research utilizes primary data obtained through the author's direct participation in the BISTF Paragliding Accuracy League 2024, while secondary data is gathered through literature review. The results indicate that the organization of the BISTF Paragliding Accuracy League 2024, initiated by the Batu City Government, is an effective strategy to promote Batu City's natural tourism potential, introduce the rich local culture of East Java, and foster cross-cultural interaction and international collaboration. Overall, the event contributes significantly to enhancing Batu City's image and tourism appeal at both national and international levels.

Indonesian Migrant Workers in Japan within the Human Security Framework

Keisha Septi Mayumi — 2026-05-02

The migration of Indonesian migrant workers to Japan has increased significantly in recent years, driven by Japan's labor shortages resulting from demographic decline and an aging society. Although often framed as a mutually beneficial economic cooperation, this migration also generates various vulnerabilities for Indonesian migrant workers in the destination country. This study aims to analyze the migration of Indonesian migrant workers to Japan within the human security framework. The findings indicate that Indonesian migrant workers in Japan face multidimensional threats, particularly in terms of personal security, economic security, and health security. Therefore, the human security approach provides a more comprehensive perspective by positioning migrant workers as the primary referent of security

The World Food Programme’s Contribution to Addressing the Food Crisis in Syria 2021-2023

Nabilah Nurul Syafira — 2026-05-01

Syria experienced a severe food crisis during 2021-2023 driven by to multiple overlapping crises; prolonged armed conflict since 2011, economic collapse, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the devasting February 2023 earthquake. This study analyzes the contribution of the World Food Programme (WFP) in addressing Syria’s food crisis during this period. Adopting a qualitative descriptive approach with document analysis techniques and a Neoliberal Institutionalism theoretical framework, this research examines WFP's programmes, operational strategies, and concrete contributions. Findings reveal that WFP reached 5.5 million people in 2023 through emergency food distribution (averaging 1,700 kcal/day), cash-based transfers for 1.5 million beneficiaries and nutrition programmes for 400,000 children and pregnant or lactating women. Despite a 37% funding gap, humanitarian access restrictions, and persistent security threats, WFP demonstrated adaptive capacity in responding to the crisis. This study contributes to understanding the role of international organizations in managing complex food crises in conflict-affected contexts, while also highlighting the structural limitations of donor-dependent assistance systems.

State-Led Extractivism and Environmental Degradation in the Arctic: A Political Ecology Analysis

Siti Nurhaliza — 2026-05-01

This paper analyzes how state-led resource competition exacerbates environmental degradation in the Arctic through a political ecology framework. The Arctic has transformed from a peripheral frontier into a geopolitical contestation arena driven by climate change and natural resource abundance. Using qualitative research methods and secondary source analysis covering 2010-2024, this study reveals how Arctic states' extractivism: including Russia, the United States, Canada, Norway, Denmark/Greenland, Nordic states, and China results in environmental consequences through climate change acceleration, marine ecosystem disruption, permafrost degradation, and black carbon pollution. Findings demonstrate that environmental degradation is systematically shaped by power relations prioritizing state interests and corporate profits over Indigenous sovereignty and ecological sustainability, with the paradox of "green extractivism" legitimizing continued exploitation under climate mitigation rhetoric. The analysis exposes structural inequalities wherein Indigenous communities bear disproportionate environmental burdens while excluded from decision-making processes.

Environmental Injustice in Palestine: A Political Ecology Perspective

Savina Rahmad — 2026-05-01

This study examines environmental injustice in Palestine through a political ecology perspective amid the escalation of conflict since 2023. The main issue lies in environmental degradation shaped by power relations that govern access to and control over space and natural resources. This study aims to analyze how power structures within the conflict produce ecological inequalities in Gaza and the West Bank. Using a qualitative approach based on literature review, this research draws on international reports, scholarly articles, and policy documents. The findings show that the destruction of environmental infrastructure, restrictions on mobility, and territorial control function as political mechanisms that limit access to water, land, and livelihoods. From a political ecology perspective, these dynamics reflect the intersection of environmental degradation, social marginalization, and resource control, which reinforce distributive, procedural, and social injustices. This study concludes that environmental degradation in Palestine is embedded within political dynamics that structurally deepen inequality and societal vulnerability among Palestinians.

Representing Transnational Drug Trafficking: Narcos (2015) and the War on Drugs Narrative

Widiarti Widiarti — 2026-05-01

This study analyzes Netflix’s Narcos (2015-2017) as a cultural text representing transnational drug trafficking and the war on drugs narratives within International Relations frameworks. Employing qualitative interpretive analysis of selected episodes alongside International Relations and media scholarship, it reveals how the series personalizes complex structural dynamics for instance globalization-driven crime into charismatic antiheroes such as Pablo Escobar, portrays Colombian institutions as fragile and reliant on U.S. DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) agents, and reproduces securitized war on drugs discourses without challenging root causes such as Global North demand. These representations simplify transnational threats, mythologize violence as spectacle, and reinforce Global North-South asymmetries in security imaginaries

The Dual Role of Arab League Mediation in the Yemen Conflict: A Comparative Analysis of Regional Actors (2015–2024)

Juan Canon — 2026-05-01

This study argue that the Arab League’s role in the Yemeni conflict during the 2015-2024 period was ambivalent, serving both as a meidator supporting the peace procces and as a political actor involved in regional conflict dynamics. The research method employed is comparative analysis within the framework of conflict resolution theory, comparing the roles of the Arab League, the United Nations (UN), and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) based on four key variables: neutrality, institutional capacity, political and material leverage, and the inclusivity of the mediation process. The analysis revelas that the Arab League’s involvement exhibits a contradictory dual pattern that limits the effectiveness of sustained mediation, despite the League possessing regional legitimacy and the capacity to drive peace initiatives. In comparison, the UN demonstrates a superios position in terms of neutrality and institutional capacity, while the GCC is resilient in regional leverage but limitied its relience on mediation. Various interests among Arab League members and the organization’s limited capacity pose the primary challenges in the conflict mediation process. Lessons drawn from this experience highlight the importance of stronger coordination and a comprehensive approach that includes all relevant stakeholders in order to achieve sustainable peace.

Global Multimedia Value Chain Mapping Analysis of the Game League of Legends (2006-2025)

Swettie Ayu Calista — 2026-05-01

This paper conducts a qualitative analysis of the Multiplayer Online Battle Arena game League of Legends, examining its Global Value Chain as defined by Riot Games and its interactions with external actors and companies worldwide throughout its creation and development. Online games continuously evolve across multiple aspects, and in many cases, their development involves not only internal teams but also collaborations with freelancers, partner studios, and other external companies. In the case of League of Legends, this results in a unique configuration of global partnerships, in which Riot Games coordinates multiple actors across production, localization, marketing, and esports operations. This paper draws on the Global Multimedia Value Chain theory to understand how global collaboration shapes the game’s production and its reception among players, providing a comprehensive picture of how Riot Games manages its internal operation alongside its external partnerships.