CALL FOR PAPERS
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
Łódź Eastern Meetings: Social and Economic Transitions in Central and Eastern European Countries
27th-28th September 2018
Łódź, Poland
Organizers: Department of Sociology of Politics and Morality (University of Łódź, Faculty of Economics and Sociology, Institute of Sociology), Jerzy Giedroyć Association of Eastern Politics
Partners: Kyiv National Economic University named after Wadym Hetman, Thomas Jefferson Research Centre (Tbilisi, Georgia), „PORUCH” Ukrainian Non-Governmental Organization
ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITTEE:
Alicja Łaska-Formejster (Chairman of the Conference, Department of Sociology of Politics and Morality, University of Łódź)
Agnieszka Romaszewska-Guzy (Chairman of the Biełsat TV, Chairman of the Jerzy Giedroyć Association of Eastern Politics)
Janusz Wdzięczak (Jerzy Giedroyć, Jerzy Giedroyć Association of Eastern Politics)
SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE:
Prof. dr hab. Paweł Starosta (University of Łódź)
Prof. dr hab. Krzysztof Konecki (University of Łódź)
Prof. dr hab. Danuta Walczak-Duraj (University of Łódź)
Prof. dr hab. Zdzisława Janowska (University of Łódź)
Prof. dr hab. Jolanta Kopka (Social Academy of Science)
Prof. Oleksandr Potii (V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University)
Prof. Tornike Shurgulaia (Thomas Jefferson Research Centre)
Dr Łukasz Jasina (The Centre for Eastern Studies)
THEME OF THE CONFERENCE:
Until recently, it might have seemed that Central and Eastern Europe, ravaged by wars and totalitarian systems in the past, would increasingly transform into a politically and economically stable area, and the countries of this region, using the solutions developed in the western part of the continent, would join the group of developed countries that, to an extent, inspired the rest of the world. Although this vision has not yet been ruled out or undermined, Central and Eastern Europe has been shaken by certain social phenomena, definitively refuting the belief that the History has ended in this part of the world or that the countries in this region would now be on a fast lane to prosperity and freedom. Events such as the Ukrainian Revolution of Dignity or the war in Donbass on the one hand and, on the other hand, the series of wins of conservative parties in the region, which are frequently wary of the changes taking place in the West, make it necessary to raise certain questions, particularly with respect to the political and economic transformations and changes experienced by Central and Eastern Europe upon the fall of communism. Are we, then, witnessing dissatisfaction with the rules of the game established at that time? Have the proposals developed in that period and implemented since then really turned out to be so ineffective? Would alternative solutions have taken us somewhere else? If the purpose of these changes was to overcome the underdevelopment of the region, have the problems hindering social and economic growth been correctly defined? Perhaps what we are seeing today is a rebellion of those who did not have an opportunity to benefit from the transformations that took place in this part of the world? Or maybe it is a crisis of the elites, which are currently unable to develop new projects or define new goals?
We will be trying to answer these questions during our conference. Firstly, we are going to discuss if CEE countries really share a common experience and if the current events are the onset of larger political, social and economic transformations in the region. We are convinced that this is true, and this view – i.e. that the vision of Central and Eastern Europe as a boring, slightly dull region, where nothing interesting is going to happen is no longer true – will certainly accompany us during our sessions. You are therefore welcome to attend the conference and discuss the current happenings in this part of the world.
CONFERENCE TOPICS:
- political and economic transformations in Central and Eastern Europe in the last quarter-century
- different models of political transformation in CEE countries and evaluation of these models
- crisis of liberal democracy and free market in CEE countries
- attempts at developing new political and economic projects in CEE countries
- identity changes in countries of the region
- the gender aspect of the changes in CEE countries
- national identity politics and opportunities and directions of political development of the European Union
- discursive and extra-discursive aspects of the core problems of the European Union
- axiology of the political project of the European Union and national value systems
IMPORTANT DATES:
- Registration and submission of abstracts: 30/6/2018
- Qualification of conference papers 15/7/2018
- Paying the conference fee: by 31/8/2018
- Announcing the conference agenda: 1/9/2018
- Submission of papers conforming to the requirements: 15/10/2018
CONFERENCE FEE:
Fee amounting to PLN 500 covers the following: participation in the conference, conference materials, meals (lunch, coffee breaks).
PUBLICATION:
An article corresponding to the author’s presentation delivered at the conference will be published in the “Folia Sociologica” or “Power of Judgement” journals, provided that: (1) the author attended the conference; (2) the article passes the review process.
CONTACT:
Email: conference.lodz@gmail.com
Mobile: (+48) 42 635 55 31 or (+48) 665 086 230
Address: 90-214 Łódź, St. Rewolucji 1905r. nr 41 (with a note: Łódź Eastern Meetings)
Poster by Ania Braun. Thx!