Seminar - A divided continent in search of a common language?, 7-8 April 2017, Estonia

Eastern Platform-Platform Ukraine two-day seminar

The two-day seminar is organized by the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies of the University of Tartu in cooperation with Eastern Platform-Platform Ukraine, a multidisciplinary project based at the School of Slavonic and Eastern European Studies (SSEES), University College London. The event is generously supported by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.

Eastern Platform-Platform Ukraine is a multi-disciplinary initiative aiming to analyse and better understand the most recent development in the relations between the EU and Russia and their shared neighbourhood, starting from Ukrainian crisis of 2014, and the ensuing deterioration of relations between the West and Moscow by creating a unified resource and network of academics studying the post-socialist space. It has the ambition to develop and grow as a forum and incubator to promote high-quality research and knowledge-sharing on the broader post-Soviet space.

Academic conveners of the event are Dr. Stefano Braghiroli (University of Tartu) and Prof. Andrey Makarychev (University of Tartu).

The Tartu Seminar “A divided continent in search of a common language?” represents the third edition in a series of annual events launched in 2015.

The seminar constitutes an opportunity for researchers and practitioners from very different disciplinary areas to debate and discuss potential future practical and conceptual scenarios that might characterize the region in years to come. Multiple crises and growing uncertainty are not only undermining the post-Cold War security architecture in Europe, but also challenging agreed definitions of “borders” and “neighbourhoods”. The event seeks to shed light on the evolution of the multiple crises affecting Europe and analyze possible short- and mid-term geo-political developments (i.e. escalation, stabilization, normalization, and frozen conflict) and their impact on EU-Russia and West-Russia relations. Given the temporal proximity of the event to Estonian presidency of the Council of EU, specific attention with be devoted to the priorities and challenges of the forthcoming presidency and to Nordic-Baltic cooperation.

First EPS event in Tartu, 2015

In the 25^th anniversary of the collapse of the USSR, further debate and in-depth academic discussion seem necessary in the light of the evolution of Moscow’s traditional chameleonic role as both a friend and foe for the EU over the past decades. Despite the current diplomatic black-out, in the long term, both the EU and Russia will need to find a common language again to address common global challenges, given the high level of interdependence that has characterized the Eurasian space since the events of 1991 and which has been dramatically challenged by the current developments in Ukraine.

The organizers of the seminar welcome contributions on the developments in the relations between EU, Russia, and the post-Soviet space and the respective interactions, from different disciplinary and methodological perspectives including politics, history, economics, anthropology, sociology, geography, semiotics, and media studies. Contributions are expected to address the multidimensionality of the current developments and the future patterns and relevant cleavages in the Eurasian political and cultural space. Comparative analytical perspectives are particularly encouraged.

The seminar is aims not only to map the challenges to the instable development of the EU-Russia relations, but also to understand and conceptually frame these challenges and their expansive potential within the former Soviet space and at the global level. Contributions are welcome from multiple perspectives addressing (but not limited to) the following issues:

1. Making sense of the post-Soviet space’s relationship with Moscow and the West;
2. Rising populisms in an increasingly instable region: winners and losers;
3. Beyond geopolitics: What future for the EU-Russia relations?;
4. Assessing multiple crises from different regional and national perspectives;
5. Challenges to Nordic-Baltic cooperation in a region of instability;
6. Which priorities for Estonian Presidency of the EU in Europe and beyond: Focus on EU2017.EE.

Paper proposals can be submitted by February 10, 2016 via the submission system below or by e-mail directly to Dr Stefano Braghiroli (stefano.braghiroli@ut.ee). Selected paper proposals will be notified by February 12. Should you need more information please do not hesitate to contact Dr Stefano Braghiroli.

COSTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES (CHECK FOR UPDATES)

This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:

http://skytte.ut.ee/en/about-institute/eastern-platform-seminar