18th Annual Aleksanteri Conference “LIBERATION – FREEDOM – DEMOCRACY? 1918–1968–2018”
The Aleksanteri Institute of the University of Helsinki will hold the 18th Annual International Aleksanteri Conference aiming to bring together scholars, experts, and advanced graduate students from a variety of disciplines such as history, political science, sociology, geography, law, economics, and media and cultural studies.
In 2018 program will have multiple commemorations of historical events that shaped the development of Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, and Eurasia, including:
- 1918 – the end of the Great War, and the disintegration of old Empires drew a new map of Europe and Eurasia, providing radically new possibilities for societal evolution.
- 1968 – the year which can be remembered not only for the crushing of “socialism with a human face”, but also as the beginning of welfare socialism and the socialist market economy strengthening entrepreneurialism and individualism – and, as such, the beginning of the end of the communist system.
These, and other events which will be marked by commemorations in 2018, bore consequences in the spatial context, on the idea of the nation state, and the perceptions of the most desirable societal system. These events constantly modified the key values of freedom and power-people relations.
When we look back to these previous 100 years – we can ask ourselves:
- Did liberation mean freedom?
- Did freedom mean democracy?
- Did democracy bring security, well-being, and equality for the people?
- And is democracy irreversible?
The conference committee invites papers in the following themes:
- Changing Spatial Contexts
- Empires and restructuring the post-imperial world
- Regionalism, independence, secession
- East-West: convergences and divergences
- Territory and environment
Systemic Transformations
- Democracy and its rivals
- Communism and its rivals
- War and conflict
- Current developments and new systemic challenges
- Transnational diffusion of ideas, practices, and political cultures
Freedom of Expression and Protest
- Counter-culture and protest
- Human rights, critical thinking, samizdat, dissidence
- Media agency
- Uses of history
- Humor and irony as methods of resistance
Societal values
- Societal change
- Well-being and social security
- Equality/inequality
Russian Media Lab thematic stream: "Media Innovation, Horizontal Networks and Digital Entrepreneurship in Russia and Beyond: Avenues for Strengthening Freedom of Speech and Journalistic Practices?"
The Russian Media Lab project is organising its concluding conference within the framework of this year’s Aleksanteri Conference. For this thematic stream, submissions of panels and individual papers are invited to explore emerging (digital) media practices in relation to the question of freedom of expression and independent journalism. In addition to studies of Russia, we look forward to receiving proposals examining Central and Eastern Europe, as well as comparative studies.
Keynote speakers and programme:
- Professor Grzegorz Ekiert, Harvard University
- Professor Stephen Hutchings, University of Manchester
- Dr Maria Mälksoo, Brussels School of International Studies/University of Kent
- Professor Susan Reid, Loughborough University
- Professor Katrin Voltmer, University of Leeds
- Professor Veljko Vujačić, European University at St. Petersburg
Complementing academic activity, the conference programme will also include cultural events and roundtable discussion by public figures with hands-on experience of historical changes. It will be organised a guided tour of the Slavonic Library, which is a world-renowned treasure, especially for scholars of Russian history and culture. Conference guests are invited to attend two evening receptions hosted by the City of Helsinki and University of Helsinki. This year program will again organise a book exhibition at the main conference venue.
Registration rates:
Paper presenters, chairs, and discussants 100 €
Graduate students, participants from ex-Soviet countries or with a yearly income of less than 30,000 euros 50 €
Accompanying persons and observers not presenting a paper (partial participation in the conference is allowed) 25 €
General information:
The working language of the conference is English. Unfortunately, no translation can be provided.
Participants are requested to make their own arrangements for travel and accommodation, and to cover the costs related to participation.
How to submit a proposal
- Paper proposals: Please submit your individual paper abstracts of max. 300 words via the abstract submission form. The organisers will form thematic panels from individual proposals. If you submit a paper for an organised panel, please do not submit it as an individual paper proposal.
- Panel proposals: Panels should consist of 3-4 paper presenters, a chair, and a discussant. However, if you have 4 presenters, you are not allowed to have a discussant. Panels must aim for an international composition. The conference organisers may be able to nominate chairs and discussants for speaker-only panel proposals. Please submit your panel proposal, including an abstract of max. 500 words, via the panel proposal submission form.
- Roundtables: Each roundtable features a structured discussion on a timely theme or problem, which requires a more open format of debate than a conventional paper session.Roundtables must have a chair and 3-5 speakers. Please submit your roundtable proposal, including an abstract of max. 500 words, via the roundtable proposal submission form.
Notification of acceptance for paper, panel, and roundtable proposals will be sent by email by 15 June 2018. The abstracts of accepted papers/panels/roundtables will be published on the conference website.
For more information click "LINK TO ORIGINAL" below.
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https://www.helsinki.fi/en/conferences/liberation-freedom-democracy-1918-1968-2018?utm_source=ARMACAD.info&utm_medium=ARMACAD.info