Call for Papers: 9th Annual Tartu Conference on East European and Eurasian Studies

The Centre for Eurasian and Russian Studies (CEURUS) at the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies, in collaboration with the University of Tartu Ukraine Centre (UTUC), is pleased to announce the Call for Papers for the Ninth Annual Tartu Conference on East European and Eurasian Studies. The conference will be held from 11-13 June 2025 in Tartu, Estonia, under the theme “Resilience and Adaptation in Times of Adversity”.

The Tartu Conference serves as a distinguished academic forum, convening scholars from a multitude of disciplines, including area studies, comparative politics, international relations, economics, history, sociology, anthropology, and cultural studies. The conference aims to facilitate in-depth discussions on the fundamental cultural, social, economic, and political trends and questions impacting all facets of life in Eastern Europe and Eurasia. The organisers anticipate the participation of over 200 esteemed scholars.

The conference will be conducted as a fully in-person event at the University of Tartu. Proceedings will commence on the afternoon of Wednesday, 11 June, and conclude on the late afternoon of Friday, 13 June. The opening ceremony will take place on Wednesday evening, followed by a plenary roundtable on “Democracy and Resilience” and a reception.

On Thursday evening, a keynote lecture will be delivered by Professor Kate Brown, Thomas M. Siebel Distinguished Professor in the History of Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Professor Brown will present a lecture entitled “Tiny Gardens Everywhere: A Kaleidoscopic History of the Food Sovereignty Frontier,” followed by a conference dinner.

The Tartu Conference 2025 invites submissions that address the historical legacies, contemporary challenges, and future pathways of resilience in Eastern Europe and Northern Eurasia. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Historical and contemporary cases of resilience during crises (e.g., wars, regime change, migration, pandemics, economic downturns)
• Cultural resilience, including the role of language, identity, memory, and heritage
• Democratic resilience, social mobilization, and collective action in response to political and legal challenges
• Resilience and adaptive strategies in the face of resource scarcity, environmental degradation, and climate change
• Institutional adaptations to geopolitical pressures and security threats
• Strategies to counter disinformation and information warfare

The Tartu Conference invites submissions for panels, roundtables, and individual papers addressing the above and related themes and other issues relevant to the past and present developments in Eastern Europe and Northern Eurasia. Comparative research focusing on the region and beyond, as well as interdisciplinary perspectives, are especially welcome. The Programme Committee will give careful consideration to all proposals, however, full panel proposals are particularly encouraged.

Each paper proposal must include an abstract of no more than 300 words. Panel and roundtable proposals should list all speakers (3 or 4 per panel/roundtable), along with abstracts and, if available, information about the chair and the discussant (alternatively, these can be assigned later by the Programme Committee). In the formation of panels, we are committed to promoting diversity in gender, career stage, and institutional/country affiliations to foster a broad range of perspectives and enhance scholarly dialogue.

The deadline to submit proposals is 20 January 2025. Please visit the conference website to submit an individual paper, panel, or roundtable proposal. All submissions will undergo review by the Programme Committee. Notifications of acceptance will be sent by email by 20 February. Accepted participants will be expected to register by 20 April and pay a registration fee of 120 euros. Students are eligible for a reduced fee of 80 euros. Please see Rules of Participation and Important Dates for other deadlines and requirements.

Participation fees will be waived for scholars whose primary affiliation is with an institution in Ukraine. Please note that all participants are expected to attend in person, and we are unable to accommodate requests for online participation or proposals for hybrid sessions.

All participants should plan to make their own travel and accommodation arrangements. The organisers will issue visa invitations upon request.

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