When: March 23-25th, 2018
Where: University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA)
“Establishing (In)dependence”
15th Annual Graduate Conference
Graduate Organization for the Study of Europe & Central Asia (GOSECA)
The year 2018 marks the passing of a century since Europe’s political map was reconfigured with the end of World War I and the breakup of its continental empires. It also marks the fifty-year anniversary of the Prague Spring and the cultural upheaval of 1968. In the past one hundred years, nationalities across Eurasia have gained independence, lost it, and won it anew, while still others remain under the sway of larger political entities. The passing of this centenary prompts us to ask questions about the role of discourses of independence – and of dependence – in shaping the history of Eurasia.
How have hegemonic power structures fostered cultures of dependence or movements towards independence? How have tensions between political sovereignty and economic interdependence played out at regional or national levels? How has the interplay between civic and ethnic nationalism manifested itself during crucial moments of transformation in the region? This year, GOSECA invites conference participants to reflect on these questions and others, especially in the context of the transformative political moments of 1918 and 1968.
Though the conference is anchored in a retrospective of the centenary, the cultural and social changes across Eurasia that precipitated, accompanied, and followed these events are very much present in the region today. Participants whose research engages with historical periods prior to 1918, or with contemporary trends and developments in the region, are also encouraged to apply.
Submissions are accepted from a wide range of disciplines. Comparative or interdisciplinary research is not only accepted, but encouraged.
Please submit a 300 word (double-spaced) abstract and 2-page CV here.
Submission Deadline: Friday, January 12th, 2018, 11:59 PM EST