The Babeș-Bolyai University, in cooperation with the Association for the Study of Nationalities (ASN), is pleased to announce a joint conference, “Reframing Nationalism and Populism in the Context of Securitization: Political Struggles and Scholarly Debates" to be held on 6-8 July 2023 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
The conference is co-organized by the Faculty of Political Science and Public Administration and the Faculty of Sociology and Social Work of the Babeș-Bolyai University, together with the Romanian Institute for Research on National Minorities (ISPMN).
Russia's aggression against Ukraine has disrupted existing narratives and frameworks in the social sciences. This war has challenged our beliefs about the stability of the international order and reinforced East-West-type discourses by displaying greater unity among Western allies and fueling anti-Western sentiments outside the Western core. This has significant implications for the study of nationalism. On the one hand, it has highlighted the dangerous consequences of nationalism and irredentism. On the other, it has boosted and legitimized culturally homogeneous state- and nation-building in the post-Soviet region and beyond. Russia's aggression has increased anxiety about national security throughout the region and led to heightened securitization in key areas such as minority rights, ethnic relations, and kin-state activity. This has had an impact on both political struggles and scholarly debates.
The focus of our conference is primarily, but not exclusively, on Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Ukraine, Russia, Eurasia, and Turkey. We encourage discussions about the impact of the changing international order on states and societies in these regions. Despite increased European and transatlantic engagement in many countries, some political actors, including "populists in power," have used pro-Kremlin or ambivalent discourses to strengthen their support by mobilizing anti-Western attitudes. There is no consensus about good governance or diversity management. Integrationist approaches associated with majoritarian democracy coexist with accommodative models which allow for minority institutions and political agency. More research is needed on the matter of these debates and processes.
We invite a wide range of papers and panels from scholars with various disciplinary backgrounds and perspectives on nationalism, populism, national and international security, democracy, developmental models, and discourses. Both theoretically and empirically oriented submissions, including case studies and comparative analyses, are accepted. We have a particular interest in the following topics:
• Nationalism and processes of nation-building in Central and Eastern Europe and beyond
• Challenges for democracy in the context of insecurity and changing world order in Central and Eastern Europe and beyond
• Forms of populism in Central and Eastern Europe and beyond, especially recent development in the post-COVID-19 period and war
• East-West discourses: decolonizing knowledge production in Central and Eastern Europe
• Minority policies and minority policy regimes in Central and Eastern Europe and the challenges of securitization
• Minority institutions, minority political agency, minority rights
• International relations and their effects on democracy and development in the Central and Eastern European region
• Censuses, “regimes of counting” and the states’ commitment (or the lack of commitment) to keep track of ethnic identities (recent experiences with 2021/2022 censuses)
• Migratory processes, perceptions of migration (both in- and out-migration), discursive frames and policies concerning migration; processes and policies affecting Ukrainian refugees
• Policies of national historical memory (including the Holocaust, state socialism, etc.)
• The use of big data in ethnic and nationalism studies
The conference also invites submissions of papers and panels that address broad topics such as state-building, nationalism, ethnicity, borders, populations, national identity, and other related subjects, with a specific focus on Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and post-Yugoslav countries, Russia, the post-Soviet republics, Turkey, and Greece. Comparative studies and case studies from other parts of the world that offer insights relevant to the primary geographic area of the conference are also welcome. Contributions from a range of disciplines, including history, sociology, political science, anthropology, cultural studies, geography, economics, law, and interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary studies, based on diverse methodologies, are expected.
Applicants can review the broad thematic scope of ASN convention and conference papers by viewing programs from past conferences at:
https://nationalities.org/convention/european-conferences/
https://nationalities.org/convention/past-conventions/
Proposal Submissions
The ASN 2023 European Conference invites proposals for individual papers, thematic panels, book panels, and roundtables. The standard panel format consists of a chair, three to five presenters, and a discussant.
Proposals should be submitted in English. Proposals must be submitted via the e-application form by using the submission buttons on the conference website – see the Call for proposals section. (https://asncluj2023.ro/node/11)
Conference information (program, logistical details, etc.) will be available on the conference website. https://asncluj2023.ro/
Individual Paper Proposal Requirements:
- Contact information: name, e-mail address, and academic affiliation of the applicant.
- Paper abstract (up to 500 words) with the title of the paper and no more than five keywords.
- A 100-word, one paragraph biographical statement in narrative form; standard CVs will not be accepted.
- Individual proposals for papers written by multiple authors (joint proposals) must include contact information and biographical statements for all authors.
Thematic Panel Proposal Requirements:
- Contact information for all panelists: names, e-mail addresses, and academic affiliations.
- Title of the panel.
- Paper abstract (up to 500 words) for each paper.
- A 100-word, one paragraph biographical statement in narrative form for each author; standard CVs will not be accepted.
Book Panel Requirements:
- The book should be a significant contribution to the field; preference is given to monographs.
- Contact information for all panelists: names, e-mail addresses, and academic affiliations; the list of panelists should include the author/s of the book.
- The title of the panel is given by the full name of the book; full bibliographical information of the book should be given.
- An abstract (up to 500 words) of the panel, consisting of a summary of the main contributions of the book.
- A 100-word, one paragraph biographical statement in narrative form for all panelists; standard CVs will not be accepted.
Roundtables are also accepted and applications should follow the panel proposal format. Roundtable proposals should focus on: a) key events or developments; b) methodological questions; or c) new fields of research.
Proposals must be submitted online no later than 31 March 2023.
Papers and panels will be assessed by an international board composed of scholars from the conference organizers and ASN members.
As a general rule, no person may appear more than three times on the program and only once as a paper presenter.
Travel / Accommodation Grants
A limited number of travel and/or accommodation grants will be made available to help cover the cost of travel and/or accommodations for graduate students and postdocs. These grants will be limited to travel within Europe and up to a maximum amount of 200 Euros per travel or accommodation grant.
Registration
Conference registration fees are:
- Faculty: 150 Euros (ASN Members: 120 Euros)
- Students: 100 Euros (ASN Members: 80 Euros)
Calendar and Deadlines
- The deadline for paper and panel proposals is 31 March 2023.
- Notifications of acceptance will be sent in late April 2023.
- The deadline for registration is 30 May 2023.
- The draft program will be published by June 2023.
For more information, please contact: info@asncluj2023.ro
