CfP: Transforming State Socialism in East-Central Europe: Historical Sociology of the Long Change
Conference: 30 September – 1 October 2022, University of Warsaw
Key-note lectures: Michal Kopeček (Czech Academy of Science),
Joanna Wawrzyniak (University of Warsaw)
This international conference aims to promote and strengthen sociohistorical research on the transformations of state socialism in East-Central Europe (ECE). It will advance the knowledge on the sociogenesis of contemporary societies in East-Central Europe by focusing on the continuities and change. It should also contribute to our understanding of the dynamics of integration with the capitalist world system and how ECE countries place within the structures of global dependencies.
Following this aim, we seek to pursue several questions: what was state socialism in comparison with capitalism? Where did the impulses for changing the socialist system come from? How new research on state socialism change our perception of the regime change of 1989? How to integrate the socialist experience into the framework of global history?
We invite scholars combining historical research with the methods of social sciences to contribute to this conference. We particularly encourage empirical research focusing on long-term processes. We also welcome new theoretical conceptualizations of the evolutions of state socialism and the capitalist transformations. The expected applications may refer, but are not limited, to the questions of:
- transformations of social structure, social inequalities, socialist welfare state,
- relations between society and political power, including legitimization of socialist dictatorships
- shaping of global dependency structures, economic transformations and changes in labor,
- public policies and expert communities, particularly in the field of: economics, sociology, urban studies, law, health, psychology, ecology,
- transnational scientific and economic cooperation,
- changes in lifestyles, popular culture and mass media,
- gender relations in family life and the public sphere, as well as gender and sexual minorities,
- artistic practices, including cultural policies, artistic critique, art institutions and market,
- memory of state socialism after the regime change of 1989
Submission process
Proposals for the conference should be submitted electronically to transformingsocialism@uw.edu.pl by July 15.
Proposals must include, in a single Pdf file:
- the paper’s abstract (250-300 words, excluding title) that also specifies (i) your name, (ii) academic affiliation.
- your academic CV (maximum 1 page).
All conference submissions must be in English, and all accepted works are to be presented in English.
Participation in this conference is free of charge.
Funding opportunities
Conference organizers can provide travel grants up to €100 per person, for the participation of Early Stage Researchers from outside Warsaw, whose papers have been accepted for presentation.
To apply for a travel grant, please also include, with the abstract and CV, a brief statement of purpose (500-650 words) where you discuss your paper’s contribution to the conference, and how participation in the conference will, in turn, contribute to furthering your academic career.
We will electronically notify the applicants about the acceptance of their proposals and travel funding by July 31.
The conference is organized by the Faculty of Sociology in cooperation with the Faculty of History, University of Warsaw and the Graduate School for Social Research, Polish Academy of Sciences. The organization committee consist of PhD candidates from the Doctoral School of Social Sciences, Doctoral School of Humanities at the University of Warsaw, and the Graduate School for Social Research, Polish Academy of Sciences.
Scientific committee:
Prof. Marta Bucholc, Prof. Magdalena Grabowska, Dr. Piotr Filipkowski, Prof. Dobrochna Kałwa, Prof. Jarosław Kilias, Prof. Piotr M. Majewski, Dr. Tomasz Rawski, Dr. Naum Trajanovski
Organization committee:
Paweł Bagiński, Milena Błahuta, Bartosz Matyja, Emilia Sieczka, Zofia Rohozińska
https://ws.uw.edu.pl/call-for-participants/