[Bilimsel Haber] *2007 ANNUAL SOYUZ SYMPOSIUM*

[Sule Tarakcioglu]

2007 ANNUAL SOYUZ SYMPOSIUM

Call for Papers

LOCATING “EURASIA” IN POSTSOCIALIST STUDIES:

THE GEOPOLITICS OF NAMING

April 27-29, 2007

Princeton University

The geographical and symbolic fragmentation of the “Soviet bloc” was one
of the main outcomes of the collapse of state socialism in the late
1980s. A seemingly neutral and natural geographical collage of “Eastern
Europe,” “the Balkans,” “the Baltics,” “the Caucasus,” “Eurasia,” and
“the Central Asia” has replaced the politically enforced unity of the
“Second World.” Yet, as some scholars of the region have pointed out,
the new mapping of postsocialist space exhibits one persistent tendency:
the “westernization” of eastern Europe is accompanied by a simultaneous
“easternization” of its margins.

For its 2007 meeting, SOYUZ invites submissions for presentations on the
emergence of “Eurasia” as a geocultural space, distinct from and even
opposing to “Europe.” How does the reclaimed notion of “Eurasia” help to
construct and symbolically uphold eastern borders of new Europe? To what
extent this notion was instrumental in shaping new alliances, practices,
and identities outside European borders? As at previous SOYUZ meetings,
priority is given to rich ethnographic work while entertaining a broad
range of topical and ideological terrains.

Presentations may be from any discipline (anthropology, sociology,
folklore, political science, history, cultural studies, law, economics,
literary scholarship, etc.). We are looking for papers that combine
solid archival and/or ethnographic material with theory. We are
especially interested in submissions from scholars examining the role of
“Eurasia” in the Far East. We will be able to make travel subsidies
available for several foreign presenters (from the region).

The symposium has been held annually since 1992, and is at once an
intimate forum where scholars can exchange ideas and engage in dialogue
and also the site of cutting edge presentations from some of the most
exciting thinkers within the growing field of postsocialist research.
(http://www.uvm.edu/%7Esoyuz/conferences.html)

The 2007 SOYUZ Program committee includes:

Judith B. Farquhar, Professor of Anthropology and of Social Sciences
(University of Chicago)

Kristen Ghodsee, Assistant Professor of Women’s Studies (Bowdoin
College); program coordinator for SOYUZ

Sergey Glebov, Assistant Professor of History (Smith College); co-editor
of Ab Imperio.

Bruce Grant, Associate Professor of Anthropology (New York University)

Mark von Hagen, Boris Bakhmeteff Professor of Russian and East European
Studies and Chair, Department of History (Columbia University)

Krista Hegburg, Doctoral Candidate, Anthropology (Columbia University)

Serguei Alex. Oushakine, Assistant Professor of Slavic Languages and
Literatures (Princeton University)

Please send an abstract (no longer than 500 words) and a brief CV to
Serguei Oushakine (oushakin at princeton.edu) by *January 15, 2007*.

Applicants will be notified of the program committee's decision in
February 2007.

	

Serguei Oushakine
oushakin at princeton.edu