[Bilimsel Haber] CFP: Collective Identity and Practices of Citizenship in Postcommunism, 22-23 FEB 2013 - University of Wroclaw, Poland

[Gonul Pultar]

from: Serguei A. Oushakine <oushakin at Princeton.EDU>


CFP: Collective Identity and Practices of Citizenship in Postcommunism, 
22-23 FEB 2013 University of Wroclaw, Poland


Large number of postcommunist countries have undergone institution and 
state building since the start of democratic transition. These have 
affected issues regarding formal citizenship, but have practices of 
citizenship changed? The conference invites interested scholars to 
reflect on dynamics in practices of citizenship across postcommunist 
states.

We are specifically interested in comparative studies of societies that 
saw practices of citizenship changing since early 1990s as a result of 
border changes (including territorial adjustment and dissolution of 
socialist federations), population dynamics (both demographic, as a 
result of in and out migration, and resettlement after warfare) and 
amendments to their citizenship regimes (issuing passports to an ethnic 
kin folk and provisions for extraterritorial citizenship).

The conference calls on participants to reflect on the impact such 
structural factors have had on comparative developments in practices of 
citizenship across postcommunist region. Departing from the discussion 
on the concept of citizenship (e.g. T.H. Marshal, W. Kymlicka), its 
contemporary relevance (e.g. Y. Soysal, D. Miller) and its application 
in Central and Eastern Europe during democratic transition (e.g. R. 
Brubaker, M.M. Howard), we are particularly interested in contrastive 
analyses of continuities and changes in practices (political 
participation, civic education, community activities) related to formal 
criteria defining citizenry (citizenship status, passport).

Our focus on practices of citizenship opens the door to consideration of 
the role civic education plays across the region in framing citizenries 
during and after democratic transition. Papers reflecting on the role of 
formal and informal education, cooperation between individuals through 
social, political and cultural networks are particularly welcome. We are 
also interested in ways the extant social, political and cultural 
practices are translated into individual and group activities as 
practices of active citizenship. Papers relating to these issues might 
reflect on policies of education and policy initiatives emphasising 
actions of civil society. All of the above topics could reflect upon 
domestic, regional and European dynamics of citizen empowerment to make 
sense of singular initiatives, local practices and case by case 
interpretations of personal engagement as citizens.


Selection of key issues to be discussed:

X Conceptual and theoretical changes of focus in understanding the 
post-communist citizenship

X Institutional/legal developments of citizenship in the post-communist 
countries with a focus on controversies

X  The role of transformation processes for the citizenship practices in 
those countries

X  Practices of citizenship and social coherence in the countries in 
question

X  Citizenship and civic education (the role of the education system 
vis-à-vis citizenship)

X  Post-communist citizenship and nationalism (Is there a ‘crisis of the 
hyphen’ in post-communist countries?)

X  Power and citizenship in the post-communist countries (the role of 
inequality and class stratification)

X  The impact of external actors such as the Russian Federation, the 
U.S. or the EU on the citizenship practices in post-communist countries


Please submit your paper proposal to the organisers, via 
http://www.conferencepro.eu/citizenship


If you have any additional queries, please get in touch with us:

Prof. Ireneusz Pawel Karolewski, Willy Brandt Center for German and 
European Studies, University of Wroclaw & University of Potsdam 
(karolewski at wbz.uni.wroc.pl)

Dr Timofey Agarin, Queen’s University Belfast (t.agarin at qub.ac.uk ).


Timeline:

Abstract submission: by September 30 2012.

Authors invited to attend the conference will be notified by October 15 
2012.

First draft submission: by January 31 2013.

Conference in Wroclaw, February 22-23 2013.

Final draft submission, March 31 2013.


The conference will take place in Wroclaw in February 2013. Conference 
papers will be submitted to The Journal of Social Science Education and 
published in a contracted special issue “Post-Communist Citizenship“ in 
2013. The special issue will include theoretical/conceptual articles, 
empirical research articles engaging comparative analyses of selected 
countries. Here, one of the main points of interest is the role offormal 
civic education (schools and the universities) vis-à-vis the citizenship 
practices outside formal settling (NGOs, civil societygroups, 
transnational activist networks).

A pool of selected papers will be additionally published as an edited 
book with the leading academic publisher in 2014. Details will be 
communicated to the selected participants only.




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