[Bilimsel Haber] Call for Applications: 2014 International Neighbourhood Symposium, June 24-29, 2014, Heybeliada (Ist.)

[Gonul Pultar]

2014 International Neighbourhood Symposium



"Exploring the Challenges of Political and Social Change in the Eastern
Neighbourhood and the Mediterranean South"
Heybeliada, Turkey

24 - 29 June 2014



The Center for International and European Studies (CIES) at Kadir Has
University will host the 4th International Neighbourhood Symposium at
Heybeliada, Turkey between Tuesday, 24 June and Sunday, 29 June 2014.

This year's Symposium will focus on "Exploring the Challenges of 
Political and Social Change in the Eastern Neighbourhood and the 
Mediterranean South".

The Eastern Neighbourhood and the Mediterranean South are shared
neighborhoods of the European Union, its member states, the Russian
Federation, and Turkey. While each is distinct with its own historical,
political, social, cultural and economic characteristics; their 
proximity suggests synergy across many sectoral issues such as energy, 
transport, and the environment as well as more immaterial concepts such 
as identity, culture, and democracy. While the Eastern Neighbourhood is 
composed of many states that aspire to closer ties including membership 
in the European Union and NATO; it is also home to the Russia Federation 
whose estrangement with the West and its institutions is growing while 
it claims the neighbourhood for itself. The Mediterranean South finds 
itself in a state of ebullition for over two years since the Arab 
Awakening began. Furthermore more regions are positively influenced by 
the existence and the work of the European Union which the Norwegian 
Nobel Committee focused when it granted the Union the Peace Prize in 
2012: "The successful struggle for peace and reconciliation and for 
democracy and human rights. The stabilizing part
played by the EU has helped to transform most of Europe from a continent 
of war to a continent of peace." The EU's success in bridging the gap 
between Iran and the rest of the international community in order to 
achieve an interim nuclear accord and the inspiration the Union projects 
as Ukrainians decry their government's decision not to sign an 
Association Agreement with the EU are a testament to its appeal and 
potential.

The International Neighbourhood Symposium aims to discuss, assess, and
understand these changes and challenges as well as explore the synergies
between the two regions and the rest of Europe. Consequently, it focuses 
on the themes of Politics and Social Change and their challenges in each 
region. The Politics theme will focus on the security context in each 
region and sub region as well as the political changes, revolutions, 
uprisings in the region and the role of other extra regional actors be 
it states, international organizations, and non state actors. The Social 
Change theme will concentrate on issues such as the drivers of change, 
economic change and the role of social and new media in both regions. 
The themes of Democracy and Democratization will constitute the backdrop 
around which the
debates will be geared. The issues of the domestic development of 
democracy, the role of the domestic arena as part of the democratization 
process, as
well as the subjects of identity, pluralism, cultural diversity, secularism,
and religion will all be debated to assess the state of play in both regions
and their prospects for the future.  All of these points will be discussed
further through Structured Dialogue workshops facilitated by Professor
Benjamin Broome from Arizona State University whereby participants will be
presenting project proposals emanating from their cooperation in the
workshops. For the first time this year, the projects could benefit from
funding from the Black Sea Trust should those conceiving them formally
apply.

The International Neighbourhood Symposium aims to promote further
understanding and cooperation in the Eastern Neighbourhood and the
Mediterranean South and beyond by providing a forum for study, dialogue and
networking in a multicultural and interdisciplinary environment. Young
professionals and graduate students primarily from the countries of the
Eastern Neighbourhood, the Mediterranean South, EU member states, and the
United States are the Symposium target group. In addition, applicants from
the fields of public policy, politics, journalism, and business are
especially encouraged to apply. The target age group is 22-35 years of age.


The CIES project enjoys the support of numerous international partners and
sponsors. To date these include the Black Sea Trust for Regional
Cooperation; the Corporate Social Responsibility Association of Turkey; the
Anna Lindh Foundation, Alexandria; the Harvard University Black Sea Security
Program; the International Relations Council of Turkey (UIK); Kadir Has
University; the European Studies Institute of Moscow State Institute of
International Relations (MGIMO); the Open Ukraine Foundation, Kyiv; the
International Center for Hellenic and Mediterranean Studies (DIKEMES),
Athens; the Black Sea Young Reformers; Friedrich Naumann Foundation; and the
Turkish Policy Quarterly.


The deadline for applications is 30 March 2014.


The draft program and online application form can be accessed from the 
CIES website at http://www.khas.edu.tr/en/cies/129.
(To directly access the application form please visit
http://activity.khas.edu.tr/ciesapp/.)

   _____

Center for International and European Studies (CIES)

Uluslararası İlişkiler ve Avrupa Çalışmaları Uygulama ve Araştırma Merkezi

Tel: +90 212 533 65 32  dahili (ext.) 4608/9

http://cies.khas.edu.tr <http://cies.khas.edu.tr/>
http://khas.academia.edu/CenterforInternationalandEuropeanStudiesCIES