[Bilimsel Haber] CfP: The Sealed Gate: Prospects of the Sealed Turkey-Armenia Border

[Nese Ozgen]

Dear mates

You may interest to participate and circulate the Conference on




*The Sealed Gate: Prospects of the Sealed Turkey-Armenia Border22-23
November 2014Istanbul*

With the collapse of the Soviet Union, Turkey rediscovered its long
neglected eastern neighbour, Armenia. Although Turkey was among the first
countries to recognize Armenia’s independence, it was reluctant to
establish diplomatic ties with it. Even during Soviet times, with the
exception of a passenger train that ran between Leninakan/Gyumri and Kars,
the border between Turkey and Armenia remained closed. In 1992 Turkey
allowed food aid from Europe to be delivered via this line. But in 1993
Turkey unilaterally and formally sealed its land border with Armenia in
response to the Nagorno- Karabakh conflict. The Kars-Gyumri rail connection
was halted, and direct trade and cross-border activities between locals
have been blocked ever since. To this date, the policy of closed borders
remains in force.

The sealed border continues to have a significant impact on the lives of
people on both sides of the border and on the wider region, including on
war- torn Syria, which is home to a sizeable population of ethnic
Armenians. The economic, political, social, and environmental effects of
the blockade are considerable. If the goal of the sealed border was to help
resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, it has arguably had the opposite
effect.

This conference seeks to address the “*policy of closed borders*” with its
*political*, *economic*, *social*,*environmental*, *humanitarian* and *regional
aspects* along with the prospects for *peace-building in the Caucasus*. It
aims in particular to address the following questions and issues:

How do a sealed border and lack of direct contact impact mind-sets and the
daily lives of people in the border areas and beyond? In turn, what would
the impact of an open border be on them?

Would opening the border serve as a catalyst for economic development? What
are the missed opportunities and prospects for regional cooperation and
integration? What would be the outlook of the region in 30 years time
assuming there are open borders and possibly even a common or free economic
zone?

How can the border influence regional integration and cooperation in the
Caucasus? What has been the impact of Turkey’s ‘‘open-door policy’’ with
Georgia, Iraq, Syria and Nakhchivan? Can an open border act as a catalyst
for consolidating democracy in the Caucasus and for its integration with
Europe as a stable and secure energy and transportation hub?

What are we actually talking about when we talk about borders? What do open
borders mean in terms of territoriality, citizenship, sovereignty,
belonging, globalization, liberty, authority, ethnicity, nationality and
identity?

How do sealed borders affect localities on both sides? What is the impact
on architecture, transportation, urban and rural planning, municipalities,
the environment, and migration?

What is the impact of security-oriented border management on the social
texture? What about governance, military troops, and border guards?

What are the social policy options and initiatives for sealed borders? Can
sports, art and cultural activities, and student exchanges play a role?

What are some examples of crossing borders in language, literature and art?
How is the border reproduced as a cultural phenomenon? How else can one
cross borders?

Addressing such questions, among others, the conference seeks to contribute
to cross-border dialogue so as to overcome missed opportunities and to
promote initiatives that will eliminate barriers and foster regional
cooperation and integration.

   - The conference is open to the participation of researchers working on
   the *history*, *politics*,*economy*, *sociology*, and *demography* *of
   the region*;
   - Working languages of the conference will be *Armenian*, *English* and
   *Turkish*;
   - In order to reserve time for Q&A sessions and discussions, each
   speaker will have 20 minutes for their presentation;
   - Transportation and accommodation expenses of participants from outside
   Istanbul will be covered if their affiliated organisations cannot ensure
   coverage;
   - Those who would like to participate in this conference should submit a
   250-word summary of their papers, along with a CV to the e-mail address
   below until *May 30th 2014*:eminekolivar at hrantdink.org
   - Papers presented during the conference will be published in the form
   of conference proceedings by the Hrant Dink Foundation Publications.

Scientific Committee

Asaf Savaş Akat (Bilgi University, Turkey)
Aleksander Iskandaryan (Caucasus Institute, Armenia)
Zümrüt İmamoğlu (Bahçeşehir University, Turkey)
Ahmet İnsel (Galatasaray University, Turkey)
Raymond Kévorkian (Paris 8 University, France)
Fuat Keyman (Sabancı University, Turkey)
Gerard J. Libaridian (University of Michigan, retired, US)
Neşe Özgen (Mimar Sinan University, Turkey)
Volkan Vural (Turkish Industry and Business Association, Turkey)
Thomas de Waal (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, US)

*Organisation Committee*
Cengiz Aktar
Sibel Asna
Burcu Becermen
İbrahim Betil
Delal Dink
Etyen Mahçupyan
Soli Özel
Neşe Özgen
Amberin Zaman
-- 
Prof. H.Nese Özgen, Ph.D.


www.neseozgen.net
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