After Communism: East and West Under Scruitiny, Craiova (Romania), 2-3 March 2012
More than two decades after, an event is both history and present. More than twenty years after the fall of communism is still a good moment for learning what happened, by combining common and scientific knowledge. It is still possible to directly contact those involved on both sides of the barricade, and the idea of searching for the public opinion of the moment is not totally unrealistic. The distance in time allows a certain emotional detachment and favours a more objective, fact-oriented analysis. Moreover, there is the possibility of accessing some documents, until recently classified or hidden. It would prove hazardous to hope that we could totally solve what happened within Eastern Europe during 1989, but we can try to clarify a series of peculiar aspects and to create an intermediary synthesis which would serve as basis for future researches. We dear to state that we even bear the moral obligation to do that.
We do not intend to limit the discussions to the fall of communist regimes, but we will strive to follow the evolution of the states involved in the twenty years that have passed, inventorying intentions, principles, doctrines, methods, instruments, and as the possibilities allow, results.
The study of recent history of the former-communist space raises the issue of the relations with the Western world. We must see if and how the “New Europe” has changed in order to reconcile with the old one, but also, the changes occurred in the West as a direct or indirect consequence of the Eastern turmoil.
Last but not least, we want to identify the communist relics still present in our societies. Is communism dead once and for all or does it stumble around us like a ghost? Furthermore, is it possible for communism to rebirth due to our oblivion, neglecting, or even naïve and self-sufficient nostalgia? The answers to these questions cannot be but simple speculations, but one deserves to try, at least for the sake of intellectual exercise and in order not to allow a hurtfully-real problem to fall into ignorance.
As regards the methodology, we wish to enhance the expression of those more or less involved in the events, but also of various professionals - historians, political scientists, economists, legal specialists etc. As an element of news, we are interested in the knowledge and opinions of those who were just given birth to or who were in their childhood and early teens twenty years ago. Due to their complete lack of direct contact with the facts, the things they can tell us are of great relevance for the manner in which society perceives and assumes the communist experience. Paradoxically, the discourse of those who know nothing is the most expressive as it internalizes and simplifies the general but also un-systemized discourse about recent history.
In short, we want to create a descriptive and analytical sketch of what is usually referred to as transition period.
Proposed panels:
- The fall of communist regimes in Central and Eastern European Countries. General and particular aspects. Causes and preparing events. The unfolding of the course of events. The first political and economic measures that followed the regime change.
- Political, legal and institutional changes over the last 20 years.
- Politics, administration and democracy: organizational enlargements and transformations after 1989.
- The re-conversion of communist elites and the appearance of new elites.
- Economic environment reform. From planned economy to market economy. Economic changes, financial reforms, legal constraints, privatization, foreign direct investments etc.
- Identity and mobility in Europe. Ethnic-religious conflicts in the Balkans.
- International relations and geopolitical evolutions in Eastern Europe.
- Perspectives on transition in the mass media. Two decades of changes in the mass media. The image of the New Europe in mass media.
Dead-line for submitting a proposal: 20 February 2012.
The proposals must contain a short presentation of the author (statute, institutional affiliation, short list of relevant scientific contributions), title and abstract (no more than 300 words). Proposals must be submitted until 20 February 2012 at the following addresses:
Professor Aurel Piţurcă, Ph. D. - piturca.aurel@yahoo.com
Lecturer Parmena Olimid, Ph. D. - parmena2002@yahoo.com
Assistant Cătălina Georgescu, Ph. D. - cata.georgescu@yahoo.com
Lecturer Xenia Negrea, Ph. D. - xenia_karo@yahoo.com
Assistant Lucian Pîrvu, Ph. D. Candidate - pirvulucian@yahoo.com
Junior assistant Ionuţ Răduică, Ph. D. Candidate - ionut.raduica@yahoo.de
Lecturer Cosmin Gherghe, Ph. D. - luccosmin@yahoo.com
Publishing the papers
The whole text of the papers must be delivered until 20 March 2012. The papers will be published in Revista de ştiinţe politice/Revue des sciences politiques, No. 33/2012 (Revista de ştiinţe politice/Revue des sciences politiques is listed under CNCSIS B+ category and is indexed by Proquest, Index Copernicus, Georgetown University Library, DOAJ, Elektronische Zeitschriftenbibliothek EZB, Journal Seek, Intute Social Sciences).
Registration fee: 200 ron/50 euros can be paid directly at the conference secretariat on the day of arrival (Friday morning, 2 March 2012) during registration hours. Certificates of attendance will be offered at the end of the conference (Saturday, 3 March 2012). The fee covers for the conference materials, coffee breaks and publishing contributions in Revista de Ştiinţe Politice/Revue des sciences politiques.
