Call for papers – International conference: Social and Humanities Research in/on Central and Eastern Europe: Envisioning Futures from a Tumultuous Present
In 2025, TOPOS, the journal for philosophy and cultural studies, celebrates its 25th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the editorial team and the Department of Social Sciences at the European Humanities University will organize an on-site conference titled “Social and Humanities Research in/on Central and Eastern Europe: Envisioning Futures from a Tumultuous Present,” which will take place on December 12-13, 2025, in Vilnius.
We want to take this anniversary as an opportunity for joint reflections on the state of social and humanities research into the region of Central and Eastern Europe, and of that region’s significance to exemplarily bundle questions in social and cultural studies. We plan several conference panels devoted to the following questions:
- What are the main challenges in academic knowledge production about Central and Eastern Europe today? Which trends do you observe?
- How do you see the role of academic journals as platforms for the exchange of knowledge (given the rising importance of various digital platforms – YouTube, etc.)? Do journals have a particular significance in and for the region? Which possibilities do you see for collaboration and exchange between different journals focusing on the region?
- How does academic work in the humanities and social sciences refer to, and react to, the mass migration of researchers due to war, repressions, etc., or of outright political violence against them? How does the particular potential to resist oppression traditionally ascribed to humanities scholarship present itself under today’s circumstances?
- Knowledge production in Central and Eastern Europe has historically struggled to enter international debates and dialogue on matters related to the region. What is the situation of this asymmetry today? How can the marginalization of voices from the region be overcome?
After the conference, we envision publishing a special Forum section in a 2026 TOPOS issue presenting and continuing the panel discussions.
Working language – English
We cordially invite everyone interested to participate in the conference. To apply, please, fill out the form at this link: https://forms.gle/K6hhib2pTpzYnaC46
The application deadline is 10 November 2025.
The outcome of the proposal review process will be communicated by November 15.
The conference is free of charge.
Contact: journal.topos@ehu.lt