Call for Abstracts for Annual Conference
3rd Annual Conference: ‘Contemporary Political Processes: Challenges and Opportunities”
The 3rd annual conference ‘Contemporary Political Processes: Challenges and Opportunities’ will take place on 27th April, 2017, during “Faculty days” event.
It is organized by the Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy and hosted by Vytautas Magnus University. The conference aims to advance studies on various fields within the discipline of political science and provide young scholars with an opportunity to share their research.
Due to the emphasis on young scholars, master and doctoral students are especially encouraged to submit their proposals within these broad thematic fields:
- Lithuania in the Global World
- Contemporary Changes in Global Security;
- Regional Studies;
- Challenges to Governance and Public Administration;
- News outlets, social media and information warfare;
- Resolution of Contemporary Conflicts;
- Other thematic fields are welcome.
Conference languages: Lithuanian and English
Abstract should be submitted to Giedrius Cesnakas via e-mail (giedrius.cesnakas@vdu.lt). They cannot exceed 200 words and are expected to be submitted until 3rd April, 2017.
Best presentations will be considered for publication in peer-reviewed journal “Lithuanian Foreign Policy Review”.
Organization Committee:
Dr. Gerda Jakštaitė
Dr. Giedrius Česnakas
Dr. Gintarė Žukaitė
PhD. candidate Justinas Juozaitis
DhD. candidate Brigita Lokė
For further inquiry: Giedrius Česnakas (giedrius.cesnakas@vdu.lt; 868072207)
Seminar about Russian Threats in Central and East Europe
VMU Political Science and Diplomacy Faculty in cooperation with the The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin (Poland) is pleased to announce the joint panel discussion “Countering Information Threats in Central and Eastern Europe”.
The panel discussion will be held on 8th of March, 1:15 p.m.- 2:45 p.m., V. Putvinskio str. 23 – 311.
During this event scholars from the Institute of East-Central Europe and Catholic University of Liublin will present their researches.
Main goal of seminar is to introduce a specify of hybrid war, manipulations in media and other instruments, which helped for Russia to annex and to rule a part of Ukrainian territory. Also it will be presented models of Russian propaganda in the West, main directs and instruments of information strategy of Russia abroad.
Main discussant of seminar – prof. Gintautas Mažeikis, moderator – assoc. prof. Andžej Pukšto.
An interdisciplinary conference in memory L. Donskis
The Interdisciplinary Intellectual Practices and Moral Imagination of Leonidas Donskis
In memory of philosopher Professor Leonidas Donskis, the Department of Philosophy and Social Critique at Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) is organizing an interdisciplinary conference of humanities and social sciences devoted to his thinking and research.
The conference will be held at Vytautas Magnus University on May 11 – 12, 2017.
Themes of the conference, all of which are related and devoted to Donskis‘ own research:
- Comparative civilizational analysis and Oswald Spengler
- Theories of nationalism and the problem of ideology
- History of ideas and the history of social and political philosophy
- Moral imagination and modernity’s trajectories
- Renaissance and Baroque philosophy
- Intersections of literature and politics
Critics of dystopias and utopias- Transformation of socialist intelligentsia into Western public intellectuals
- Cultural and political idea of Europe
- Dissents of Europe and human rights
- New civic dissent and human rights in Russia
- Modern identity and cosmopolitanism
- The problem of evil and forms of hatred in liquid modernity
- The role(s) of the public intellectual in society
The conference welcomes financial, intellectual and organizational contributions.
Conference “The dynamics of Polish-Lithuanian relations”
On 15-16 September the Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas together with the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Vilnius and the Polish Institute in Vilnius are organizing a conference dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the resumption of diplomatic relations between Poland and Lithuania “The dynamics of Polish-Lithuanian relations.”
The conference will be opened by Ambassador of Poland to Lithuania Jarosław Czubiński. Mr Paweł Kowal, PhD. former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and former Member of the European Parliament will give the introductory lecture. During the conference the results of research in sphere of dynamics of relations development in the fields of history, philology, political science, economics, sociology, social sciences and humanities will be presented.
In the framework of the conference, on 15 September (at 16.00) in the Valdas Adamkus Presidential Library-Museum in Kaunas (S. Daukanto 25 St) the presentation of the biography of the late Polish President Lech Kaczyński (“Prezydent Lech Kaczyński 2005-2010”, written by the Sławomir Cenckiewicz and Adam Chmielecki) will be held. The discussion – with participation of the author and many guests from Poland and Lithuania – will be focused on foreign policies of Poland and Lithuania during the terms of presidents Lech Kaczyński and Valdas Adamkus, particularly in the context of their active actions in the Eastern Europe. It will be also a good opportunity to recall the term of late President Lech Kaczyński, that was so tragically interrupted. Sławomir Cenckiewicz, PhD., Deputy Speaker of the Seimas Jaroslav Narkevič, Ambassador Žygimantas Pavilionis, PhD., Paweł Kowal, PhD. (tbc) and Dean of the Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy Professor at Department of Political Science Šarunas Liekis, PhD. will take part in the book’s presentation and the discussion afterwards. The welcome speech will be given by Polish Ambassador Jarosław Czubiński and Professor Egidijus Aleksandravičius, PhD.
On 16 September (at 12.00) a panel titled „Poland and Lithuania after 25 years of resumption of their diplomatic relations – where are we now and where are we striving together? How can we contribute to a stable and prosperous Europe?” will be held. The Director Political Cabinet of the Minister FA of Poland Jan Parys, Political Director of the Ministry FA of Lithuania Rolandas Kačinskas, ambassador Vygaudas Ušackas, Giedrius Česnakas, PhD., Marcin Terlikowski, PhD. from the Polish Institute of International Affairs and Dean of the Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy Professor at Department of Political Science Šarunas Liekis, PhD. will take part in the discussion. Panel discussion moderated by Andžej Pukšto, PhD.
The conference will be held in English. Programme of the conference.
Conference about Lithuanian and Polish relations
Adomas Mickevicius Club of Polish Language and the Department of Political Science of Vytautas Magnus University with partners are organizing the 3rd International Scientific Conference “Dynamics of Lithuanian-Polish relations”, which will be held on 15-16thof September, 2016. The conference is dedicated to commemorate the 25thanniversary of restoration of the diplomatic relations between Lithuania and Poland. The conference examines the interdisciplinary dynamics of Polish-Lithuanian relations. The conference offers the open discussion in the field of Social sciences and humanities research.
The aim of the conference― to focus on research on cooperation between Lithuania and Poland, including the problems of security and identity, the common historical and cultural heritage, the issues of minorities in Lithuania and Poland, political, economic, and social conditions in these countries, the coinciding political, security, foreign policy interests in the European Union, the Baltic Sea region, and other regional organizations.
Topics addressed should include:
- Political, social, economic, culturalrelations between Lithuania and Poland;
- Cooperation betweenLithuania and Poland in the field of security;
- Cooperation betweenLithuania and Poland in the regional structures (EU, NATO, the Baltic Sea region);
- Ethnic identity and its development: the problems of Lithuanian and Polish identity.
Conference language –English.
Contact person: Mindaugas Norkevičius ( email: mindaugas.norkevicius@vdu.lt)
Conference “Europe, Nations, and Insecurity: Challenges to Identities”
Vytautas Magnus University in cooperation with the Association for the Study of Nationalities (ASN) is pleased to announce the joint conference “Europe, Nations, and Insecurity: Challenges to Identities”.
The Conference will be held on 30 June – 2 July 2016 in Kaunas, Lithuania
The panels of the conference will embrace a wide range of topics related to the political and economic situation in all regions of Europe. A serious consideration will be given not only to the persistent problem of state aggression and ethnic conflicts, but also to the newly emerging threats, challenges, and insecurities. These new uncertainties create serious threats for world stability and over the past years have become the only certainty in the modern world. Due attention will also be given to contested and challenged identities, ranging from Baltic, Nordic Eastern, Central and other European to all world’s regions and nationalities, be these identities state-controlled and manipulated or sporadically emerging and self-asserting. Programmatic themes encompass Nationalism Studies, Memory and Culture Studies, Migration and Diasporas, History, Politics, Gender Studies, Ethnicity and Violence, Minority Rights, Energy Security, Language, Literature and Education, Public Diplomacy, etc.
Conference panels will be organized according to the national and regional foci:
- Central and Eastern Europe
- The Baltic region
- The Balkans
- Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus and the Caucasus
- Middle East and Central Eurasia
The conference is organised by the Faculty of Humanities and the Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy of Vytautas Magnus University.
For more detail information visit here.
Conference „Security, Cooperation and Identity in Northern Europe”
The conference will summon politicians, academics and experts from Lithuania and the Nordic States and aims at publicizing results of the conference.
Northern Europe, the network of small and medium-size states and regional organisations is in generous supply of contemporary challenges and opportunities of geopolitical, social and economic nature. Growing assertiveness of Russia in its north-western neighbourhood and beyond, a potential of thaw in relations with Belarus, a need for a responsive engagement of NATO in the Baltic States and Poland, migrant crisis and issues related to EU solidarity, the rise of Eurosceptic and far-right political mood in the region, let alone far reaching consequences of terrorism constitute a fertile ground for political and academic discussions. Their synergy enables us to have a better grasp of political complexities and scout around for cooperative responses to the aforementioned problems.
Date and location: 29 January 2016 , Embassy of Finland, Vilnius, K. Kalinausko str. 24
Organisers: Vytautas Magnus University, Embassies of Finland, Norway and Sweden in Lithuania and Nordic Council of Ministers Office in Lithuania
Language of the conference is English.
