Call for papers - The Balkans in the New Millennium: From Balkanization to EUtopia

A. Abstract

“The best way to predict your future is to create it!” (Abraham Lincoln)

Balkan is a space of intersection or a place where east meets west, a space of multiculturalism, multi-ethnicity, multi-religiosity, but at the same time, a world of the tragic histories, metaphor of permanent misunderstandings, uncertainties, deconstruction and shattering tendencies. It is a part of Europe that in recent decades faces a series of problems caused by the negative perception of otherness, of stereotypes, and maybe by the new climate created by ethnocentric aspirations and worldview. The Balkans is still considered as non-Europianized geography of the old continent, as pre-modern Europe or a polyvalent entity that requires a prescription for long and lasting peace and eudaimonia.

The new millennium as a new stage of human and social development, which represents the beginning of a new period of sociological and anthropological changes perspective aiming at bringing innovations, a new chapter, which should be better than the past, different from the regional fragmentation that engendered the term “Balkanization” and Homo Balkanicus. In this context, this conference will treat the Balkans in correlation with a neologism, Utopia, acountry of ideal felicity and perfection, a place in which human society, natural conditions, etc., are ideally shaped in order to have a complete contentment. Also, it is aplace where the organizational structure, fosters a limited governmental involvement, which permits human creativity and achievement. Where prosperity does not have to be forced, it just happens (D. Hager). So, today in the aftermath of the bloody century, the questions are whether the Balkans are heading towards Eutopia, prosperous Europe or kakostopia (worst place)? Are we going to Europeanize ourselves or to balkanize the Europe? Are we on the right track and ready to Debalkanise the Balkans? Are the euro-integration processes bringing real changes, which are only formal, without any essence? What are the conditions needed for moving forward, towards the first stratum Europe?

One of the duties of sociology is to produce theories, which would bring social changes as well. Unfortunately, the sociology as society-building tool in our context has not achieved its specific goals and physiognomy, but for known reasons has ideologised science paradigm. Now, it is the time for us to give a new approach to whole sociological dynamics and agenda, give a new spirit and stimuli for real-scientific and objective interpretation of developments of the society.

The questions that can be posed in this context are as follows:

• Are the black pages of the XX th century history times gone past for the Balkan?
• How should sociology with its discourse bring new initiatives, new ideas and interests of individuals and the society as whole for increasing citizens’ perspectives?
• To what extent does sociology explore the phenomena of globalised world, where micro entities are endangered from strong macro actors, such as the problem of migration of Balkan’s population towards EU and Western countries in general?
• Why some new EU member societies and countries still perceive themselves as secondary strata Europeans, i.e. why they are in despair with their very short EU experience?
• What is the sociological status of the citizen and societies in the waiting list: Are they max-optimistic for their future or they are real skeptics?
• How does a typical Balkan mentality contradict the dominant yet the new ambitions of the Balkans peoples; new dreams vs. new post-communist actors?
• Orientalization of the Balkans vs. Occidentalization. Which tendencies are stronger?
• What will be the position of the Balkans in new Europe’s order?
• What is role role of the social sciences in the XXI century Balkans in general?
• Can we produce sociology, which would change the Balkan societies?

B. Objective and topics

The main objective of the Third Annual Conference of BSF is to explore the new trends, tendencies and perspectives in the beginning of the Third Millennium in the Balkan area, a contribution via scientific logos to the society-building at this ignominian lebenswelt.

C. Organization and deadlines

The triangle Balkan Sociological Forum, SEE University and Institute for Sociological and Juridical Issues invite researchers and scholars of sociology and other human sciences from the all Balkan countries and others to take part in the Third Conference of Balkan Sociological Forum.

Please sent your proposals-abstracts until 30 march 2014. The abstracts are limited for 300 words, including standard remarks as name, surname, position, institution, main text, five to seven keywords and e-mail address.

· Deadline for confirmation of accepted abstracts: April 20, 2014.

· Adress for abstracts submission: a.pajaziti@seeu.edu.mk, h.jashari@seeu.edu.mk, j.abdullai@seeu.edu.mk, jakjor@isppi.edu.mk

· Full paper submission deadline: July 30, 2014.

· Participation fee: 40 €

· The abstracts that receive the approval of the organizers shall be published in the abstract brochure of the Conference.

· The full papers after the peer review process will be published in the conference proceedings.

· The authors are requested to use in their papers APA style of citation.

D. Key topics:

- Sociology and (de)Balkanization

- Identities, History and Ethnocentrism

- Two-Speed Europe, or two Europes?

- Debalkanization and Eurointegration Processes

- EUtopia

- New Scientific Approach vs. Ideology

- Culturology and Homo Balkanicus

- Civil Society in South East Europe

- Economic Trends: Cooperation and Borders

- New Political Reality and Social Movements

- Spiritualism, Religion and Dialogue among Civilizations

- Neo-ottomanism in the Balkans: Real Challenge or Whimsy?

- Higher Education Challenges in Balkans

- Balkan’s Young and Future: Facing Brain-drain?

- Media and Simulacrum in the Balkan

- Post-transition: Neologism or Reality

- Balkanische Democracy and its Discontents: Illiberalism as Challenge

Organizing Board

· Ali Pajaziti, SEE University, Tetovë, Macedonia.

· Jorde Jakimovski, director of Institute for Sociological and Political Juridical Researches, Skopje, Macedonia.

· Hasan Jashari, SEE University, Tetovë, Macedonia.

· Svetla Koleva, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria.

· Jonuz Abdullai, SEE University, Tetovë, Macedonia.

· Lekë Sokoli, University Martin Barleti, Tirana, Albania.

Scientific Commitee

· Svetla Koleva – president of the Balkan Sociological Forum, president of the Bulgarian Sociological Association, Institute for the Study of Societies and Knowledge,

· Lekë Sokoli, president of the Albanian Sociological Association, University Martin Barleti, Tirana, Albania.

· Ali Pajaziti, vice-president of the Balkan Sociological Forum, SEE University, Tetovë, Macedonia.

· Jorde Jakimovski – director of Institute for Sociological and Political Juridical Researches, Skopje, Macedonia.

· Albert Simkus, Department of Sociology and Political Science,

Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.

· Hasan Jashari, SEE University, Tetovë, Macedonia.

· Otmar Höll, Austrian Institute for International Affairs - OIIP, Vienna, Austria.

· Enis Sulstarova, University of Tirana, Albania.

· Jonuz Abdullai, SEE University, Tetovë, Macedonia.

· Blerim Reka, vice-Rector for Science and Internationmal Relations, SEE University, Tetovë, Macedonia.

· Elena Andreevska, SEE University, Tetovë, Macedonia.

· Musa Musai, State University of Tetova, Macedonia.

· Emilija Simovska - Institute for Sociological and Political Juridical Researchs, Skopje, Macedonia.

· Zekerija Sejdini, University of Innsbruck, Austria.

· Sunaj Raimi, State University of Tetova, Maceonia.

· Gjorgi Tonovski, FON University, Skopje, Macedonia.

· Anca Parmena Olimid, University of Craiova, Romania.

· Andrej Naterer – University of Maribor, Slovenia.

· Zeki Arslantürk, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey.

· Hugo Mouton, University of Pretoria, Republic of South Africa.

· Ilija Aceski, University Ss Cyril and Methodius, Skopje, Macedonia.

· Ognjen Čaldarović, president of Croatian Sociological Association.

· Todor Galev, Institute for the Study of Societies and Knowledge, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria.

· Jonida Lamaj, Balkan Sociological Forum Secretary, Albanian Institute of Sociology.

· M. Ali Kirman, Sutçu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey.

· Ali Riza Saklı, RTE University, Rize, Turkey.

· Fadil Maloku, University “Hasan Prishtina”, Prishtina, Kosovo.

· Slavejko Sasajkovski, Institute for Sociological and Political Juridical Researchs, Skopje, Macedonia.

· Ylber Sela, State University of Tetova, Macedonia.

· Agron Rustemi, SEE University, Tetovë, Macedonia.

· Maya Grekova, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, Bulgaria.

· Milos Besić, University of Montenegro, Podgorica, Montenegro.

· Martin Kanoushev, New Bulgarian University, Sofia, Bulgaria.

· Diana Nenkova, Institute for the Study of Societies and Knowledge, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria.