Political developments in Belarus before, during and after the Presidential election on August 9, 2020 were marked by the protests of unexpected scale and duration. They have brought back questions of the Belarusian regime to the agenda of European politics and academic research. 26 years of Lukashenko’s rule, hundreds of thousands of protesters, and the regime’s extremely brutal response have prompted researchers and practitioners to look back into the factors of regime stability, public mobilisation, and the effects of external pressures on and incentives for regime transformation in post-Soviet countries. Though the end result of current events in Belarus remains unclear, there is an agreement among scholars that it would be almost impossible to come back to ‘business as usual’ in relations between the authorities and Belarusian society as well as between Belarus and its external partners, especially Russia.
Seeking to enhance research and academic discussion on political developments in Belarus Institute of International Relations and Political Science of Vilnius University invites scholars and researchers to submit paper proposals for the Conference on political developments after the 2020 Presidential elections in Belarus “Belarus 2020 and beyond: Path Dependency or Break with the Past?”, which will take place in Vilnius on 6-8 October, 2021. Due to the uncertainties related to COVID-19 situation – provisions are being made for a partial or complete transition to the online format if needed. The aim of the conference is to analyse the processes in Belarus in 2020-2021, which have shaken the foundations of Europe’s longest-lasting authoritarian regime.
The invitation extends to the researchers interested in Belarus, its domestic and foreign policies and working in the academic fields of area studies, comparative politics, international relations, economics, history, sociology, anthropology, cultural studies, and related disciplines.
The deadline for the paper submission is 3rd of May 2021. Proposals have to be submitted in English by filling out the following form. All proposals will undergo a selection procedure by the Conference Programme Committee. The Committee will send e-mail notifications of acceptance by 11th of June. Accepted participants will have to register by the 1st of July.
There is no Conference fee. The organisers will issue visa invitations if needed. Questions and suggestions should be addressed by e-mail: belarusconference2021[at]tspmi.vu.lt
Learn more here.
