Conflict Transformation in Central Asia: the OSCE at the Crossroads

Conference venue: Astana (Kazakhstan)
Period: June 13-19, 2010
Deadline for submitting abstracts: April 20, 2010

Those accepted to the conference should confirm their participation by May 10, 2010.

The OSCE Chairmanship of Kazakhstan in 2010 has initiated a debate about the future of the OSCE. Some critics even speak about crossroads, as the Kazakh government itself is among the countries which have been criticized in the past for neglecting principles of free elections, human rights violations and the lack of democratic standards. Against this background, the conference intends to offer a basis for discussing the opportunities and limits of OSCE engagement in Central Asia with particular account on regional perceptions of conflicts and security risk. 
 
Since the establishment of the KSCE/OSCE in 1975, the organization underwent a many changes . A milestone in the history of the OSCE has been the accession of the former Soviet Republics in 1992. Since then, a belt of secular-orientated states with a Muslim majority demark the territorial boundaries of the OSCE in the Eurasian part. While the OSCE is committed to human rights, the promotion of pluralism and democracy as well as rule of law, some of the member states - mainly the new ones - attempt to alter the focus of the three dimensions in favor of the economic and military branch. These countries encompass Kazakhstan Russia, Uzbekistan and other Central Asian states. 
 
Young scholars will have the opportunity for an interdisciplinary dialogue between academic researchers and practitioners in collaboration with experts from the non-governmental sector, international organizations and representatives of government institutions. The participants will exchange views on how to develop feasible approaches to regulating various conflicts that occur within the OSCE fields of interest.
 
Working language will be English.

Practitioners and young scholars (holder of a Master degree, PhD students and in exceptional cases advanced students) from Central Asia and Germany, who are interested in OSCE issues, are encouraged to participate with contributions from the social and political sciences, law, economics and other disciplines. Papers should deal with the OSCE and its various activities in Central Asia, in particular:

In order to participate, it's necessary to send al the following information: name, current institutional affiliation, title/position, e-mail address, telephone, title of paper, abstract of 200-300 words. Proposal should be submitted in .rtf, .doc or pdf.
Submitted papers will be peer-reviewed by an independent committee (KazUHL, Friedrich Ebert Fondation, University of Marburg/Germany, German Embassy Astana, German Academic Exchange Service). The organizational committee plans to publish the papers of the participants subsequently.

The organizational committee will try to cover the costs of accommodation and travel.
 
For more information about the conference contact: astanasummeracademy2010@gmail.com.

German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
address: 871 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017, USA
tel.: 00212.758.3223
fax: 00212.755.5780
e-mail: daadny@daad.org
website: http://www.daad.org/
 
Center for Conflict Studies at Philipps-University Marburg
Philipps-Universität Marburg, Zentrum für Konfliktforschung
address: Ketzerbach 11
35032 Marburg/Lahn, Germany
tel.: 0049.64.21/28.24.520
fax: 0049.64.21/28.24.528
e-mail: konflikt@staff.uni-marburg.de
website: https://www.uni-marburg.de/konfliktforschung/startseite-englisch?set_language=en
 
Kazakh University of Humanities and Law
address: Korgalzhynskoe avenue 8
010000 Astana, Kazakhstan
tel.: 007.7172.703010
website: http://www.kazuhl.kz/ (in Russian only)
 
German Embassy in Astana 
Ambassador Gebhardt Weiss
address: Villa C-12 Diplomatic Village
010000 Astana, Kazakhstan
tel.: 007.3172.24.15.63
fax: 007.3172.24.18.30
e-mail: zreg@alma.auswaertiges-amt.de
website:  www.almaty.diplo.de  (in Russian and in Germany only)
 
The Friedrich Ebert Foundation
Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Bonn
address: Bonner Haus, Godesberger Allee 149
D-53175 Bonn, Germany
tel.: 0228.883.0
e-mail: Presse@fes.de
website: http://www.fes.de/