The Balkans in the Cold War

Conference venue:  Athens (Greece)
Period:  May 27-29, 2011
Deadline for submitting proposals:  Jan. 3, 2011

The turbulent recent history and the expanding historiography on 20th century Balkans have prompted the organisation of an international conference that will study the region in the context of the Cold War. The objective of the conference is to examine comprehensively political, economic, ideological and cultural affairs in the Balkans between the end of the Second World War and the end of the Cold War (1945-1990).
 
The event also wishes to explore the interaction between the regional and inter-bloc dynamics within the structured Cold War system by looking at the impact the Cold War had on the Balkans and, in turn, the influence of regional affairs on the Cold War international system (e.g., the Greek Civil War, Yugoslavia's conflict with the USSR, etc.). The deliberations at the conference are also expected to link the regional scholarship with the wider trends in the global scholarship of the Cold War and to the importance and role of archival collections in the region.

Presentations and discussion at the conference will be in English. Accepted papers will be presented in panels organised around a common theme and chaired by a prominent Cold War scholar. In addition to established scholars, submissions by graduate students working on the Balkans in the Cold War are encouraged. Of particular interest are papers based on newly available primary sources.

Organisers will cover all expenses related to accommodation in Athens for the duration of the conference.

To be considered, each prospective participant should submit a 500 words proposal and a brief (one page) academic CV (in Word or PDF format) to Miss Eirini Karamouzi at Ideas.Balkans@lse.ac.uk by 3 January 2011.
Successful applicants will be informed by 1 February 2011 and will be expected to email their papers (between 6,000 and 8,000 words), in English to Miss Karamouzi by 15 April 2011.

Centre for International Affairs, Diplomacy and Strategy 
e-mail: Ideas.Balkans@lse.ac.uk