October 3-4, 2025

University of Nicosia (Cyprus)

Deadline (EXTENDED): August 20, 2025

The conference is co-organized by the Black Sea and Eastern Mediterranean Review (BSEMR), the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), the School of Law in the University of Nicosia, and the Interdisciplinary Laboratory for Black Sea and Mediterranean Studies in Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (ILABSEM AUTh). The conference will take place in UNIC premises, Nicosia, on October 3-4, 2025. 

The NEW DEADLINE for submitting an abstract proposal to our conference is August 20th 2025. 

The Black Sea and Eastern Mediterranean Review (BSEMR) and its constituent institutions, the School of Law in the University of Nicosia and the Interdisciplinary Laboratory for Black Sea and Mediterranean Studies in Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (ILABSEM AUTh) issue a call for abstracts for participation in an international conference. The conference is co-organized by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES).

We are at a time when peace, security and prosperity are deteriorating globally and regionally. This trend is observable in the devastating wars that have evolved over the past three years in the Black Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean (BSEM) regions, as it surely is evident in Ukraine, Gaza and Lebanon, as well as the inordinate regime change in Syria. These cases make a contrast to the state of international affairs during the immediately previous period. Notably in the face of the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, when members and agencies of the International Community coordinated normally and cooperated duly in an orderly fashion.

These recent incidents mark the utterly volatile times of dense and rapid changes that we are undergoing. They concurrently mark a remarkable and precipitous now transition of the global system: from a perceived global unipolarity of power, towards a de facto multi-polar global system of powers. Despite these fundamentally structural changes, or rather more because of them, state sovereignty and governing power, ordered stability, diplomacy and principled leadership are all in question, as they are in demand, on many interconnected levels. Yet, they are in short supply, even in the worst hit areas.

During such fluid, fast-accelerating, uncertain developments one observes both state and non-state agencies promoting their narrow scope, agendas in unconventional, underhand, and opportunistic ways, thereby pursuing unilateral, questionable, or aggressively selfish strategies in contravention of international law and of acceptable ‘good practices’.

In both the international and transnational arenas prevalent modii operandi have been altered, moving away from the consensus of internationally acceptable norms and courses of action. A sharp dichotomy arises between two groups of states: a. those that respect the law and international institutions such as the UN and its agencies, and which act accordingly, and in defense of international law, and b. those that violate it, blatantly, albeit without publicly and officially admitting to such strategies.

Alongside overt military conflicts numerous covert wars are also deployed such as organized crime cyber-attacks, vandalism, massive bot-fake-news’ manipulation operations or targeted violence that challenge the political stability and the effectiveness of states, or power blocks such as the EU, and which undermine social cohesion and confidence. This entails that politically accountable policymaking is now in question. Destabilizing governments occur via confusion and elements of flux, as confidence and effectiveness in political systems evaporates. Besides, citizens in democracies are astounded by the double-standards of certain rulers and the consequences of unpredictable and shocking events which result in subverting their security, peace, and prosperity.

The organizers invite abstracts for conference papers which focus on topics deriving from this rationale. Notably,

* The interplay between regional and global dynamics in ascertaining legality, legitimacy and in matters of security and social cohesion,

* Corruption aberrations and manifestations of violence underpinned by the phenomena of international lawlessness or anomia,

* Interplay of trust and political credibility between the regional, local and international at large and global levels.

* Power handling, power management by governing elites and civic powerlessness.

* The rapid growth of strong-arm tactics at all levels, both national, international and transnational,

* The abandonment of free trade and the return to protectionist economic measures by the USA, all during sheer deregulation of several hegemonic players,

* Current NATO countries’ antagonisms and/or persistent conflictual relations, including reorientation amongst certain North-Atlantic partners.

*Europe’s turn towards autonomous defense and its potential implications in the BSEM,

* The tremendous rise of cyber-attacks and their impact on both private and public life as well as on the stability of states,

* Impact of inter-neighbour sabotage actions.

These are some of the central topics that conference participants are welcome to address with their research papers, but this list is not exhaustive.

VENUE: University of Nicosia, Cyprus

SIGNIFICANT DATES:

Paper proposals (abstracts up to 500 words) should be submitted via email, to bsemr@auth.gr by August 20, 2025 (extended deadline)

Response to applicants will be sent by August 25, 2025

Full papers should be handed in by September 20, 2025, via email to bsemr@auth.gr

Conference dates: October 3 and October 4, 2025

There are no fees to participate in this Conference. Participants are, however, responsible for securing their own funding for travel and lodging.

Online participation allowed for participants who cannot travel to Cyprus.

Papers may qualify for publication to the BSEMR and the South Eastern European Journal of Economics, following a double-blind peer review process.