Deadline: 18 January 2011
Open to: scholars, professionals, students from any discipline including but not limited to international relations, economics, law and political sciences, sociology, philosophy, media, language, literature and cultural studies
Dates and Venue: 19 May 2011, Skopje, Macedonia
Allowance: accommodation expenses for a limited number of participants
University American College Skopje is proud to initiate the sixth annual academic research conference on European integration
CONSTRUCTING EUROPE AS A GLOBAL POWER: FROM MARKET TO IDENTITY?
Thursday 19 May 2011
This inter- and multi-disciplinary one-day conference seeks to explore the idea of the European Union as a global power. A single market and harmonized legal system which allow for a free movement of people, goods, services and capital are hitherto considered key achievements of European integration. The underlying assumption of the conference is that the European Union needs to go a step further – in constructing a sense of shared values and political identity – if it were to sustain a global relevance. Still, what sort of identity should this be? As a hosting academic institution the aim is to emphasize and explore the contribution that academia can make to catalyze an adequate response to this challenge.
Major issues to be addressed include:
* What kind of values does the European Union need – besides a single market and legal personality – to develop its internal cohesion and to emerge as a global power? What are the faces of Europe today? How to overcome the deficits in Europe’s image, replacing the perception of a technocratic bastion with that of a political and cultural power?
* Multiculturalism, up to now the default strategy in western Europe to manage cultural diversity, is increasingly under attack. Does a distinction need to be made between multiculturalism as “lived experience” of diversity and multiculturalism as a political program?
* The EU has been committed to cultural diversity; but how can the latter be sustained? Do existing educational, linguistic and social policies work to that end?
* Is it possible for a multilateral treaty dealing primarily with procedural and normative aspects to alleviate the democratic deficit of European institutions (Commission, Councils, Committees)?
* Does the EU now need a convincing narrative about reinventing the European social model to tame the free-market economy and provide more educational opportunity for the young and life-long learning and a safety net for the losers of globalization?
* What kind of alliances or relations with the USA, China, Russia and other countries does the EU need to assert its global influence? Can the EU identify common targets with the rest of the world aiming at enhancing effective multilateralism in a long-term perspective? How will practices of multilateralism affect the position of the EU in the future (given the shift of economic gravity from the Atlantic to the Pacific, demographic decline, and still predominant posture of nation-states)?
* Future influence of the EU will depend on its ability to foster innovations, reinventing the elements of modern business and experimenting with new management systems. How can the EU become a hotbed for breakthrough innovations?
* Does the EU need to develop a more finely tuned approach to economic governance that accommodates the differences among EU member states’ models of growth and competitiveness?
* The European Union (EU) is leading a revolutionary transformation of power that in just 50 years has transformed a continent from total war to perpetual peace. By building a network of power that binds states together with a market, common institutions, and international law – rather than hierarchical nation-states, Europe is increasingly writing the rules of the 21st century. How do the Balkans fit into that? Comparative case studies, especially on the position of countries from the Balkan region, are encouraged.
By tradition, key speakers and high level officials from the country and from abroad are invited to address the conference.
Accommodation expenses will be covered by the University American College Skopje on as-needed basis only for a limited number of selected presenters who need to submit a bursary form.
How to Participate
The working language of the conference is English. Looking to encourage an informed dialogue, the conference welcome papers (3000-7000 words) by scholars and professionals from any discipline including but not limited to international relations, economics, law and political sciences, sociology, philosophy, media, language, literature and cultural studies. PhD students are also encouraged to take part. 300 word abstracts can be submitted by email to conference@uacs.edu.mk. Abstracts should be written in Word or RTF formats, font Times New Roman size 12, following this order: author(s), affiliation, email address, title of abstract, body of abstract, key words. A short biography (up to 100 words) is also required.
Abstracts due: Tuseday, 18 January 2011
All selected presenters, students, or others wishing to attend the conference need to confirm this by submitting a registration form before 13 May 2011. Register online here.