The Center for Governance and Culture in Europe (GCE-HSG) at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland invites paper proposals for a conference "Environment, Energy and Economy in the Black Sea Region," to be held in Constanţa, Romania, 14-16 September 2023

The rich and complex history of the Black Sea Region is very much entangled with struggles and conflicts over its resources and with empires and nation-states' efforts to manage them. Even currently, international energy, grain, and transportation crises caused by the Russian war on Ukraine are closely connected to the Black Sea. In addition to the obvious energy and economic instability, the war creates numerous ecological challenges and is extremely harmful to the environment. These events and threats in the region create a growing demand for platforms for multidisciplinary analysis and expertise. By examining the region's past and present through various lenses, including politics, governance, economics, social justice, and technology, the conference will contribute to a more comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the region's development.

Constanţa, the venue of the event, is an outstanding location for a discussion about the environment, energy, and economy in the region. The city, a former capital of the historical border region Dobruja, has one of the biggest ports on the Black Sea and entered the Danube–Black Sea Canal, a large-scale navigable artificial watercourse.

The thematic scope of the conference focuses on, but is not limited to, the following issues:

• Environmental Humanities
• History of environment, energy and economy in the Black Sea Region
• Energy security in the Black Sea region: risks, threats, and responses
• Environmental sustainability and responsibility in the energy sector
• The economy and resource efficiency
• The impact of energy and environmental policies on the economic development of the region
• Energy market liberalization and privatization
• Climate change in the Black Sea region
• The role of international organizations and institutions in promoting sustainable energy and environmental practices
• Renewable energy technologies and their potential for the region
• Environmental justice and energy poverty in the Black Sea region
• Innovation and entrepreneurship in the energy and environment sectors
• Cross-border energy and environmental cooperation in the Black Sea region
• The interplay between energy, environment, and social inequality in the region
• Features of agricultural and industrial development
• Natural resource management and crises response

We invite anthropologists, sociologists, historians, ethnographers, economists, geographers, political scientists, and academics from related disciplines to apply for the conference. While the primary focus of the conference is the Black Sea Region, researchers focused on other regions are welcome to apply. The conference committee invites Ph.D. students, early career scholars, as well as advanced researchers.

Please send a brief CV (max. 2 pages) and a paper abstract (max. 300 words) to gce-info[atunisg.ch as a single pdf document by May 16, 2023. The working language of the conference is English. Should you fail to receive confirmation of receipt of your application, please contact the organizers.

The conference is planned as an in-person event. However, scholars based in Ukraine who are unable to travel as a result of the Russian invasion will be provided with the opportunity to participate online.

The conference committee covers all travel expenses (max. 300 EUR), accommodation, and meals.

Contact person:
Dr. Oleksii Chebotarov
gce-info[at]unisg.ch
URL: gce.unisg.ch/en/ueberuns/aktuell/cfp-annual-conference-2023