The Balkan Peninsula has been at the crossroads of many different cultural traditions since ancient times. The Balkan region was host to many great empires such as the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. Its proximity to Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Levant also has facilitated its influence on, and interaction with these oriental cultures. The Balkans also has been a major point of interaction between Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Sarajevo has historically been known as ‘the Jerusalem of Europe.’
The Balkan region remains a global hub of different cultures, religions and traditions in the 21st century. Today competition for influence in the Balkans exists among the contemporary powers including Russia, the United States, Germany, Great Britain, and Turkey. This congress will focus on Turkey’s relationship with the Balkans. Turkey is a rising power, and it is also a Balkan country; it is perceived both as an insider and an outsider since it is located in Europe and Asia.
This congress is being organized by Balkan Studies Center (BSC) at the International University of Sarajevo and Center for Balkan and Black Sea Studies (BALKAR) at Yıldız Technical University, Istanbul. This is a transdisciplinary congress. The congress will deal with various aspects of historical and contemporary relations between Turkey and the Balkan states. Applications from the fields such as history, sociology, anthropology, political science, international relations, economics, literature, culture, architecture, philosophy, and religion are encouraged.
The congress topics will include (but are not limited to) the following:
Peaceful coexistence in the Balkans
Role of history in peace and conflicts
A shared Balkan identity
Problems and pitfalls
National and ethnic issues
Religious or sectarian conflicts
Turkey as a Balkan country
Turkish foreign policy towards the Balkans
Neo-Ottomanism
Soft power and public diplomacy
Cultural diplomacy
Turkish soap operas in the Balkans
European Union and Turkey in the Balkans
Political competition in the Balkans
Turkish citizens of Balkan origin and their culture
Citizens of the Balkan states of Turkish origin and their culture
Turkish tradition of Islam and the Balkans
Turkey in the Balkan media
Turkey’s economic relations with the Balkan countries
Turkish investments in the Balkans
The Balkans and Turkish music
The Balkans and Turkish-Ottoman architecture
Turkish-Balkan relations in history textbooks
Please submit your abstract (max. 500 words) and a short academic biography (max. 1 page) by March 2, 2015. The application will be made online at our congress website: www.turkeyandbalkans.com
Congress languages will be English, Turkish, and Bosnian. The registration fee is 50 Euros. The participants will need to cover their travel and lodging expenses. For more information on the congress and discounted accommodations and travel opportunities, please see the congress website:
www.turkeyandbalkans.com
The organizing committee:
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ali CAKSU (International U. of Sarajevo and Yıldız Technical U.)
Prof. Dr. Mehmet HACISALIHOGLU (Yıldız Technical University)
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhidin MULALIC (International University of Sarajevo)
You can direct your questions to Ali Caksu (acaksu@ius.edu.ba) or use the form on the congress website.