In modern society conflicts has become not just a typical event but also a context stipulating decisions at both political and daily life levels. Francis Fukuyama’s philosophical model also known as ‘The End of History’ is thought to be paradigmatic, however, due to the strengthening of the liberal democracy as the only viable model for functioning of the human society it has faced obvious horrifying contradictions: renewal of active hostilities in the Middle East and the Eastern Europe, the European crisis caused by migration of refugees, activation of right-wing political forces which have become some kind of a main stream in many countries around the world. A lot of mass media, political and social activists state either expressively or by implication that the main human values necessary for the peace-making process (Daniel Philpott Just and Unjust Peace: An Ethic of Political Reconciliation. Oxford University Press, 2012) such as compassion, empathy to others’ grief, respect of labour, rights and freedoms of a person, etc. do not function today, while we have to assert our rights with tough or even aggressive methods.

Discord, disagreements, intolerance and antagonism had place in colonial Europe, the Soviet Union and the USA. They were and are tried to be overcome in various ways, including development of the international law, comprehension and verbalisation of basic humanitarian ideas and concepts concerning human freedom and rights at political and social levels. Are these methods effective today and are there historical examples of successful settlement of conflicts? Is it possible to work out mechanisms allowing to find solutions to deadlocks between communities? What role do governments, political parties, social organisations and mass media play in wars, conflicts and other confrontations in different countries?

Interregional social movement For Democracy and Human Rights (Russian Federation) and the Communist Party of the Belarus Republic urges to discuss these matters at Integration and/or Confrontation: Human Aspect of Political and Social Processes in 20-21 Century International Forum/ Minsk is gaining reputation of a city providing an effective platform for constructive dialogue between people from different countries and professional spheres able to produce common conceptual attitude to critical problems of the humanity and outline strategy of their settling. We challenge professionals and experts of social and economic sciences to apply for giving a talk in the following topics:

- problems of nations and religions in empires at the end of 19-20th centuries;

- colonialism (social and political aspects, consequences, memory);

- national matter in the USSR;

- World Wars I and II (national aspect in history, peculiarities of memory in the states of Eastern and Western Europe);

- phenomenon of refugees in history and today (reasons, consequences, matters of adaptation, attitude of host nations to refugees);

- history of the European Union (principles of integration in 20-21th centuries, principles of extension and relations with new members of the EU);

- social and political aspects of authorities and society in history and modern times: totalitarianism, authoritarianism, democracy (issues of citizenship, guarantees of human rights observance);

- role of journalism and mass media in social and political conflicts and wars (features of information presentation by journalists working in hot spots, struggle with the ‘language of hatred’, the form of presentation and limits of using emotional stylistics including humour).

Languages: English, Russia