Emerging Citizenship and Contested Identities between the   Dniester, 
Prut and Danube Rivers, Halle, 10-11.3.2005

Max-Planck-Institut für ethnologische Forschung

Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology
Call For Papers
Workshop: Emerging Citizenship and Contested Identities between the
Dniester, Prut and Danube Rivers
10-11 March 2005
Organisers: Monica Heintz and Deema Kaneff
Venue: Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology, Halle/S., Germany
The workshop aims to bring together scholars from different disciplines
focusing on the
region commonly known as ‘Bessarabia’. By looking at citizenship regimes as
both defining
and shaping communities, the workshop aims to link geopolitics, local
economic activity and
immigration with issues of identity at local, regional and national levels.
The region situated between the Prut, Danube and Dniester Rivers, is part
of the former
USSR and, since 1991, divided between the newly independent states of
Ukraine and
Moldova. The region is inhabited by different ethnic groups, mainly
Romanians, Ukrainians,
Russians and Bulgarians. These groups have various historical connections
to the region,
established or developing relations with corresponding nation states
outside the region, while
at the same time being tied by their citizenship to the Ukrainian and the
Moldovan state.
Further, to the east, the Dniester delimitates the Republic of Moldova from
its secessionist
powder barrel, Transnistria, a political entity not recognised
internationally. To the west, the
Prut and Danube Rivers delimitates the region from Romania, a NATO and
future EU
member.
The ensuing citizenship regimes are creating new economic relations, which
present both
new opportunities and problems for the local populations. At the same time
changing
economic and political conditions are bringing to the fore conflicting and
contesting
perceptions of regional identities. How do local economic interests
intersect with regional
identity? Which goods and people cross the new borders? What connections
are emerging
between the region and the neighbouring countries? How do local ethnic
identities adapt to
the emerging borders and how are the responsibilities of the new citizens
in the new nation
states being played out locally?
We welcome scholars working on the above themes from anthropology,
ethnology, history,
political science and sociology. We especially encourage fieldwork based
papers which
investigate regional problems from a local perspective. Abstracts of no
more than 500 words
should be submitted by the 1st of October 2004 to both organisers.
Presentations will be
limited to 20 minutes and participants will be expected to submit a full
draft of their paper for
circulation by 15 th of February 2005. The working language is English.
For further information contact:
Monica Heintz, email: heintz@eth.mpg.de
Deema Kaneff, email: kaneff@eth.mpg.de