About the symposium

 

The symposium “Profiles of the post-communist authoritarianisms” (Regensburg, 10-14 May 2006) is of consultative character and refers to the thematic, conceptual, organisational discussion among its participants about the substantial conference project planned for the years 2007-2010 under the working title of “Variants of the East-European authoritarianisms” (in the following: final project or final conference).

 

The main objectives of the symposium include:

  1. Critical discussion about the theses concerning the post-communist authoritarianisms
  2. Specification of the themes of the final project
  3. A distribution of research topics among the participants of the final project. This obviously includes the ultimate
  4. choice of the participants of the final project (as well as the decision about the possible involvement of some other experts who do not participate in the symposium)

What is more,

  1. the places, where the sessions of the final project shall take place, will be chosen: Kiev, Warsaw or Prague, St. Petersburg or Moscow, Minsk or Vilnius would be taken into account. Thereby pragmatical and content related factors such as: the access to the experts, possibility to conduct case studies (on the basis of the participatory supervision of the elections) will be considered.
  2. Guest experts, who shall be invited to the sessions of the final project, will be chosen.
  3. Discussion about organisational and material prerequisites and demands of the final project will be carried out. It refers to the help of the participants in organizing (recommendation of hotels and conference rooms in a respective session place) whereby the respective networks in Central and Eastern Europe shall be of great use.
  4. The solutions to the problems resulting from the lack of a common language should be discussed. Because of the linguistic heterogeneity of the participants, the conference will be held in both English, Russian and German language (with the help of simultaneous translation). Perhaps any other translation method for the final project can be considered.