In addition to the annual Midwest Slavic conference, the Center for Slavic and East European Studies (CSEES), in partnership with other departments, universities, and organizations, sponsors and/or hosts conferences that attract leading scholars throughout the world.
Past Conferences
Beyond Mosque, Church, and State: Negotiating Religious and Ethno-national Identities in the Balkans
October 6-8, 2011
Beyond Mosque was an international and interdisciplinary conference on negotiating ethno-national and religious identities in the Balkans, which engaged history, cultural studies, cinema, literature, political ideology, and international law, tackled important questions of how states, societies, and people manage national conflicts. A forthcoming edited voulme by conference organizers Dr. Theodora Dragostinova and Dr. Yana Hashamova with selected conference papers will publicize the cutting edge research in progress on these issues.
Central Eurasian Studes Society Conference
September 15-18, 2011
The Central Eurasian Studies Society (CESS) is a private, non-political, non-profit, North American-based organization of scholars who are interested in the study of Central Eurasia, its history, languages, cultures, and modern states and societies. The annual conference rotates throughout the country drawing experts from around the world.
Chekhov on Stage and Page
December 2-4, 2010
Doctor, traveler, essayist, fiction writer, and playwright, Anton Chekhov enjoys a worldwide reputation as one of the twentieth century’s most versatile and influential cultural figures. To the extent possible, the program of the conference mirrored the diversity that constitutes one of Chekhov’s defining features by addressing various genres of his creative output and by bringing together specialists in many disciplines who have engaged his work. “Chekhov on Stage and Page” celebrated Chekhov’s drama and fiction, as have readers, audiences, and scholars for over a century.
Women in War
October 26-28, 2007
The conference explored the question of gender polarization and politicization during times of war, rethought gender identities and positions in religious and military clashes, and elaborated a discourse on the subject of motherhood and fatherhood in war, contributing to the pursuit of knowledge that can unravel problems related to violent conflicts, identities, and security. The film Grbavica was also screened and discussed during the conference. Conference organizers Dr. Yana Hashamova and Dr. Helena Goscilo published an edited volume based on presentations entitled Embracing Arms - Cultural Representation of Slavic and Balkan Women in War.