CEEISA Conference 2026
Contesting Imperialism(s)
Aida Hozić and Dženeta Karabegović, Programme Chairs
June 17 – 19, 2026
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
The call for papers, panels and roundtables is now open! Please submit your proposal by 10 April 2026! Should you have any questions regarding the paper or panel proposals, please contact us at [email protected]
Theme
The conference theme, Contesting Imperialism(s), invites participants to confront imperialism(s) not as a settled historical or analytical category, but as a contested, overlapping, yet often publicly disavowed set of power relations that continue to structure and be structured by international politics. In Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the Balkans, imperial legacies are neither external nor distant: they are (re)lived through shifting borders, layered institutions, plural identities, heightened dependencies, and extreme forms of political imagination. These regions have long been shaped by competing imperial projects, while also generating distinctive traditions of dissent, non-conformism, alternative internationalisms, and sharp political critique. Today, they are also marked by profound demographic shifts, as sustained outmigration and depopulation reshape the local landscape and exacerbate existing vulnerabilities.
The tensions crystallize in a set of questions the conference takes up directly.
From the vantage point of Sarajevo, the first theme haunting our political terrain asks: Is nationalism an answer to imperialism, or its handmaiden? How do projects of emancipation become entangled with new forms of domination? What kinds of dissent and resistance open alternative political spaces without reproducing the binary of empire versus nation-state? And how are such possibilities transformed under conditions of war, occupation, authoritarianism, racialized governance of migration, and mass violence?
A second axis of the conference addresses the international in the shadow of genocide. From the Holocaust and Srebrenica to the atrocities and silences that surround Gaza, genocide has repeatedly exposed the limits of international law, institutions, and moral vocabularies. In CEE, memories of genocide are unevenly institutionalized, selectively mobilized, or actively denied. They are often entangled with nationalist projects, geopolitical alignments, imperial anxieties, and transnational flows that both undermine and exceed them. What does it mean to theorize the “international” when its foundational promises are repeatedly shattered by genocidal violence? How do hierarchies of victimhood, recognition, and mourning shape contemporary international politics? How should we engage with knowledge production amidst these epistemological tensions?
Thirdly and finally, the conference turns to the ambivalences of empire. In CEE and the Balkans, empires are remembered not only as regimes of domination, but sometimes with nostalgia—for perceived stability, cosmopolitanism, or protection from smaller-scale national violence. Such ambivalence complicates linear narratives of decolonization and invites closer attention to imperial afterlives, their enduring legacies in everyday life and political culture, semi-peripherality, dependency, and internal colonialisms. Contesting imperialism, in this sense, also requires grappling with its discontents and its unresolved attractions. How might critically engaging with these ambivalences allow for and inform more nuanced articulations of dissent, solidarity, resilience, democracy, social cohesion, and (political) belonging?
We welcome paper and panel proposals that engage these questions from across International Relations and allied disciplines, including but not limited to political economy, security studies, political theory, sociology, anthropology, history, law, gender studies, postcolonial and decolonial studies. Contributions may be theoretical, empirical, methodological, or reflective, and may focus on Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans or place the region(s) in comparative and global perspective.
While proposals that directly address the conference theme are especially encouraged, we also welcome submissions that engage cognate or adjacent topics, including work that departs from the overarching theme but still resonates with this call. Further, given ongoing and rapidly unfolding real-world developments, space will be reserved for ad hoc panels convened during the conference to respond to and critically discuss breaking news and current events.
Possible themes include (but are not limited to):
- Imperialism, nationalism, and internationalism in historical and contemporary perspective
- Traditions of dissent, resistance, and non-alignment in CEE and the Balkans
- Genocide, mass violence, and the limits of international law and institutions
- Memory politics, denial, and hierarchies of suffering
- Empire, dependency, semi-peripherality, and border regimes in the global political economy
- Imperial nostalgia, postsocialist transformations, and authoritarian revival
- Gendered, racialized, and colonial dimensions of migration, violence, and resistance
- The ethics and politics of solidarity in times of war, catastrophe, and polycrisis
By convening in Sarajevo, the conference seeks not only to analyze imperialism(s), dissent, and the aftermath of genocide, but also to reflect on the conditions under which critical scholarship itself is produced amid crises of the international order, growing repression of dissent, and renewed struggles over the meaning of justice, solidarity, and emancipation.
Venues
Sarajevo – Sarajevo is a compact and welcoming European capital set in a valley surrounded by mountains, where historic neighbourhoods and modern city life sit side by side. The city is known for its mix of cultures, distinctive architecture, and lively café scene, and it is easy to move around between the old town, central areas, and key conference locations. Visitors will find a strong tradition of hospitality, varied dining options, and many opportunities to explore local history and culture before and after conference sessions.
International Burch University – International Burch University is a modern campus in Ilidža, a green and well-connected part of Sarajevo known for parks and easy access to the city centre. IBU offers contemporary teaching spaces and a comfortable environment for conference activities, combining a calm campus setting with practical amenities nearby. As host, the university provides a friendly academic atmosphere, clear on-site organisation, and a convenient location for participants staying across Sarajevo.
Submissions
Registration Fees
| Conference Fee |
2-year CEEISA Membership Rates |
|
|---|---|---|
| CEEISA member (non-CEE affiliation) | 100 EUR | 90 EUR |
| CEEISA member (CEE affiliation) | 90 EUR | 70 EUR |
| CEEISA student member (non-CEE affiliation) | 60 EUR | 70 EUR |
| CEEISA student member (CEE affiliation) | 50 EUR | 50 EUR |
| Non-CEEISA member | 190 EUR | — |
Payment
Travel Grants
CEEISA is pleased to offer mobility support (up to €350) to its members participating in the 2026 CEEISA conference in Sarajevo. The grant amount will be decided on a needs basis. Advanced PhD students and early career researchers will have priority. Please fill in the application form by April 30, 2026.
You will receive notification on whether your travel grant application was successful by April 30, 2026. Registration for the conference closes on May 8, 2026.
When claiming your travel grant, please keep in mind the following conditions:
- You must be a current CEEISA member.
- Your travel grant claim cannot exceed €350. Please provide travel details (preferably the most economical way).
- You will receive your travel grant in cash during the conference.
- The travel grant cannot be provided in advance of the conference.
- Receipts must be supplied. The travel grant will only be paid after receipts are presented at the venue. Receipts must be made in the name of the grant recipient.
- Travel grants are for travel costs and not for accommodation or living costs.
Timeline
CEEISA Young Scholars Initiative
The CEEISA Young Scholars Initiative (CYSI) is a mentoring scheme of the CEEISA Doctoral Network, designed for self-identified early-career scholars in International Relations. Following its launch at the 2024 ISA-CEEISA Joint Conference, CYSI Volume 2 will take place at the 2026 CEEISA Conference in Sarajevo. CYSI Volume 2 is structured as a two-part initiative, consisting of a pre-conference workshop on academic publishing and a series of dedicated conference panels. The initiative aims to foster collaboration among early-career researchers from the region, encourage engagement with diverse theoretical and methodological perspectives, and facilitate interaction with established senior scholars serving as mentors. While applicants may apply to either component or both, CYSI is conceived as an integrated experience.
At the one-day pre-conference workshop, participants engage in collaborative, hands-on sessions designed to provide practical knowledge of the academic publishing process. Participants present research at various stages of preparation for submission or review in academic journals and receive targeted feedback on crafting cover letters, responding to reviewers, framing contributions, and presenting findings effectively. During the conference, participants present their papers or sections of their doctoral dissertations and receive feedback from selected mentors and peers through interactive, discussion-based sessions. The initiative aims to create a platform for early-career researchers from the region to generate original ideas, enhance their skills, and expand their professional networks. Beyond the traditional conference format, CYSI Volume 2 offers a focused, immersive experience in which participants take on multiple roles, collaboratively navigate the process of knowledge production, and do so with the guidance and support of senior scholars.
Doctoral Network Coordinators
Melika Mahmutović, University of Ljubljana ([email protected])
Ajda Hedžet, University of Ljubljana ([email protected])
Contact
Should you have any questions regarding the paper or panel proposals, please contact us at [email protected].
Should you have any other questions regarding the upcoming conference, please get in touch with us at [email protected].
For more information about CEEISA, please visit ceeisa.net.
Programme
Travelling
About Sarajevo
The 2026 CEEISA conference will be held in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sarajevo is a compact and welcoming European capital set in a valley surrounded by mountains, where historic neighbourhoods and modern city life sit side by side. The city is known for its mix of cultures, distinctive architecture, and lively café scene, and it is easy to move around between the old town, central areas, and key conference locations. Visitors will find a strong tradition of hospitality, varied dining options, and many opportunities to explore local history and culture before and after conference sessions. For suggestions for things to do, places to see, and foods to eat, visit the Visit Sarajevo website.
Visa Policy
Bosnia and Herzegovina does not require visas for entry for citizens of most countries, including those of the Schengen area. For more specific information on individual visa policies, please visit this website and select the country of your nationality. Citizens of Kosovo should directly email International Burch University at [email protected] for assistance with travel arrangements.
Accommodation
Hotel Hills
Guests staying at the hotel have access to the following facilities at no additional charge:
- Breakfast
- Thermal Riviera (indoor and outdoor pools)
- Fitness center
- Wellness & Spa center with 12 facilities (hammam, Niagara shower, stone/pebble path – kambala, Roman sauna, tepidarium, massage path, cold room, salt room, ice machine, Finnish sauna, bio sauna and infrared sauna)
- Parking
- Fast and stable Wi-Fi internet connection
Deluxe single rooms are 170,00 KM / 85,00 euro per night.
Deluxe double rooms are 200,00 KM / 105,00 euro per night.
Tourist tax and obligatory assurance is 5,00 KM / 2,05 euro per guest, per night.
We have 100 rooms available.
Hotel Hollywood
Guests staying at the hotel have access to the following facilities at no additional charge:
- Breakfast;
- semi-Olympic swimming pool 25 m x 12.5 m, fitness center, sports hall, bowling alley, billiards;
- wellness center: Finnish, steam, bio sauna, infrared, Turkish hammam, relaxation room, hot tub.
- parking and garage with 500 spaces (secured video and physical).
- airport transfers
- wireless internet available throughout the hotel
Single rooms are 95,00 KM / 50,00 euro per night.
Double rooms are 75,00 KM / 40,00 euro per night.
Triple rooms are 50,00 KM / 25,00 euro per night.
Tourist tax and obligatory assurance is 5,00 KM / 2,05 euro per guest, per night.