CALL FOR PAPERS: The 2018 AABS Conference at Stanford University: The 100th Anniversary of Baltic Independence (June 1–3, 2018)

The conference welcomes paper, poster, panel, roundtable, and workshop proposals from established and emerging scholars, including graduate students. We particularly encourage submissions of full panel and roundtable proposals on interdisciplinary and comparative topics.

We especially encourage you to send your proposals to the special division of libraries, archives and museums!

In 2018 the Baltic states will achieve an important milestone in their histories as states – 100 years since the establishment of the Republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. At the same time more than 25 years have already passed since the renewal of independence of the Baltic states. As we pause and look back at these 100 years of our history we cannot be on the border between centuries and not have to look at the future as well, as the Baltic states enter their next 100 years.

Memory institutions are by nature always on the brink between the past and the future – preserving the past, but having to face all the challenges of the modern, ever-changing world and the coming unknown future. Celebrating the first centenary and entering the next 100 years of Baltic history – what in this situation is the role and place of memory institutions?

To search for this role and place of memory institutions, presentations on the following topics (but not limited only to these) are welcome:

• Celebrating 100 years of Baltic States: the use of diaspora historical sources as sources for researching Baltic statehood;
• Baltic cooperation: working together for the preservation of historical sources – challenges and achievements;
• Challenges for memory institutions in the Digital Age. Are traditional museums, archives, and libraries destined to disappear?
• New Baltic immigrants: how to preserve their stories and include them in the collection and preservation of our compatriots’ heritage;
• The role of memory institutions in the dissemination of cultural heritage;
• Memory and academic institutions: new ways for cooperation;
• Memory institutions as educators: mission (im)possible.

The deadline for submissions is October 15, 2017. To submit your abstract, please visit the conference website: http://aabs2018.stanford.edu/divisions.

All submissions must include an abstract of no more than 250 words and a short bio.

Please note that all non-Stanford presenters must be AABS members by June 1, 2018. Those accepted for the conference who are not already members, can join at: http://aabs-balticstudies.org/aabs-membership-form

The conference is free of charge to presenting participants, but attendees are responsible for their travel expenses. To assist with travel and accommodation costs, AABS expects to offer small travel grants to graduate students accepted to present at the conference.

More info: http://aabs2018.stanford.edu/