4th Central and Eastern European Forum for Young Legal, Political and Social Theorists, Celje, Slovenia, 23-24 March 2012‏

4th Central and Eastern European Forum for Young Legal, Social and
Political Theorists
"Reconsidering Democracy: (New) Theories, Policies and Social Practices"
Celje, 23-24 March 2012

In 2012 the CEE Forum for Young Legal, Political and Social Theorists is
moving to Slovenia! It will be held from Friday, 23 March to Saturday,
24 March at the International School for Social and Business Studies in
Celje (http://mfdps.si/en).

The CEE Forum is a platform for young legal, political and social
theorists who come from, currently study or work in Central and Eastern
Europe or have a research interest in the region. The regional
boundaries are understood widely. The target audiences of the conference
are young researchers: doctoral students or post-docs, but there is no
specific age limit.

The fourth CEE Forum will put its special emphasis on recent critiques
of contemporary democracy and the rule of law. Current discourses in
social sciences as well as in civil society almost daily produce new
ideas, suggestions and demands on how to significantly alter the
political and legal reality of our societies. The exceptional importance
of these questions for our common future has long and clearly surpassed
national borders and produced an international discourse. Many
distinguished authors like Immanuel Wallerstein, Noam Chomsky, Jrgen
Habermas, Stphane Hessel, Antonio Negri, Igor Å tiks or Sreko Horvat
have spoken publicly on these pressing issues. They propose the increase
of elements of direct democracy in the political process and significant
political empowerment of the civil society and each individual.

It thus seems appropriate to discuss these and related problems within
the Fourth Central and Eastern European Forum. We are expecting
contributions to the following two major general panels: (1)
"Reconsidering Democracy: (New) Theories, Policies and Social
Practices", and (2) "Towards the Rule of Law " Regresses and
Necessities". Even though these two general themes are broad enough to
meet diverse interests of the Forums participants, the organizers will
also convene an (3) "Open panel" for papers that target other
interesting topics from the vast area of legal, political and social
theory.

The conference language is English. An up to 500 words abstract,
indicating the preferable general panel, should be submitted in the
available application form (http://www.cee-forum.org/forum_2012_celje)
by 15 December 2011 to international@issbs.si. Acceptance of the papers
will be communicated by 15 January 2012. Participation without
presentation is possible as well (no deadline for application, but
please use the application form as well).

The conference fee for all participants is 50,- Euros and it covers
conference material, three meals, and coffee and snacks during the
breaks. Payment instructions will be communicated by January 2011.
Participants shall make arrangements and pay for their accommodation
individually. In addition to offering some options for lodging at the
conference website, the organizers will try to negotiate some subsidized
prices for the conference participants. For all the updated information,
visit the conference website:
http://www.cee-forum.org/forum_2012_celje.

Selected papers will be published in the “Central and Eastern European
Forum for Legal, Political, and Social Theory Yearbook.