Background

Over the last two decades the countries of South Eastern Europe (SEE) have been undergoing lengthy structural reforms as a consequence of the combined processes of economic transition, social change, administrative reform, post-conflict reconstruction, state-building and preparations for accession to the EU. Moreover, these countries are located within a region that over the last twenty years has suffered from political instability, multiple economic crises, growing social polarization, ethnic fragmentation and increasing spatial inequalities, all of which has been exacerbated by the ongoing economic crisis that began at the end of the last decade.

Despite the importance of these issues, the study of social and economic inclusion and cohesion has not developed sufficiently in SEE in comparison with Western Europe or the Central East European (CEE) countries. In most SEE countries the consequences of growing social problems have been underestimated and social issues have generally remained in the shadow of other priorities on the policy agenda.

Conference Themes
 

• Exclusion and inequality in the labour market
• Poverty, inequality and social protection
• Education attainment, exclusion and inequalities of opportunity
• Health inequalities, health deprivation and health policy
• Inclusion/exclusion of minorities / Roma
• Social economy and social enterprise
• Socio-economic cohesion and the SEE 2020 Strategy
• Social housing

Special sessions may also be organised and will be announced on the conference website

Abstracts

Abstracts of no more than 400 words should contain the title, author(s) name and affiliation, and contact details. Abstracts should clearly state the aims of the paper, the methodology used and the conference theme to which the paper is addressed.

Abstracts should be submitted by 20 January 2014 via email to European Institute, London School of Economics and Political Science:
EUROINST.LSEE@LSE.AC.UK with subject line: “Call for papers – 2nd Conference of the LSEE Research Network on Social Cohesion in SEE”

Travel, accommodation and catering

There is no fee for participation at the conference, but conference participants will have to cover their accommodation and travel costs themselves. A limited number of rooms will be reserved for conference participants at a local hotel (details to follow on the conference website), but delegates are welcome to make their own accommodation arrangements. Coffee/tea and buffet lunch will be provided on each day of the conference.

Organisers

The conference is organised by LSEE Research on South Eastern Europe at the London School of Economics and benefits from financial assistance from the National Bank of Greece, for whose support we are extremely grateful.