Dear Colleagues,

This year’s interim conference of the European Sociological Association (ESA) Research Network 08 “Disaster, Conflict and Social Crisis Research Network” (DCSCRN), entitled «Disasters, Conflicts and Social Crises: Causes, Impacts and Responses», is organized in collaboration with the Department of Sociology of the University of Crete, and will be held on the island of Crete (Greece), prefecture of Rethymno on 18-19 September 2014.

Societies are constantly confronted with a plethora of natural, technological, social and environmental risks and uncertainties and need to make adaptations in their social organization in order to cope with these risks and threats and prevent their recurrence. Often new technologies and new forms of social organization generate new risks and threats which must be anticipated and effectively mitigated, if not eliminated by emergency services. The principal purpose of the Midterm-14 Conference will be to explore:

1. The various social, environmental, demographic and economic impacts of natural and technological disasters (e.g. earthquakes, forest fires, volcanic eruptions, nuclear and industrial accidents, global warming, etc.), international and domestic violent conflicts (e.g. wars, terrorism etc.) and social crises (e.g. economic crises) on societies.

2. The inter-relationship among the various types of disasters and crises―especially with regard to the impact of disasters, conflicts and crises on the environment and the human ecosystem.

3. The policies and practices adopted by international, national and local communities to cope with risks.

Specifically, papers, power point presentations and works in progress are invited on the following topics. Priority will be given to comparative studies, either of same agent (risk) across communities, societies or historical periods or of a different agent (risk) within the same communities or societies.

1. Theoretical and methodological approaches (e.g. new integrated theories of risks, definition and assessment of risks, etc.)

2. Social, demographic, economic and environmental (e.g. desertification etc.) impacts of Natural and Technological Disasters, Conflicts and Social Crises (NTCSCs) on communities, organizations and individuals (e.g., migration, poverty, birth rates, mortality and morbidity rates, traumatic stress, etc.)

3. Reactive and proactive responses to NTCSCs (e.g. international, national and local community policies, best or next practices, restoration or reconstruction, role of NGOS, social movements, stress or growth reactions, the role of gender, etc.)

Abstracts, about 250 words, in English and in Word Format, should be submitted, by 19 May 2014, to Dr. Stella Zambarloukou (email: [log in to unmask]), Chair of the Scientific Committee, Department of Sociology, University of Crete, Rethymnon, Crete. Dr. Zambarloukou will in turn distribute the abstracts to the Scientific Committee members for evaluation and selection for presentation.

For information pertaining to the organization of the Midterm-14 conference (e.g. venue, travel, hotels, restaurants, etc.) contact Dr. Eugenia Petropoulou (email: [log in to unmask]), Chair of the Organizing Committee, Department of Sociology, University of Crete, Rethymnon, Crete.

Goal of the Organizing Committee is the publication of the proceedings and/or selected papers in a scientific journal either in Greece or abroad and for this purpose it will seek additional grant support.

Important Deadlines:

Abstract Submission: 19 May 2014

Paper Acceptance: 2 June 2014

Registration: 30 June 2014

Completed papers: 1 September 2014

Registration fees:

ESA members & University of Crete Faculty members: free Non ESA members, non students: 40 euro

Best regards, Nina Blom Andersen

Coordinator of ESA Research Network 08: Disaster, Conflict and Social Crisis

Nina Blom Andersen

Lektor, ph.d.

Kommunikation

Roskilde Universitet

Associate Professor, Ph.D.

Communication Studies

Roskilde University

Phone: +45 4674 3781