5th Annual Aleksanteri Conference

Reflecting Transformation in Post-socialist Rural Areas

10-11 November, 2005
University of Helsinki, Finland


CALL FOR PAPERS

The conference addresses a wide array of questions related to the 
transformation of agriculture and rural areas in post-socialist countries. 
Traditionally, agriculture has provided the basis of income and employment 
for rural people, but transition process has severely affected rural areas 
and their livelihood. Many constraints, such as disintegrated rural 
services, selective out-migration, poverty or unemployment among others, 
make the rural development more challenging in post-socialist countries. 
Rural transformation and development are creating a new social space with 
new rules, actors and institutions. Therefore the main question of the 
conference is, how the past structures and present transition create a new 
starting point for rurality?

The conference concentrates on the post-socialist countries in Europe and 
the former Soviet Union, but contributions from Asian countries are also 
welcomed.

All those interested in analyzing various aspects of transformation of 
rurality in post-socialist countries are invited to take part in the 
conference by presenting their papers in the working groups. We invite 
contributions from a wide disciplinary background, for example, from 
sociology, geography, anthropology, political sciences, economics and 
cultural studies. The invitation is not limited to academics; we invite also 
professionals with sound academic backgrounds and academic interests.

This is the fifth in a series of annual multidisciplinary, international 
Aleksanteri conferences organized by the Aleksanteri Institute. The 
Aleksanteri Institute (Finnish Center for Russian and East European Studies) 
is affiliated with the University of Helsinki and operates as a national 
center of research, study and expertise pertaining to Russia, the countries 
of the former Soviet Union and post-socialist countries in Europe 
particularly in the social sciences and humanities. The conference has had 
broad interest among scientist from various disciplinary both from abroad 
and Finland, and among decision makers and other actors concerning post 
socialist countries. During the recent years, around 100 experts have yearly 
participated in the conference.

Please, send by 15 September 2005, your abstract for a paper in English
(not longer than 300 words) to the working group convenor.

Workgroup participants are asked to prepare short presentations, 15-20 
minutes in length. The working group convenor will give further information 
on practical arrangements on preparing the paper. The ambition is to publish 
an edited volume based on keynote presentations as well as selected papers 
of the working groups.

For further information, please contact the conference coordinator, Ms. 
Maarit Heinonen, Aleksanteri Institute, email: 
[log in to unmask]; phone +358 9 191 28652; fax +358 9 191 28616

Additional and updated information will be found at the conference site 
http://www.helsinki.fi/aleksanteri/english

REGISTRATION
Please, register using the registration form available at the conference web 
site http://www.helsinki.fi/aleksanteri/ and submit it on-line or print and 
send by mail or fax. The mailing address is Aleksanteri Institute, P.O. Box 
42, FI-00014 University of Helsinki. The fax number is +358 9 191 28616. You 
are also welcome to take part without presenting a paper. There is no 
conference fee.

Deadline for registration is 17 October 2005.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Participants are requested to make their own arrangements for travel and 
accommodation and cover the costs related to participation. For Helsinki 
hotels and tourism information, please see http://www.hel.fi/tourism/EN/
The site for the conference is situated in Helsinki city center, street 
address Bulevardi 18.

YOU ARE WARMLY WELCOMED BY
the Conference Committee: Prof. Leo Granberg (chair), Dr. Jouko Nikula, Ms. 
Inna Kopoteva, Ms. Eeva Pääkkönen, Ms. Maarit Heinonen

LIST OF WORKING GROUPS

1) Networks and communities
Convenor: Leo Granberg ([log in to unmask]; Ruralia-Institute, 
University of Helsinki)

2) Farming and social structures in rural Russia and CEECs
Convenor: Ilkka Alanen ([log in to unmask]; University of Jyväskylä)

3) Institutional transformation and changes in Russian agrarian sector
Convenor: Inna Kopoteva ([log in to unmask]; Aleksanteri Institute, 
University of Helsinki) Bilingual workgroup: the primary language is 
English, presentations and papers in Russia also possible. Abstracts should 
be in English also in the latter case.

4) Multifunctionality in agriculture and rural areas
Convenor: Maarit Heinonen ([log in to unmask]; Aleksanteri 
Institute, University of Helsinki)

5)  Human-nature relationship in the post-socialist rural communities
Convenor: Katriina Soini ([log in to unmask]; Agrifood Research Centre)

6) Socio-cultural opportunities in post-socialist rural localities
Convenor: Eeva Pääkkönen ([log in to unmask]; Aleksanteri Institute, 
University of Helsinki)

7) Development and conflicts in Russian forest peripheries
Convenor: Jarmo Kortelainen ([log in to unmask]; University of 
Joensuu)

8) Newcomers, refugees and restructures in rural area of Russia and 
post-communist countries – the problems of the empty land and new home 
country in peripheral areas

Convenor: Kalle Michelsen ([log in to unmask]; Lappeenranta University
of Technology, South Karelian Institute)