Conferences
IFZO Annual Conference 2025
Approaches to Resilience in the Baltic Sea Region
Societies in the Baltic Sea region are facing a complex polycrisis. Against the backdrop of increasing environmental risks, geopolitical tensions, demographic shifts, and digital transformations, the question of resilience—understood as the capacity of societies to absorb shocks, adapt, and sustain core functions—has gained urgency. In addition, there is a need to pose related questions about future oriented transformations in the Baltic Sea Region.
Our annual conference explored “Approaches to Resilience in the Baltic Sea Region” from various perspectives. The presentations examined how resilience is shaped, negotiated, and enacted across civil society, institutions, narratives, identities, and how more resilient regions and landscapes may be achieved. A particular focus was on questions of:
- Civil Defence
- Narratives of Resilience and Transformations
- Institutional Structures and Democracy
- Resilient Regions and Landscapes
Conference: The Withdrawal of former Soviet Armed Forces from Germany - Background, Implementation and Consequences
On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the withdrawal of former Soviet armed forces from Germany, a conference was held at the institute for history of the University of Greifswald. It took place from the 8 November to the 9 November 2024 with many historians from within and without Germany attending.
Topics of the talks were the withdrawal of Soviet troops from the region as well as its military dimensions. Furthermore, contemporary, home and foreign policy as well as intelligence perspectives of the withdrawal were topics of conversation.
The participation was open for all who were interested. The conference was furthered by the Max-Weber-Stiftung, the Landeszentrale für politische Bildung Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the Syddansk Universitet Odense and the Interdisziplinäres Forschungszentrum Ostseeraum.
Annual IFZO Conference 2024
Fragmented Transformations in the Baltic Sea Region: The Role of Innovations and Pioneers of Change
At our annual conference in 2024, we addressed diverse aspects of fragmented transformation processes in the Baltic Sea Region with a special focus on the role of innovations and pioneers of change: Innovations refer to the implementation of new ideas or technologies that imply transformation and change, which may aim to improve the societal welfare and wellbeing. Many initiatives undertaken by individuals have proven to be innovative in dealing with socio-economic and environmental problems, while contributing to regional development in the Baltic Sea Region. Pioneers of change develop new ideas in niches to solve societal challenges which have the potential for new configurations in economy, society and culture. However, the dynamics and geographies of innovations are quite uneven in the Baltic Sea Region. Policy initiatives are able to foster transformations by allowing room for creativity and by financially or otherwise supporting new ideas.
Annual IFZO Conference 2023
Predictable Futures? On the Impact of Fear and Insecurity in the Baltic Sea Region
This conference featured contributions which critically examined the potential of predictability and addressed questions of fear, uncertainty, and in-security as they broadly related to various diverse issues (such as military confrontations, sustainable development and maintenance of cultural heritage) concerning the Baltic Sea Region.
ThinkRural! in the Baltic Sea Region
The conference ThinkRural! in the Baltic Sea Region was held in Greifswald from 23 to 25 March 2023. The contributions featured a wide range of topics addressing cultural, economic and security issues areas as well as questions concerning sustainability, health and religion. The focus was on the rural areas of the Baltic Sea region.
Annual IFZO Conference 2022
Baltic Sea in Exchange. Transformations between Conflict and Cooperation
The contributions at the IFZO Annual Conference 2022 addressed a wide variety of issues, among them the transformation of cultural, political, technological and ecological landscapes in the Baltic Sea region.
Conference: Tidal Recall. Maritime Sites of Memory in the Baltic Sea Region
On 17 and 18 June 2022 the conference Tidal Recall. Maritime Sites of Memory in the Baltic Sea Region examined how the sea can be a site of collective memory despite being in a constant state of flux by perceiving it as figure, material, and media which allows us to interrogate identities, cultures, and societies in their global intertwinings.