Konferenzen

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

Programme

Anlässlich des dreißigjährigen Jubiläums des Abzugs der sowjetischen Truppen aus Deutschland fand am 8. und 9. November 2024 eine Tagung mit Historiker*innen aus dem In- und Ausland am Historischen Institut der Universität Greifswald statt.

Gesprochen wurde über den Abzug der sowjetischen Truppen aus der Region sowie dessen militärische Dimensionen. Ebenfalls Thema waren zeitgenössische, außen- und sicherheitspolitische sowie nachrichtendienstliche Perspektiven auf den Abzug.

Die Teilnahme an der Tagung stand allen Interessierten offen. Die Tagung wurde von der Max-Weber-Stiftung, der Landeszentrale für politische Bildung Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, der Syddansk Universitet Odense und dem Interdisziplinären Forschungszentrum Ostseeraum gefördert.

Programm

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. 

Programme

Conference Report

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.

Programme

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.  

Programm