Epoka University, in Tirana, in partnership with other universities from Albania, UK, USA, Turkey, Greece, Bosnia, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Azerbaijan, organizes the 5^th International Conference on European Studies (ICES'15). The conference titled the “Perspectives of Integration in the European Union: The Balkans’”, will be held on 6^th and 7^th of November in Tirana, Albania. Academics, scholars, professionals and students are invited to submit their papers/posters, projects, proposals, and demonstrations for ICES’15. The conference will be conducted in English, but there will be sessions in Turkish and Albanian language too, if there are enough presenters that want to present their papers in these languages.

Conference Scope

Most of the Balkan countries are passing through a challenging EU integration process. It has been a long process including social, economic, political and many other types of reforms and areas of integration that are all within the scope of the 5^th International Conference on European Studies (ICES'15). While it has been an area of research for a long time, this conference aims to promote an interdisciplinary exchange of ideas, knowledge, research, information and recommendations between scholars, professionals and students in all major subfields of political science, international relations, economy, sociology, and other related topics focusing particularly on the EU integration perspectives of the Balkan countries.

Conference Topics

1. Political science (Local Governance; Governments; State building; Political Stability; Political Culture;  Political Parties and Systems; Law and Order; Corruption and Governance; Elections and Voting; Political Violence; Leadership and Governance; Democratic Transition Process and EU integration; Democratic Norms and Values; NGOs and their Roles; Human Trafficking and Organized Crime; Institutions and Bureaucracy; Freedom of Speech and Media; Youth and Politics; Civic/political Participation; Identity and Citizenship;  Political Participation, Representation and Manipulation)

2. International Relations (Regional Integration; Regional and Domestic Security; Nationalism in the Region; Relations between Balkan Countries and EU; Role of History in the Balkan Region; Conflict Resolution; Cooperation and Peace building; Neighborhood Relations and Politics; Refugees; Visa Liberation – Schengen ; Globalization and EU integration; Cultural, Political, Religious, Ethnic, Transnational Networks; Migration and Integration Policy, Challenges and Management)

3. Conflicts and Crises (Kosovo* conflict, FYR of Macedonia conflict, Bosnian Conflict and EU integration; Community Building and Civil Society; Nation building and Democracy)

4. Economics (Transition to capitalism; Economics development and Investments; Trade and Finance; Innovation and Entrepreneurship; Business Administration and Management; Foreign Investments; International Trade; International Political Economy; Employment; Economics Crisis and Recovery; Tourism and Resources Management; Infrastructure and Communication; Business Management, Resource Management; Marketing; Marketing Research and Strategy; Economy and Business Economics; Financing and Accounting; Public Economics and Finance; Second and Third Generations Entrepreneurship; Immigrant Businesses; Labor Market Participation and Experiences).

5. Sociology (Political Sociology; Social Politics; Social Responsibility; Culture related issues; Integration of the Society; Religion related issues; Sustainable Development; Education; Social Psychology; Ethnic Identity and Politics).

Call for Papers

Abstracts should be submitted by e-mail or through online submission system no later than 31st of March 2015, with a clear indication of the authors, affiliations and contacts in a separate page, to allow for the blind review process.
Contact authors will be notified only upon acceptance of their abstract by 31st of May 2015. The deadline for the submission of the full papers and registration will be the 30th of September 2015.

Further information can be obtained from Conference Homepage.