The Economic Elites of Ukraine and Central-Eastern Europe: a Comparative Historical Perspective (Lviv, May 29, 2019)

Organizers: Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, the Eastern European Economic History Initiative, and the Contemporary Ukraine Studies Program, University of Alberta

The workshop aims to initiate interdisciplinary exchange on the economic elite of CEE and the Eastern European region from a comparative historical perspective. The influence of economic elite on politics, economy, social structures, and culture will be central to the workshop. The public perception of wealth and the power of the wealthy will also be discussed.

The call is open to all topics that fit the general scope of the workshop. However, we wish to suggest potential themes that are of special interest. For instance, papers may address one or more of the following questions:

1. Do existing theoretical and conceptual approaches of economic history and political science “work” for studying the economic elites of Eastern Europe? Is the history of economic elites in Eastern Europe merely a new setting to explore established core debates, or is it an alternative economic history?
2. How do economic elites of Eastern Europe apply their resources to influence political outcomes and how do they adapt their strategies of influence to societal changes?
3. What is the relationship between economic elites, their political influence, and economic inequality?
4. How did the social perception of economic elite evolve through history in different cultural contexts? How did the economic elite influence the perception of success and the behavior of successful people in society?
5. What was the role of economic elite in the distribution of natural resources and sustainable development in Eastern Europe?
6. What is the role of economic elite in international and regional conflicts?
7. How does the life course of Eastern European economic elites compare to that in OECD countries?

Venue and date: Ukrainian Catholic University, Department of Modern Ukrainian History, March 29, 2019

Submission: Abstracts of 500 words presenting the subject, the conceptual framework and the analytical approach along with a one-page CV should be sent to kowalskyprogram@gmail.com by November 20, 2018.

More information: https://goo.gl/NbZse4