Deadline 15 April 2018 The Doctoral School of the Faculty of History, University of Bucharest, would like to invite PhD candidates in history, political science, international relations, economics or any other related fields, from all over the world, to an international conference about borders, barriers and frontiers as they have evolved and shaped human society throughout centuries. Transnational, regional and global perspectives are especially welcome. 2018 marks the 100th year celebration of the end of the First World War, President`s Wilson Fourteen Points and the Great Union of Romania. The Versailles Peace Treaties reshaped Eastern Europe, in the context of the dissolution of empires and the creation of new nation-states. In order to mark these events, an academic debate about the role of borders in history is necessary. As a people, we are well aware of the importance borders have played throughout history, of the impact they have on our sense of self, on our collective consciousness and on how we see ourselves in the world. We are closely acquainted with their power to unite, but also to divide. One nation’s unification is another nation’s vivisection. How can we celebrate our differences without resorting to acts of aggression? It is well-known that territorial disputes are, in general, the most volatile and likely to result in displays of violence. Are borders truly a zero-sum game or can they be conducive to peace? Historical experience tells us that these questions are recurrent and that it is every generation’s duty to position themselves towards managing and navigating these political, social and cultural spaces carved out by the borders inherited from their ancestors. Our ideas, values, traditions and beliefs may represent a source of group solidarity and support and beget a sense of fellowship, but they can also constitute a petri dish for hostility, intolerance and alienation in an increasingly complex social landscape. Therefore, we welcome proposals for 15-minute paper presentation on any topic related to borders, such as: state-making and state dissolution: loss of territory, renouncing territory, unification, territorial expansion, annexation or acquisition by other means (eg. Louisiana Purchase); war, negotiation and peace treaties; separatism, secession, nationalism, the legacy of violence in regards to borders; political philosophy and ideology: anarchy, libertarianism, social contract theory, property laws etc; fluidity of borders, migration, mobility, border security, border regions; economic impact of borders: political division of territory,...