“The World at the Edge. The Struggle for Re-Ordering Security in Europe”
Featuring a Keynote Address by: Richard Sakwa, PhD
Professor University of Kent
Introduction and Q&A by: Florin Pasatoiu, PhD, Lecturer President & CEO Center on Foreign Policy and Security Studies University of Craiova
Followed by:
a distinguished Panel Discussion with:
Richard Sakwa, PhD Professor School of Politics and International Relations University of Kent
Cristian Nitoiu, PhD, Lecturer Vicepresident & Deputy CEO Center on Foreign Policy and Security Studies Aston University & London School of Economics (UK)
Florin Pasatoiu, PhD, Lecturer President & CEO Center on Foreign Policy and Security Studies Faculty of Social Sciences University of Craiova (RO)
VENUE:
County Library “Alexandru si Aristia Aman”
“Marin Sorescu” Auditorium
9 M.Kogalniceanu Street, Craiova Romania
For questions and registration:
communications@cfpss.org
June 7th, 2018
14:30 am – 16:30 pm | Registration begins at 14:00 am
ABOUT THE EVENT
With the herald of the West liberal world order drawing to a close from its global ascendancy, the
World at the Edge is faced with the urgency to recast its own presence onto the world stage.
The “Cold Peace” that Europe has embraced since 1989 culminated in a tug of war with Russia. And
yet, the actual security stand off is further strained by various pulling factors that raise the stakes of the
stable security architecture in Europe in the very foreseeable future.
As the US is prone to favor great power competition, we should expect recognition of Russia’s
legitimate interests in the Black Sea region and welcome China-led Silk World Order that will “take us
down”.
Hence, the World at the Edge would become again the playground for Great Powers.
PANELISTS
Richard Sakwa, Professor of Russian and European Politics, joined the School of Politics and
International Relations at University of Kent in 1987, was promoted to a professorship in 1996 and
was Head of School between 2001 and 2007, and in 2010 he once again took over as Head of School
until 2014. While completing his doctorate on Moscow politics during the Civil War (1918-21) he
spent a year on a British Council scholarship at Moscow State University (1979-80), and then worked
for two years in Moscow in the ‘Mir’ Science and Technology Publishing House. Before moving to
Kent he lectured at the University of Essex and the University of California, Santa Cruz. Prof. Sakwa is
an Associate Fellow of the Russia and Eurasia Programme at the Royal Institute of International Affairs,
Chatham House, Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Russian, European and Eurasian
Studies (CREES) at the University of Birmingham and since September 2002 a member of Academy of
Learned Societies for the Social Sciences.
Cristian Nitoiu, Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, and an Associate fellow at LSE IDEAS.
Before coming to Aston he was a Postdoctoral Fellow in EU-Russia relations and Ukraine at LSE IDEAS
and he held research positions at Trinity College Dublin and the College of Europe (Natolin campus,
ENP Chair). He is an expert on EU and Russian foreign policy, EU-Russia relations, Eastern Europe,
international relations, the European public sphere or international political communication. He is
currently working on a book on EU-Russia relations during Putin’s third term, one on the role of the
ideal self in world politics and a project on the European Parliament’s approach towards the post-
Soviet space and Russia.
Florin Pasatoiu, Lecturer in International Relations, president and director of the Center for Foreign
Policy and Security Studies at Faculty of Social Sciences- University of Craiova. Florin Pasatoiu was
awarded five fellowship schemes: with MGIMO, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs- Russian Federation
(in Moscow, September-November 2014), with Salzburg Global Seminar (in Salzburg, May 2014),
with the German Marshall Fund of the United States of America (in the United States of America,
February – March 2008), with the European Foundation Centre, International Fellowship Programme
for Learning and Exchange in Philanthropy (IFP) (at ALDA- in Italy and Council of Europe- Strasbourg,
in 2007) and with the Mission of Romania to the European Union (in Brussels, in 2003). Florin
Pasatoiu has been involved in the “Whither Liberal World Order? Challenges from Russia, Eurasia, and
Beyond” working group hosted by University of Kent, Canterbury (UK) in the framework of the H2020
UPTAKE project, which brings together scholars from the Universities of Kent, Uppsala University
(Sweden) and Tartu (Finland).
CALL FOR PAPERS
In the framework of the 5th International Conference “Politics. Diplomacy. Culture” organized by the
“Alexandru and Aristia Aman” Foundation alongside the “Alexandru and Aristia Aman” County
Library, the panelists launch an open call for papers as possible contributions upon selection to the
volume “The World at the Edge. The Struggle for Re-Ordering Security in Europe”. We expect to
select a maximum of 10 papers.
All selected papers are to be presented as part of a roundtable on the 7th and 8th of June. An agenda is
to be provided to selected participants.
We invite participants to introduce both normative and empirical studies to explore answers to the
following questions:
• As the EU’s Western Balkans strategy would signal a potential en bloc membership, what is the
EU offer for a new security architecture in Europe for those potential member states that most
likely will add to the list of neutral states?
• In the context of the balance of power replacing the benevolence of international institutions
and organizations to manage international affairs, how is NATO to function to as responding
to transnational security threats and risks arising simultaneously?
• As both Russia and China seem to be ready for a peer great power competition, as they
recently being coined by the US as “strategic competitors”, what kind of security architecture
could the European Union contribute to?
• While relying on military monopoly is not any longer feasible as to build the securitization of a
territory, what are the odds and what type of new cooperative security architecture may be
forged in Europe in the foreseeable future?
• Is the pivot of Russia Federation towards East signaling a profound long- to- last split between
Russia Federation and Europe?
• Is the EU “principled pragmatism” to challenge the blockage in between the EU and the EAEU
so that a trilateral format to include the Eastern partners (Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia,) to settle
down constructive joint applications to pursue economic progress and security?
In order to enroll for the Session, please send your abstracts (max. 400 words) and institutional
affiliation by 25 April 2018. Decisions on accepted papers shall be communicated by 1 May 2018.
For travel, accommodation, visa and fees the general regulations of the Conference apply.
TARGET AUDIENCE & REGISTRATION
The Session is open to both well- established academia as much as to scholars in their early or post
Doctoral programmes. Policy makers and experts in the topic broached by the International Panel are
mostly welcomed to sign up for the event.
