The conference seeks to interrogate nuanced mechanisms of imperial governance and identity formation in Northern Eurasia, with a particular focus on the Russian Empire and its successor, the Soviet Union. It examines coercive and violent practices that sustained imperial power, but it also looks at the diverse strategies of adaptation, negotiation, and resistance that were employed by local populations. By foregrounding the interplay between imperial policies and individual behavior, the conference aims to capture the complex, context-specific ways in which people negotiated power, pursued their interests, and shaped imperial governance from below. The full Call for Papers is available here. Deadline for submission of proposals: 10 April 2026.

Place and Date: University of Szczecin, 28–30 October 2026

Organizers: Stanisław Boridczenko, University of Szczecin; Franziska Exeler, Freie University Berlin; Sören Urbansky, Ruhr University Bochum 

Sponsors: Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education; Polsko-Niemiecka Fundacja na rzecz Nauki / Deutsch-Polnische Wissenschaftsstiftung