The Center for Belarus and Regional Studies (CBRS) has emerged as a result of the rearrangement of the Institute for Historical Research on Belarus that was established at the EHU in July 2007.
Not only humanities education and science in modern Belarus are excessively ideologized. None of the scientific centers of the country can freely provide a platform for critical reflection of historical, political, economical and other issues of Belarusian society. Moreover, Belarusian research centers tend to operate in a rather isolated way and barely engage in discussions about regional issues.
Mission:
The Center for Belarus and Regional Studies (CBRS) is focused on impartial and critical research, of Belarusian history, culture, society, politics, economics and media in a regional comparative perspective, ensuring the quality of education based on the international experience and through the integration of study programs with research, creative and applied projects.
CBRS aims to be an interdisciplinary, international and independent platform for investigation and discussions, critical reflection and popularization of knowledge about the past and current Belarusian social reality as well as contemporary challenges that are faced by the neighboring countries and their effect on the region.
Objectives:
- To conduct high-level research activities;
- To consolidate dialogue between various disciplines in the academic community;
- To organize research seminars, academic conferences, summer schools and scientific-practical workshops;
- To publish scientific works (including translations);
- To launch creative and applied projects;
- To build institutional partnerships with scientific and research institutions and centers, academic programs and non-governmental organizations.
Research areas:
CBRS unites the experts that work in fields of history, heritage studies, political sciences, economy, sociology, journalism.
The main research areas are (but not limited to):
- Archival work, biographistics, social history, history of everyday life, memory, historical urbanism;
- Heritage studies, memory studies; intercultural communication studies;
- Theory and practice of journalism. Media education. Political Communication;
- Sociology of urban change; social dimension of digitalization; participatory action research; sociocultural aspects of ‘nuclear’ industrialization and de-industrialization;
- Finding purpose through inclusive finance; Financial reforms towards value-based investment; Integrative model of finance for long-term value creation;
- A behavioral approach to measuring news and media literacy. Message development and testing.
Relation to the EHU study program(s):
European Heritage (BA), Cultural Heritage Development (MA), World Politics and Economics (BA), Public Policy (MA), Media and Communication (BA).
Contact details |
Contact usClick here |
| Coordinator: Iryna Ramanava (history), iryna.ramanava@ehu.lt |
Experts:
The Center will invite experts from various research areas related to the Center’s activities both on a short-term basis and for the full-time involvement.
CBRS’s Activities plan for 2021-2022 academic year:
| Integration of Researchers at risk from the region into the European scientific space | |
| Series of workshops for Researchers at risk: acquaintance with the requirements, conditions, etc.; | March-April 2021 |
| Creating opportunities for professional implementation for Researchers at risk from Belarus; | December 2020 –September 2021 |
| Assistance in the preparation (development/creation) of publications in rating scientific journals; 2-3 monographs before September 2021 | December 2020 –September 2021 |
| Preparation of the project drafts aimed at integrating Researchers at risk into the Lithuanian and European scientific space with support from EHU faculty and researches | December 2020 –September 2021 |
| Round table and open discussion about Researchers at Risk in the region | April 2021 |
| Planning of a joint project “Lithuania-Belarus. Dialogue about the past” with the Institute of Lithuanian History (Alvydas Nikzhentaitis) | December 2020 – May 2021 |
| Completion for support Researchers at risk (OSUN support) | September 2021 |
| Creation of an international network of Belarusian Studies | |
| Formation of an international board of trustees of the Center from representatives of world Belarusian studies | September 2021 |
| Establishing cooperation with the centers of Belarusian Studies | September 2021 |
| Development of a year workshop\conference for the integration of Belarusian Studies around CBRS | December 2021 |
| Preparation of Open online courses in Belarusian Studies. | May 2021 |
| Preparation Summer school in Belarusian Studies (in English) | February 2022 |
| Preparation MA/PhD program in Belarusian Studies. | May 2022 |
| Translation of texts important for the world humanities into Belarusian | September 2022 |
Budget:
- Most of the upcoming activities will be presented as separate projects seeking external funding;
- Staff member’s three or four monographies, the publication of which requires funds;
- The support of researchers, dismissed for political reasons in Belarus (OSUN, Emergency support student and faculty EHU, Scolars-at-risk program).