Russia, NATO and The West: Disinformation and Political Contestation in Central and Eastern Europe
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The Department of Politics and European Studies of the American University in Bulgaria is organizing an international workshop on Russia, NATO, and the West: Disinformation and Contestation in Central and Eastern Europe. The main outcome of the workshop will be to gather the contributions into a book published in English by an internationally renowned publisher.
PROGRAM
THURSDAY (SEPT. 29)
18.00
Meeting at the Fenix Hotel
18.30-20.00
Opening Ceremony
Keynote Speaker: Irina Novakova, Head of Media Operations, NATO
Headquarters, Brussels
Andrey Delchev Auditoriun, Balkanski Academic Center
20.00-21.00
Dinner
the griffin canteen, America for Bulgaria Student Center
FRIDAY (SEPT. 30)
Section 1
Realities and Perceptions of EU and NATO Policies towards Russia in
Central and Eastern Europe
9.00-10.30
Panel 1
Chair: Jean F. Crombois, American University in Bulgaria,
Bulgaria
Andrey Delchev Auditoriun, Balkanski Academic Center
-
Ivan Dinev Ivanov, University of Cincinnati, USA
Disinformation, Resilience and Adaptability: A New Club in the Euro-Atlantic Institutions in the Aftermath of the War in Ukraine -
Damian Strycharz and Rafał Lisiakiewicz, Cracow University of
Economics, Poland
Foreign policy change and regional security in times of uncertainty: strategic choices of the Eastern flank states -
Sandra Fernandes, University of Minho, Portugal
NATO refocus on the Eastern Flank: The Portuguese Perspective
10.30-11.00
Coffee Break
11.00-12.30
Panel 2
Chair: Ivan Dinev Ivanov, University of Cincinnati, USA
Andrey Delchev Auditoriun, Balkanski Academic Center
-
Kaloyan Simeonov and Roxana Trifonova, St. Kliment Ohridski Sofia
University, Bulgaria
Implications of EU Economic and Financial Sanctions towards Russia -
Jean Crombois, American University in Bulgaria, Bulgaria
Contesting the West? Contestation and Politicization of NATO and the EU in Bulgarian Domestic Politics since 2014 -
Vít Hloušek and Petr Kaniok, Masaryk University, Czechia
Czech Political Parties´ Positions and Discourses on Foreign and Security Policies in the Shadow of the War in Ukraine
13.00-14.00
Lunch Break
Section 2
Building Resilience and Countering Disinformation and Hybrid Threats in
Central and Eastern Europe
14.00-16.00
Panel 3
Chair: Ilya Levine, American University in Bulgaria, Bulgaria
Andrey Delchev Auditoriun, Balkanski Academic Center
-
Magdalena M. Baran, Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, Pedagogical
University of Krakow, Foundation Liberte!, Poland
Risk management and Adaptation Mechanisms as Factors Stabilizing Social Resilience in the 3 V4 Countries in the Face of the Threat from Russia -
Jan Niklas Rolf, University of Dusseldorf, Germany
A Comparison of Baltic and Ukrainian Responses to Russian Hybrid Warfare -
Alexandra Gouleva, Junior Political Consultant, Belgium
How Russia Uses Sharp Power: A Classification of the Kremlin’s Influence Operations -
Piotr Maciej Kaczyński, Bronisław Geremek Foundation, Poland
Russian Disinformation before and after 24 February 2022, Compared
16.00-16.30
Coffee Break
16.30- 17.30
NATO after Madrid
Keynote Lecture by Andrew T. Wolff, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Political
Science & International Studies, Dickinson College, USA
Andrey Delchev Auditoriun, Balkanski Academic Center
19.00
Dinner
SATURDAY (OCT. 1)
Section 3
Building Resilience and Countering Disinformation and Hybrid Threats in
Bulgaria and in the Western Balkan
9.00-10.30
Panel 4
Chair: Jan Niklas Rolf, University of Dusseldorf, Germany
Andrey Delchev Auditoriun, Balkanski Academic Center
-
Georgi Gotev, Senior Editor at euractiv.com and Founder of euractiv.bg, Belgium
Why is Bulgaria the Most Vulnerable in the NATO Members to Russian Fake News? -
Preslav Dimitrov, Neofit Rilski South West University, Bulgaria
Economic Background and Drivers behind the Russian Propaganda in Bulgaria: Possible Options and Solutions -
Elza Ibroscheva, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, USA
Look Who’s Talking: The Strategic Use of Social Media by Bulgarian Populist Parties
10.30-11.00
Coffee break
11.00-12.30
Panel 5
Chair: Damian Strycharz, Cracow University of Economics, Poland
Andrey Delchev Auditoriun, Balkanski Academic Center
-
Tihomira Doncheva, Director of the Center for
Information, Democracy and Citizenship, American University in
Bulgaria, Bulgaria
Tracking Russia’s Narratives in the Western Balkans -
Robert Phillips Jr. and Vlada Kolesnikova, American University in
Bulgaria, Bulgaria
Communicating the Russian-Ukrainian War in the Western Balkans: The Activities of National Embassies
12.30-13.30
Lunch
the griffin canteen, America for Bulgaria Student Center
13.30-15.00
Panel 6
Chair: Vít Hloušek, Masaryk University, Czechia
Andrey Delchev Auditoriun, Balkanski Academic Center
-
Doris Malaj and Noela Mahmutaj, Institute of European Studies,
University of Tirana, Albania
The Rise of Russian Influence in the WB: Factors, Impact, and Possible Scenarios -
Faruk Hadzic, Independent Scholar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Russia Within the Western Balkans, and Bosnia and Herzegovina; Sharp Power, Religious and Ideological Catalysts, Hybrid Threats, and Existences -
Milan Jovanovic, Analyst at the Digital Forensic Center, Montenegro
Russian Influence in Montenegro and Implications for the Western Balkan Region
15.00-15.15
Closing Remarks
Register for the event