Russia, NATO and The West: Disinformation and Political Contestation in Central and Eastern Europe
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
