Call for Papers: Special Issue on "Contemporary Conflicts in the Eastern Mediterranean"
Call for Papers: Contemporary Conflicts in the Eastern Mediterranean
Editors of the Special Issue: Zoltán Egeresi (Ludovika University of Public Service), Péter Kacziba (University of Pécs)
With its new and decades-old conflicts, the Eastern Mediterranean remains one of the most important conflict zones in the world. The region, which stretches from Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt to Libya, is a hotbed of virtually all forms of conflict identified in the literature. These various types of interstate and intrastate conflicts are no longer simply the result of historical and colonial grievances, great or middle power competition, ethnic, religious or ideological differences, or secessionist aspirations. They are further complicated by new geopolitical tensions over energy resources, environmental conflicts and water stress, demographic and migration challenges, and economic and technological disparities. To varying degrees, these complex challenges affect all local and national communities in the region. In fragile states, where war and destruction rage, the possibilities for conflict resolution, infrastructure reconstruction and socio-psychological rehabilitation are undermined by existing and new conflict-generating factors. For more stable countries, security and development are constantly threatened by spillover effects from other regional conflicts. In both cases, conflicts and their spillover effects prevent societies and decision-makers from addressing future challenges, most notably the dire socio-economic and environmental prospects that the region will face even in the medium term. In the turbulent and volatile international environment of the post-pandemic era, the region also has a limited capacity to rely on the support of the international community. With international organizations currently dealing with multiple simultaneous crises and external powers projecting mainly geopolitical ambitions, actors in the Eastern Mediterranean must find regional, national and local solutions to address conflicts in a sustainable and comprehensive manner.
This thematic issue of Polarities (Pólusok) invites contributions that explore the multifaceted nature of contemporary conflicts in the Eastern Mediterranean. We seek papers that analyze the geopolitical, economic, and social dimensions of these conflicts, examining their causes, impacts, and the roles of various actors involved. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
- Geopolitical Rivalries and Alliances
- Energy Security and Resource Competition
- Territorial and Maritime Disputes
- Migration and Refugee Crises
- Impact of External Actors
- Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding Efforts
We encourage submissions that utilize diverse methodological approaches, including qualitative and quantitative analyses, case studies, and comparative studies. Interdisciplinary contributions that draw from the fields of political science, international relations, economics, and security studies are also welcome.
Submission Guidelines:
Authors interested in contributing to this issue should submit full papers by December 15, 2024. Manuscripts should be a minimum of 6000 and a maximum of 8000 words, including title, abstract, and tables, but excluding references. Please note that only English submissions will be considered for publication. For detailed guidelines and additional information, please visit our submission page.
Publication Timeline:
- Submission of Full Papers: January 31, 2025
- Publication of the Issue: July 2025
Open Access and peer-review:
The journal is published in Open Access format. Publication is free of charge, but subject to prior editorial screening and evaluation by two anonymous reviewers.
Contact Information:
For any queries, please contact the editorial team at polusok@pte.hu.
The call was first announced on August 2, 2024.
