Call for Papers: submissions closed

The call for papers has concluded, and we are no longer accepting new manuscripts. We thank all authors for their submissions.

16-18 October 2026, University of Lodz, Poland

The Eastern Bloc Censorship Research Group (EBCRG) at the University of Lodz invites proposals for the 1st Eastern Bloc Censorship Research Group Conference, an international academic meeting dedicated to the study of censorship. The conference focuses on the postwar period in the countries of the Eastern Bloc, Albania, and the former Yugoslavia (1944–1991), but we welcome contributions that extend beyond this timeframe and examine the broader cultural, political, and social implications of censorship. The conference welcomes contributions from scholars, witnesses of historical events, and others interested in the study of censorship and related issues.

We are pleased to announce that our keynote speakers will be

Prof. Nicole Moore, University of New South Wales, Canberra
and
Prof. Robert Darnton, Harvard University

The conference aims to initiate a comparative and interdisciplinary discussion on censorship in communist states, addressing a significant gap in existing scholarship. While censorship in individual countries has been widely studied, comparative research across the region remains limited. The conference therefore seeks to bring together researchers working in different national and disciplinary contexts in order to develop a broader, transnational perspective on
censorship and its legacy.

At the same time, the conference intends to encourage reflection on the connections between historical and contemporary forms of censorship, particularly in the context of ongoing debates about freedom of expression, political polarization, and the changing mechanisms of information control in modern societies.

The 1st EBCRG Conference will inaugurate a biennial series of international meetings organized by the EBCRG and will serve as a platform for long-term academic cooperation and knowledge exchange.

Thematic Scope
The Organizing Committee invites proposals addressing topics related to censorship in the Eastern Bloc, Albania, and former Yugoslavia and beyond, including but not limited to:
• systemic mechanisms of censorship 
• self-censorship and intermediary actors (editors, translators, publishers, critics) in the circulation of texts and cultural production
• collective memory and the cultural legacy of censorship
• institutional vs. informal censorship – definitional and methodological perspectives
• censorship and contemporary academic and media freedom
• non-institutional mechanisms of censorship past and present
• censorship in literature, film, theatre, and other cultural media
• communist censorship and contemporary forms of limiting freedom of expression

The above topics outline the general thematic framework of the conference. Participants are also welcome to submit proposals that go beyond these areas, provided they remain connected to the central theme of censorship and freedom of expression in historical or contemporary contexts.

Interdisciplinary Approach
The conference is designed as an interdisciplinary forum bringing together scholars from fields such as:
• literary studies
• history
• media and communication studies
• cultural studies
• law
• anthropology
• memory studies

In addition to academic researchers, the conference also welcomes contributions from witnesses of history, cultural practitioners, and independent scholars whose work engages with the topic of censorship.

Conference Format
The conference will be held in person and the program will include:
• keynote lectures by invited scholars
• thematic panels
• a round-table discussion titled “The Eastern Bloc Censorship – 35 Years Later”
• presentations selected through this Call for Papers
• a guided tour of Lodz
• a film screening

Language
The official language of the conference will be English. Simultaneous interpretation will be available. The range of languages offered will depend on the organizers’ logistical capacity.

Submission Guidelines
Please submit the completed submission form to anna.wisniewska-grabarczyk@uni.lodz.pl

The submission form should be provided as an attachment and must include the following information:
• your name
• your affiliation (if applicable)
• title of the paper
• abstract (150–200 words)
• a list of five most important articles, books, or other relevant works
• a short note about yourself and your work (optional), including any information relevant to the conference topic

Deadline for submissions: 31 May 2026
Acceptance Notification Date: 5 June 2026

Conference Fees
• Regular registration fee: 750 PLN
• Reduced registration fee: 550 PLN

The reduced fee is available for students, doctoral candidates, and independent scholars and may also be granted in other cases (limited number of places available). The fee includes lectures by invited guest speakers, a film screening, a guided tour of Lodz, simultaneous translations, conference materials, coffee breaks, lunches, and conference dinner.

Organizer
The Eastern Bloc Censorship Research Group (EBCRG) – an international research group
https://www.uni.lodz.pl/censorship-research-group
 

Organizing Committee
• Anna Wiśniewska-Grabarczyk, University of Lodz (lead convenor)
• Alina Popescu, University of Bucharest
• Mateusz Świetlicki, University of Wrocław
• Stefanie Lemke, Rule of Law Initiative
• John Bates, University of Glasgow
• Gergely Gosztonyi, Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest
• Jiřina Šmejkalová, Charles University in Prague
• Tomasz Bocheński, University of Lodz
• Karolina Kołodziej, University of Lodz (conference secretary)

Co-organizers
Institute of Polish Philology and Logopedics, Faculty of Philology, University of Lodz
Department of 20th-and 21st-Century Polish Literature

Patrons of the Conference
Polish Studies, School of Modern Languages and Cultures, University of Glasgow
Muzeum PRL (PRL Museum), Poznań, Poland
Muzeum życia w PRL (Museum of Life under Communism), Warsaw, Poland
Institute of English Studies, Faculty of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, University of
Wrocław, Poland