Organizations and Institutions in Times of War - Ukraine, Eastern Europe and Beyond
Regensburg
Organization: University of Regensburg
The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine has not only heightened the global focus on the region but has also intensified the exploration of the diverse and dynamic ways in which the war reshapes various sectors of Ukraine’s society – its economy, state, culture and the sciences, to name just a few. A focus on organizations and institutions allows to study e.g. organizational behaviour across different sectors or processes of institutionalization, de-institutionalization and re-institutionalization in past and present.
As we witness the unfolding events in Ukraine, it becomes increasingly clear how important integral institutional analysis are in understanding the complexities introduced by the war. From strategic decision-making under duress to the transformation of organizational structures and cultures in response to crisis, the challenges for actors and institutions are as varied as they are critical. Our conference aims to address these pressing issues by seeking insights into the resilience, adaptability, and innovation that emerge in times of war and conflict.
We invite scholars and practitioners to contribute their research and perspectives on how war affects organizations and institutions in the fields of economics, politics, law, history, culture, and beyond. Potential research areas include (but are not limited to):
- Management: International management, supply chain management, crisis management
- Organizational resilience and change
- Leadership under stress
- Institutional transfers and transformations
- Reorientation and management of cultural, epistemic and linguistic hierarchies
- Spatial reorientation of cultural formats
- Translation of meanings, symbols and institutions
- The role of identity and memory in organizational behaviour
Our geographical focus is on Ukraine and other transition countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the Caucasus region, covering not only the current war in Ukraine but also other past and present armed conflicts (e.g. the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the wars in ex-Yugoslavia, etc.).
The conference aims to bring together a broad range of analyses that examine both the immediate impacts of military conflict on organizations and institutions and its long-term implications for theory and practice. We seek to develop a multidimensional understanding of institutions and organizations in times of war, drawing on empirical research, theoretical advancements, and detailed case studies. Thus, conceptual as well as quantitative and qualitative studies are welcome.
The conference is organized by the Center for Interdisciplinary Ukrainian Studies Think Space Ukraine, established in 2024 at the University of Regensburg and financed by the DAAD through funds from the German Federal Foreign Office (AA). The Center pursues a discursive, relational, and action-oriented approach to Ukraine-related research in culture, economics, politics, and law within (trans)regional and global contexts. The Annual Conference is one of the Center’s key events, aiming to further develop established contacts in research, exchange, and knowledge transfer into an internationally visible scientific hub.
The conference language is English. Think Space Ukraine will cover accommodation costs of presenters and support their travel costs (in case of co-authored papers of one speaker!)
Submission Guidelines
To join the conference, please submit your application by June 30, 2025. Your application should include:
1. A short biographical note (up to 150 words)
2. A concise abstract of your presentation (up to 500 words)
Please send your application (as one single file) to sekretariat.du@uni-regensburg.de Alternatively, you may submit a panel proposal comprising three presentations. In that case, please include abstracts and short bios for each presenter in the panel.
Notification of acceptance will be sent by July 31, 2025.
Any questions may be directed to Thomas Steger (thomas.steger@ur.de) or Oleksandr Zabirko (oleksandr.zabirko@ur.de). We look forward to receiving your submissions and to welcoming you at the University of Regensburg in October 2025!
Oleksandr Zabirko
