The Cracow Branch of the Institute of National Remembrance and the IPN’s Office for Historical Research invite you to participate in the international academic conference: Relations between the Authorities, the Church and the Opposition in Soviet-dominated Central and Eastern Europe (1945–1989), to be held on 2–3 June 2027 in the conference room of the IPN Branch in Cracow.
The aim of the conference, organised as part of two Central Research Projects of the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN): “The Communist Authorities and the Churches and Religious Associations, 1944–1989” and “Solidarity and Social Resistance, 1956–1989”, is to examine: Authorities-Church-Opposition in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe during the existence of the Communist bloc. We are interested in the complexity of these relations, their changes over time and their mutual influence. Papers addressing the following topics are particularly welcome:
- State-Church relations and the policies of the communist authorities towards churches and religious associations;
- The authorities’ approach to opposition circles and the methods used to combat them;
- The attitude of the communist authorities towards the involvement of clergy in opposition activities;
- The principles and methods of the opposition’s struggle against the communist system;
- Church-opposition relations;
- The activities of key representatives: of state authorities, churches and religious associations, and the opposition;
- Comparative studies analysing the situations in individual Eastern Bloc countries.
We welcome your suggestions and submissions. Given the controversial and complex nature of the subject matter, the organisers reserve the right to select conference papers.
The conference will result in a peer-reviewed publication in the form of a collection of studies, published by the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN). Speakers are requested to submit texts in accordance with the IPN’s publishing guidelines by 30 September 2027 at the latest. This is a condition of participation in the conference.
There is no conference fee. We provide speakers with accommodation and meals, as well as reimbursement of travel expenses in the form of an author’s fee.
IPN staff will claim expenses for their participation in the conference as part of a business trip.
Completed conference registration forms (using the attached form) from those wishing to deliver a paper will be accepted until 1 March 2027. Please send your applications, using the completed form, to the email addresses listed below:
dr Marzena Grosicka
marzena.grosicka@ipn.gov.pl
dr hab. Cecylia Kuta
cecylia.kuta@ipn.gov.pl
dr hab. Rafał Łatka
rafal.latka@ipn.gov.pl