Call for Papers

Call for Papers

Edited Volume in the Belarus Voices Book Series (ibidem Press)

Preliminary Title: Between Continuity and Change: Rethinking Politics, Society, and Identity in Belarus.

The Editorial Board of the newly launched Belarus Voices series with ibidem Press invites contributions to an interdisciplinary edited volume exploring major transformations in Belarusian political, social, and cultural life, in particular following the 2020 presidential elections and post-electoral protests.

The year 2020 marked a critical turning point in Belarus’s contemporary history, triggering profound shifts both within the country and among Belarusians in exile. Another pivotal moment followed in 2022 with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which had far-reaching consequences for Belarus. It led to deeper alignment between the Lukashenka and Putin regimes, while simultaneously strengthening the democratic movement in exile, fueling anti-colonial sentiment, and reinforcing pro-European orientations among exiled democratic forces as well as ordinary Belarusians.

While the volume primarily focuses on these two key junctures—2020 and 2022—we also welcome submissions that adopt a broader historical perspective, offering critical reevaluations and reconceptualisations of political, societal, and cultural developments in Belarus prior to 2020.

We particularly encourage contributions that:

• Offer innovative theoretical and conceptual perspectives;
• Present new empirical findings;
• Employ diverse methodological approaches (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods), including but not limited to qualitative comparative analysis, process tracing, content and discourse analysis.

Submissions are invited from scholars across a wide range of disciplines, including (but not limited to): political science, history, linguistics, sociology, philosophy, anthropology, cultural and media studies, and international relations.

The final title of the volume will be determined following the selection of contributions to best reflect the overarching themes and scope.

Submission Guidelines

We seek contributions primarily in English, but also welcome submissions in Belarusian. For Belarusian-language papers, we will explore possibilities for translation.

To express your interest in contributing, please send an email by 30^th of September 2025 to [email protected]

Your email should include:

• Full name(s) of the author(s) and institutional/professional affiliation(s)
• Title or topic of your proposed contribution
• A brief abstract (100–200 words) summarizing the main argument of your paper

Final papers should be submitted by the 30^th of November 2025.

Any questions can be addressed to [email protected]

We look forward to receiving your contributions and to working together on this publication!

Best regards,
The Belarus Voices Editorial Board