Call for Papers for ceecon 26 (8.-9-10.2026, FU Berlin, Berlin) – the Congress of Central and East European Studies of the German Association for East European Studies (DGO)

Food systems and the environment after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine: disruptions and strategies 

A call by the War Effects on Food Systems and the Environment (WEFE) research network (funded by the German Foundation for Peace Research) – deadline: January 10, 2026

Four years into Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the damage inflicted on the environment and food systems in Ukraine and the wider Black Sea region has been tremendous and unprecedented. Current estimates place the area of Ukrainian land requiring demining and decontamination at nearly 200,000 square kilometres—exceeding the size of Austria (Melnyk 2024). Research has uncovered related disruptions to ecosystems, food systems, and the international food economy, as well as the displacement of millions of people who have fled their homes as refugees.

Several research clusters have crystallised and shed light on a range of topics, from (green) reconstruction to the social impacts of the war’s disruptions. While the effort required to restore agrarian landscapes, natural habitats, and non-human life will be immense, it may also create opportunities for a greener, more sustainable reconstruction. Internationally, Russia’s 2022 invasion has undermined environmental policy in multiple ways, including by prompting a surge in demand for fossil fuels in an effort to keep oil and gas prices down. At the same time, it has accelerated the deployment of renewable energy technologies. The social consequences of these disruptions affect communities in Ukraine, neighbouring states, and wheat-import-dependent countries in Central Asia and elsewhere. The bottom-up responses that shape local resilience and recovery include social innovation, grassroots activism, NGOs, community-led reconstruction, and informal networks.

We invite submissions that examine the varied intersections of ecological change, social resilience, migration, and governance in relation to the war’s impact on food systems and the environment. This call seeks to bring together scholars and environmental activists who have documented the disruption of social–ecological systems and/or the responses to these disruptions in Ukraine. We welcome analytical and conceptual perspectives from social sciences, economics, legal studies, environmental history, and related fields that shed light on regulatory frameworks, resource governance, reconstruction funding, or cross-border cooperation. We also welcome reflections on bridging disciplines, transnational, public-, policy-, and action-oriented research, as well as the diverse challenges related to addressing environmental and food issues during the Russian invasion.

Please send an abstract of some 200 to 300 words to both Mihai Varga and Alexander Vorbrugg, mihai.varga@fu-berlin.de and alexander.vorbrugg@unibe.ch by January 10, 2026.

There are no conference fees. Participants are expected to cover the costs of travel and accommodation themselves. (Junior) researchers who do not receive institutional support may apply for travel grants directly to CEECON 2026. Please note that the German Society for Eastern European Studies (DGO) has been classified as extremist in Russia. Participation in the conference may therefore have legal consequences if you live in or travel to Russia. For more information, please visit the DGO website.