Reimagining Futures at the End of the Cold War

Reimagining Futures at the End of the Cold War

Programme

Wednesday August 30

University of Helsinki Main Building, Auditorium XIV Fabianinkatu 33

09.30 Coffee and tea

10.00-11.00 Keynote session

Opening words, Professor Kimmo Rentola, University of Helsinki

Keynote lecture, Professor Jussi Hanhimäki, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva: Unexpected Transformations? The End of the Cold War in History and Historiography.

11.00-12.00 Paper session I Finnish Foreign Policy and Changing International Orders

Chair: Research Director Juhana Aunesluoma, University of Helsinki

Professor Tuomas Forsberg, University of Tampere: ‘We did not believe in change because we did not want it’. Confirmation bias, Finnish foreign policy and the end of the Cold War.

Professor Kari Möttölä, University of Helsinki: Two lessons in managing change: Finnish foreign policy at the onset and breakdown of the post-cold war order.

PhD candidate Juha-Matti Ritvanen, University of Turku The Soviet Union, Great Britain and Finland’s Operation Pax 1989–1990

12.00-13.00 Buffet Lunch, University of Helsinki Main Building

13.00-14.30 Paper session II Finnish Perspectives

Chair: Senior Lecturer Johanna Rainio-Niemi, University of Turku

Professor Louis Clerc, University of Turku: From KANTINE to Nation-Branding: Finland’s image policy from the Cold War to a Globalized Economy

PhD candidate Saara Matala, Aalto University, Beyond the Business as Usual: Finnish-Soviet scientific and technological cooperation in Arctic Maritime technology 1976-1990

Aino Hakovirta: The Doctrine of Finnish Foreign Policy in the Late Cold War and Beyond: The Operational Code of Kalevi Sorsa

PhD candidate Tapio Juntunen, University of Tampere: The Cold War ended, nuclear weapons remained: Finnish perceptions of the START-treaty and the Soviet Union’s nuclear successor question in 1991-92.

14.30–14.45 Coffee and tea

14.45–16.15 Paper session III The Cold War’s End and the Baltic Sea Region

Chair: Research Director Juhana Aunesluoma, University of Helsinki

Lecturer Mart Kuldkepp, University College London: Imagined futures in the Swedish diplomatic reporting from the Baltics in 1989-1991

Dr Kaarel Piirimae, Tartu: The New Thinking in Soviet Foreign Policy and the Constituent Republics: the example of Estonia and Latvia

Researcher Mikkel Runge Olesen, Danish Institute for International Studies: The birth of Danish foreign policy activism: Supporting Baltic independence 1990-91

Independent researcher, Lars Grønbjerg:  Ideas behind the creation of interstate cooperation in the Baltic Sea region 1987-1992 with special focus on the Council of the Baltic Sea States.

16.15–17.30 Paper Session IV European Perspectives

Chair: Kimmo Rentola

Senior Lecturer Kimmo Elo, University of Helsinki: East German Foreign Intelligence, the Baltic Sea Region and the End of the Cold War 1985-89

Senior Lecturer Johanna Rainio-Niemi, University of Turku: Cold War Neutrality in Europe: Lessons to be learned?

Post-doctoral research fellow Suvi Kansikas, University of Helsinki: From the Soviet Union to the European Union.

Thursday August 31

University of Helsinki Main Building, Auditorium XIV (Fabianinkatu 33)

9.00 Coffee and tea

9.30-11.30 Contemporary eye-witnesses – Note: The language of the session is Finnish

Puheenjohtaja ja avauspuheenvuoro, Juhana Aunesluoma

Aloituspuheenvuoro, professori Tuomas Forsberg, Tampereen yliopisto: ‘We did not believe in change because we did not want it’. Confirmation bias, Finnish foreign policy and the end of the Cold War. (esitys suomeksi)

Paneelin osallistujat: Jaakko Kalela, Jaakko Blomberg, Jaakko Laajava, René Nyberg

End of the conference.

Notes:

Please register your attendance with conference assistant Vica Protovin by 22 August at vica.protovin@helsinki.fi

All registered participants are invited to a buffet lunch on Wednesday, August 30. Coffee and tea will be served during the conference.

Paper presenters, panelists and chairs are invited to a conference dinner on Wednesday August 30, at 19.00 and to a lunch on Thursday August 31, 12 noon. Locations will be announced later.

 

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