University of Helsinki
Brendan Humphreys was invited to address staff and students in the Department of Slavonic Studies, Vienna University on October 13. The department is one of the worlds’s largest department dedicated Slavic languages, literatures, and cultures. The department is especially strong on South Slav studies, and Humphreys was invited to give a paper entitled, The War on Ukraine and its implications for the Balkans. He was hosted by Professor Miranda Jakiša (pictured). Many of the students and staff are of South Slav origin, and the question and answer session was very lively and challenging.
Dr. Olga Kantokoski returns from the Center for Southeast European Studies of the University of Graz
Dr. Olga Kantokoski returned from Austria, where she spent three months as a visiting researcher at the Center for Southeast European Studies of the University of Graz. The visit was of benefit to the project “The Yugoslavian Penal Nationalism” due to multiple opportunities that the vibrant academic community of the University of Graz offers to the invited scholars. During her visit, in addition to accomplishing her immediate research tasks, Dr. Kantokoski participated in the conference dedicated to Europe’s future in the light of war in Ukraine, partook in the Center’s brownbag seminars, also with her presentation entitled “Is Southeast European Model of Punishment Too Harsh? The Carceral System of the Western Balkans in the Context of Western European Prison Reform”. Dr. Kantokoski also availed herself of the rich library collections of the University of Graz, including in the native Balkan languages, and established contacts with the leading researchers in the field (Prof. Florian Bieber, Prof. Emma Lantschner, and others). Currently, Olga finalizes her paper “The Modernity and the Evolution of Punishment in Europe’s Periphery: A Longue Duree of the Ebbs and Flows of Penal Liberalization in the Western Balkans” (tentative title). Dr. Kantokoski wishes to cordially thank all those who contributed to her academically fruitful visit to Austria, including – last but not least – Prof. Florian Bieber and Secretary Tanja Bilaver – for their generosity and hospitality.
Professor Judith Pallot’s Gulagechoes project held a 3-day seminar with invited international guests.
Pictured above are (left to right) Vakhtang Kekoshvili, Mikhail Nakonechnyi, Judith Pallot, Lili Di Puppo, Olga Zeveleva, Elena Omel’chenko, Brendan Humphreys, and Costanza Curro. Not pictured here is Albina Garifzyanova. Unfortunately, Sofya Gavrilova was unable to attend.
