Call for Papers for the international conference «From Exile to Post-Exile: Transformations, Transitions, and the Homeland»

The Second World War and the subsequent Soviet occupation of the Baltic States brought complex and long-lasting changes to the societies of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. One of these fundamental changes was the separation of part of the population from their homelands. Through the chaos of fleeing the war, the uncertainty of refugee situations and Displaced Persons camps, and finally building new lives in countries such as the USA, Canada, Australia, Great Britain and elsewhere, exile communities with strong cultural and political identities were formed in the West.

However, the regaining of independence by the Baltic countries created new opportunities and challenges, transforming exile into what can be described as a post-exilic condition. Additionally, the gradual merging of the «old exile» with post-1991 emigration under the umbrella term «diaspora» has raised important conceptual and methodological questions that remain insufficiently explored from a historical perspective.

The concept of post-exile does not merely denote a chronological phase following exile, but rather an ongoing existential condition in which experiences of displacement, belonging, and rupture continue to shape individual and collective identities, regardless of physical return. The stories and experiences of exile remain deeply ingrained in the lives of individuals, even in their new circumstances.

This conference, organised within the framework of the project «Navigating Post-Exile: Transformations and Transitions in the Latvian Exile Community after 1991» (No. lzp-2024/1-0114), explores the intertwined relationships between notions of exile, post-exile and the homeland.

The conference welcomes contributions from various disciplines, including history, sociology, anthropology, literary and cultural studies, migration and diaspora studies, memory studies, and related fields.

The keynote lecture at the conference will be delivered by Katja Sarkowsky, Professor at the University of Augsburg and one of the editors of the book «Nachexil / Post-Exile» (De Gruyter, 2020).

Presentations addressing, but not limited to, the following topics are especially welcome, particularly in the context of the history of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia:

Conceptual and methodological perspectives on exile and post-exile as historical and social processes.

• Transnational and comparative studies of exile and post-exile within and beyond the Baltic region.
• Sense(s) of belonging in exile and post-exile contexts.
• Diasporic practices and forms of engagement in post-exile contexts
• Points of transformation and transition in the history of exile from its formation in the aftermath of World War II to gradual change into the post-exile condition.
• Opportunities and challenges faced by Baltic exile communities due to the changing political situation in the late 1980s in the USSR in general, and in the Baltic states in particular.
• The evolution of exile identities, practices, and forms of engagement since the restoration of Baltic independence, their influence on homeland societies and diaspora relations up to the present day.
• Exile and post-exile in literature, art and cultural production: narratives, metaphors, genres, and memory practices.
• Biographical, oral history and life-story approaches that address exile and post-exile as lived, embodied, and often traumatic experiences.

The deadline for submitting proposals is May 15, 2026. To submit a proposal, please send the title of your presentation and a short description (around 1,000 characters) to kristine.bekere@lu.lv .

Notifications of acceptance will be sent by email by June 1, 2026.

The conference language will be English.

A volume of conference abstracts will be published before the conference. Participants will be asked to submit a one-page abstract no later than August 1, 2026.

All participants are expected to attend in person. We are unable to accommodate requests for online participation.