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Conflict of interest (COI) is usually understood quite broadly as a
social phenomenon related to corruption, lobbying, nepotism,
patronage, clientelism or the activity of informal networks of power.
What are the current expressions of conflicts of interest in various
spheres of social life in Central and Eastern Europe - politics,
economy, science? What approaches to COI social sciences should apply?
Why does COI often remain an unexplored issue, a part of the
lost reality
of social sciences, as Sojak and Wicenty call it? In what ways
are scientists, including social scientists themselves, involved in
various conflicts of interest, such as 'rent-seeking' activities?
Although diverse examples of COI are studied by social researchers
from Central and Eastern Europe who tend to agree about its ubiquity
and importance in post-communist CEE countries, the questions
mentioned above remain often unanswered. The aim of our conference is
to fill the gap and ask about the many faces of COI and the role it
plays in different areas of social life in post-communist countries.
Keynote speakers:
Discussants at a panel on combating conflict of interest:
- Prof. Antoni Z. Kamiński, Professor at the Institute of Political Studies of Polish Academy of Sciences, author of ”An institutional theory of communist regimes: design, function, and breakdown“(San Francisco, Calif.: ICS Press, 1992.) and ”Korupcja rządów: państwa pokomunistyczne wobec globalizacji” (confirmed).
- Grażyna Kopińska, Director of the Anti-Corruption Program, Stefan Batory Foundation (confirmed).
- Marek Kaduczak, Head of Legal Affairs unit at OLAF: European Anti-Fraud Office (confirmed).
The conference will take place in Torun, a charming city with a medieval old town, ruins of the Teutonic Knights' castle from the 13th century and many gothic churches, which creates a unique, unforgettable atmosphere. The conference venue is located in the middle of the historical city centre. Institute of Sociology NCU has been the organizer of the 7th Conference of the European Sociological Association, which took place in Torun in September 2005.
Download flyer! (in Polish)
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