In June 2022, the Laboratory for Black Sea and Mediterranean Studies (Faculty of Economics and Political Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki) and the School of Law (University of Nicosia) launched a new open-accessed peer-reviewed e-journal, the Black Sea and Eastern Mediterranean Review (BSEMR).

BSEMR invites submissions for a Special Section on “War and Instability in the Black Sea and Eastern Mediterranean (BSEM): Strategies, Agents, Levels of Conflict”.

The war in Ukraine constitutes the latest (and most serious) episode among several continuous crises that expand at multiple levels: a heavily disputed world order, the rise of revisionist powers, political polarization in Western societies, hybrid warfare and deliberate disruptions of the cyberspace etc. One should underline the severe outcomes of the military operations (destruction of infrastructure, humanitarian disasters and social disruption in Ukraine, deteriorating the spiral of violence and hatred, etc.)  and the multi-level crisis that hits Europe (energy crisis, inflation). Furthermore, the latest developments have stimulated debates at the societal and research levels regarding the role of international institutions (UN, NATO, EU, OSCE) and the causes of the conflict, as well as Russia’s religious impact in the BSEMR.

In the Eastern Mediterranean, amidst deteriorating Greek-Turkish relations and conflicting regional agendas, the war has revitalized the debate regarding the exploitation of maritime fossil fuel reserves offshore Israel, Lebanon, Cyprus and Egypt, which gains impetus as a result of energy shortages in Europe and skyrocketing prices that further worsen economic and other crises. Notably, the new agreement between Turkey and the Libyan Government of National Unity and the legal controversies involved, as well as the settlement of the dispute between Israel and Lebanon on their maritime boundaries highlight the rising centrality of the exclusive economic zones in the region.

We invite scholars and researchers to reflect on the developments in the BSEMR pertinent to the war in Ukraine, with emphasis on the repercussions on inter-state relations, impact on economic, energy-related and societal affairs and post-war scenarios.

We especially invite original proposals for articles on the following subjects:

  • The future of relations between Russia and the European Union
  • Social disruption and reconstruction in Ukraine
  • Reflections on NATO’s presence in the BSEMR: dynamics, ambitions, and limitations
  • Greek-Turkish tension and the role of NATO in the defence of member-states in the region
  • War, social media and new ideological dichotomies
  • The impact of the war on energy-related affairs in the Eastern Mediterranean
  • Energy exploration and investments as causes of tensions and antagonisms
  • The new importance of Turkey and Greek-Turkish relations and the war in Ukraine
  • War, religion and intra-Orthodox schisms in the BSEMR

This is not an exhaustive list of ideas and issues. Articles can present research that addresses and investigates various issues, pertinent with the main theme.

Authors should consult the BSEMR’s guidelines for submission, which can be found, here.

For specific enquiries, please contact the BSEMR via bsemr@auth.gr.

Submissions should be made online, via https://lawjournals.unic.ac.cy/index.php/bsemr/about/submissions, not later than 30 May 2023.