PLACES

PLACES - Political Science, Law, Anthropology, Communication, Economics and Business, Sociology – a part of the Rīga Stradiņš University Research Week, is a biennial event of academic exchange and knowledge sharing that provides a room for discussions on the newest achievements in political science, law, anthropology, communication, economics and business, sociology, and other social science disciplines.

Invitation

At the beginning of the 21st century, Zygmunt Bauman wrote the following in his book Community: Seeking Safety in an Insecure World (2001:4): “Security and freedom are two equally precious and coveted values which could be better or worse balanced, but hardly ever fully reconciled and without friction.” Today, this conceptualisation is important more than ever, as the sense of insecurity is spreading among societies, and social scientists are challenged by the need to rethink the value orientations of their work. The 4th International Interdisciplinary Conference PLACES aims to address this tension.

The current decade has been marked by the crises that have confronted global society – the global COVID pandemic, Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine, the rise of far-right populism and the ongoing climate crisis are just some of the loud examples of the challenges that need to be addressed. On the one hand, the scale, depth, and nature of the permacrises we are witnessing, both globally and locally, make it clear that not only are we unprepared for many of these crises, but that addressing them may require an entirely new way of thinking about solutions. On the other hand, some of these solutions seemingly require curtailing individual and collective freedoms in the name of putative security. Shifting the focus from averting crises to ways of strengthening collective resilience to withstand challenges, identifying new mitigating measures, increasing the speed at which novel solutions can be found, and rethinking centre-periphery relations constitute the core topics and questions of this conference.

How should freedom and security be balanced when engaging society and strengthening solidarity to ensure that groups in society can mobilize to respond to emerging threats rapidly? How can we achieve the level of trust and mutual support that can be used as a basis for increasing the effectiveness of any? Whose freedom and whose security are enhanced, and whose are restrained in these processes?

To engage with these challenges, PLACES proposes to address two questions:

• What tools, good examples and opportunities can be observed, described, or proposed while engaging with permacrises?

For decades, practitioners and researchers in various fields have been accumulating empirical and theoretical evidence on how best to address various threats. There is a need for an inventory of existing promising solutions so that society can fully benefit from the accumulated knowledge. Meanwhile, the rapid development of technologies has created a wide range of new

opportunities—some of which seem to promise solutions, and others may help humanity develop new ways of working more effectively on issues related to the Grand Challenges.

• What are the trade-offs and threats associated with the need to address the changing world?

It is now also clear that solutions that are implemented but not fully understood can be a source of even deeper challenges. On the one hand, they themselves can be a source of long-term future threats. On the other hand, they also have the potential to sow division, mistrust, and polarization in society. For example, digital transformation continues to create a deep digital divide between social groups, leading to various social cleavages and inequalities. Meanwhile, the flagship policies developed to address the climate crises threaten to distribute the required costs unevenly, deepening the already existing divisions and creating new ones. The cracks in the social fabric created by these tensions may reduce the solidarity required for any effective response to the challenges facing society.

The 4th International Interdisciplinary Conference PLACES invites speakers from a variety of disciplines (political science, anthropology, sociology, management, law, economics, etc.) to discuss these and other related questions, presenting new empirical material as well as case studies and theoretical insights addressing global, regional and national attempts to address and cope with contemporary challenges while illuminating the ways of and tensions in the process of balancing freedom and security.

Main Topics

• Academic freedom
• Green transition & homo climaticus
• Media freedom
• Security crises in NATO & EU
• Autonomy in medical humanities
• Legal aspects of freedom & security
• Expectations towards food

Keynote Speakers

Ed Atkins

University of Bristol, UK

PhD Michał Głowacki

University of Warsaw, Poland

Panels

26 March. Opening Plenary / How to Ensure Freedom Without Losing Security—Legal Aspects and Practical Problems. Agenda

Convener: Assoc. Prof. Inga Kudeikina

In contemporary society, a crucial challenge exists - balancing individual freedom with the need to ensure security. Increasingly, we encounter situations where legal solutions are sought to

protect individual rights while simultaneously guaranteeing the security of the state and society. The conference will feature leading experts from various fields, including legal science, internal security, human rights, and technology. Our discussion aims are to:

• Explore the legal frameworks that regulate freedom and security;
• Analyze the practical problems arising from the implementation of security measures;
• Discuss best practices and innovative solutions to ensure compliance with rights and freedoms;
• Promote international cooperation and exchange of experiences

Agenda

Venue: Senate Hall, RSU, 16 Dzirciema iela

Opening Session Chair: Mārtiņš Daugulis (Latvia)
9:00–9:10	Opening Remarks Agrita Kiopa, Vice-Rector for Science, Rīga Stradiņš University
9:10–10:30	PLACES Opening Plenary Ed Atkins, Erik Hahn, Aija Lulle
10:30–11:00	Break
Session I: How To Ensure Freedom Without Losing Security—Legal Aspects And Practical Problems Chair: Inga Kudeikina (Latvia)
11:00–12:30	Possibilities for Improving the Procedure for Resolving Disputes Between Constitutional State Authorities Jānis Neimanis
	Perception of the Application of the Principle of Mutual Recognition in the Enforcement of Confiscation Orders issued in Criminal Proceedings by European Union Member States in Latvia Jūlija Muraru-Kļučica
	No Freedom Without Democracy: The Loss of Latvia's Independence in 1940 Jānis Grasis
	Security in Risk Society: Bridging the Ideal and the Real Kristīne Kuzņecova
	Aspects of Terrorism Prediction in the Context of Public Security Threats and Risk Prevention Andrejs Vilks
12:30–13:30	Break
Session II: How To Ensure Freedom Without Losing Security—Legal Aspects And Practical Problems Chair: Inga Kudeikina (Latvia)
13:30–14:30	Criminalization of “Information Collaborationism” in Ukraine as an Example of Lawful Restriction of the Right to Freedom of Speech Under Martial Law Yuliia Zabuha
	Illegal Occupation and the Intent of Genocide: An Israeli-Palestinian Case Sintija Broka
	Professional Development of Managerial Personnel in the Civil Service as a Component of the National Security of Ukraine Alona Lukashenko
	(Non)Observing the Rights of the Combatant to Health in Captivity: The Experience of the Russian-Ukrainian War Tetiana Mykhailichenko
	The Invisible Threat for Personal Safety: Fakes Prevention in Ukraine and Europe Alina Kalinina
	Interdependence Between the State of Crime and the Normative Issues of the Status of Victims of Armed Conflict (On the Example of Ukraine) Alina Kalinina
14:30–14:45	Break
Session III: How To Ensure Freedom Without Losing Security—Legal Aspects And Practical Problems Chair: Inga Kudeikina (Latvia)
14:45–15:35	Child's Right to Maintenance as a Form of Social Security Artūrs Kurbatovs / Inga Kudeikina
	Parental Authority and the Child's Right to Social Security in Cases of Parental Separation Artūrs Kurbatovs / Inga Kudeikina
	Balancing Employee and Employer Rights in the Mutual Termination of Employment: Legal and Data Protection Perspectives in Republic of Latvia Agnese Reine / Dace Tarasova
	Criminological Aspects of Illegal Migration Aldona Kipāne
	Acceptance of Inheritance with Limited Liability – the Problem of Balancing the Rights of Heirs and Creditors Inga Kudeikina
15:35–15:50	Break
Session IV: How To Ensure Freedom Without Losing Security—Legal Aspects And Practical Problems Chair: Inga Kudeikina (Latvia)
15:50–16:50	Biobanks: Balancing Interests for Health Policy Aiga Balode
	Subjects Entitled to Exercise Moral Rights in Copyright Law After the Author's Death Sintija Zalāne
	The Impact of Criminal Law Regulation on the Spread of Infectious Diseases Nataliya Gutorova / Oleksandra Rudnyeva
	Artificial Intelligence and Employment Compliance: Balancing Innovation with Legal Obligations Agnese Reine
	Legal Regulation and Challenges of Patients’ Rights to Receive Safe and Choice-Free Healthcare Services Artūrs Matešs
16:50–17:00	Break
17:00–18:00	Keynote Michał Głowacki, Poland

Poster presentations

Venue: Cafeteria, RSU, 16 Dzirciema iela

10:30–11:00	The Right to Parent-Child Contact as a Form of Social Security Artūrs Kurbatovs / Inga Kudeikina
10:30–11:00	With the Naked Eye – Shortcomings of the Latvian Civil Procedure Law in the Regulation of Procedural Sanctions Martins Osis
12:30–13:30	Social-Psychological Factors Contributing to the Development of the Criminal Personality in Postmodern Society Jeļena Djubina
12:30–13:30	Smuggling of Goods Committed on a Large Scale: Prospects for Improving Criminal Liability Viktoria Babanina / Serhii Cherniavskyi
12:30–13:30	Tax Savings as Criminal Proceeds in Latvian Case Law Liene Eglāja
12:30–13:30	The Legal Regulation of Mineral Extraction in Roman Law Allars Apsītis / Dace Tarasova / Jolanta Dinsberga
15:00–15:30	Application for Temporary Protection – Legal and Practical Aspects of Examination and Decision-Making Jolanta Dinsberga

27 March. Military and Diplomatic Instruments in Sustainable Protection Against Hard and Soft Security Crises in NATO and the European Union. Agenda

Co-conveners: Assoc. Prof. Māris Andžāns & Assoc. Prof. Kārlis Bukovskis

In most of the world countries Russia was not seen as an immediate military threat until 2014 or even 2022. In some it still is not considered as such. Diplomatic instruments and economic engagement were seen as sufficient instruments to deter Russia from violent revision of the international multilateral rule-of-law based global order. Russia’s full-scale attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty has led to accelerated emergence of new dividing lines in the world and thus new global balance of power. It is the aim of this conference section to address the outcomes of the post-2022 world order and the military and diplomatic instruments that are and still need to be applied in securing freedom for the European Union and NATO societies and their democratic partners.

Invited speakers

Una Bērziņa-Čerenkova

Rīga Stradiņš University, Latvia

Svitlana Chunikhina

Institute for Social and Political Psychology NAES of Ukraine

Prof. Sandra Fernandes

University of Minho, Portugal

Assoc. Prof. Olena Sushyi

Institute for Social and Political Psychology NAES of Ukraine

Ieva Birka

University of Latvia

Didzis Kļaviņš

University of Latvia

Agenda

Venue: Senate Hall, RSU, 16 Dzirciema iela

Opening Session Chair: Kārlis Bukovskis (Latvia)
9:00–9:05	Session Opening Karina Palkova, Latvia
9:05–9:20	Minister's Opening Keynote Andris Sprūds, Latvia
9:20–10:45	Opening Panel: Ensuring Security from Kyiv to Rīga and Lisbon Olena Sushyi / Svitlana Chunikhina / Didzis Kļaviņš / Ieva Birka / Una Bērziņa-Čerenkova / Sandra Fernandes
	War, Lies, and Division: How Russian Aggression Affects Ukrainian Society and International Security Olena Sushyi / Svitlana Chunikhina
	Urban Preparedness for Emerging Risks in the Baltic Sea Region: Comparative Insights from Riga, Helsinki, and Hamburg Didzis Kļaviņš / Ieva Birka
	Russia-China Ideological Alignment? Beijing's Three Initiatives Una Bērziņa-Čerenkova
	Portuguese Defense Policy Post-February 2022: Navigating Strategic Autonomy Sandra Fernandes
10:45–11:00	Break
Session II Chair: Kārlis Bukovskis (Latvia)
11:30–12:30	Civic Education as a Countermeasure to Hybrid Threats: The Case of Latvia Ieva Bērziņa
	Why Ukraine Must Win Thomas Cromwell / Tatjana Zakutajeva
	Addressing Climate and Geopolitical Crises in EU Energy Policy: The Securitization Dilemma Vineta Kleinberga
	Hybrid Activities as an Instrument of Foreign Policy in the Context of Russia's Strategic Culture Māris Cepurītis
	Co-Developing the Post-Westphalian Statecraft of the European Union Zane Šime
12:30–13:30	Break
Session III Chair: Kārlis Bukovskis (Latvia)
13:30–15:00	Consciousness Raising Paralyzed: Consequences of Sexual Violence at War Anete Biķe
	Exogenous and Endogenous Crises in European Integration: A Case Study of Climate Change Aleksandra Palkova
	Status Seeking of Small States in the European Union: the Case of Latvia and Its Role in the EU Policy Towards Belarus Following the 2020 Unrest Beāte Livdanska
	New Players in Psychological Resilience Arena: Research Framework for Evaluating the Potential of Private Sector Lita Juberte-Krūmiņa
	Unpacking China’s ‘Community of Shared Future for Mankind’: A Discourse-Historical Perspective on PRC’s Global Governance Narratives Dana Dūda
15:00–15:15	Break
Session IV Chair: Kārlis Bukovskis (Latvia)
15:15–17:30	Political Security and the Role of Political Stability and Parties’ Sustainability in Latvia Amid Geopolitical Tensions Romāns Gagunovs
	The Security Challenge of EU, NATO Cooperation, and Turkey's Role Dilge Özcoşkun
	The Main Drivers and Impediments for Defense Synchronization for the Baltic States 2004–2023 Olevs Nikers
	Consolidation of Security Research in the Baltic States Through Synergies and Collaborations Sandra Vasiļevska
	International and Regional Response on the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine Lela Totadze / Mari Tsulukidze
	The Role of ESA in Small Nations’ Space Efforts Elīna Greine
	The Story of Democratic Resiliency Gustavs Briuks

Poster presentations

Venue: Cafeteria, RSU, 16 Dzirciema iela

10:30–11:00	Academic Freedom in Legal Research Anatolijs Kriviņš
10:30–11:00	Teaching Family Law: Academic Freedom and Religious Beliefs Ergysa Ikonomi
12:30–13:30	The Right to Participate in Public Governance and Its Impact on Decisions Taken at the EU Level Viktorija Soņeca
12:30–13:30	Education and Research in the Western Balkans in the Age of Artificial Intelligence Oljana Hoxhaj / Belinda Halilaj
12:30–13:30	Strengthening Collective Resilience through Citizen Science Ineta Simonaitė
12:30–13:30	Differences in Value Orientations Between Men and Women: Insights from the European Social Survey Round 10 Rasa Indriliūnaitė / Tadas Vadvilavičius

27 March. Media Freedom and the Protection of Journalists and Quality Journalism. Agenda

Convener: Assoc. Prof. Ilva Skulte

Freedom and protection as concepts include a certain contradiction. However, to ensure that media can freely operate to provide audiences with objective information, in contemporary media environment, the level of safety must be increased. The European Media Freedom Act underlines the necessity to protect the quality of journalism, editorial independence, sources, and journalists themselves against, for example, bullying or SLAPP. The development of digital tools and internet communication as well as spreading of political populism puts under pressure

media work in many countries. The introduction of AI not only changes the everyday of journalists but deepens the risks of tendencies such as shrinking of the advertisement market, or disinformation. The panel discusses the latest trends and tendencies in media communication as risks and opportunities in the contemporary media ecosystem of protecting media freedom without limiting freedom of expression.

Agenda

Venue: Room K-201, RSU, 16 Dzirciema iela (in-person only)

Chair: Ilva Skulte (Latvia)
11:00–12:30	Ensuring the Safety of Journalists and Media Freedom in Latvia: Current Challenges and Possible Solutions Anda Rožukalne / Ilva Skulte / Alnis Stakle
	Pluralism in Latvian Language Media Sergei Kruk / Jānis Chakars
	Towards Responsible Media: Understanding the Baltic Countries’ Traits Through the Lens of Transparency and Accountability Analysis Anda Rožukalne / Auksė Balčytienė / Halliki Harro-Loit
	Navigating Media Freedom in the Age of PR and Digital Transformation: The Kristīne Misāne Case Lāsma Šķestere
	Compromised Authenticity? Advertiser Influence on Influencer Editorial Content Deniss Aleksandrs Ševeļovs
	Stalinism and Popular Culture. The Case of Jazz Music in the Soviet Republics of Eastern Europe Riccardo De Cristofano

27 March. Academic Freedom Vs Managerial Security. Agenda

Convener: Assoc. Prof. Klāvs Sedlenieks

In the face of more managerial security, universities all over the world have undergone curtailing of academic freedom either by direct interference of the governments in the researched topics, or by withdrawing funds from certain areas, or through revoking academic autonomy and the introduction of corporate governance principles. The panel asks: is science possible without academic autonomy, and what are the limits and justifiable borders of academic freedom? We also inquire: is it possible to combine academic freedom with public funding, and how?

Agenda

Venue: Room K-201, RSU, 16 Dzirciema iela (in-person only)

Chair: Klāvs Sedlenieks (Latvia)
13:30–14:30	Trapping the Grant Hunter. Fieldnotes on Autonomia, Engagement and Statist De-Activation from an Academic’s Office Marc Morell
	British Anthropology and Post-Colonial Encounter Isak Niehaus
	Academic Freedom and Collective Practices Between Capital and Society Jan Albrecht / Julia Secklehner / Paride Bolletin

27 March. Populist Encounters: Tracing Populist Effects in Non-Traditional Political Spaces. Agenda

Convener: Prof. Rico Isaacs, Visiting Professor and Leader of the Populist Encounters research group at Rīga Stradiņš University

Populism has long migrated from political science debates into mass media and everyday discourses. In the age of digitalisation and mass communications, populist parties, politicians and activists have a greater appeal than ever before in human history. Populism has also become a “fuzzy” term, which often lacks clarity. In the most basic sense, populism refers to ideologies, discourses and practices that frame social interaction in divisive terms as “us”, the people, and them, the corrupt elites.
This panel will seek to explore how populism shapes and informs social relations across a range of political, environmental and cultural fields. While the study of populism has long been siloed within the political sciences, Populist Encounters, seeks to explore fresh interdisciplinary approaches to understand the effects of populism in different political, environmental and cultural sites and therefore would be keen to attract scholars from different disciplinary backgrounds within the social sciences and humanities to understand the far-reaching effects of populism beyond traditional ‘political’ sites.

Agenda

Venue: Room K-201, RSU, 16 Dzirciema iela (in-person only)

Chair: Aijan Sharshenova (Latvia)
15:00–17:00	The Culture Industry, Right-Wing Populism and Conspiratorial Discourse: a case study of Russell Brand Rico Isaacs
	Economic Analysis of Populism: Causes and Consequences Ilze Vilka
	“Ideal Mother”, the Intensive Mothering Ideology and the Demographic Crisis: Parenting Attitudes in Latvia Elza Lāma
	From the “White House” to “Khan Sarai”: Populist Myth-Making in the Contemporary Kyrgyzstan Aijan Sharshenova
	How Do Populist States Engage with the UNFCCC and CBD Negotiations? Qualitative Findings Adam Barnett
	Illiberal Democracy and Populism Pēteris Plakans
	Populism and the Arts: State Funding, Censorship, and Social Movements in the UK, Poland, and Latvia Martin Lang

28 March. Green Transition to Empower "Homo Climaticus". Agenda

Convener: Vineta Kleinberga

While the European Green Deal is the EU’s strategy aimed at decarbonizing the economy while preserving growth, it has the potential to deepen existing inequalities or create new ones. How can we ensure that the EU moves towards climate neutrality in a socially responsible manner? To what extent can individual and collective freedoms be restricted to ensure the future security of the planet? How can we best enable the emergence of “homo climaticus” – an individual for whom climate-friendly choices are the primary considerations – through incentives or regulations? This panel welcomes interdisciplinary contributions to discuss risks and solutions for enhancing socially responsible green transition.

Agenda

Venue: Senate Hall, RSU, 16 Dzirciema iela

Session I Chair: Vineta Kleinberga (Latvia)
9:00–9:10	Opening Remarks Ieva Puzo, Vineta Kleinberga, Latvia
9:10–10:30	Keynote Speech Ed Atkins
10:30–11:00	Break
Session II: Philosophical and Governance Aspects Chair: Vineta Kleinberga (Latvia)
11:00–12:30	Eco-Spiritual or Ethno-National? Reflections on the Interplay Between Ethnic Identity and Environmental Concerns in Modern European Paganism and Japanese Shinto Michael Strmiska
	The Role of Homo Climaticus and Sustainable Healthcare in Shaping European Happiness and Well-Being Indices Kristaps Zariņš / Emīls Georgs Siders
	The Consequences of Ecocide for Public Health (On the Example of Ukraine) Sabriie Shramko
	Energy Poverty in Latvia: Bringing the Gap Towards Sustainability Gunārs Valdmanis / Laila Zemīte / Diāna Žalostība / Dāvis Kroņkalns
	Scenarios for Latvia in Context of the EU Climate Neutrality Objectives: A Document Analysis Kārlis Bukovskis / Lelde Rozentāle
12:30–13:30	Break
Session III: Societal and Individual Aspects Chair: Vineta Kleinberga (Latvia)
13:30–15:15	From Individualized to Shared Responsibility: The Limits and Horizons of Household Responsibility for the Green Transition Kārlis Lakševics / Jānis Brizga
	Rethinking Homo Climaticus Through the Longevity of Household Things Staffan Appelgren / Anna Bohlin
	Social Sustainability in the Circular Economy: An Analysis of Citizen Behaviors and Policy Frameworks in Latvia Ērika Lagzdiņa
	Who Can Discern Homo Climaticus Approaching? Looking at Generational Differences in Perceiving Climate Change in Latvia Agita Lūse / Zanda Gailume-Zohara
	Energy Transition Landscapes without Wind Turbines. Popular Protests in Sardinia and the Commitment of Permaculturists Maria Giovanna Cassa
	Adaptation Strategies to Energy Poverty: A Homo Climaticus Perspective Dina Bite
15:15–15:45	Break
Session IV: Business Aspects Chair: Vineta Kleinberga (Latvia)
15:45–17:30	Mitigating the Effects of Climate Change: Business or Individual Responsibility and Interactions in Latvia Kristīne Blumfelde-Rutka
	Expertise in Sustainable Entrepreneurship in the Latvian Manufacturing Industry Lāsma Tiunčika / Santa Bormane
	Ensuring Sustainability in Healthcare: Latvian Hospitals and the 2026 Corporate Sustainability Reporting Requirements Emīls Georgs Siders / Kristaps Zariņš
	Socially Responsible Green Transition: Sustainable and Socially Responsible Business Model for the Public Sector Hospitals Olga Veilande
	Sustainable Packaging Indicators – A Literature Review Laura Martinsone-Ozoliņa
	Concluding Remarks Vineta Kleinberga

Poster presentations

Venue: Cafeteria, RSU, 16 Dzirciema iela

10:30–11:00	Shaping European Sports Law: Integrating Governance Standards with Lex Sportiva Principles Marina Kameņecka-Usova / Jānis Žīdens / Signe Luika / Olena Agapova / Laine Donāne / Ieva Stečenko / Ričards Griķis
10:30–11:00	Building Bridges Through Sports Diplomacy: Advancing International Cooperation and Legal Integrity Marina Kameņecka-Usova / Maxym Tkalych
12:30–13:30	RAPEX System: The Role in Albanian Consumer Protection Belinda Halilaj / Oljana Hoxhaj
12:30–13:30	Enhancing Academic Writing and Data Literacy: Challenges Faced by First-Year Social Sciences Students Sniedze Vilde / Anna Jurčenko
12:30–13:30	Towards Sustainability: Factors Driving Green Business Transition of SMEs in Latvia Līga Sileniece / Dzintra Atstāja

28 March. Autonomy, Bodily Agency and the Collective Good: Perspectives from Medical Humanities. Agenda

Convener: Asst. Prof. Māra Grīnfelde

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the tension between individual freedoms and collective security, raising both ethical questions regarding individual autonomy versus collective well-being and conceptual questions about the understanding of individual autonomy and the role that bodily agency plays in it. This panel aims to address both conceptual issues connected to the understanding of autonomy and concrete examples from health care, public health policy, and biomedical research where the tension between autonomy and security (individual or collective) emerges. The possible topics include but are not limited to: the problematization of the concept of autonomy; the role of patient autonomy in health crises; the impact of new medical technologies on individual autonomy; privacy concerns related to the use of health data and surveillance technologies; the balancing of individual rights and mandatory health measures. The panel invites interdisciplinary discussions that address these issues from philosophical, ethical, sociological, and medical perspectives.

Agenda

Venue: Room K-201, RSU, 16 Dzirciema iela (in-person only)

Session I Chair: Māra Grīnfelde, Uldis Vēgners (Latvia)
11:00–12:30	Suspended Lives: Temporality, Agency, and the Ethics of Care in Later Life Anna Žabicka, Latvia
	More-than-Human Care: Relationality and Bodily Autonomy in Latvian Sauna Rituals Jana Kukaine / Anne Sauka
	Threat to Embodied Agency and Vaccine Hesitancy Uldis Vēgners
	Phenomenology’s Contribution to Public Health: An Embodied Perspective on Adherence to Preventive Health Measures Māra Grīnfelde
	Collective Embodied Experience of Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Latvia Andrejs Balodis
	Breaking Functional Imperatives: Excorporation in Chronic Fatigue and Pain Ginta Vēja
12:30–13:30	Break
Session II Chair: Andrejs Balodis, Māra Grīnfelde (Latvia)
13:30–15:00	When Your Patient Is a Jehovah's Witness. Body Autonomy and Refusal of Medical Treatment in a Religious Community Agita Misāne
	The Challenges of Balancing the Right of Patient to Express His or Her Religious Beliefs During Medical Treatment with the Physicians’ Duty to Respect Patients’ Right to Self-Determination Laura Šāberte
	To Be or not to Be: Agency and Resilience of Early Career General Practitioners Inguna Potetinova
	State, Reproduction, and Morality: Examining Attitudes Towards Infertility and Medically Assisted Reproduction in Latvia Diāna Kiščenko
	Safe Use of Everyday Mobile Applications for Providing Telemedicine Services Rafaels Ciekurs
	Minors in Medical Decision Making Jonada Zyberaj

28 March. Aligning Micro- and Macro-Level Expectations Towards Food. Agenda

Convener: Prof. Dr. soc. Miķelis Grīviņš

Food intertwines with our daily lives in multiple ways: it is linked to health, culture, economic activity, the environment surrounding us, recreational activities, comfort, security, and many other domains. Food links deep individual experiences (such as social bounds created by shared memories of dishes or care expressed through sharing of self-grown veggies, etc.) with impactful macro-level processes (such as the growing spread of non-communicable diseases facilitated by unbalanced diets, rapid biodiversity loss caused by unsustainable farming practices, etc.). Thus, local and global food systems are a crucial part of the well-being of society.

It can be expected that during the next decades, countless changes will be introduced in the ways we produce, distribute and consume food. Having a better understanding of micro, mezzo and macro processes taking place in the food systems and the ways food systems are linked to local contexts is crucial to ensure that different roles of food production and consumption are considered when governing these changes. This section of the PLACES conference will debate different aspects of food production and consumption, including:

• The cultural roles of food production and consumption;
• The diverse interlinkages between social structures, health, environment, economy, and consumption practices;
• The challenges and opportunities faced by local and global food systems;
• New governance models and policy interventions supporting more responsible food circulation.

Agenda

Venue: Room K-201, RSU, 16 Dzirciema iela (in-person only)

Chair: Miķelis Grīviņš (Latvia)
15:30–17:00	Family Food Practices in Latvia: Insights from a Multidimensional Perspective Jānis Šabanovs
	Control or Go with the Flow: Latvian Rural Youth Navigating Plates Between Places Ilze Mileiko
	The Necessity of Additional Labeling for High-Sugar Content Food Products: Legal and Public Health Perspectives Linda Šarķe / Andreta Slavinska
	Enhancing Confidence in Food Security in an Era of Uncertainty: The Global Significance of Food Self-Provisioning Fangliang Wan
	Health-Driven and Digitally-Enhanced Sustainability in Food Systems: The Case of Spain Maija Kāle / Ana Juan García
	Food-Self Provisioning: Alternative Food Solutions with a Micro-Level Huidi Ma

Side Events

25 March. Guest lecture: Rosemary Foot, Professor and Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford. "China at the United Nations"

Venue: RSU, 9c Kuldīgas iela, room A-112

March 25 at 10:00-13:15: guest lecture featuring a presentation of Prof. Rosemary Foot's recent edited publication (co-edited with Sebastian Haug and Max-Otto Baumann), "Power Shifts in International Organisations: China at the United Nations", Special Issue of Global Policy 15,(suppl. 2), May 2024, available open access at onlinelibrary.wiley.com.

Read more

26 March. Roundtable discussion: "Networks in Motion: Mobility, Digital Platforms, and Human Relations"

Venue: RSU, 21 Konsula iela, room 305 (on-site only)

On March 26 at 15:30-16:30, a roundtable discussion will take place on the intersection of mobility, human relations, and digital platforms. The event is organised in collaboration with non-governmental organisations focused on professional networking and specialists in digital platforms.

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* The project No. 5.2.1.1.i.0/2/24/I/CFLA/055 ‘RSU internal and RSU with LASE external consolidation’ is financed by the investment of the European Union Recovery and Resilience Facility and the state budget. Project ‘(R)E-TIES: Managing mobility and human relations in digitally saturated social worlds’, No RSU-PAG-2024/1-0017.

International Scientific Committee

• Assoc. Prof. Kārlis Bukovskis, Leading Researcher, RSU, Latvia
• Assoc. Prof. Ilva Skulte, RSU, Latvia
• Prof. Dr. soc. Miķelis Grīviņš, RSU, Latvia
• Assoc. Prof. Klāvs Sedlenieks, RSU, Latvia
• Assoc. Prof. Romāns Putāns, RSU, Latvia
• Assoc. Prof. Inga Kudeikina, RSU, Latvia
• Prof. Anda Rožukalne, RSU, Latvia
• Prof. Zrinjka Peruško, Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb, Croatia
• Assoc. Prof. Karina Palkova, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Leading Researcher, RSU, Latvia
• Dr. Ieva Puzo, Director of the Social Sciences Research Centre, Leading Researcher, RSU, Latvia
• Asst. Prof. Māra Grīnfelde, Leading Researcher, RSU, Latvia
• Vineta Kleinberga, Researcher, RSU, Latvia