The Centre for Advanced Study Sofia (CAS), in partnership with the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), is pleased to announce this year’s Summer Institute for the Study of East Central and Southeastern Europe (SISECSE). CAS and ACLS will convene leading scholars from Eastern Europe and North America for a two-week residency in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria from 5 June 2025 to 20 June 2025.

In 2025, discussions will explore “Epistemic Mistrust: Authorship, Credibility, and Knowledge Production.” Whether in times of crisis and war, or times of peace and stability, who do we trust to tell the truth? Whose stories do we listen to? With a growing lack of trust in traditional sources of knowledge—including suspicion of academic institutions—public confidence in the value of research is eroding. Nevertheless, humanistic approaches are essential for fostering critical thinking and promoting interdisciplinary dialogue. Participants will consider diverse questions: how can scholars in the humanities or interpretive social sciences help cultivate a more nuanced understanding of truth? How can we enhance the relevance and accessibility of academic research? How can we make the process of knowledge production and dissemination more inclusive?

This program is made possible thanks to a generous donation by Carl and Betty Pforzheimer.