Dynamics of Property Change in Eastern Europe: Land Reforms, Expropriations and Restitutions in Political, Economic, Ecological, and Social Transformation Processes

Property relations are not merely the economic foundation, but also a fundamental social, political, and ideological problem of societies and states. They also shape cultural frameworks. Changes in property ownership serve both as catalysts and indicators of political and social transformation. This is particularly evident in Eastern Europe during the "Age of Extremes" (Hobsbawm), where land reforms, expropriations, and restitutions have marked the various phases of transition from one political and social system to another.

The DGO Annual Conference aims to discuss the dynamics of property relations from a historical perspective, considering their long-term consequences and adopting a comparative approach, beyond the narrower legal and economic history. It seeks to address this research gap and invites approximately 15 speakers, who may also contribute to a subsequent joint publication. Possible core themes of discussion include:

a) Temporalities: What is the temporal relationship between property change and political or social transformation? Did ownership change trigger broader transitions, or did it follow them? Can we identify patterns of causation and delayed effects?

b) Property change in times of crisis and war: How did transformations in property ownership unfold during wars, revolutions, and economic crises? What strategies did individuals and groups develop to protect or reclaim property? What role did transitional justice and restitution measures play after regime changes?

c) Policies of property transformation: How did political and social transformations shape policies regarding property change? To what extent did such policies accelerate broader societal changes?

d) Legal and institutional dimensions: How have legal frameworks and institutions structured property changes? To what extent were new property regimes stabilized or challenged through legal reforms, court rulings, or administrative practices? Were there informal or alternative ownership structures beyond state-defined property regimes?

e) Property change and inequality: How did shifts in ownership affect economic disparities? Who benefits from property reforms, and who loses? What is the mutual relationship between property change and ethnic and religious majorities and minorities? Can specific national or ethnic groups be identified as primary targets of property redistribution, and were they strengthened or weakened by these processes?
f) Property and gender: How did legal reforms, regime changes, and codifications (e.g., marriage law, inheritance law, property law, procedural law) affect women’s and marginalized gender groups’ access to property in Eastern Europe? In which historical conjunctures were women excluded from property ownership, and when were they empowered? What role did family structures and social norms play in regulating female property rights?

g) Migration and property change: Were there specific social groups (e.g., smallholders, ethnic minorities) particularly affected by migration due to property changes? How did remittances or the return of migrants influence property ownership in their regions of origin?

h) Experience and memory of property change: How did the experience of property transformation shape societies? How do societies and individuals remember changes in ownership? Is property change part of cultural memory and historical narratives?

i) Ecological aspects of property change: How did property transformations affect land use through nationalization or privatization? What environmental consequences arose from industrialization and deindustrialization? How do property rights intersect with environmental protection? How was resource management affected in regions with large state-owned or collective enterprises?

This conference aims to foster a broad and interdisciplinary discussion of property transformations in Eastern Europe, examining their multifaceted implications from a comparative and historical perspective.