The European Union has been through a turbulent year and more challenges lurk in the years ahead. Numerous crises in both the EU neighbourhood (the war in Syria, refugees, the conflict in Ukraine) and within the Union (financial, political, Brexit, etc.) put into question Europe’s role as a major global power. Also, the growing assertiveness of the Central European countries within the Union, particularly the rising role of Poland, presents various opportunities and risks.

While the EU re-evaluates its international position and role, experts and academics contribute to this process by offering insights on how they perceive Europe in this time of crises. Moreover, voices from outside the EU and Europe are key in this debate and process.The Polish Quarterly of International Affairs, PISM’s English-language, peer-reviewed and policy-oriented journal, wishes to contribute to this effort with an open call for papers or articles addressing the issue of the perception of Europe beyond its borders, or how do non-Europeans see the continent’s challenges and perceive its current standing and its future. We want to go beyond the “old” continent to seek out new perspectives and viewpoints.In particular, we would welcome submissions on the following issues:

·National or regional views of the EU, its current shape and its future role in international relations or in a given part/region of the world;

·European attitude towards regional and global challenges such as the refugee crisis, war in Syria, the conflict in Ukraine and troubled relations with Russia, climate change, terrorism, etc.;

·Internal challenges to the European integration process (financial crisis, Grexit, Brexit, populism, crisis of European multiculturalism);

·Perception of regional players in Central Europe with a special focus on Poland and/or the Visegrad Group.

We are looking for expert and/or academic contributions of 4,000 words or longer. The deadline to submit articles for this special issue is 15 May 2016. Please find attached the basic PISM style guide that authors must follow at the pre-submission stage. Please send your articles or direct any questions you might have to the managing editor of theThe Polish Quarterly of International Affairs, Kacper Rekawek, at rekawek@pism.pl.

We look forward to hearing from you and receiving your contribution toThe Polish Quarterly of International Affairs, an exciting and growing journal helping to shape the debate on international and global issues.