Institute of International Relations and Political Science, Vilnius University | VU TSPMI

A new research project, "Investigating Good Governance in the Context of Authoritarian Consolidation: The Case of Belarus (InGAC)", launches at the Institute. The project, co-funded by the European Union, is led by the IIRPS VU researcher Dr Tatsiana Chulitskaya, with Natallia Rabava and other scholars participating in the research. The project aims to determine how the institutes and principles of good governance are transforming to ensure the viability of the Belarusian regime. The manifestations of such changes will be examined in three areas: public administration, public finance, and environmental governance. Additionally, the project is set to contribute to the academic and policy debate on the transformation of good governance principles in consolidating autocracies and how this transformation may affect the public administration system and future democratic reforms. Find out more about the project: https://bit.ly/428cpZl.

The IIRPS VU has joined The Belarus Research Network on the Neighbourhood Policy, organised by an international consortium and financed by the Nordic Council of Ministers! The project aims to produce facts-based debate on relevant topics for the development and understanding of Belarus; inform policymakers on key policy issues of importance to Belarus; inform a wider audience about the developments in Belarus and ensure that a democratic Belarus remains on the regional agenda; establish a network of experts on Belarus across the Nordic and Baltic countries; bring researchers from Belarus into the regional context and ensure equal partnership between Belarusian, Nordic and Baltic research communities. The project at Vilnius University will be led by the IIRPS VU researcher Dr Tatsiana Chulitskaya. During the project, the IIRPS VU will host a public discussion and networking event to present the Network and the Expert database, share the research results, and discuss the situation in Belarus. Also, bimonthly reviews, engaging the project experts, other researchers, and policymakers, will be published. Find out more about the project here: https://bit.ly/4j28cwx.

How did the sexual education and other expert texts produced in late socialist Lithuanian SSR promote ideas of gender complementarity and difference? How were these ideas intertwined with homophobic rhetoric? Find out in the most recent publication of IIRPS VU researcher Dr Rasa Navickaitė: https://bit.ly/3Wb2YVd

A recent study, co-authored by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vytautas Kuokštis, examines the impact of institutional innovations for FinTech regulation in the Baltic states. Financial regulators are increasingly turning to regulatory sandboxes and innovation hubs to address the dilemmas posed by the growth of the FinTech industry. While these solutions are popular, knowledge of their actual impact has so far remained limited. Read the full publication here: https://bit.ly/402Yzom

Research Ethics Compliance Committee launches at the IIRPS VU!💡 The Committee aims to protect human research subjects' rights, dignity and well-being and minimise the risk of harm to research participants and the researchers themselves. The Committee will assess the compliance of planned research with research ethics requirements, assist researchers in the planning of their research in accordance with ethical principles, and provide advice and methodological support. Applying to the committee is voluntary. More about how the Committee works: https://lnkd.in/dNuJUKtw If you have any questions, please contact the Committee at amtek@tspmi.vu.lt.

In his postdoctoral fellowship project at the Institute, Dr. Vainius Bartasevičius tried to determine how individual conceptions of national identity shape people’s attitudes towards immigration in Europe. The project involved a meta-analysis of the academic literature in this field, and a study of the attitudes of people living in Central and Eastern European countries as well as immigrants across Europe.📚 Find out more about the key insights and main challenges of the project “What determines people’s attitudes towards immigration? The role of national identity” in the post!🌟 This project has received funding from the Research Council of Lithuania (LMTLT), agreement No. S-PD-22-89.

🌍Exciting News! Applications for ARQUS European Studies programme are now open!🌍 Dreaming of broadening your horizons and diving into European Studies? The ARQUS Alliance offers a unique opportunity to deepen your knowledge, connect with peers across Europe, and shape your future in a globalized world. Don’t miss your chance! Apply now and take the first step towards an unforgettable academic journey. 👉 For more information, visit https://bit.ly/ARQUS-EU

The latest publication by the Institute’s researcher Dr Mariusz Antonowicz attempts to assess the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the Lithuanian-Russian border. Using the framework of securitization, he identifies three developments: Lithuania's pursuit of the hardening of the Russian-Lithuanian border and fencing away from the Kaliningrad district, the undermining of the hardening of border with Russia by external actors, and the failure to implement the rigid regime on the frontier due to disagreements in Lithuania's internal politics. Read the full publication here: https://bit.ly/4fbCc5W

📣The latest publication of the European Commission's Scientific Advice Mechanism features a contribution from the Institute's researcher Dr. Florian Rabitz.     In this report, scientists are looking for the best ways to regulate the development of solar geoengineering and how to tackle the risks it poses. According to Politico, the report marks the first time the European Commission has been given specific scientific advice on the matter. The researchers recommend that the Commission temporarily suspend the use of solar radiation modification technologies in the fight against climate change in the European Union, and that the same restrictions be sought globally.     Established in 2015, Scientific Advice Mechanism provides independent scientific evidence and policy recommendations on any subject of major importance at the request of the College of Commissioners.    🔗Read the report: https://lnkd.in/e3Q2jqGa    🔗The report in media: https://lnkd.in/dRuxUCTD 

📣Get ready for another session of the Annual Lithuanian Political Science Conference “Contemporary Media and Political Health: Discourses, Deviations, and Digital Threats”, which will take place on the 6th of December, 14:45-16:15! (The session will be held in English)   Four presentations will be given during the session, including:    📌Artsiom Semezh “Discourse of Political Leadership in Belarusian and Western Media 2020-2023: The Case of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko” (Institute of Political studies “Political Sphere”, Vytautas Magnus University) 📌Desiree Winns “Saturday Night Doppelgangers: The Role of Parody in American and Lithuanian Elections” (Vilnius University)  📌Auksė Balčytienė, Rūta Kupetytė, Giedrė Plepytė-Davidavičienė, Renata Šukaitytė-Coenen “Media uses in Contemporary Society and Deviations from the Repertoire of Traditional Media Consumption: What Do the Numbers Show?” (Vytautas Magnus University, Vilnius University)  📌Ignas Kalpokas “Are synthetic products bad for political health? A framework for classifying Artificial Intelligence threats” (Vytautas Magnus University)    Moderator of the session: Jūratė Kavaliauskaitė (Vilnius University)    🔗Read the programme here: https://lnkd.in/dJAZdhz2    🔗Registration: https://lnkd.in/d9u_TDzQ     See you on 5-6 December!