RC5: Sovereignty, Security & Order

Coordinator: Prof. Eiki Berg

This research cluster analyses the changing dynamics of contested states and disputed sovereignties in areas where EU and Russia’s identities/interests are perceived as incompatible. In the light of Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence and the Georgian-Russian war it raises questions whether international norms of sovereignty and territorial integrity have changed and led to any systemic-level shifts? Moreover, it would be important to inquire how do secessionist entities legitimize their demand for independence: do they emphasize national self-determination and alleged human rights violations, do they stress values such as democracy, or do they simply seek powerful allies? Finally, how sustainable are secessionist entities in EU and Russia common neighbourhood and to what extent does this sustainability depend on the support of a new emerging security environment where EU and Russia are supposed to coordinate their activities?

Researchers associated: Raul Toomla, Roman Tskhovrebadze

Activities in 2011/2012:

Activities of the research cluster have included the organisation and chairing by Prof. Eiki Berg of a panel at the ECPR General Conference in Reykjavik, 25-27 August 2011. The panel was entitled „Contested States and Disputed Sovereignties.”  For more information, please visit the Conference website. Together with the research cluster 1 “Democracy & Governance” (Prof. Viacheslav Morozov) and the Higher School of Economics in Moscow, Prof. Eiki Berg organized the  Summer School  on “Transformation of Modern Statehood: Sovereignty, Nationhood and Democracy in the Contemporary World” in Kääriku, Estonia, from May 29- June 4, 2011.
For more details, please see the report.

A second joint Winter School entitled “Transformation of Modern Statehood: Sovereignty, Memory, Identity” was organized over the course of autumn 2011 and took place in February 2012 again in Kääriku, Estonia.
For more details  see the report.

In February 2012 Prof Eiki Berg has been awarded the 2012 Estonian National Science Award in the Social Sciences by the Estonian Government for his outstanding research on “Identities, Conflictual Self-Determination and De Facto States.” For further details see here.