ECMI Researchers Present at International Colloquium in Chișinău

Last week, ECMI Director Vello Pettai and Senior Researcher Felix Schulte presented their recent research at the ISPA RC Politics and Ethnicity Colloquium, held at Moldova State University from May 28-31, 2024. This event brought together scholars to discuss various issues related to politics and ethnicity.

Vello Pettai’s presentation addressed the geopolitical implications of ending Russian-language education in Estonia and Latvia, examining the broader impacts of this policy shift on regional stability and ethnic relations. Felix Schulte presented a paper titled “Escalation Periods in Ethnic Conflicts: Trigger Events and Collective Emotions,” which explored how specific events can ignite and escalate ethnic conflicts. In collaboration with Elena Cuijuclu, Felix also discussed sub-state autocratization in Gagauzia, offering insights into local governance and autonomy.

The colloquium included a field trip to the autonomous region of Gagauzia, providing participants with firsthand observations and a better understanding of the region's dynamics.

In addition to their presentations, the ECMI team met with representatives from the OSCE, the NGO "MilleniuM" Training and Development Institute, and Aliona Grossu from the Jewish Community Center, who is also a member of the ECMI advisory council. These meetings focused on discussing the situation of national minorities in Moldova.

For more information about the event and its agenda, please visit the ISPA RC Colloquium's official page.