ECMI Infochannel

A new study by ECMI Senior Researcher Felix Schulte, together with Matthias Scantamburlo (University of Deusto) and Maria Ackrén (Ilisimatusarfik/University of Greenland), examines why independence movements emerge at specific points in time. The authors test the causal role of two events: the banking crisis in the Faroe Islands in 1992 and the 2010 decision of the Spanish Constitutional Court on the Catalan Statute of Autonomy.

At the ECMI we consider it a very important part of our mission to offer young scholars an opportunity to experience international research and project work. Hosting interns is considered part of our educational work, and we strive to provide opportunities to expand their academic knowledge and to fine-tune their research skills.

We are delighted to welcome our two new interns to the Conflict & Security Cluster!

Lea Lamade is completing her bachelor’s degree in Educational Science, History, and Mathematics at Europa-Universität Flensburg. She brings international experience from Denmark and South Korea, and has been actively engaged in minority history research as well as in the local Model United Nations community.

Ann-Sophie is pursuing a double bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Sociology at Heidelberg University. She studied abroad in Tokyo and focuses on peace and conflict studies, conflict resolution, and the role of minorities in divided societies.

We are excited to have both of them on board and look forward to their contributions in the months ahead!

In this interview, Dr. Kyriaki Topidi explains why researching the role of national minority women matters, especially in today’s anti-gender climate. She highlights research outputs at the ECMI that enhance our knowledge on the role of these women in contemporary societies, including the recent volume on Minority Women, Rights and Intersectionality (Routledge, 2025) that includes her own contribution on Sámi women’s digital self-representation. The chapter shows in particular how minority women use online spaces to challenge colonial legacies and build Indigenous solidarity. Dr. Topidi also discusses the practical and ethical challenges of applying intersectionality in policy research and emphasizes the need for context-sensitive approaches. Finally, she shares how books like this have become essential within the Routledge Advances in Minority Studies book series, that strives for an interdisciplinary and global outlook.