E16_Russia`s War against Ukraine: Where are We Now? Mangott & Grieveson

The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine entered its 3rd year and an end still seems to be far away. While the destruction of infrastructure is ongoing, millions of people were forced to flee, the population is traumatized and, on the battlefield, there seems to be a stalemate. Yet, the EU - countries are still voicing their support for Ukraine. However, in the US the narrative is slowly shifting towards the necessity of entering negotiations in light of US elections later this year. On the other hand, the sanctions regime is still upheld and, at least in the short-term, the expected results have not materialized. How could an end to the war look like? Who could be negotiating considering Russia still didn`t abandon its maximalist demands. What role has the so-called global South and how is the economic relationship between Russia and China developing? What does the destruction and the loss of population mean in the long-term for Ukrainian economy and what role does the EU-perspective man in this context? With the global shift of attention towards the war of Israel against Hamas in Gaza, is peace still possible in Ukraine?

Guests:

Gerhard Mangott is Professor of Political Science at the Department of Political Science at the University of Innsbruck since October 2015. Specialization on International Relations and Security in the Post-Soviet region. He is scientific Adviser on Post-Soviet Affairs at the Austrian Institute for International Affairs (OIIP) in Vienna February 2009-2015 October and from1991–June 2008 served as Permanent and Senior Research Fellow on Eastern Europe and the former USSR at the Austrian Institute for International Affairs (OIIP) in Vienna. He is also a Lecturer at the Diplomatic Academy in Vienna since 1995 and a Lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences in Vienna since 2004.

Richard Grieveson is Deputy Director at the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw) and a member of the Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group (BiEPAG). He coordinates wiiw’s analysis and forecasting of Central, East and Southeast Europe. In addition, he works on European policy analysis, European integration, EU enlargement, economic history, and political economy. He holds degrees from the universities of Cambridge, Vienna and Birkbeck. Previously he worked as a Director in the Emerging Europe Sovereigns team at Fitch Ratings and Regional Manager in the Europe team at the Economist Intelligence Unit.

Moderation:

Stephanie Fenkart, IIP Director.

The episode was recorded on 27 March 2024.

E15_Humanitäre Hilfe und Außenpolitik in Zeiten von Krieg. Bayr & Wank

Diese Folge wurde am 24.2.2024 aufgezeichnet.

Der zweite Jahrestag der sogenannten „Zeitenwende“, die Rückkehr eines konventionellen Krieges auf europäischen Boden und die damit verbundenen humanitären Folgen, Millionen Flüchtlinge, eine traumatisierte Bevölkerung stellen die Außenpolitik europäischer Staaten und die humanitäre Hilfe im Allgemeinen vor große Herausforderungen. Dazu kommen Kriege im Jemen, im Sudan, in Äthiopien, in Syrien, der Krieg gegen die Hamas in Gaza aber auch die Folgen der Klimakrise, Migration sowie Cyberkriminalität und Gesundheit. Während sich die humanitäre Hilfe schon seit längerem mit der Wechselwirkung von Entwicklung, humanitärer Hilfe und Frieden beschäftigt, hat sich der Diskurs in der europäischen, aber auch österreichischen Außenpolitik zunehmend auf das Militärische verschoben. Insbesondere das neutrale Österreich, das als EU-Mitgliedsland der Gemeinsamen Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik verpflichtet ist, versucht seine außenpolitische Rolle zu revitalisieren und sich auch mit nicht-militärischen Mitteln an der Stärkung Europas Sicherheit zu beteiligen. Die Humanitäre Hilfe ist ein Teilbereich in welchem Österreich aktiv sein kann, die Vermittlerrolle in Konflikten wäre ein weiterer. Wie hat sich die österreichische Außenpolitik in den letzten zwei Jahren verändert? Was bedeuten die zunehmenden Krisen für die Bedeutung der humanitären Hilfe und welche Rollen kommen Frauen in der Außenpolitik, aber auch in der Projektgestaltung im humanitären oder entwicklungspolitischen Bereich zu? Diese und andere Fragen diskutiert die Direktorin des IIP, Stephanie Fenkart mit Lukas Wank, Geschäftsführer der AG Globale Verantwortung und Penny Bayr, Bereichssprecherin für globale Entwicklung und Außenpolitik der SPÖ.

Gäste:

Penny Bayr, Abgeordnete zum Österreichischen Nationalrat und Bereichssprecherin für globale Entwicklung und Außenpolitik der SPÖ. Sie ist unter anderem. auch Mitglied des Bundesvorstandes der SPÖ Frauen, stv. Vorsitzende der Wiener SPÖ Frauen und Vorsitzende der AWEPA Sektion Österreich (European Parliamentarians with Africa).

Lukas Wank ist Geschäftsführer der AG Globale Verantwortung, des Dachverbands von österreichischen Nichtregierungsorganisationen, die in der Entwicklungszusammenarbeit, entwicklungspolitischen Inlandsarbeit und Bildung, Humanitären Hilfe sowie international in der sozialen, wirtschaftlichen und ökologischen Entwicklung tätig sind.

Moderation:

Stephanie Fenkart, Direktorin am IIP.

E14_Adjusting to a Changing Global Order: The United Nations and International Law. Kane & Janik

The episode was recorded on 29 January 2024.

In this episode, we discuss the changing international order and areas where these changes appear the most consequential. We talk about the potential role of the UN in a multipolar international system and why it remains an important global actor despite the ongoing stalemate in the Security Council. We also look at international human rights and humanitarian law from a legal perspective, delving into the political interpretations that human rights are subject to in different national contexts. The discussion highlights China in particular, as both its global ambitions and its reluctance to act in certain conflicts have a significant bearing on the wider world. We also turn to the war in Gaza, discussing the recent ruling by the International Court of Justice on the genocide case against Israel, and we also consider the implications of the changing global order for the EU. Providing a wide survey of ongoing geopolitical developments, this episode seeks to underscore the consequences of an evolving international system.

Guests:

Angela Kane assumed the position of Vice President of the IIP in 2016. She holds a number of other functions: Visiting Professor and Member of the Strategic Committee at the Paris School of International Affairs (SciencesPo), Visiting Professor at the Tsinghua University Schwarzman Scholars in Beijing, and Chair of the United Nations University Council. She is also a Senior Fellow at the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation. Kane has served in many positions during her career at the United Nations. Until mid-2015, she served as the United Nations High Representative for Disarmament Affairs. Between May 2008 and 2012, she was Under-Secretary-General for Management. She served twice in the Department for Political Affairs, as Assistant Secretary-General and previously as Director. She supported several special political missions in Iraq, Nepal and the Middle East, and established the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala. Her field experience includes Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), a special assignment to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and multi-year postings in Indonesia and Thailand.

Ralph Janik teaches international law at Sigmund Freud Private University Vienna, the University of Vienna, Andrassy University Budapest, and Universität der Bundeswehr München. His research focuses on armed conflicts, human rights, and the interplay of international law and international relations. He studied law and political science at the University of Vienna and the Universidad Alcalá de Henares (Madrid), followed by an LL.M. in European and International Law at the University of Amsterdam.

Moderation:

Marylia Hushcha, Researcher and Project Manager at the IIP

E13_South Caucasus_3. Georgia at a Crossroads: Looking East or West? Meister & Akhvlediani

Georgia has long been one of the most eager EU-aspirant countries in the European Neighborhood. It has, however, faced a significant setback as a result of an authoritarian turn under its current government – led by the Georgian Dream party. Putting forward twelve conditions related to democracy and the rule of law for the country, the EU only granted Georgia a membership “perspective” in 2022, even while Moldova and Ukraine received official candidate status. The European Commission (and subsequently the European Council) did eventually grant Georgia candidate status in 2023. However, progress on deoligarchization, political depolarization, media freedom, and rule of law matters remains to be seen – and may depend on whether the Georgian government is as committed to EU integration as the country’s population. We start our discussion with an assessment of Georgia’s EU’s integration process and then move on to other topics relevant to Georgia’s geopolitical orientation, including Russia’s role in its economy and security, the protracted conflicts with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Tbilisi’s relations with Beijing, as along with the country’s economic and transit potential (as well as bottlenecks), given its location at a geographical (and political) crossroads between Asia and Europe.

Guests:

Stefan Meister is Head of the Center for Order and Governance in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP). From 2019 until 2021, he worked as director of the Heinrich Böll Foundation’s South Caucasus Office.

From 2017 to 2019, Meister was head of the Robert Bosch Center for Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia at DGAP. Before that, he was a senior policy fellow in the Wider Europe Team at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) in Berlin and London. In the 2015/16 term, Meister was a visiting fellow at the Transatlantic Academy in Washington, DC, where he wrote on Russian disinformation and propaganda. He has served as an election observer for the OSCE in post-Soviet countries several times and worked on conflict transformation and institution building in post-Soviet countries.

Stefan Meister is co-author of Geopolitics and Security: A New Strategy for the South Caucasus (KAS/DGAP/GIP, 2018), The Russia File (Brookings, 2018), Eastern Voices (Center for Transatlantic Relations/DGAP, 2017), and The Eastern Question (Brookings, 2016). 

Tinatin Akhvlediani is a Research Fellow in the EU Foreign Policy Unit at the Center for European Policy Studies (CEPS), specializing in the EU’s enlargement, neighborhood, and trade policies. Her regional expertise is focused on the EU’s Eastern neighborhood and Ukraine. She has published extensively in these areas, actively engages in high-level policy debates, and frequently offers insights through major media outlets, including BBC, Euronews, and Bloomberg. In 2023, she was recognized among the most prominent and promising women in the EU and in 2020, she earned a place on Forbes Georgia’s “30 Under 30” list.

Tinatin Akhvlediani teaches European Economic Integration at the International School of Economics at Tbilisi State University (ISET). Additionally, she maintains affiliations with several major think tanks in Georgia and frequently provides expert commentary on major Georgian TV channels. She holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Warsaw.

Moderation:

Marylia Hushcha, Researcher and Project Manager at the IIP

The episode was recorded on 28 November 2023.

E12_South Caucasus_2. Turkey and Russia as Regional Powers. Aydin & Krivosheev

A new power balance is emerging in the South Caucasus – especially visible after the Second Karabakh War – whereby Turkey and Russia are simultaneously competing and cooperating in the region. Turkey is Azerbaijan’s staunchest ally and has assisted it militarily in its war effort. Russia, on the other hand, spearheads the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), in which Armenia is a member. However, Moscow has been ambiguous about its support for Yerevan in the conflict with Baku, refusing to back Yerevan militarily in the Second Karabakh War in 2020 and the subsequent Azerbaijani offensives in 2021-2023. With the exodus of Karabakh Armenians in September after Baku’s complete takeover of the territory, Russia’s peacekeeping force stationed in the region has been rendered meaningless. But will Russian forces leave the region? Will Turkey normalize its relations with Armenia now that Azerbaijan has all of Nagorno-Karabakh under its control? What kind of involvement might Russia have in the establishment of a route through Armenia to Nakhichevan? What interest does Turkey have in transport connections in the region? In this episode, we discuss these and other motivations for the continued involvement of Turkey and Russia in the South Caucasus.

Guests:

Mustafa Aydın is a Professor of International Relations at Kadir Has University (Istanbul), and the President of International Relations Council of Turkey. Previously, he worked at Ankara University and Economy and Technology University, and was the Rector of Kadir Has University between 2010 and 2018. Professor Aydın was guest researcher and/or lecturer at Michigan, Harvard, and Athens universities, as well as at Richardson Institute for Peace Studies, the EU Institute for Security Studies and the Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen.

He was member of Economy and Foreign Policy Study Group of the President of Turkey (2003-2009), Co-Coordinator of the International Commission on Black Sea (2010); and Director of International Policy Research Institute (2005-2011).

Mustafa Aydin’s publications include The Levant; Search for a Regional Order (ed., 2019), Eurasia Trilogy (ed. in Turkish, 2008, 2010, 2012), International Security Today; Understanding Change and Debating Security (ed. with K. Ifantis, 2006); Turkish Foreign and Security Policy (2006); Turkish Foreign Policy; Old Problems, New Parameters (2010); and Non-Traditional Security Threats and Regional Cooperation in the Southern Caucasus (2011).

Kirill Krivosheev is an independent foreign policy expert from Russia, focusing on the post-Soviet states. In addition, he observes political developments in Türkiye and Afghanistan, as key neighbors of the former USSR. From 2016 to 2023, he worked as a foreign desk correspondent for Kommersant newspaper, covering elections, protests, and wars, especially the Karabakh conflict. After finishing his tenure at Kommersant, Kirill began writing analytical pieces for the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center in Berlin as well as other platforms.

Moderation:

Marylia Hushcha, Researcher and Project Manager at the IIP

The episode was recorded on 28 November 2023.

E11_South Caucasus_1. Is Peace Possible between Armenia and Azerbaijan? De Waal & Hess Sargsyan

Azerbaijan took full control over the Nagorno-Karabakh region this September, choosing to restore its territorial integrity by force and thus ignoring the previous years of negotiations with Armenia. As a result, hardly any ethnic Armenians remain in the region, with the vast majority having fled to Armenia for fear of ethnic cleansing after months of total blockade by Azerbaijan. Armenia fears military incursion by Azerbaijan within its territory – particularly in its Syunik Province – despite Baku’s claims that it has no interest in doing so. What are the chances that a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed? What would its value (and contents) be, considering the persistent lack of trust between the parties? Who could provide security guarantees to Armenia? What will happen to the border demarcation process and the dispute over the transport connection between Azerbaijan and its exclave Nakhichevan? Is the conflict likely to escalate again? In this episode we are talking about the current fast-changing developments around this conflict as well as discuss its roots and decades-long history.

Guests:

Anna Hess Sargsyan is an international affairs professional with extensive experience in peace and conflict studies and peace mediation. Over the course of her career, Anna has designed and supported a number of formal and informal peace processes, as well as developed and led educational programs in the field of peace and conflict studies. Parallel to her practical work, Anna has authored a number of publications. Her research focuses on the impact of geopolitical tensions on the settlement of protracted conflicts, particularly in the OSCE area. Anna was the ACP Head of Conflict Resolution from September 2022 until December 2023, leading the team`s work in dialogue and mediation across the Middle East, Africa and Eurasia.

Thomas de Waal is a senior fellow with Carnegie Europe, specializing in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus region. He is the author of numerous publications about the region. The second edition of his book The Caucasus: An Introduction (Oxford University Press) was published in 2018. He is also the author of Great Catastrophe: Armenians and Turks in the Shadow of Genocide (Oxford University Press, 2015) and of the authoritative book on the Nagorny Karabakh conflict, Black Garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan Through Peace and War (NYU Press, second edition 2013). From 2010 to 2015, de Waal worked for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, DC. Before that he worked extensively as a journalist in both print and for BBC radio. From 1993 to 1997, he worked in Moscow for the Moscow Times, the Times of London, and the Economist, specializing in Russian politics and the situation in Chechnya. He co-authored (with Carlotta Gall) the book Chechnya: Calamity in the Caucasus (NYU Press, 1997), for which the authors were awarded the James Cameron Prize for Distinguished Reporting.

Moderation:

Stephanie Fenkart, Direcot at the IIP

The episode was recorded on 28 November 2023.

E10_Neutralität in einer neuen geopolitischen Realität. Gärtner & Lottaz

Der 12. Dezember ist der internationale Tag der Neutralität. Die Direktorin des IIP, Stephanie Fenkart, hat am 9. November 2023 mit Prof. Heinz Gärnter und mit Ass. Prof. Pascal Lottaz über die Österreichische und Schweizer Neutralität gesprochen. Was bedeutete Neutralität damals und heute. Ist sie angesichts der neuen geopolitischen Entwicklungen noch von Bedeutung? Wie hat sie sich entwickelt und welche Relevanz kommt ihr in einer zunehmend multipolaren Welt zu? Welche Unterschiede weisen das schweizerische und österreichische Modell auf und wie wird Neutralität innerhalb der EU gelebt? Welche Rolle können neutrale Staaten in Konflikten einnehmen und in welchen Politikbereichen sind neutrale Staaten besonders relevant?

Gäste:

Heinz Gärtner unterrichtet am Institut für Politikwissenschaft an der Universität Wien. Desweitern erhielt er mehrere Fulbright-Professuren und hatte den österreichischen Lehrstuhl an der Stanford Universität inne. An der Johns Hopkins Universität in Washington DC war er Fellow der Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation. Derzeit leitet er auch den Beirat des International Institute for Peace (IIP) und sitzt dem Strategie- und Sicherheitspolitischen Beirat des Österreichischen Bundesheeres vor. Davor war er wissenschaftlicher Direktor des Österreichisches Instituts für Internationale Politik. Prof. Dr. Gärtner publiziert zu zahlreichen Themen wie internationale Sicherheit, transatlantische Beziehungen, Rüstungskontrolle und mittlerer Osten. Er erhielt den Bruno-Kreisky-Preis für das politische Buch. Träger des Militär-Verdienstzeichens des österreichischen Bundesheeres.

Pascal Lottaz ist Ass. Prof an der rechtswissenschaftlichen Fakultät und des Hakubi Centers an der Kyoto Universität in Japan. Seine Spezialgebiete sind Neutralitätsstudien und internationale Beziehungen, Geopolitik in Ostasien, EU-Politik, nukleare Abrüstung und Nichtverbreitung sowie der Zweite Weltkrieg. Zudem ist er Mitglied des wissenschaftlichen Beirats des IIP.

Moderation:

Stephanie Fenkart, Direktorin des IIP

Aufgezeichnet am 9. November 2023

E9_Quo Vadis, Belarus? Shraibman & Kazharski

The state-sanctioned falsification of the 2020 presidential elections in Belarus triggered mass protests across the country, resulting in an unprecedented crackdown by the police and the security apparatus on members of the opposition, protestors, civil society, and independent media. Since then, Belarus has remained largely isolated from the outside world, which was further exacerbated by the current regime’s support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In this episode, we discuss the nature of authoritarianism – or indeed, totalitarianism – in Belarus, the fate of Belarusians who joined the protests in 2020 and faced state repression as a result, and the role of media (both state-run and independent) in daily life in Belarus. We also speak about what an end to the Ukraine war would mean for Belarus and how Belarusian identity can be preserved despite the ongoing cultural assimilation efforts directed by Russia.

Guests:

Aliaksei Kazharski is a researcher and lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University (Czech Republic). He received his Ph.D. from Comenius University in Bratislava (Slovakia) in 2015. Kazharski’s research interests have included Central and Eastern Europe, regionalism, identity in international relations, critical approaches to security and terrorism studies. He is the author of two monographs: Eurasian Integration and the Russian World. Regionalism as an Identitary Enterprise (2019) and Central Europe Thirty Years after the Fall of Communism. A Return to the Margin? (International Studies Association Global International Section’s 2022 Book Award). Scopus Author ID: 57188974382 ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9782-7746

Artyom Shraibman is a Belarusian political analyst and founder of Sense Analytics consultancy. He is also a non-resident scholar of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a contributor to Belarusian independent online media Zerkalo.io, where he hosts bi-weekly Youtube show. His research interests include Belarusian domestic politics, media freedom and the broader human rights situation in the country, as well as Belarus-EU and Belarus-Russia relations. He worked as a political correspondent for the BelaPAN news agency from 2013 to 2014, political editor for TUT.BY from 2014 to 2019 and political advisor to the U.N. in Belarus in 2016

Moderation:

Marylia Hushcha, Project manager and researcher at the IIP

The episode was recorded on 20 October 2023

E8_Space Race: Sicherheitspolitische Implikationen des Weltraums. Mischkulnig & Schwarz

In dieser Episode sprechen wir über „Space Race“, also die Domäne des Weltraums für die irdische Kriegsführung und militärische Machtprojektion sowie die sicherheitspolitischen Implikationen und Antworten auf die neuen Risiken in Österreich und der EU.

Gäste:

Margit Mischkulnig ist seit 2017 Abteilungsleiterin für Weltraumangelegenheiten im Bundessministerium für Klimaschutz, Energie, Umwelt, Mobilität, Innovation und Technologie (BMKEUMIT). Sie koordiniert sämtliche Aktivitäten Österreichs in Verbindung mit dem Weltraum. So ist sie im Austausch mit österreichischen High-Tech-Unternehmen im Weltraumbereich und Sicherheitsbehörden.

Christoph Schwarz ist seit Jänner 2020 am Austria Institut für Europa- und Sicherheitspolitik tätig und beschäftigt sich in seiner Forschung schwerpunktmäßig mit Fragen der europäischen Integration im Bereich der Sicherheits- und Verteidigungspolitik sowie der Ausrichtung Europas im Spannungsfeld zwischen den USA und China. Darüber hinaus beschäftigt er sich intensiv mit dem Phänomen der wachsenden Militarisierung des Weltraumes und dessen erneute Rolle als Arena der Großmachtpolitik.

Moderation:

Michael Stellwag, Vorstandsmitglied bei Ponto

Die Folge wurde am 27. September 2023 aufgezeichnet.

E7_Radicalization/Nationalism/Genocide - A Threat to Europe? Ebner & Karcic

In recent years, we are more and more witnessing the mainstreaming of radical ideas and nationalism in western liberal democracies. The Covid-Pandemic, climate change and the fight for equal rights – be it for LGBTIQ, Women or other marginalized groups – are only some examples which lead to high polarization, often (mis)used by different political groups. However, extreme ideas have increasingly moved from marginalization to the mainstream of modern societies. What structures and mechanisms lie behind this phenomenon?

At the same time, the Western Balkans are still suffering from their difficult past of ethnic wars and nationalism which ultimately led to mass atrocities and genocide in the 1990s during the Yugoslav wars. Why are nationalism and radicalization so successful in Europe? What role do history and memory play in shaping narratives which lead to radicalization? How can genocide become possible and why are radicalization and nationalism a threat to democracy? Ultimately, what should be done to reverse these trends?

 Guests:

Julia Ebner is a Senior Resident Research Fellow at the London-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue, specializing in far-right extremism, reciprocal radicalization, conspiracy myths and terrorism prevention. She is also an investigative journalist and an award-winning author of several books related to these topics. Her latest book Going Mainstream: How Extremists Are Taking Over has just been released.

Hikmet Karčić is a Research Associate at the Institute for the Research of Crimes against Humanity and International Law - University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He has also authored Torture, Humiliate, Kill: Inside the Bosnian Serb Camp System (University of Michigan Press, 2022). He was the 2017 Auschwitz Institute-Keene State College Global Fellow who has written extensively on genocide denial and atrocity prevention. A sought-after commentator on international media outlets, his articles covering far-right extremism and mass atrocities have appeared in Haaretz, Newsweek, and Foreign Policy.

Moderation:

Stephanie Fenkart, Director of the IIP

The episode was recorded on 3 October 2023

E6_Nuclear Weapons in Belarus and Mutiny in Russia - Insecurity for Europe? Preiherman & Dienes

Although the attempted mutiny in Russia on June 24th was short-lived, it may have lasting consequences for Russia’s political regime, its war in Ukraine, and Europe’s overall security situation. The rebellion also put Belarus back in the spotlight, as Aliaksandar Lukashenka helped negotiate the deal heading off the crisis between Vladimir Putin and his challenger – Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of Russia’s private military company Wagner Group. At the same time, Russia’s tactical nuclear weapons are soon to be deployed to Belarus, which inevitably raises questions about their potential use in the war while also providing insights into the motives of the leaders who are responsible for this decision. In this episode, our guests contextualize these recent developments in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine – a conflict that is facing a new round of escalation – and discuss possible ways out of this growing dynamic of insecurity in Europe.

Guests:

Alexandra Dienes is a Senior Researcher at the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Regional Office for Cooperation and Peace in Europe, based in Vienna. She holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Amsterdam and focuses of political economy and foreign policy of Russia and post-communist countries. At FES ROCPE she deals primarily with foreign and security policy in the OSCE space. She also leads the flagship public opinion survey of the FES called “Security Radar”.

Yauheni Preiherman, Founder and Director, Minsk Dialogue Council on International Relations. Yauheni is also a co-chair at the Younger Generation Leaders Network on Euro-Atlantic Security (YGLN) and Advisory Board member at the International Institute for Peace (Austria). His main research interests include the foreign policies of small states, international affairs in Eastern Europe, and Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian security. Yauheni holds a BA in International Relations from the Belarusian State University, an MA in European Politics from Sussex University (UK), and a PhD in Politics and International Studies from Warwick University (UK). His PhD thesis dealt with foreign policy strategies of small states that sit in-between centres of geopolitical gravity and have asymmetric relations with them. Yauheni developed an innovative theoretical model of foreign policy hedging and an explanation of its sources and limitations for small in-between states.

Moderation:

Marylia Hushcha, Researcher at the IIP

The episode was recorded on 26 June 2023

E5_Frau Macht Frieden. Brunner & Grün

Dieses Mal beschäftigen wir uns mit feministischer Friedensforschung, der Rolle von Frauen in der Konflikttransformation und im Konfliktmanagement, der Diskussion rund um eine feministische Außenpolitik sowie der praktischen Relevanz kritischer Friedensforschung. Angesichts zunehmender Militarisierung in Europa und in der ganzen Welt gilt es auch die Friedensförderung nicht außer Acht zu lassen. Welche Rolle/n kommen Frauen in diesen Themenbereichen zu? Was kann feministische Außenpolitik beitragen, was kann sie nicht? Wie gehen wir mit bestehenden Herrschaftsverhältnissen um und nicht zuletzt stellen wir die Frage: Machen Frauen Frieden?

Gäste:

Claudia Brunner ist promovierte Sozialwissenschaftlerin und seit Februar 2020 Assoziierte Professorin am Zentrum für Friedensforschung und Friedensbildung der Universität Klagenfurt, wo sie seit 2015 als Assistenzprofessorin tätig war. Von April 2015 bis Jänner 2020 hatte sie eine Elise-Richter Stelle des FWF (Wissenschaftsfonds der Republik Österreich) inne und arbeitete daran am Standort Wien der Universität Klagenfurt. Im Dezember 2019 hat sie nach erfolgreicher Habilitation an der Fakultät für Sozialwissenschaften die Venia Docendi für das Fach Politikwissenschaft an der Universität Wien erhalten. Arbeitsschwerpunkte und Forschungszugänge: Kritische Friedens- und Konfliktforschung, Gewalt und Gewaltfreiheit, Feministische Theorie und Gender Studies, Post- und dekoloniale Theorie, Soziale Epistemologie und Wissenschaftskritik, Wissenssoziologische Diskurs- und Dispositivforschung

Jessica Grün ist Präsidentin des Vereins Women in International Security. Zudem ist sie Teamkoordinatorin der Grünen für Grundrechte und Sicherheitspolitik im österreichischen Parlament. Sie studierte an der Diplomatischen Akademie in Wien und verfasste ihre Abschlussarbeit über Feministische Außenpolitik. Ihre Schwerpunkte sind: Sicherheitspolitik, die Rolle von Frauen in der Konflikttransformation, feministische Außenpolitik und Gendergerechtigkeit.

Moderation:

Stephanie Fenkart, Direktorin, IIP

E4_Elections in Turkey - A New Approach to Domestic and Foreign Policy? Hartmann & Akyavas

In this episode, we delve into the initial outcomes of Turkey's presidential and parliamentary elections and examine their significance for both Turkey's internal affairs and its relations with other countries. We closely analyze the election campaigns, the state of media freedom, the intricate obstacles faced by the incoming government, such as the aftermath of the devastating February earthquake. Additionally, we briefly explore Turkey's future involvement in the ongoing armed conflicts in neighboring Syria and Ukraine.

Guests:

Renan Akyavas, former Programme Coordinator at the International Press Institute based in Vienna. She previously worked as editor-in-chief of Central European University´s Human Rights Journal and as a research assistant at Boğaziçi University.

Gabriel Hartmann is a freelance journalist, who worked for the Austrian newspaper ZackZack Türkiye programme. He studied Oriental and Arabic Studies at the Institute for Oriental Studies in Vienna and is currently completing a Master's programme in Arab World Studies.

Moderation:

Julius Seidenader, Board member at Ponto

The episode was recorded on May 15

E3_Kosovo und Serbien - Ist ein stabiler Frieden möglich? Lunacek & Dzihic

Kosovo und Serbien haben seit langem ein schwieriges Verhältnis zueinander. Im Dezember 2022 kam es zu Straßensperren und Blockaden im Norden des Kosovos durch Teile der serbischen Minderheit. Unter Vermittlung der EU kam es nun im März in Nordmazedonien zu einem Abkommen. Serbien anerkennt die Dokumente der Republik Kosovo (Personalausweise, Autokennzeichen, Zertifikate usw.), und Belgrad stellt sich auch dem Beitritt Kosovos zu internationalen Organisationen nicht mehr in den Weg. Umgekehrt gewährt Pristina der serbischen Minderheit in Kosovo das Recht zur lokalen Selbstverwaltung. Dazu schließen sich die Gemeinden mit serbischer Mehrheit zu einem Verband zusammen. Doch es gibt weiterhin vielfältige Probleme: Nationalismus, Korruption, Abwanderung und schwache Wirtschaft stehen einer zukünftigen EU-Integration im Wege und auch die EU muss sich Vorwürfen, ihr sei an einer „Stabilokratie“ mehr gelegen als an echten demokratischen Reformen, stellen. Ist ein stabiler Frieden zwischen Kosovo und Serbien angesichts neuer, auch geopolitischer Entwicklungen, möglich? Diese und andere Fragen werden in der dritten Folge des Podcasts „Peace Matters“ mit den Expert*innen Ulrike Lunacek und Vedran Dzihic beleuchtet. Moderiert wird die Folge von Stephanie Fenkart, Direktorin des IIP.

Gäste:

Ulrike Lunacek: 1999 bis 2009 Abgeordnete zum österreichischen Nationalrat und Außenpolitiksprecherin der Grünen, 2009-2017 Mitglied des Europäischen Parlaments (Grüne Fraktion), Mitglied u.a. im Ausschuss für auswärtige Angelegenheiten und Ausschuss für die Rechte der Frau und d. Gleichstellung der Geschlechter, Berichterstatterin des EP für Kosovo, 2014-2017 auch Vizepräsidentin des EP

Vedran Dzihic: wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter des OIIP, Balkanexperte, geboren in BiH, mit 15 Flucht (93) nach Österreich während der Balkankriege, anerkannter internationaler Experten zum Balkan. Lektor an der Universität Wien und an der Universität für angewandte Kunst Wien 

Moderation:

Stephanie Fenkart, Direktorin des IIP

Die Folge wurde am 11. April 2023 aufgezeichnet

E2_Nuklearwaffen im Fokus: Zwischen Atomwaffensperr- sowie Atomwaffenverbotsvertrag und neuer Aufrüstung. Jovin & Hajnoczi

In dieser Episode sprechen wir darüber, welche Bedeutung und Wirkung der Atomwaffensperrvertrag sowie der Atomwaffenverbotsvertrag heute haben, sowie inwiefern der Ukraine-Krieg in diesem Zusammenhang neue Fragen aufwirft und die internationale Gemeinschaft vor neue Herausforderungen stellt. 

Gäste:

Rebecca Jovin ist seit 2019 im Büro der Vereinten Nationen für Abrüstungsfragen (UNODA) tätig, zunächst als Sonderberaterin der Hohen Repräsentantin für Abrüstungsfragen in New York und seit Februar 2022 als Leiterin des UNODA-Büros Wien. Rebecca ist seit 2008 UN-Mitarbeiterin, wo sie in verschiedene Rollen in UN-Friedensmissionen im Feld sowie in diversen Abteilungen im Hauptquartier des UN-Sekretariats und des Entwicklungsprogramms der Vereinten Nationen (UNDP) gedient hat. Jüngst war sie Leiterin der Abteilung für Strategische Planung und Operative Unterstützung beim Minenräumdienst der Vereinten Nationen (UNMAS). Bevor sie der UN beitrat, diente Rebecca Jovin im US-Außenministerium.

Botschafter i.R. Thomas Hajnoczi war Leiter der Abrüstungsabteilung im österreichischen Außenministerium und Botschafter Österreichs bei den Vereinten Nationen in Genf. Er war Leiter der Delegation Österreichs bei den Verhandlungen zum Atomwaffenverbotsvertrag. Thomas Hjnoczi ist auch Mitglied des wissenschaftlichen Beirates des IIP.

Moderation: 
Niklas Hintermayer, Vizepräsident Ponto – Grassroots Think Tank Austria

Aufgezeichnet am 3 März 2023

E1_One year of war in Ukraine: Does peace still matter? Reisner & Swoboda

In this episode we speak about the military developments in Ukraine over the past twelve months, the upcoming Russian military offensive, the West's help to Ukraine, and why search for a diplomatic solution needs to start now.

Guests:

Colonel Markus Reisner of the Austrian Armed Forces is a military expert and a historian. He was repeatedly deployed in conflict zones and spent significant time in the Balkans, Afghanistan, Iraq, Chad, Central Africa, and Mali. Markus is one of the most well-known military analysts in Austria commenting on the Russian war in Ukraine. He holds two PhDs from  the University of Vienna -  in history and in “Interdisciplinary Legal Studies” . He is a commander of the Honor Guard in Vienna, member of the Advisory Committee for Military History of the Scientific Commission at the Austrian Armed Forces, and member of the IIP Advisory board. He is currently serving at the Theresian Military Academy in Wiener Neustadt.

Hannes Swoboda is the President of the International Institute for Peace. He started his career in urban politics in Vienna and was elected to the European Parliament in 1996. There, he served as an MEP for eighteen years, including as the Leader of the Social Democratic Group in the Parliament from 2012 until 2014. He was particularly engaged in foreign, enlargement, and neighborhood policies.

Moderation:

Marylia Hushcha, researcher at the IIP

The episode was recorded on February 13, 2023