![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/newsroom-scaled-e1774012072526.jpg\")
<\/a>On 20 March 2026, the DeFacto Dialogues series hosted \u201cDeFacto Dialogues. Somaliland: Still a Safe Haven or a Ticking Time Bomb?\u201d organized by the De Facto States Research Unit at the University of Tartu. Moderated by Professor Eiki Berg, the seminar featured Professor Scott Pegg (Indiana University), who has popularized the de facto states concept and is a Somaliland election observer, and Dr. Maria Groeneveld (EUI), with extensive Somalia fieldwork experience. Pegg traced Somaliland\u2019s path from 1960 independence and unhappy union with Somalia, through 1980s devastation to 1991 separation and three decades of peaceful state-building in its core Hargeisa-Berbera-Burao triangle, despite eastern territorial gaps and SSC-Khatumo secessionism aligning with Mogadishu. Both speakers analysed Israel\u2019s surprising 26 December 2025 recognition as the first UN member state to do so, linking it to Berbera\u2019s strategic Red Sea assets, Houthi threats, Taiwan ties signaling Western alignment, and transactional recognition trends under Trump\u2019s permissive stance on borders. Groeneveld contextualized this amid Horn of Africa flux, with absent elections nearby, UAE port investments, and the stalled Ethiopia sea-access MoU, warning that recognition may polarize Somaliland\u2019s fragile politics while building on prior shifts. The discussion ended weighing upsides like economic gains against risks to stability, questioning if Somaliland heralds a new era where de facto states trade ports for legitimacy.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n We are proud to share that our valued team member Warm congratulations to Dr. Berisha on this well-deserved achievement!<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The De Facto States Research Unit i \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n We welcome projects in various stages in development, such as theses, whether in their initial stage or close to completion, book chapters or articles in progress, etc. Each participant should prepare a 15-minute presentation. Please fill in this Google Form<\/a> by December 20, if you would like to present at the workshop, or by January 27, if you wish to attend as a listener. Read the full call here.<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Interested applicants should fill out the Google Form<\/a> by 30 April. We welcome projects in various stages of development, such as theses, whether in their initial stage or close to completion, book chapters or articles in progress etc. Each participant should prepare a 15-minute presentation. If you wish to attend without a presentation, please fill in this Google Form<\/a> to receive the workshop details before the event. Read the call here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n While the participants acknowledged that a renewed escalation was widely expected, there were still questions that required more scrutiny. For instance, why did violence flare up now and at this scale? What are the objectives of the conflicting parties? How does it affect the security agenda in the Caucasus? Is there a risk that great powers \u2013 Russia, Turkey and Iran \u2013 are pulled into the conflict? And are there any hopes for dialogue? The webinar concluded with a pessimistic note that the return to negotiations will be delayed until the conflict parties have a ground to declare the victory whatever this might be.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2019DeFacto\u2019 will shift the research focus from (the lack of) conflict resolution to the factors that perpetuate the status quo, developing a new model for understanding patron-client relations. In particular, it is going to explore the role of domestic constituencies in serving as both as a constraint and a resource that leaders of de facto states can mobilise in negotiations with the patron.<\/p>\n This project is funded by the Research Council of Norway and will be carried out in cooperation with P\u00e5l Kolst\u00f8, Helge Blakkisrud, Kristin Bakke, Nina Caspersen, Eiki Berg, Magdalena Dembinska, Daria Isachenko, Sergei Markedonov, Donnacha \u00d3 Beach\u00e1in, John O\u2019Loughlin, Scott Pegg, Gerard Toal, Galina Yemelianova and Tamta Gelashvili.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/2026-CFA-Emerging-Scholars-Workshop-copy_pages-to-jpg-0001-e1771242065762.jpg\")
<\/a>The De Facto States Research Unit is happy to announce that its Sixth Emerging Scholars Workshop on De Facto States will be taking place online on 14-15 May 2026<\/strong>. The event is open to those working on de facto states, state recognition, secession, and related topics from the fields of political science, international relations, history, sociology, and neighbouring disciplines. The workshop will serve as a platform for introducing ongoing research projects, receiving feedback from peers, and establishing a network of emerging scholars working on the above-mentioned topics. We will discuss research projects in various stages in development, such as theses, whether in their initial stage or close to completion, book chapters or articles in progress, etc. Read the full call here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/DEfacto_041225_Western-Sahara-e1765210032851.png\")
On 4 December 2025, the De Facto States Research Unit hosted the latest DeFacto Dialogues seminar, \u201cThe Unfinished Chapter: Decolonization, (De)recognition, and Self-Determination of Western Sahara.\u201d The discussion featured Hadi Kentawi of the Polisario Front and Dr. Shpend Kursani of the Johan Skytte Institute, and was moderated by analyst Kristel Vits. Kentawi outlined the origins of the Western Sahara conflict, the realities of life in what he called \u201cAfrica\u2019s last colony,\u201d and the enduring connection of the Sahrawi people to their homeland, reflected even in the names of refugee camps in Algeria, where over 170,000 Sahrawis still live. He argued that Morocco\u2019s proposal for autonomy under its sovereignty is incompatible with international law, contradicts previous UN Security Council resolutions guaranteeing Sahrawi self-determination, and lacks clarity regarding the actual degree of autonomy offered. Dr. Kursani examined why an increasing number of states\u2014and now the UN Security Council through Resolution 2797 (31 October 2025)\u2014have nonetheless begun supporting the autonomy plan, highlighting the erosion of international law since Donald Trump\u2019s first presidency and the appeal of Morocco\u2019s economic and security incentives. The event concluded with a discussion on international engagement in the conflict and the role of public diplomacy in the Polisario Front\u2019s response to Resolution 2797.<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/image001-e1760079321440.png\")
On October 8, 2025, the\u00a0DeFacto Dialogues<\/i>\u00a0series hosted a compelling discussion titled\u00a0Engineering Peace between Israelis and Palestinians<\/i>, held in collaboration with the De Facto State Research Unit (University of Tartu) and the CANDID Foundation, as part of the EU-funded Trilateral Dialogue Initiative EPICON. Moderated by Dr. Shpend Kursani, the dialogue brought together Palestinian political activist Samer Sinijlawi, Israeli communication strategist and human rights activist Dan Sobovitz, and Israeli-Arab acitivist and former Deputy Chair of Knesset Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi to explore whether peace remains possible amid one of the most intractable and emotionally charged conflicts in modern history. Nearly two years after the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, and the ensuing war in Gaza, all three speakers reflected on the social, moral, and political transformations reshaping their societies. Rinawie Zoabi emphasized the complexity of dual identities among Palestinian citizens of Israel, simultaneously rooted in both national narratives, and called for greater European engagement to pressure Israel\u2019s government toward implementing humanitarian and political reforms. Sinijlawi, tracing his personal journey from nationalist conviction to dialogue and empathy, argued that the conflict, far from being \u201cthe most complicated in the world,\u201d is instead a tragic product of manipulation and dehumanization. True resolution, he maintained, depends on recognizing shared humanity rather than competing victimhood. Sobovitz, reflecting on his own ideological evolution from a settler upbringing to human rights advocacy, described the profound identity crisis facing many Israelis today: torn between pride in their nation\u2019s resilience and shame at the ongoing violence in Gaza. Audience questions probed the roles of external actors, the impact of Israeli domestic politics, and the moral exhaustion of societies locked in mutual fear. The panelists agreed that peace will not emerge from within the current leadership but may be catalyzed by sustained international pressure and grassroots empathy. As Sinijlawi concluded, \u201cWe are not each other\u2019s problem \u2013 we are each other\u2019s solution.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/20250919_090621-scaled-e1758561541298.jpg\")
On 19 September, the De Facto States Research Unit hosted a workshop \u201cThe UNPO\u2019s \u2018Universal Declaration of the Rights of Peoples\u2019: its context, content and implementation\u201d, convened by Professor Fiona McConnell (St. Catherine\u2019s College, Oxford) and Merc\u00e8 Monje Cano (Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization). The workshop brought together those connected to the drafting of the Declaration, alongside scholars and rights practitioners to discuss the Declaration\u2019s historical context, its positioning vis-\u00e0-vis international law and rights regimes, and its potential as an advocacy tool for unrepresented peoples.<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/DeFacto-Dialogues_18SEPT2025.png-scaled-e1758462401447.jpg\")
The latest DeFacto Dialogues on September 18, 2025 examined the Estonian roots and current role of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO). Moderated by Dr. David Ilmar Lepasaar Beecher, the seminar featured Maaja M\u00e4ll, daughter of Dr. Linnart M\u00e4ll, and Merc\u00e8 Monje Cano, Secretary General of the UNPO. Founded in The Hague in 1991 with the active participation of Estonian intellectuals, the UNPO emerged as a voice for nations and peoples excluded from the international system. Today, it represents more than 300 million people \u2013 minorities, indigenous communities, and unrecognized nations- working to defend rights, combat repression, and train activists. Monje Cano emphasized that the UNPO is an organization by and for marginalized peoples, serving as a bridge between communities and international institutions. Its General Assembly elects leadership, while the Secretariat raises cases of human rights abuses at the UN and regional bodies. Members often face intimidation when engaging with official forums, yet the UNPO remains committed to nonviolence and solidarity. Maaja M\u00e4ll reflected on the organization\u2019s early years, highlighting the importance of preserving its historical memory as a guide for future strategy. Questions from the audience addressed membership criteria, sources of funding, and how the UNPO navigates internal divisions while resisting pressure from powerful states such as China, Pakistan, and Iran. Despite limited resources \u2013 membership fees form its main funding base \u2013 the UNPO continues to offer a platform for self-determination, stressing that territorial integrity cannot outweigh fundamental rights.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/1758111731549-e1758184035131.jpeg\")
Butrint Berisha has successfully defended his doctoral thesis at the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies, University of Tartu on 17 September 2025. His dissertation, \u201cExploring the Role of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Foreign Relations of De Facto States: A Comparative Analysis of Kosovo, Palestine and Taiwan,\u201d<\/em> sheds new light on the scope and variation of CSOs\u2019 international engagement and their role among non-state actors.<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/Screenshot-2025-02-05-at-14.04.13-e1738762707384.png\")
The latest DeFacto Dialogues webinar on February 5, 2025 examined Transnistria\u2019s future and potential reintegration with Moldova. Moderated by Kristel Vits (University of Tartu), the event featured Dr. Anatolii Dirun, a Transnistrian political scientist, and Kamil Ca\u0142us, a Senior Research Fellow at OSW. Transnistria, home to 300,000 people\u2014100,000 of whom are pensioners\u2014functions under an oligarchic system with little competition. Ca\u0142us highlighted the fact that the Transnistrian economy depends on two pillars: subsidized Russian gas from Gazprom via Ukraine and access to the EU market through Moldova\u2019s agreements with the EU. Russia\u2019s war on Ukraine as a turning point was highlighted by Kristel Vits. Dr. Dirun noted that changes actually began in 2014 with Ukraine\u2019s shift in leadership and the annexation of Crimea. The dominant business conglomerate, Sheriff, fears forced reintegration if Russia succeeds, while Moscow distrusts Sheriff\u2019s independent stance. Moldova has not actively pursued reintegration, fearing Russian retaliation. Lacking resources and a long-term strategy, Chisinau has left the conflict frozen, with its resolution tied to the broader European security landscape. In the informative discussion, the speakers highlighted that the gas crisis has deepened the economic crisis. Tiraspol previously sold electricity, produced with Russian gas, to Chisinau. For now, Transnistria avoids a humanitarian crisis due to EU-funded gas purchases, but industries struggle without natural gas. On Transnistria\u2019s future, opinions diverge. Ca\u0142us sees reintegration as inevitable, while Dirun disagrees. With no plan from Chisinau and Russian troops symbolizing Moscow\u2019s presence, the region\u2019s fate remains uncertain.<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/Screenshot-2025-01-06-at-13.58.15-e1736161146659.png\")
Save the dates for the Fifth Emerging Scholars Workshop on De Facto States! Organized by our research unit, we cordially invite applications from postgraduate students and early career scholars for our workshop. The call is open to those working on de facto states, state recognition, secession, and related topics from the fields of political science, international relations, history, sociology, and neighbouring disciplines. Since 2021, the Emerging Scholars Workshops on De Facto States have brought together new generations of scholars working on topics related to de facto states. These events allow emerging scholars to showcase their research, exchange ideas, and to build supportive peer networks. The format emphasises peer learning both through presenting, but also in leading discussions. Connections created through these workshops have led to various interactions and projects. The event will be held online on 10-11 April 2025. <\/strong><\/a>Please read the full call here<\/a>, and submit your applications on Google Forms<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/Screenshot-2024-11-28-at-15.29.36-e1732810995285.png\")
This installment in our DeFacto Dialogues on November 28, 2024 focused on the latest political crisis in Abkhazia which erupted over recent agreements with Russia. Moderated by our own Kristel Vits, the speakers were Professor Emeritus Bruno Coppieters (Vrije Universiteit Brussels) and Abkhaz scholar and politician Viacheslav Chirikba. The informative discussion took off with a summary of the Abkhazian conflict and the current situation by Kristel Vits. Professor Bruno Coppieters highlighted the facts that while both Georgia and Abkhazia have nationalist agendas in the frozen conflict, there are realized and unrealized goals of the nationalists on each side. Furthermore, he emphasized that although the Abkhazians are unable to find an alternative to Russian support, possible resolutions to the conflict are also far off in the distance with minimal engagement from the rest of the world. Viacheslav Chirikba enlightened the audience with much appreciated insights directly from Abkhazia. He argued that Russia is not involved in the internal affairs of Abkhazia and the latest crisis was motivated financially rather than politically. He further stated that the now former president Aslan Bzhania angered and alienated many spheres of society, including even his supporters, resulting in his ousting. The colorful discussion carried on with the mention of the opposition\u2019s strength in the recent protests but its currently division into many parties. Chirikba stated that he expects them to come together before the elections scheduled for February 15. To finalize, he agreed with Bruno, in confirming that there are no current alternatives for Abkhazia other than Russia. He further emphasized that they had no real partners on the Georgian side to discuss vital issues, and also that a confederation with Georgia is unthinkable.<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/Regensburg-e1730110833457.png\")
Between October 16-19, 2024, Eiki Berg was in Regensburg, Germany to give a lecture titled \u201cDigging in the Dirt: \u2018No War, No Peace and Not Too Much Killing\u2019\u201d as part of the \u201cWar. Peace. Security.\u201d lecture series. Based on knowledge provided through our ETAG-funded research project. Eiki explained the state of frozenness seen in some conflicts around the world and the three-tiered approach developed by our research unit. Emphasizing the both peaceful and violent nature of frozen conflicts, internal and external factors which might still push frozen conflicts into peace and violence were discussed. He further elaborated on an analytic framework which builds on incomplete secessions where de facto states are involved and interacting with other actors. The first tier of the research focuses on internal legitimacy, the second tier scrutinizes the position of the de facto states in relation to the triad of \u2018patron,\u2019 \u2018parent,\u2019 and \u2018third parties,\u2019 and the third tier highlights the relationship between other actors which the de facto state has no control on. In light of this framework, how the proposed three-tier analysis can explain why some frozen conflicts continue to endure (status quo), others get resolved (peace agreement), and a few burst into large-scale violence (war) was pondered upon. This trip was made possible with funding from Estonian Research Council (PRG1798).<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/20240930_104530-scaled-e1727778292463.jpg\")
DeFacto Dialogues is back with its eighth edition. The latest session titled \u201cQuest for Representing the Unrepresented Selves<\/i> in World Politics\u201d took place at Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies on September 30, 2024, with the participation of Christopher Brucker (Friedrich-Schiller Universit\u00e4t Jena) and M\u00e4rt L\u00e4\u00e4nemets (Estonian Academy of Security Sciences). The discussion, moderated by our own Eiki Berg, started by highlighting the past and present activities of Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) and its role in organizing and representing unrepresented peoples around the globe. The broader implications of these efforts, particularly in relation to addressing self-determination in global politics were scrutinized. The main question of \u201cdoes the UNPO influence the way self-determination issues are managed on the world stage was addressed during the exciting and informative panel.<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/1F92C2E3-6321-4142-9692-9003814CBB7E-e1727442389356.jpeg\")
The De Facto States Research Unit hosted the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) delegation consisting of the General Secretary Merc\u00e8 Monje Cano, Fiona McConnell and Alex Manby for the first time on September 25, 2024. During the inspiring meeting, discussions on areas of academic and policy level interests of both sides and possibilities of mutual cooperation between the UNPO, its academics and members of our team took place. The general consensus in the meeting was that various fruitful avenues of possible future cooperation exist. We are looking forward to working more closely with the UNPO, providing expertise where needed and improving our own knowledge and reach through our interactions. Our special thanks go to M\u00e4rt Laanemets, a former activist at UNPO, for making the meeting possible.<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/konverents2-e1726229301315.jpg\")
On September 12, 2024, Eiki Berg spoke at the \u201cArts of Survival in the Baltics\u201d conference organized jointly by Centre for Geopolitics, Baltic Defense College and University of Tartu Center for Eurasian and Russian Studies, supported by the British Embassies in Tallinn and Riga. In his opening for the panel titled \u201cImplications for Global Geopolitics and the World Order,\u201d Eiki Berg focused on six points in seven minutes. The conversation opened by highlighting the importance of geography for offering a framework to understand strategic significance ascribed to various locations as more or less valuable and the highly fragmented and vulnerable nature of shatterbelts in cases of internal and external power shifts. The deeply informative discussion later switched how the core issues between the warring parties remain unresolved and that the \u201cfrozenness\u201d of these conflicts can be understood as no war, no peace and minimal killing. In light of the previous point, the significance of shifts in global order in prompting movement towards violent or peaceful thawing of conflicts and why Russia is unlikely to abandon Moldova and Georgia\u2019s breakaway territories despite its current limitations due to the war in Ukraine. He concluded by focusing on why the EU seems to be entrapped in the enlargement dilemma: while the exclusion of countries with unresolved territories push them back to Russia\u2019s orbit, making conflict resolution conditional for accession presents opportunities for Russia to indirectly intervene and impose veto power through the back door.<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/summer-school-image4-e1722521414759.png\")
Between July 28th and August 8th, 2024, the De Facto States Research Unit organized a comprehensive summer school in Tartu, titled \u201cSecessionist and Statehood Bids in Times of Crisis.\u201d As the processes of wars in Ukraine, Gaza and Nagorno-Karabakh are still unfolding, the significance of developing a comprehensive understanding of concepts and practices related to secessionism and their impact on the international order becomes even more emphasized. To guide prospective MA students and PhD candidates interested in secession, recognition, statehood and \u201cfrozen conflicts\u201d Prof. Eiki Berg, along with Dr. Shpend Kursani and Dr. Ana Maria Albulescu highlighted the fundamental questions of secessionist conflicts to scrutinize the positions of de facto states in \u201cfrozen conflicts\u201d and their agency. Possible responses to these questions were then sought through analyses of the politics of recognition, counter-secession strategies and engagement without recognition. Relying mostly on first-hand comparative research, our team members not only taught, generated discussions and encouraged independent work, but also organized movie screenings, a field trip to Narva and a simulation exercise where students gained first-hand experience of negotiation techniques. The summer school was funded by the Estonian Research Council (PRG1798).<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/Tartu-conference-scaled-e1719168732710.jpg\")
De Facto States Research Unit organised a panel on \u201cDe Facto States in the Horizon: Between Frozen and Boiling States of Being\u201d at the 8<\/span>th<\/sup> Annual Tartu Conference, hosted by the University of Tartu on 19-21 June, 2024. This event brought together experts in the field of de facto states research such as Ashley Humphrey (Federation University), Ramesh Ganohariti (Leiden University), Stefan Wolff (University of Birmingham), Nasia Hadjigeorgiou (UCLan Cyprus), Anne Hsiu-An Hsiao (National Chengchi University), Shpend Kursani and Eiki Berg (University of Tartu). The panel explored strategies employed in attempting to address frozen conflicts and brought various strands of literature together in proposing new approaches to analysing trajectories that frozen conflicts can take. In dealing with the above issues, the panel included diverse case studies, from the Russo-Ukrainian war and the Cypriot conflict to the renewed tensions in the Taiwan Strait.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/Gaza-7-months-later-scaled-e1715155586975.jpg\")
The seventh edition of our D<\/em>eFacto Dialogues <\/i>titled \u201cHamas-Israel War in Gaza 7 Months Later\u201d was held on May 7, 2024 in Johan Skytte Institute and simultaneously on Zoom. The guest speakers, Dahlia Scheindlin who is an international political and strategic consultant from Israel and Muhammad Shahada, a journalist based in Palestine, enlightened the audiences with their insightful comments on the current state of war and expert opinions on the domestic and international politics surrounding the sensitive issue. Some of the most prevalent topics included discussions on the course of the ongoing indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel in Egypt, whether Israel can realistically achieve its goals of eradicating Hamas and from-the-ground opinions of Israelis and Palestinians on the past, present and the future of the conflict. Dahlia pointed out that she is not expecting the war to end soon, that Israel is trapped in this war because of how Netanyahu handled the domestic politics and narration of the issue, and that the level of trust of Israelis in Netanyahu is declining. Muhammad, not only agreed with our other speaker but also highlighted the change in Israeli discourses regarding negotiations with Hamas, stating that although Israel cannot reach its goals they are not interested in a ceasefire. He also painted a vivid and unfortunately painful picture of the realities of war, highlighting the fluctuating opinions of Palestinians on Hamas and at the same time the inevitability of Palestinians turning to Hamas as a result of the isolation and atrocities they have endured throughout the conflict with the Palestinian Authorities proving time and again unable to protect them. He also emphasized that the image of the U.S. and Europe is in shambles in the Global South as a result of their stance regarding the war. Questions from the audience scrutinized the position of the Muslim, Arab and Pro-Palestinian voters in the upcoming U.S. elections, and the discussion concluded that the choice between Biden and Trump was one between \u201cbad and ugly\u201d for both the voters in question but especially for Palestinians. We thank our speakers for the perspective into the minds of Palestinians and Israelis which we otherwise would struggle to obtain as the future of the war continues discourage hope.<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/Fourth-Emerging-Scholars-Workshop-e1713775579537.jpg\")
The Fourth Emerging Scholars Workshop on De Facto States took place virtually on 11-12 April 2024. The workshop featured eight presenters introducing their own research, as well as a discussion session with Professor Magdalena Dembinska from University of Montreal. The presenters introduced a variety of cases, methods, and perspectives, showcasing the richness of the field, but also highlighting that there is still a lot to learn about de facto states, and from each other. This was echoed by the remarks of Professor Dembinska, who encouraged emerging scholars to be even bolder in bringing existing concepts and frameworks from social sciences to the study of de facto states. The workshop concluded with a shared sentiment that such opportunities for networking and knowledge exchange are of particular value to emerging scholars, and with a note of the high level of discussions over these two days.<\/p>\n
\n![\"defacto_dialogue220224\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/defacto_dialogue2-scaled-e1713775599718.jpg\")
The fifth installment of DeFacto Dialogues <\/i>titled \u201cTaiwan Amidst Post-Election Turbulence\u201d <\/i>took place on February 22, 2024, in Tartu and online. The seminar had two esteemed guest speakers, Professor Chueiling Shin from National Sun Yat-sen University (Taiwan) and Ms. Larissa St\u00fcnkel, Project Coordinator & Research Associate at Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. In the discussion moderated by our own Shpend Kursani, numerous issues regarding the aftermath of the Taiwanese presidential elections both in Taiwan and abroad, and possible developments in cross-strait relations were debated. Our participants\u00a0focused on\u00a0the dwindling number of recognitions of Taiwan and its effects, and the Chinese reaction to the results. The diverse audience of the seminar contributed to the discussion by highlighting and asking questions about the current position of the opposition within Taiwan, the identity concerns of both Taiwan and China and the possible implications of the results of the upcoming presidential elections of the United States. The seminar concluded by emphasizing the ambiguous future which awaits Taiwan especially when considering the relations of the US with itself and China.<\/p>\n
\n![\"callforpapers2024\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/screenshot_2024-01-23_at_13.09.33-e1713775624167.png\" "\\"callforpapers2024.png\\"")
The De Facto States Research Unit is happy to announce that its Fourth Emerging Scholars Workshop on De Facto States will be taking place online on 11-12 April 2024. The event is open to those working on de facto states, state recognition, secession, and related topics from the fields of political science, international relations, history, sociology, and neighbouring disciplines. The workshop will serve as a platform for introducing ongoing research projects, receiving feedback from peers, and establishing a network of emerging scholars working on the above-mentioned topics. We will discuss research projects in various stages in development, such as theses, whether in their initial stage or close to completion, book chapters or articles in progress, etc. Read the full call here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n![\"20\/11\/2023](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/img_20231116_111424493-scaled-e1713775656341.jpg\" "\\"20\/11\/2023")
On November 10-21, 2023, Eiki Berg made a research visit to Kaohsiung and Taipei in order to meet distinguished scholars and experts in the field of security studies and U.S. \u2013 Taiwan relations: Prof Ming-Yi Lee, Prof. Mitch Chou, Prof Chaokuei Lee, Prof Chueiling Shin, Assist. Prof Weihao Huang, Prof Jing Chang, Prof Weng-Cheng Lin, Prof Min-Hua Huang, Dr Christine Lai, Dr Anne Hsiao, Ambassador Ming-Zhong Zhang, He participated in the Taiwan Political Science Association Annual Conference on The Impact of the International Order and the Challenge of Democratic Politics and National Taiwan University organised symposium on Xi Jinping\u2019s Third Term: Opportunities and Challenges. He also gave a lecture on\u00a0\u201cRevisiting Geopolitics\u201d to the National Sun-Yatsen University students and met Mr Paulius Lukauska<\/span>s, the Representative of Lithuanian Trade Office in Taiwan. One of the observations of this visit was <\/span>that Taiwan might need \u201cstrategic clarity\u201d both in terms of its own self-defense and allied relationship with U.S.<\/p>\n
\n![\"gaza241023\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/gaza2-scaled-e1713775709188.jpg\" "\\"gaza241023.jpg\\"")
A session of DeFacto Dialogues called \u201cIsrael and Hamas on the brink of an all-out war within and beyond Gaza?\u201d took place on the 24th of October. The seminar featured Michelle Pace (Roskilde University) and Oren Yiftachel (Ben-Gurion University of the Negev) who shared their thoughts on the warm-up of the Israel-Palestine conflict. Questions from the moderator sparked discussions of international law, the intervention of other countries in the conflict, and the possibility of peace. It was agreed that this conflict has not been silent all these years but attacks with this severity have not been seen anywhere in the world in a long time. It was also agreed that the USA and the EU play an important role in the conflict and both should heavily condemn war crimes that are being commited, and that countries should take the Palestinians\u2019 right to self-determination more seriously. The session concluded that both sides have suffered historically and this generational hatred is not easy to break. This solidifies the previous arguments about the difficulty of achieving peace, even though it is necessary for both Israelis and Palestinians.<\/p>\n
\n![\"oct2023zois\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/img-20231017-wa0006-e1713775733289.jpg\" "\\"oct2023zois.jpg\\"")
Eiki Berg participated in a workshop titled \u201cThe Political Economy of Unrecognized Statehood,\u201d organized by ZOIS (Centre For East European and International Studies). The event took place in the historic city of Berlin on October 16-18, and focused on methodological aspects of researching de facto state economies, integration\/dis-integration of de facto states in the world market and the relationship between economic practices and\/or relations of de facto states and conflict dynamics. Eiki Berg presented a paper titled \u201cDe Facto States and COVID-19: New Comparative Insights into Capacity to Act\u201d which is co-authored by himself, Scott Pegg (Indiana University Purdue University) and Raul Toomla (University of Tartu). The paper studies the agency of de facto states by utilizing the shock COVID-19 inflicted upon the economies of these entities. By making use of a previous work by Berg&Toomla (2009) on de facto states\u2019 integration into international capacity, they argue that the pandemic provides a great opportunity to analyze the economic capabilities of de facto states. Their respective responses to the pandemic allows the authors to measure the agencies of the de facto states subject to research (Taiwan, Northern Cyprus, Kosovo, Transnistria, Abkhazia, Somaliland and Nagorno-Karabakh).<\/p>\n
\n![\"defactodialogue\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/defacto_dialogue-e1713775753551.jpg\" "\\"defacto_dialogue.jpg\\"")
The latest session of DeFacto Dialogues titled \u201cShifting Borders vs. Moving People: (Non-)solutions to Territorial Disputes,\u201d organized by the De Facto States Research Unit took place on October 5, 2023. Our own Eiki Berg and Shpend Kursani shared their observations with a full classroom of audience, guided by the impeccable moderation of Kristel Vits. The conversation first took the listeners to the details and relevance of Eiki and Shpend\u2019s book,\u00a0De facto states and land-for-peace agreements: territory and recognition at odds?\u00a0in light of the recent events in Nagorno-Karabakh.\u00a0The use of land by de facto states as an object of exchange for recognition, empirical evidence for spillover effects of changing borders and incompatibility issues between the perception of the Self by secessionists in an existing parent state structure were\u00a0discussed. As the conversation evolved, the recent developments in Nagorno-Karabakh and Kosovo took the stage. Changes in contexts of both entities over time and moments of opportunity and tensions were highlighted. The thought-provoking discussion ended with an emphasis on the persisting ambivalence of the precarious existence of de facto states, with Nagorno-Karabakh set to disappear from the international scene on January 1, 2024.<\/p>\n
\n![\"kosovo2023visit\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/kosovo-scaled-e1713775782463.jpg\" "\\"kosovo2023visit.jpg\\"")
On 23-30 September, 2023, a group of students from the International Relations and Regional Studies programme took a research trip to Kosovo under the supervision of the DFSRU. The aim of the trip was to learn about the ongoing process of normalisation between Serbia and Kosovo. The students\u00a0met scholars and practitioners including\u00a0Robert Muharremi,\u00a0Edita Tahiri, Bernard Nikaj,\u00a0Aleksandra Jovanovic, Adlen Siljak, Liza Gashi,\u00a0Ardian Arifaj, Leandrit Mehmeti, Michael Davenport\u00a0and Leutrim Ajeti. The visit provided students with\u00a0eye-opening,\u00a0rich, and\u00a0new hands-on experiences. Furthermore it coincided with clashes which took place near Zve\u010dan on Sunday, 24th of September, and which claimed the lives of a Kosovo policeman and three Serb paramilitaries. The visit to the conflict zone\u00a0concluded with a rather pessimistic note from Cian Deasy: \u201eDespite years of talks, it seems that the situation on the ground in Kosovo remains a deeply challenging one. What was most concerning was that things now seem to be getting worse, not better.\u201c<\/p>\n
\n![\"pre-conference_workshop\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/pre-conference_workshop-scaled-e1713775797581.jpg\" "\\"pre-conference_workshop.jpg\\"")
The De Facto States Research Unit organised a pre-conference workshop on June 11, 2023 where issues such as \u201cUsing large-N data sets for de facto state research: What, why, how and for whom?\u201d, and \u201cHow to study and teach de facto states in times of crises?\u201c were discussed. Discussions revolved around the questions whether de facto states research contributes to legitimation and creeping recognition of these entities, and to what extent a \u201cview from outside\u201c and claimed \u201cneutrality\u201c are possible at all at times of crises. Among the invitees to share their views we had Toma\u0161 Hoch, Nicholas Barker, Tatiana Cojocari, Keith Harrington, Marcin Kosienkowski, Martin Riegl, Bruno Coppieters, Friederike Augustine, Pal Kolstoe, Vera Axyonova, Vincenc Kopecek, Helge Blakkisrud, Gerard Toal, Stephen Hall, Benedicte Santoire, Tony van der Togt, Andrea Florea and Bohumil Dobo\u0161. The workshop was\u00a0supported by the Estonian Research Council Grant PRG1798.<\/p>\n
\n![\"frank_and_chueiling\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/frank_and_chueiling-scaled-e1713775820652.jpg\" "\\"frank_and_chueiling.jpg\\"")
On April 27, 2023, Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies hosted the second DeFacto Dialogues session on \u201eTaiwan Caught in the Middle of Great Power Rivalry in Asia Pacific\u201c. The event was organized by our research unit with the participation of Frank J\u00fcris (International Centre for Defence and Security, Estonia) and Chueiling Shin (National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan) as the discussants and Eiki Berg as the moderator. During this discussion, the issues of Taiwan\u2019s geostrategic positioning, China\u2019s reintegration endeavours ranging from direct war threats to incentivizing actions as well as U.S. countermeasures within the context of Taiwan Relations Act, were elaborated further. This event took place under our ETAG funded project, \u201cExploring Dynamics of \u2018Frozen Conflicts\u2019 through Actor-based Interactions\u201d (PRG1798).<\/p>\n
\n![\"Workshop](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/workshop_call_01-e1713775846613.png\" "\\"workshop_call_01.png\\"")
s happy to announce that its\u00a0Third Emerging Scholars Workshop on De Facto States\u00a0will be taking place online on 13-14 April 2023. The event is open to those working on de facto states, state recognition, secession, and related topics from the fields of political science, international relations, history, sociology, and neighbouring disciplines. The workshop will serve as a platform for introducing ongoing research projects, receiving feedback from peers, and establishing a network of emerging scholars working on the above-mentioned topics. We will discuss research projects in various stages in development, such as theses, whether in their initial stage or close to completion, book chapters or articles in progress, etc. Read the full programme here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n![\"kickoffmeeting\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/20230318_144147-scaled-e1713775909847.jpg\" "\\"kickoffmeeting\\"")
On March 18, 2023, the kick-off meeting for our ETAG funded project \u201cExploring Dynamics of \u2018Frozen Conflicts\u2019 through Actor-based Interactions\u201d (PRG1798) took place. During the busy but enlightening day, our research unit enjoyed the privilege of benefitting from the knowledge and experiences of Thomas de Waal, Giorgio Comai, Rafael Biermann, Helge Blakkisrud, Vera Axyonova, Stefan Wolff, David Newman, Y\u00fccel Vural and James Ker-Lindsey. Vital theoretical, terminological and research issues related to our project were thoroughly unfolded. In five sessions altogether, we discussed different dynamics affecting de facto states stuck in \u2018frozen conflicts\u2019, such as patron-client relations, counter-secessionism, left-behind minorities, engagement without recognition and great power games (led by Rafael Biermann, James Ker-Lindsey, Stefan Wolff, Thomas de Waal and David Newman, respectively). We thank our colleagues for their priceless contributions.<\/p>\n
\n![\"defactodialogues1\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/20230317_142557-scaled-e1713775931194.jpg\" "\\"defactodialogues1\\"")
On March 17, 2023, Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies hosted the first DeFacto Dialogues session on \u201cDe Facto States After Russia\u2019s Invasion of Ukraine.\u201d<\/a> The event was organized by our research unit with the participation of Eiki Berg and Stefan Wolff (University of Birmingham) as the discussants and Shpend Kursani as the moderator. During the first talk of our series, broader information on de facto states, reorientation of Russian policies on de facto states, loss of Russian influence in the post-Soviet regions and Western Balkans, the increasing role of China and the future of de facto states were extensively discussed, ending with curiosity-inducing questions from the audience. This event took place under our ETAG funded project, \u201cExploring Dynamics of \u2018Frozen Conflicts\u2019 through Actor-based Interactions\u201d (PRG1798).<\/p>\n
\n![\"konkoop](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/konkoop_meeting_at_zois-e1713775950236.jpg\" "\\"konkoop_meeting_at_zois.jpg\\"")
On March 3, 2023, Eiki Berg participated in roundtable on\u00a0\u201eAcquiring and Interpreting Contested Data \u2013 Research on and in De Facto States\u201c with Ga\u00eblle Le Pavic (University of Ghent), Sabine von L\u00f6wis (ZOiS), Gwendolyn Sasse (ZOiS) and Nadja Douglas (ZOiS). The event\u00a0took place under\u00a0KonKoop project (Conflict and Cooperation in Eastern Europe.\u00a0The consequences of the reconfiguration of political, economic and social spaces since the end of the Cold War<\/a>).<\/p>\n
\n![\"Cyprus](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/mete_hatay-scaled-e1713775976846.jpg\" "\\"Cyprus")
From 28 October\u00a0to 6 November, 2022, a group of International Relations and Regional Studies programme students took a research trip to Cyprus under the supervision of the DFSRU. The aim of the trip was to gain\u00a0fresh insights from this protracted conflict. The students\u00a0met scholars and practitioners from both sides of the division: Yiannis Papadakis, Costas Constantinou, Nayia Kamenou, Nasia Hadjigeorgiou, Mete Hatay,\u00a0Zehra Azizbeyli, Nur K\u00f6pr\u00fcl\u00fc, \u0130brahim Ayberk, Sait Ak\u015fit, Mustafa \u00c7\u0131rakl\u0131, Emine S\u00fcl\u00fcn, Ahmet Sozen, Kemal Baykalli, Erg\u00fcn Olgun and Ersin Tatar. The visit provided students with\u00a0eye-opening,\u00a0rich, and\u00a0new hands-on experiences. Nevertheless,\u00a0it\u00a0concluded with a rather pessimistic note from Adam Ziogas: \u201eThere is no discussion, no creative ideas, no bravery to put forward a solution. It is purely a game of survival, where each regime ensures its longevity by maintaining the conflict and thus stabilising their status vis-\u00e0-vis their Other, eternally stabilising instability.\u201c<\/p>\n
\n![\"Paide](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/paide_arvamusfestival-e1713775997415.png\" "\\"Paide")
13. augustil 2022 arutlesid<\/a> Paide Arvamusfestivalil Eiki Berg, Marina Kaljurand ja Kristel Vits selle \u00fcle, kellel on \u00f5igus enesem\u00e4\u00e4ramiseks; kas l\u00e4\u00e4s v\u00f5ib oma huvides teha sama, mida Venemaa tegi Ukrainaga; kas Narva on j\u00e4rgmine Donetsk v\u00f5i Luhansk; mida t\u00e4hendab rahvus globaalses piiridega maailmas; kelle jaoks on kasulik piire hoida ja kelle jaoks me oleme n\u00f5us neid muutma. Arutelu juhtis Saskia Lilli Lehtsalu.<\/p>\n
\n![\"DFSRU](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/tartu_11_june-e1713776011411.jpg\" "\\"DFSRU")
On 11 June 2022, DFSRU hosted a great bunch of scholars dealing with de facto states for a one-day workshop. The topics that were discussed included \u201eWhat\u2019s in a name? Can we move further from the debate about definitions?\u201c; \u201eWhat is there we don\u2019t know yet but need to explore further?\u201c; \u201eExpanding the fields of de facto states research. How can we better learn from each other?\u201c Among the 20+ participants there were Scott Pegg, Nina Caspersen, Pal Kolstoe, Helge Blakkisrud, Rebecca Bryant, Magdalena Dembinska and others.<\/p>\n
\n![\"Taiwan](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/taiwani_arutelu-e1713776045895.jpg\" "\\"Taiwan")
14. veebruaril 2022 toimus Eesti V\u00e4lissuhete N\u00f5ukoja veebiarutelu teemal \u201ePinge \u2019Taiwanist\u2019 ja Taiwani p\u00e4rast\u201c<\/a>. Osalesid Frank J\u00fcris, Eesti V\u00e4lispoliitika Instituudi teadur ja Aasia ekspert; M\u00e4rt L\u00e4\u00e4nemets, vabakutseline orientalist ja sinoloog; Marten Kokk, endine Eesti Vabariigi suursaadik Hiina RV juures. Modereeris Eiki Berg, T\u00dc rahvusvaheliste suhete professor. Arutelu keskendus viimasel ajal kuhjunud pingetele \u00fclev\u00e4ina suhetes (cross-strait relations), s.o siis Taiwani ootustest leida samameelseid liitlasi ja rahvusvahelist tunnustust ning Hiina RV katsetest tasal\u00fclitada taiwanlaste sellist iseolemist, mis l\u00e4heb vastuollu \u201e\u00fche Hiina printsiibiga\u201c. Taustaks USA kui Taiwani patroonriigi suhete teravnemine Hiina RV-ga.<\/p>\n
\n![\"Shpend](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/shpend_ams-e1713776059420.png\" "\\"Shpend")
On Nov 25, 2021, Shpend Kursani presented a brief overview about the forthcoming book (co-authored with Eiki Berg)\u00a0\u201eDe Facto States and Land for Peace Agreements: Territory and Recognition at Odds\u201c<\/a>\u00a0at the University of Amsterdam, under\u00a0the 6th Practitioners Engagement Series in Cooperation with the EUMENIA network<\/a>. The event was organised by Dimitris Bouris (University of Amsterdam) and involved the invited discussant Olesya Vartanyan (International Crises Group).<\/p>\n
\n![\"Workshop](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/workshop_call-e1713776076168.png\" "\\"workshop_call.png\\"")
The De Facto States Research Unit is happy to announce that its Second Emerging Scholars Workshop on De Facto States will be taking place on January 28, 2022. The call is open to postgraduate students and early career scholars working on de facto states, state recognition, secession, and similar topics in the fields of political science, international relations, history, economics, and other related disciplines. The workshop will serve as a platform for introducing ongoing research projects, receiving feedback from peers, and establishing a network of emerging scholars working on the above-mentioned topics.<\/p>\n
\n![\"NUPI](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/nupi_meeting-e1713776105935.png\" "\\"NUPI")
On Oct 5, 2021, Eiki Berg presented a brief overview about the forthcoming book (co-authored with Shpend Kursani)\u00a0\u201eDe Facto <\/a>States and Land for Peace Agreements: Territory and Recognition at Odds\u201c<\/a>\u00a0at NUPI (Norsk utenrikspolitisk institutt<\/a>). His talk revolved around the issues whether there can be geographical solutions to secessionist conflicts that are caught between two principles at cross purposes: the principle of self-determination (defended by de facto states) and the principle of territorial integrity (defened by parent states). The\u00a0seminar<\/a>\u00a0explored further the possibility of land-for-peace agreements in four de facto state\u2013parent state pairs: Kosovo\u2013Serbia, Nagorno-Karabakh\u2013Azerbaijan, Northern Cyprus\u2013Republic of Cyprus, Abkhazia\u2013Georgia.<\/p>\n
\n![\"rahuloome](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/rahuloome_territoriaalsus-e1713776126542.jpg\" "\\"rahuloome")
Kuidas vasttekkinud riigid kindlustavad oma territoriaalsust? Kuidas maa jagamine\/jaotamine\/\u00fcmberm\u00e4ngimine t\u00e4nap\u00e4eva rahutegemisel v\u00e4lja n\u00e4eb? Millised on olemasolevad (hiljutised) n\u00e4ited ning kuidas v\u00f5ib nendele anal\u00fc\u00fctiliselt l\u00e4heneda? Kas selliste n\u00e4idete puhul on olulisemad territooriumite materiaalsed v\u00f5i mittemateriaalsed v\u00e4\u00e4rtused? Sellest r\u00e4\u00e4gib Rahvusvaheliste Suhete Ringis Tartu \u00dclikooli rahvusvaheliste suhete professor Eiki Berg.<\/p>\n
\n![\"Kristel\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/kristel-scaled-e1713776151649.jpg\" "\\"Kristel\\"")
On September 19, 2021, Kristel Vits presented a paper on \u201eMeasuring Patronage\u201c\u00a0at the workshop\u00a0International Patron Client Relations in Secessionist Conflicts: Empirical Insights and Conceptual Innovations<\/a>, organised by Friedrich-Schiller-Universit\u00e4t Jena. Her research attempts to measure de facto state dependence on patron states\/parent states in four different dimensions: economic, political-military, socio-cultural and connectivity.<\/p>\n
\n![\"Bear](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/bear_policy_conference_event_2_poster-e1713776232648.png\" "\\"Bear")
On May 11, 2021, Eiki Berg presented a policy memo \u201eCan European Brakes\u00a0Slow Down Russia\u2019s Drive in Secessionist Conflicts?\u201c<\/a> at the policy conference of\u00a0the EU <\/a>Jean Monnet Network Between the EU and Russia\u00a0(BEAR)<\/a>. His policy\u00a0advice suggested an informal and unsystematic motion on ad hoc basis towards\u00a0de facto states combined with unified approach everywhere where human rights\u00a0are at stake due to these unresolved conflicts.<\/p>\n
\n![\"Sovereignty](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/berg_and_vits-e1713776248853.png\" "\\"Sovereignty")
On April 12, 2021, Eiki Berg and Kristel Vits presented some sketchy ideas of how to study geopolitical role formation of de facto states at the workshop on\u00a0Sovereignty and Legitimacy of Post-Soviet Non-Recognized States<\/a>. In their view, all de facto states find themselves in the middle of geopolitical competition. This may pose a risk for their survival as geopolitical competition may always be transformed into active warfare with unpredictable results. But this may be also seen as a guarantee for de facto state survival, thus being in the interest of patron states to actively engage on the side of secessionists. For de facto states in between, such rivalry creates opportunities to (re-)negotiate their geopolitical roles with the reference to what they would like to be and how they should interact in relationships in order to gain the expected role.<\/p>\n
\n![\"Workshop\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/workshop2-e1713776272676.png\" "\\"workshop2.png\\"")
The De Facto States Research Unit cordially invites applications from postgraduate students and early career scholars for its First Emerging Scholars Workshop on De Facto States, taking place on May 14 2021. The call is open to those working on de facto states, state recognition, secession, and similar topics from the fields of political science, international relations, history, economics, and other related disciplines. The workshop will serve as a platform for introducing ongoing research projects, receiving feedback from peers, and establishing a strong global network of emerging scholars researching the above-mentioned topics.<\/p>\n
\n![\"Kosovo\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/kosovo3-e1713776301511.png\" "\\"kosovo3.png\\"")
On February 14, 2021, Kosovars elected their new parliament. The leader of the Self-Determination Movement, Albin Kurti, claimed\u00a0victory after his party received just over 48% of the vote and therefore possibly 57 seats in the Kosovar parliament (out of 120). With the dissolution of political debate along the right-left axis in Kosovo, the clashing \u201cideologies\u201d presented in this election were\u00a0those between \u201cthe new\u201d and \u201cthe old\u201d during the campaign period. Many\u00a0believed that \u201cthe new\u201d would trump \u201cthe old\u201d, but this\u00a0expectation was unlikely to be realized \u2013\u00a0if the players were the same old, how could it be different? Our team member, Shpend Kursani, held a webinar entitled Kosovo Parliamentary elections: The old, the new, and the new old? where he explored the possible\u00a0implications that these election results might have on the power dynamics within the country, between Kosovo and Serbia and the other power players.<\/p>\n
\n![\"Top](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/toptalk-e1713776538293.png\")
On December 11, 2020, Professor Eiki Berg was interviewed by Rusif Huseynov from the\u00a0Topchubashov Center. This\u00a0TOPTALK<\/a>\u00a0addressed questions that led\u00a0Armenia and Azerbaijan into\u00a0war again in September 27, 2020, which\u00a0created a new status quo by November 10, 2020. More specifically, this talk focuses on different interpretations of the war as well as explores Russia\u2019s intermediary role in ending recent hostilities. Finally, it examines the status question of NKR being under Russian protection and at the same time still seeking international recognition.<\/p>\n
\n![\"UKent](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/ukent_webinar-e1713776564623.jpg\" "\\"ukent_webinar.jpg\\"")
On October 28, 2020, a webinar on \u201cNagorno-Karabakh: From Simmering Conflict Back to Full Scale War\u201d<\/a> was co-organised by the Global Europe Centre (GEC) and the Brussels School of International Studies (BSIS) of the University of Kent. Neil Melvin (Royal United Services Institute, London), Eiki Berg (University of Tartu) and Kristin Bakke (University College London) offered their views on the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.<\/p>\n
\n![\"Oslo](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/oslo_meeting-e1713776595466.png\" "\\"")
On September 16, 2020, an online kick-off meeting for the project \u201cDynamics of De Facto State Patron-Client Relations (DeFacto)\u201d<\/a>\u00a0took place via Zoom channel.<\/p>\n
\n
![\"screenshot\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/shpendi_kaitsmine2-e1713776614990.png\" "\\"shpendi_kaitsmine2.png\\"")
On July 23, 2020, Shpend Kursani defended successfully his doctoral thesis on ![\"Research](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/research_in_estonia-e1713776631771.png\" "\\"Research")
Research in Estonia\u00a0is an online portal that introduces Estonian research on an international level and for international audience. The main target groups are researchers coming from abroad, international journalists, R&D administrators and delegates. Marian M\u00e4nni, an Estonian journalist, writes in her most recent posting from July 1, 2020, about ![\"image\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/20200313_101536-scaled-e1713776654171.jpg\" "\\"Training")
ra Axyonova from the Freie Universit\u00e4t Berlin gave an intensive training on \u201cFieldwork in the Study of Conflict and Authoritarianism\u201d. The training covered questions related to conducting field research in international contexts, with a specific focus on non-democracies, post-conflict societies and areas of limited statehood, such as\u00a0de facto\u00a0states. Based on her experiences in post-Soviet Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Vera Axyonova gave an overview of research interview techniques, access strategies and data documentation and shared her personal insights into doing field research in challenging environments.<\/p>\n![\"Conference](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/screen_shot_2020-01-26_at_10.13.43_am-e1713776676509.png\" "\\"screen_shot_2020-01-26_at_10.13.43_am.png\\"")
Eiki Berg attended a conference on The Para-Diplomacy of Non-State (armed) Organizations and their Implications for State-Diplomacy, organized by Universit\u00e9 libre de Bruxelles\/ REPI, on January 23-25, 2020.\u00a0The conference discussed the political implications of non-state organizations\u2019 and actors\u2019 international practices. It included diverse scholarship on a wide range of themes relating to non-state actors, political-military organizations, and de facto states.<\/p>\n![\"Meeting](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/meeting_with_ignatiev-e1713776702349.jpg\" "\\"Meeting")
On December 5, 2019, the Transnistrian FM Vitaly Ignatiev was\u00a0 interviewed by\u00a0Eiki Berg, and his colleague Kristel Vits. The scholars showed an interest in a wide range of topics, including Transnistrian trade with the EU, certain aspects of relations with the Republic of Moldova, and the geopolitical context of the Moldovan-Transnistrian settlement process. Political and legal prerequisites for the Transnistrian state formation were also part of discussion. Vitaly Ignatiev stated that Transnistria is currently in a special trading regime with the EU since January 1, 2016. \u201cWe had separate negotiations on optimal export regime of our goods to the EU market in the period of 2012-2015,\u201d he emphasised. Unlike Moldova and Ukraine, Transnistria did not take any political obligations, he said. \u201cAt the same time, we tried to make the trading framework mutually beneficial,\u201d\u00a0the diplomat added.<\/p>\n![\"Kaohsiung\"](\"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/398\/taiwan-e1713776731755.jpg\" "\\"Monument")
On November 10-22, 2019, Eiki Berg made a research visit to Kaohsiung in order to meet Taiwanese scholars working on Taiwanisation topic. His travel to initiate a research on The role of Identity in Legitimizing National Policies in Taiwan\u00a0received financial support from Estonian Research Council and Taiwan Ministry of Science and Technology. He received a warm welcome from the hosting National Sun Yat-sen University and its distinguished scholars: Prof Chueiling Shin, Prof Liao Da-chi, Prof Cheng-Shan Liu and Assoc. Prof Rou-lan Chen.