The Centre for Advanced Studies Southeast Europe (CAS SEE) and the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (CSMK) at the University of Rijeka recently co-hosted Dr Mate Subašić, Senior Lecturer in International Relations at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), for a week-long research visit.

Dr Subašić’s research has two strands: transnational ethnic ties, and environmental movements in Eastern and Southeast Europe. He has published in journals including Democratization, Nationalities Papers and Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space. He co-convenes the BISA South East Europe Working Group and sits on the Balkan Section Committee of the Association for the Study of Nationalities (ASN).

The visit brought together the interests of both host centres: minority politics in Southeast Europe and environmental activism in Eastern Europe. Dr Subašić’s research on environmental activism in Poland offered a useful comparison with ongoing work on environmental issues in Southeast Europe. The discussions looked at how environmental movements form, organise, and engage with the state in both regions, and what each region’s experience can teach the other.

The visit opened with a working meeting with CAS and CSMK and a tour of the University of Rijeka campus. The first day ended with an evening exploring the city of Rijeka. Over the following days, Dr Subašić met with representatives of CAS SEE and CSMK and with colleagues from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Rijeka. He also gave a guest lecture in the course Education for Civil Society (Odgoj i obrazovanje za civilno društvo). The rest of the visit went to developing joint plans for future collaboration, including grant applications and teaching cooperation.

CAS SEE and CSMK thank Dr Subašić for his visit and look forward to continuing the collaboration.