Main cross-cutting themes

The ENRI-East research project is structured along four cross-cutting research themes that shall be explored as important theoretical issues.

The first research theme is the Interplay of identities and cultures: comparing “mother nations” and their “residual groups abroad”. This theme establishes the theoretical background for the entire study and provides the basis for empirical surveys as well as for consistent analysis and interpretation of survey data. Drawing on a critical analysis of previous studies on identities in Europe as well as on the European value studies, project surveys will generate new data, which can be used to test theoretical assumptions.
Thematic Library of the first research theme


The second cross-cutting theme addresses Nations between the states: attitudes and policies of “mother nations” and “host nations” towards the “residual groups” and vice versa. This is a study of the political aspects of interrelations between “mother nations” and their “residual groups abroad” as well between the “host nations” and ethnic minorities located in these countries. It involves both theoretical and empirical efforts, e.g. a critical analysis of literature complemented and verified with sociological surveys and statistical reviews.
Thematic Library of the second research theme

The third research theme of the project is the Self-organisation and representation of “residual groups abroad” (ethnic minorities) along the East European borderland. This is mainly an empirical study aimed at exploration of the “internal lives” of studied ethnic groups, starting with the issue of group-solidarity (unity), ways and degrees of integration of their members with “host” societies (local, regional and nation-wide), up to the measurement of the “level of establishment” of the group as a whole (e.g. an officially recognised minority or autonomy, or absence of such political status, self-governance and political participation issues) and of their individual people (degrees of citizenship, ranging from a full formal citizenship in a “host country”, double citizenship, different stages of migration status, absence of any citizenship, etc.)
Thematic Library of the third research theme

And finally, the fourth research theme of the project deals with path dependencies, historical memories, present status and expected dynamics of divided nations in Eastern Europe. This theme entails a review of the historical evolution of a particular ethnic group, the analysis of historical and cultural memories of its members, a presentation of a modern “group portrait” (based on the obtained empirical data) as well as an overview of possible scenarios for future dynamics of this group (derived from the intrinsic “expectations” of the group members and projections of existing development trends in the “contextual” societies).
Thematic Library of the fourth research theme