IDM Podcast: Recent Episodes
IDM Vienna
The Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe (IDM) is a non-university research institution registered as an association and predominantly financed by public funds. Founded in 1953, the Vienna-based institute carries out fundamental research and mediation work with a regional focus on Central, East and South East Europe. We are a think tank and a platform for actors and stakeholders from academia, politics, economy, administration, culture, media and civil society. In addition to research, our activities focus on knowledge transfer and science communication through events, publications and educational programs.
In line with our slogan European perspectives — Regional actions. Cooperation and expertise since 1953, the experts of IDM follow a pro-European approach in order to implement regional actions. We aim to enhance cross-border cooperation, dialogue and knowledge exchange in the region and beyond. Our work is based on the principles of liberal democracy and shared values, goals and visions with our neighbours.
With this IDM Podcast Series, we expand our formats in providing our knowledge and expertise to a wider audience. You can expect high quality discussions about recent topics concerning the Danube Region, Central and South East Europe.
Episode 51: 2024 European Parliament elections
🌟 In our season 4 opener, Central Europe Explained unpacks the 2024 European Parliament elections with a diverse panel from across Europe. Discover personal stories, insights on the elections' impact, and the future of the EU. Tune in for a compelling discussion that goes beyond politics! 🌐
🎙️ Panel guests:
Sebastian Schäffer, Kamila Bogdanova, Melanie Jaindl, Malwina Talik, Sophia Beiter, Daniel Martínek, Péter Techet.
Produced by:
Gloria Becerril
🔗 Click here to discover more about Parliamentary elections in our Youtube channel.
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Central Europe Explained is back for a fourth season!
As the world evolves, so do the narratives within the Danube Region and Central Europe. Our next season aims to foster the engagement between our listeners and all the pivotal issues taking place in our target region and the world. We want to show our audience that everything that happens around us in the spheres of finance, politics and science shapes our personal journeys too.
In this season, our podcast takes a bold step towards the heart of civil society, inviting guests to share their intimate narratives and personal journeys. Combining storytelling and the expertise of our team in ten episodes, our objective is to foster a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities that define our region.
With the support and expertise of the IDM team, we will offer a unique lens through which we will examine these personal narratives. Our experts enrich each story with their insights, contextualizing individual experiences within the broader landscape of the Danube Region and Central Europe.
Are you interested in the future of the Danube Region? Then stay tuned to Central Europe Explained and remember to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite streaming platform!
Central Europe Explained is a podcast series produced by the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe (IDM) and powered by Erste Group.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 50: 70 years IDM - Locating the future
🎙️ Celebrate 70 years of history and hard work with us on The Central Europe Explained Podcast! 🌐 In this special episode, host Gloria Becerril takes you through the Platinum Jubilee of the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe (IDM). Hear insights from distinguished speakers, including Austria's Federal President and Minister of Education, as they reflect on IDM's crucial role in shaping a resilient Europe.
🔗 Dive into the event with exclusive audio clips on our YouTube channel and gain perspectives on IDM's past, present, and future. Director Sebastian Schäffer shares the challenges and achievements that define IDM's journey, offering a glimpse into the collaborative spirit of the dedicated team. Join us in celebrating this milestone and stay connected for more insights on our website and social media.
🙌 A heartfelt thank you to our collaborators over the years! Together, let's continue "Locating the Future" for another 70 years. Thank you for being part of the IDM community. 🌟
Edition: Gloria Becerril
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EP 49 Gender EquiCEEty: Representation, inclusion and intersectionality in Central and Eastern Europe
Taking a brief look at statistics, it may seem that in many regards women in Central and Eastern Europe enjoy more (economic) equality and independence, especially if we consider the gender-pay gap, the percentage of female professionals in STEM fields, and female managers. But if we dig deeper will this image still hold?
In the new episode “Gender EquiCEEty: Representation, inclusion and intersectionality in CEE” of our podcast “Central Europe Explained”, Malwina Talik together with her guests Vladislava Gubalova (GLOBSEC) and Joanna Talewicz (Fundacja w Strong Dialogu) take a closer look at two specific issues: 1) the position of female professionals working in media and start-ups, and 2) the standing of women from the Romani community.
Tune in!
Recommendations:
Vladislava Gubalova
A Bulgarian movie ‘Petya of my Petya’ (2022)
Joanna Talewicz
- Art by Małgorzata Mirga-Tas and Krzysztof Gil
- A Swedish movie Taikon
- A Polish Netflix series “Infamy”
Reports mentioned in the episode:
Women’s Voices in the Media: A Look at Central Europe
Women in the Innovation Ecosystem Zooming in on Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia
CEEHer Initiative
Fundacja w Stronę Dialogu
Host: Malwina Talik
Edition: Gloria Becerril
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Belonging and becoming: strengthening the EU project
In this episode Daniel Martínek engages in an exploration of European identity and the challenges it faces. Our guest, Niccolò Milanese, founding director of European Alternatives, sheds light on the need to strengthen the European Union in the thick of growing Euroscepticism. We touch upon the interplay of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in shaping the European identity, while considering the diverse interpretations of Europeanness across the region. Join us as we navigate these fundamental questions surrounding what it means to be European in today's evolving landscape.
Our click here to know more about host's piece of art recommendation.
Host: Daniel Martínek
Production and Editing: Gloria Becerril
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Is Europe still a fortress? Refugees in Central and Eastern Europe
In CEE (and beyond) migration has become an issue that polarizes and evokes a wide range of emotions. In their conversation, Melanie Jaindl and Malwina Talik discuss three important dates in the recent history of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE): 2015 (the 'long summer of migration'), 2021 (the humanitarian crisis on the Poland-Belarus border), and 2022 (the Russian invasion of Ukraine). They explore how these events have been perceived in CEE, offer explanations for different attitudes, and examine their collective impact on the region.
Our hosts' pieces of art recommendations:
The Passage by Selma Banich
Book Jezus umarł w Polsce
Host: Malwina Talik and Melanie Jaindl, associates at IDM
Production and Editing: Gloria Becerril
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Timișoara Unveiled: A Journey through Multiculturality, Art, and Communism
In 2023, the Romanian city of Timișoara holds the title of European Capital of Culture. Tourists are flocking to the city as it is thriving with art exhibitions and cultural events – one can literally find art around every corner in Timșioara these days. Amidst the art, visitors can also witness the historical heritage of Timișoara, a city with a rich and eventful past under the Ottomans, Austrians and Hungarians, and the first city to rise against the communist regime. This legacy has shaped Timișoara into a contemporary, multilingual and multicultural place that some consider to be quintessentially European.
In this episode, Sophia Beiter shares her insights into this year’s European Capital of Culture. She talked to a variety of different guests – from the city’s mayor to young curators and independent artists. The episode delves into how multiculturality inspires the art scene in Timișoara, how inhabitants experienced the revolution in 1989, how communism still affects young artists in their work and how the title of European Capital of Culture can have a lasting positive impact.
Take a look at Maria Nalbantova’s artwork here.
Guests: Dominik Fritz, Ovidiu Mihaita, Maria Nalbantova, Cristina Stoenescu, Georgia Tidorescu, Oltea Zambori
Host: Sophia Beiter, research associate at IDM
Production and Editing: Gloria Becerril
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For most people holidays means a week at the beach, or a visit to picturesque cities. But that’s not the first things coming up in everyone’s mind. Some people seek the thrill, the misery: they visit places of previous genocide, natural and man-made catastrophes and former war zones. Places, of which Central-, East- and Southeast Europe have plenty – given the region’s specific historical, cultural and political context. Dark tourism describes these practices of travelling to places of human suffering.
In this episode, Melanie Jaindl talks with Peter Hohenhaus to shed light on the motivations for visiting these extraordinary sites and how to deal with misery in a respectful manner. Hohenhaus runs a blog and website, where he shares his experiences of travelling the unconventional way, which he also put down in his book Atlas of Dark Destinations.
Take a look at our guest's recommendation Shoes on the Danube Bank (Budapest): here.
Host: Melanie Jaindl, Scientific Associate at IDM.
In cooperation with: Darija Benic
Editorial Support: Jade Penancier
Production and Editing: Gloria Becerril, Trainee at IDM and student at University of Padua.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode we will dive into the journey of the editor and author Rod Dreher, who recently announced that he is moving to Hungary to work for the think tank Danube Institute. Dreher aims to make Hungary the centre of the American conservative dialogue, as he considers Budapest a hub of a network against globalism, which has been under construction for a few years. We will explore the reasons behind the increasing interest of American conservatives in Hungary, the ongoing diffusion of frames, common goals, and enemies among American and Hungarian conservatives, and the implications of this transnationalisation of political polarisation. To give us insights into these issues, we will be joined by Flora Garamvolgyi, a Los Angeles-based journalist who has been investigating this issue. So stay tuned for an insightful discussion on the origins and intentions of this network and what it means for the upcoming elections.
Our guest recommendations:
Jordan Klepper Fingers the Globe: Hungary for Democracy - Full Special | The Daily Show
Ron DeSantis: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Host:
Daniela Apaydin, Research Associate at IDM.
Production and editing:
Gloria Becerril, Trainee at IDM and student at University of Padua.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
While feminist foreign policy has been successful in promoting gender equality in some countries, it has also been criticised for imposing Western values onto other cultures and failing to address specific needs. This podcast episode explores the strengths and weaknesses of feminist foreign policy, its current state and the challenges it is facing in order to ensure a gender perspective is present in foreign policy decisions, as well as involving women in target countries in decision-making processes.
In this episode, our host Gloria Becerril (IDM trainee) holds an insightful conversation with Dr Claudia Zilla, senior fellow at the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), who provides a nuanced look at the complexities of feminist foreign policy and ways to improve it in the future.
Our guest recommendation:
Todo cambia (Everything changes), Interpreted by Mercedes Sosa and written by Julio Numhauser.
Production and editing: Gloria Becerril, IDM trainee and student at University of Padua.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Danube Region, Central and Eastern Europe, in other words everything between Germany and Austria, Moldova and Ukraine, down to the Balkans, is a very diverse region when it comes to national minorities. There are very significant populations of people living in countries neighbouring their so-called “kin-states”, such as the Hungarian minorities in Slovakia, Transcarpathia in Ukraine, and Transylvania in Romania.
What does “national minority” refer to? Which challenges are they facing in Central and Eastern Europe? What challenges to ensure the protection for natianal minorities in the Danube Region?
Jack Gill (IDM) discusses these issues with Sergiu Constantin Senior Researcher at Institute for Minority Rights - Eurac research.
Our guest recommendation:
The Bridge on the Drina is a historical novel by the Yugoslav writer Ivo Andrić.
The Ukrainian folk band DakhaBrakha.
Host: Jack Gill, Research assistant at IDM
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate at IDM and Gloria Becerril, IDM trainee and student at University Padua.
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10 years after joining the European Union in 2013, on 1 January 2023, Croatia entered the Eurozone. As it is replaced by the Euro, the Croatian old currency, the Kuna (HRK), will slowly become an object, yet a device full of history.
Since 5 September 2021, prices in both currencies have been displayed and dual circulation of EUR and HRK banknotes was allowed until two weeks before the introduction day of the Euro. So now, only the euro remain accepted for use.
Which history lies behind the Kuna? What will be the impact of the introduction of the Euro on the business relations of the country? Which challenges need Croatia to focus on after joining the Eurozone?
Sebastian Schäffer (IDM) tackled these questions with Mario Holzner - Executive Director of the wiiw.
Our guest recommendation:
Check out the various memes existing on social media making fun of the potential designs of the Croatian euro coin.
Host: Sebastian Schäffer, Managing Director at IDM
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate at IDM and Gloria Becerril, IDM trainee and student at University Padua.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Central Europe Explained is back for a third season!
CEE 3.0 follows specific events and topics happening over the years in the Danube Region.
If you are not familiar with CEE yet, this podcast focuses on several topics of general interest: geopolitics, human rights, economy, culture, democracy, etc. With experts from and about the region, we explore those various fields.
We aim to enhance cross-border cooperation, dialogue and knowledge exchange in the region and beyond. Our work is based on the principles of liberal democracy and shared values, goals and visions with our neighbours.
Are you interested in future of the Danube Region? Then stay tuned to Central Europe Explained and remember to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite streaming platform!
Central Europe Explained is a podcast series produced by the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe (IDM) and powered by Erste Group.
Learning and mobility are different concepts, yet interconnected.
One can think about them as a human right, privilege, advantage or opportunity.
Access to education and freedom of movement is often taken for granted. However, we are not all equal towards those: living in a warzone is an example of this contrast.
For this final episode of the 17th DRC Summer School, Christopher Radovic interviews Iryna Feketa, Anastasiia Lendel and Yuliia Stoika, all Ukrainian university students.
Together they discuss their studying situation in western Ukraine. They give us their personal insights as well as wishes for the future.
References mentioned: CEE#35: Education Cannot Wait - with Lana Chubakha and Emma Hontebeyrie
Host: Sebastian Schäffer, IDM Managing Director
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate at IDM
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Is University in Exile the future of Central Europe?
In 2018, with the Hungarian government banning CEU from welcoming new students, the university had the relocate its activities from Budapest to Vienna.
This direct attack on university autonomy is an example of the current fight for academic intuitions for their freedom.
What is the current state of university autonomy in the Danube Region?
Following diverse narratives from actors of the academia, Daniel Martinek and Emma Hontebeyrie discuss these challenges.
This podcast brings together diverse voices and personal opinions, between anonymous interviews and discourses from Edza Aria Wkurendra, Grant Dunnery, Fiona Faas, Ljiljan Veselinović, as well as the president and rector of CEU Shalini Randeria.
Host: Daniel Martinek, Research Associate at IDM; Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate at IDM
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate at IDM
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The structure of our social system is based on an important and tight triumvirate: science and academia, policy-makers, and civil society. However, in recent years we have witnessed a weakening of the relationship between these elements.
What is the reason for this fading, and what are the consequences of it? How can we remind each other that we are all playing for the same team and not against each other?
There is a great lack of communication and a great loss of trust on the part of civil society towards the world of academia, and politicians. In this episode, Malwina Talik (IDM) and Emma Hontebeyrie will share our perspectives and comment on excerpts from a discussion between participants of the 17th DRC Summer School about the Future of Academia held in Vienna in the summer of 2022.
IDM managing director Sebastian Schäffer will also share his views on the role of citizens and the relationship between academia and policy makers, to repair this current decaying bond with the people.
Host: Malwina Talik, Research Associate at IDM & Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate at IDM
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate at IDM
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As students, engagement is a key driver of one’s personal development.
But what does engagement mean? Which place plays youth in academia? Are they passive listeners or actors for change?
In July 2022, the DRC Summer School on the Future of Academia in the Danube Region took place in Vienna and welcomed around twenty participants from all over Europe. We took the chance to talk with actors from academia about their views on student engagement.
This podcast brings together diverse natives and personal opinions, between anonymous interviews and discourses from Darija Benic, Romina Kali, Tea Memushi, Kërkesë Zogjani, as well as the president and rector of CEU Shalini Randeria.
Guest: Darija Benic, a student at the University of Bari Aldo Moro, Italy; Romina Kali Lawyer and Researcher in the field of transitional justice in Shkodër, Albania; Tea Memushi assistant lecturer and student counselling coordinator at the University College Pavaresia, Albania; Kërkesë Zogjani student in psychology at the University of Pristina; Kosovo.
Host: Gloria Becerill, IDM trainee and student of Local Development Master's degree at the University of Padua; Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate at IDM
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate at IDM
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Danube Tech Valley Initiative, Central Europe’s next innovative driver
Countries of the Danube Region find common ground with their shared cultures and histories but also their variety of traditional industries. During the past decades, innovative technologies have flooded the region, although western countries remain the prominent leader in innovation. Yet, a new driver is awaiting, and it seems that Central Europe and the Danube Region only need the right resources.
The Danube Tech Valley Initiativeaims to actively use the region's innovative wealth to create a vibrant hub of industries and technology. Supported by the global think-tank GLOBSEC, the DTVI set the goal of building an innovative ecosystem in the Central European Region.
Which concrete opportunity does the Danube Tech Valley represent for CEE? Which obstacle lies ahead, especially regarding potential regional and EU-level dichotomies?
Sebastian Schäffer (IDM) tackled these questions with Wilhelm Molterer, Chairman of GLOBSEC Board of Directors, former Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister of Austria.
Our guest recommendation:
Janoska Ensemble, THE BIG B‘s – Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Beatles, Bizet & Bartók
Guest: Wilhelm Molterer, Chairman of GLOBSEC Board of Directors, former Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister of Austria.
Host: Sebastian Schäffer, Managing Director at IDM
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate at IDM
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Novi Sad as the European Capital of Culture 2022
On the 1st of January 2022, the Serbian city Novi Sad officially became the European Capital of Culture. With one year delay due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Novi Sad is among the first cities outside the European Union and the first from the Western Balkans to be awarded this title.
Created in 1985, European Capitals of Culture highlight the continent's richness and diversity of cities. Moreover, it brings together people from all over Europe, promotes European understanding and collaboration.
Is European Capital of Culture only a prestigious title, or does it have concrete actions and consequences on the ground and amongst ordinary people?
Daniel Martinek (IDM) discusses this topic with Sara Vuletić, Programme Director at the Foundation “Novi Sad - European Capital of Culture”.
Our guest recommendation:
The Cultural Station Svilara, Novi Sad
Guest: Sara Vuletić, Programme Director at the Foundation “Novi Sad - European Capital of Culture”
Host: Daniel Martínek, Research Associate at IDM
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate at IDM
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The fight for Pride and the nation in Ukraine
The war in Ukraine is often framed as a struggle over Ukrainians belonging to either the East or the West. Given this, it becomes clear why especially LGBTQIA+ activists stress Ukraine’s commitment to so-called Western values. They include human rights and, in particular, the acceptance of the queer community. On the other side, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin created “traditional values” as the dominant narrative in his third presidential term. Experts state that the Kremlin constructed homophobia as geopolitics, and the war on Ukraine is the continuation of this politics by other means. Indeed, Putin even targeted the queer community in his February 24 speech, which attempts to justify the attacks on Ukraine.
What are the realities for trans people in the war? Do they encounter discrimination during their flight or fight? And how has queer activist work changed within Ukraine?
Melanie Jaindl (IDM) asked these questions to Edward Reese, a queer activist and project assistant at Kyiv Pride. Edward shares their own experiences of leaving Ukraine, their opinions about gendered war narratives and explains the importance of searching for LGBTQIA+ communities in a new environment.
Our guest recommendation:
The 2022 Eurovision’s winner Kalush Orchestra’s video clip Stefania, 2022
Sources about Ukraine in English:
The telegram channel Ukraine Now [English]
The daily newspaper The Kyiv Independent
The daily newspaper Kyiv Post
The media platform Hromadske International
The twitter channel @xenasolo
The Instagram account Svidomi, @svidomi_eng
Looking for the queer community in Vienna? Get in touch with Queer Base.
To learn more about LGBTQIA+ topics, check out our other podcasts:
Pride despite Prejudice - Sarajevo's first rainbow march in 2019, with Emina Bošnjak and Emma Hontebeyrie.
Nationalism in the scope of patriarchy, with Dr Elissa Helms and Chiara Maria Murgia.
Guest: Edward Reese, queer activist and project assistant for Kyiv Pride.
Host: Melanie Jaindl, Assistant Editor at IDM
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate at IDM
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While nationalism has mainly been recognized – and researched – as one of the most influential ideologies of modern times, its connection with morality and sexual norms started to receive attention relatively recently. In Europe, this phenomenon has taken root at different paces and scales, marking the continent's political cultures and multiple identities.
How is a national discourse constructed? How does it intersect with human life's social, private and political dimensions?
Focusing on the Western Balkans experience, Chiara Maria Murgia (IDM) discusses these with Elissa Helms, Associate Professor at the Central European University.
**please note the unfortunate cut at 16.50 mins: "...women who survived the genocide by the ICTY, over 8,000 men were killed..."
-> The ICTY ruled that the events in Srebrenica were a genocide. Of course, the ICTY was not among the perpetrators. It was Bosnian Serb forces under the command of Ratko Mladic who carried out the killings.
More Information: Srebrenica Genocide: No Room For Denial | International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (icty.org) **
Our guest recommendation:
Maja Bajević's performance, Dressed Up, 1999
Jasmila Žbanić's movies: Grbavica, 2006; For Those Who Can Tell No Tales, 2013; Quo Vadis, Aida?2020
References mentioned in the program:
Benedict Anderson, Imagined Communities, 1983
Dubravka Zarkov, The Body of War: Media, Ethnicity, and Gender in the Break-up of Yugoslavia, 2007
Elissa Helms, Innocence and Victimhood: Gender, Nation, and Women's Activism in Postwar Bosnia-Herzegovina, 2013
Guest: Dr Elissa Helms, Associate Professor at the Central European University.
Host: Chiara Maria Murgia, Project Assistant at IDM
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate at IDM
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Promoting empowerment, dignity and equality of the LGBTQIA* community, pride honours queer history.
In 2019, Sarajevo celebrated its first rainbow march. Bosnia and Herzegovina was the last country in the Western Balkans to organise a parade but it gathered 3 000 participants and took place without violence. The event marked a turning point in the democratic path of the Balkan state.
Why did it take so long for Sarajevo? Was the city ready for such an event? Have actual improvements been made for the LGBTQIA community in Bosnia and Herzegovina?*
Emma Hontebeyrie (IDM) talks to Emina Bošnjak the Executive Director of the Sarajevo Open Center and Co-Chair of ILGA Europe.
Our guest recommendation:
Pojmovnik LGBT Kulture (Lexicon of Queer Culture), published by Sarajevo Open Center in 2012, is only available in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian.
Neizgovoreno (Unspoken) (2016), a documentary constructed from relationships of several Bosnian gays, bisexuals and lesbians with their parents. Reach out to Emina Bošnjak at emina@soc.ba for the download link.
References mentioned in the program:
Let There Be Colour (2020), a documentary directed by Ado Hasanovic about Sarajevo’s first rainbow march in 2019
Guest: Emina Bošnjak is the Executive Director of the Sarajevo Open Center and Co-Chair of ILGA Europe.
Host: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate at IDM
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate at IDM
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When a crisis hits, schools are a safe space for children as a driver for hope and dreams.
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, every school had to introduce remote learning. And when the war hit Europe two years later, Ukrainian students and teachers had to adapt again.
In times of war, classrooms remain a place where children find a sense of stability and process trauma. However, disparities have long existed regarding education. Depending on financial status, location and country of residence, not every child has access to schooling equally.
How have Ukrainian pupils and teachers been adapting to both the pandemic and the war?
Lana Chubakha, an English primary school teacher from Kyiv, shares her experience with Emma Honteberie (IDM).
Our guest’s recommendation:
The Harry Potter novel series by J.K Rowling and the Harry Potter film series.
CEE - Central Europe Explained is a podcast series produced by the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, powered by Erste Group.
Guest: Lana Chubakha, Primary English School Teacher and Founder of the volunteer project Pan Ravlenko.
Host: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate IDM
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate IDM
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Four days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed an official application for EU membership. Fast-tracking the application was discussed in certain circles, however such a procedure does not exist. Facing this impossibility, questions arose regarding the regional future of Ukraine and the recovery of the country after the war will finally end.
Which challenges must we consider when it comes to Ukrainian accession to the EU? How can macro-regional strategies such as the EUSDR strengthen short-term perspective for regional future in post-war Ukraine?
Sebastian Schäffer (IDM) and Nadija Afanasieva (UIIP), discuss amongst others these questions following their co-written policy paper about the European regional future of Ukraine.
Our Policy Paper:
A European (Regional) Future for Ukraine, Nadija Afanasieva and Sebastian Schäffer, April 2022.
Our guest recommandations:
Hey Hey Rise Up, Pink Floyd’s and Andriy Khlyvnyuk of Boombox, April 2022.
CEE - Central Europe Explained is a podcast series produced by the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, powered by Erste Group.
Guest: Nadija Afanasieva, Director of the Ukrainian Institute for International Politics (UIIP)
Host: Sebastian Schäffer, Managing Director IDM
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate IDM
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Covid-19 has been part of our everyday life for more than 2 years now. Although young people have been less threatened by Covid-19 in terms of physical well-being, they were more likely than older groups to experience financial and housing insecurity, unemployment and mental health problems. Now as states are trying to recover from the pandemic, we want to take a closer look at the role of young people in this process.
Are they spectators or stakeholders? Are their needs and voices included in national strategies and policy-making processes?
Malwina Talik (IDM) discusses those questions with her guest Milena Stosic from the OSCE Mission to Serbia.
Our guest recommandations:
The book: The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Differenceby Malcolm Gladwell
The painting: What Freedom! by Ilya Repin
Reference(s) mentioned in the program:
Research Summary: The Influence of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the Life of Young People in Serbia - KOMS
European Council of Foreign Relations: Europe's Invisible Divides
Eurofound: Impact of Covid-19 on Young People in the EU
LinkedIn Group: Fostering more inclusive societies: youth engagement in policies, processes and programmes
CEE - Central Europe Explained is a podcast series produced by the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, powered by Erste Group.
Guest: Milena Stosic from the OSCE Mission to Serbia - once a youth activist and representative, psychologist, #youthmainstreaming pioneer and feminist.
Host: Malwina Talik, Research Associate IDM
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate IDM
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Which role for CEE in the Ukrainian refugee crisis? “Ursula von der Leyen said very pointedly: This is our family. The Ukrainian people are the European family.”
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, more than 4 million refugees have left the country while about 6 million people have been displaced internally within Ukraine.
Europe is experiencing the largest mass migration crisis since the end of WWII, the first of its kind since the war in ex-Yugoslavia. A situation that is sadly not without precedent...
Daniel Martinek (IDM) discusses with Almina Besic, Assistant Professor at the Department of International Management of Johannes Kepler University in Linz.
Our guest recommendation:
Located in Sarajevo and Kyiv, The War Childhood Museum exposes children's memories of contemporary conflict, post-conflict, and resettlement zones. With projects held in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Lebanon, Ukraine and the United States, the museum gives voice to current and former war children.
CEE - Central Europe Explained is a podcast series produced by the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, powered by Erste Group.
Guest: Almina Besic, Assistant Professor at the Department of International Management of Johannes Kepler University, Linz.
Host: Daniel Martinek, Research Associate IDM
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate IDM
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When presidents become TikTok stars, influencers report live from bomb shelters and photographers capture the unimaginable, we find ourselves in March 2022 and a war is raging in Europe.
Today, the power of images is a decisive factor in the development of wars. During the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine their power is used by very different actors with various intentions. Spreading disinformation and manipulating visual media for propaganda is one of them. So is the need to inform people outside of Ukraine and call for awareness and empathy. Therefore, it is time to analyze the power of images and discuss the responsibilities that comes with their production, consumption and sharing.
How do we handle images of war in Social Media, and how much reality can a photograph catch after all?
Daniela Apaydin (IDM) talks to Daniela Ingruber, war researcher and media theorist at the Austrian Democracy Lab, University of Continuing Education Krems.
Our guest recommendation:
The works of the Hungarian-American war photographer Robert Capa, and from the German photojournalist Gerda Taro.
Find more here: https://www.magnumphotos.com/photographer/robert-capa/
References mentioned in the program:
One of the first modern war correspondent William Howard Russell.
One of the first war photographer Roger Fenton.
The Falling Manfrom Richard Drew, picture of a man falling from the World Trade Center during the 09/11 attacks in New York.
The French sociologist, philosopher and cultural theorist Jean Baudrillard.
The songTaro, from English indie-rock band Alt-J.
Guest: Dr. Daniela Ingruberis a war researcher and political philosopher, media theorist and a consulter for film productions and film festivals. She currently works at the University for Continuing Education Krems (UWK).
Host: Daniela Apaydin, Research Associate at IDM
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate at IDM
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Independent journalism is the backbone of every functioning democracy. Yet for the countries of the Western Balkan, the free spaces for reporting have been shrinking. Journalists often find themselves in a hostile atmosphere, often labelled by as traitors of the nation or as foreign agents. Resilient independent media is a precondition for the rising threats of disinformation and fake news.
How do we tackle the current deficiencies of the media system and public sphere in the region? What concrete measures improve resilience of independent journalists?
Daniela Apaydin, research associate at the IDM, spoke with Hana Ćopićfrom the cross-border journalism network n-ost, about her experiences with capacity building in the Western Balkans.
Our guest recommandation:
Local Journalism and European Perspectives's publications in English and in Bosnian/Croatian/Montenegrin/Serbian.
References mentioned in the program:
N-ost Cross-Boarder Playbook.
CEE - Central Europe Explained is a podcast series produced by the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, powered by Erste Group.
Guest: Hana Ćopić, Project Manager for “Local Journalism – European Perspectives” a project co-organized by BIRN (Balkan Investigative Reporting Network) and n-ost
Host: Daniela Apaydin, Research Associate at IDM
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate at IDM
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Every year Estonia saves more than 1400 years of working time and 2% of GDP. How? Through its digital public services. Until 1991, Estonia was a Soviet republic, but since regaining its independence, it has succeeded in becoming a “digital republic”: a frontrunner in digitalization in CEE and in the world.
Since the pandemic hit, the demand for digital solutions have risen unprecedently. What can CEE and the EU learn from Estonia? Can this small Baltic country provide answers to the digital challenges that we are facing today? And isn’t an e-state particularly vulnerable to cyber-attacks in the times of an increased hybrid warfare and cybercrime? Those are some of the topics that Malwina Talik (IDM) discusses with Erika Piirmets (E-Estonia Briefing Centre)
Our guest recommandation: e-Estonia podcast: The Art of Digitalisation
CEE - Central Europe Explained is a podcast series produced by the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, powered by Erste Group.
Guest: Erika Piirmets, Digital Transformation Adviser at the e-Estonia Briefing Centre
Host: Malwina Talik, Research Associate IDM
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate IDM
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"The problem in the pandemic is that the individual has been so much highlighted that we have forgotten about society."
The Covid-19 pandemic happened to be a fertile ground for nationalist and protectionist political forces. By bringing national politics to the forefront, European integration suffered fundamentally. With the restoration of nation-territorial borders as well as “vaccine nationalism”, the European nation-states have acted as active competitive managers in opposition to a coordinated inclusive pan-European approach.
What were the reasons for this national individualism and can such policies be prevented in future crises? What consequences has the pandemic on the perception of European integration and which narratives have been strengthened within the societies across Europe?
Daniel Martinek (IDM) discusses with Anna Durnová, Professor of Political Sociology at the Department of Sociology of the University of Vienna, whose research focus lies among others on the interface between expertise, culture and politics or social polarization in times of crisis.
Artwork recommended by the guest: Camus, Albert, The Plague, Paris, Gallimard, 1947
Read more on the sociological consequences of the pandemic or policy discourses in Czechia in Anna Durnová's articles.
CEE - Central Europe Explained is a podcast series produced by the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, powered by Erste Group.
Guest: Anna Durnová, Professor of Political Sociology at the Department of Sociology of the University of Vienna
Host: Daniel Martinek, Research Associate IDM
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate IDM
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" [The question] is now: how to finance, how to make a fair distribution, and how to prepare a system in a way which is resilient, that brings life quality and fairness to all of us."
In 2019 the CAF2020 was launched, aiming to help and improve public sector organizations’ performances from a national to a local level. The CAF (Common Assessment Framework) is a total quality management model for self-assessment developed by the public sector for the public sector. Recently, it has been intended to strengthen the focus on digitization, agility, sustainability, innovation, collaboration (participation) and diversity.
Can this model help in a financial recovery? Could it be the solution for alleviating the strain that has been put on public finances, especially on the local level since the start of the pandemic?
Sebastian Schäffer (IDM) discusses this with Thomas Prorok, Managing Director of the KDZ-Centre for Public Administration Research and Head of the CAF Center.
Artwork recommended by the guest: Houellebecq, Michel, Serotonin, Paris, Flammarion, 2019
Find more about the CAF2020 here and KDZ-Centre for Public Administration Research here.
CEE - Central Europe Explained is a podcast series produced by the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, powered by Erste Group.
Guest: Thomas Prorok, Managing Director of the KDZ-Centre for Public Administration Research and Head of the CAF Center.
Host: Sebastian Schäffer, Managing Director IDM
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Healing the Economy: The European Silk Road - cooperation and recovery in CEE
"We need a new narrative and (...) a big common European mission, like the European Silk Road could be one of those narratives which could bring us together."
In 2018, a study by the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw) proposed the European Silk Road as a response to China’s New Silk Road.
Aiming to connect Europe’s eastern and western industrial centers the European Silk Road would generate growth and employment. This important booster for the Central, Eastern and South-Eastern European Region could increase GDP on average by 3.5% and bring better and greener transport infrastructure.
Together with Mario Holzner - Executive Director of the wiiw and Co-author of the study - Sebastian Schäffer is discussing the cooperative perspectives and goals of the European Silk Road.
Artwork recommended by the guest: The Silk Road Symphony Orchestra (the musical background of The Conference of the Birds on the Silk Road Cultural Belt.)
Read Mario Holzner’s research report here and find more about the European Silk Road here.
CEE - Central Europe Explained is a podcast series produced by the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, powered by Erste Group.
Guest: Mario Holzner, Executive Director at wiiw (Wiener Institut für Internationale Wirtschaftsvergleiche)
Host: Sebastian Schäffer, Managing Director IDM
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate IDM
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The conflict between the Hungarian government and the Central European University (CEU) is a well-known example of universities’ struggle for autonomy. Daniela Apaydin, a research associate at the IDM, spoke with former CEU rector, the author, historian, and former politician, Prof. Michael Ignatieff, about his personal lessons learned and possible actions to improve the resilience of universities in the region.
Artwork recommended by the guest: Christmas Carols by the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge
CEE - Central Europe Explained is a podcast series produced by the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, powered by Erste Group.
Guest: Prof. Michael Ignatieff.
Host: Daniela Apaydin.
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie
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As for the rest of Europe, the Central European and Danube Region have a long way to go before reaching climate-neutral policies. But concrete projects and activities try to make this change.
Such is the case with the Amazon of Europe Bike Trail that aims to promote new types of green and regional tourism.
The cycling trail follows the natural meanders of the rivers Mura, Drava and Danube while connecting five countries spanning over 1,250km.
In this episode, Emma Hontebeyrie, podcast producer at the IDM, is welcoming Urška Dolinar, Founder and Managing Director of Iskriva, the Institute for Development of Local Potential, and the leading partner of the Amazon of Europe Bike Trail project.
Artwork recommended by the guest: Ivan Generalić, The red bull, 1972
Sightseeing destinations suggested: cities of Osijek and Varaždin (Croatia), Wetlands and river meanders in the National parks Kopački Rit (Croatia) and Danube-Drava (Hungary and Croatia)
Amazon of Europe Bike Trail: https://aoebiketrail.com/
CEE - Central Europe Explained is a podcast series produced by the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, powered by Erste Group.
Guest: Urška Dolinar, Founder and Managing Director for Iskriva
Host: Emma Hontebeyrie, Podcast Producer at IDM
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie
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“The time during the pandemic has really been melting and has become relative. However, we should not let the rule of law and our democratic standards suffer the same fate.”
The Covid-19 pandemic has been a significant weakening not only of the human health, but also of democratic processes and the functioning of state institutions. State of emergencies have been misused in certain countries to make changes, the nature of which is in conflict with the upholding of the rule of law and the functioning of check and balances in a democratic environment. How is it possible to reverse these developments of cumulation of power and the creation of structural non-pluralism?
Focusing on the example of Hungary the episode describes how the Hungarian government used the pretext of health threat to implement its ideology-based policy of the ruling party Fidesz.
Daniel Martínek discusses with Zsuzsanna Végh the autocratic side effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and how to cure them.
Zsuzsanna Végh is Research Fellow at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder) and Associate Researcher at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) focusing on, amongst others, Hungarian EU and foreign policy as well as on democratization and regional cooperation in Central Europe.
Artwork recommended by the guest: The Persistence of Memory, Salvador Dalí, 1931.
CEE – Central Europe Explained is a podcast series produced by the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, powered by Erste Group.
Host: Daniel Martínek, Research Associate at the IDM
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie
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In February 2021, Serbia was leading the “vaccination race”, with the highest vaccinations rates within Europe. The news outlets were reporting that the government had been successful in its vaccination strategy, which prioritized healthcare over politics by looking at the purchase and distribution of vaccines as a healthcare issue.
But half a year later the number of given jabs has stagnated - a result of many complex factors, such as historical and socio-political connotations, as well as problems in public discourse, disinformation and controversial narratives.
Emma Hontebeyrie - IDM's Podcast Producer - is welcoming Vuk Velebit - a political analyst focusing on relations between Serbia, Russia and the West based in Belgrade - to discuss how the Serbian vaccination process overlaps the current complex political, geopolitical and informative discourse.
Artwork recommended by the guest: Suspicious Minds: Why We Believe Conspiracy Theories, Rob Brotherton, 2017
CEE – Central Europe Explained is a podcast series produced by the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, powered by Erste Group.
With: Vuk Velebit
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie
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Vor 40 Jahren am 13. Dezember 1981 wurde in Polen das Kriegsrecht verhängt, Die Anhänger der Demokratiebewegung Solidarność wurden inhaftiert, die Armee nahm Einfluss auf die öffentlichen Medien, Bürgerrechte aufgehoben, hunderttausende Polen verließen das Land und suchten Asyl im Ausland.
Wie ist es dazu gekommen? In dieser Folge von “IDM Exptertise” blicken wir auf auf die Zeit während des Kriegsrechts aus der Perspektive eines damals in Polen lebenden Journalisten. Malwina Talik (IDM) spricht mit Otmar Lahodynsky über den damaligen Alltag in der Volksrepublik Polen, über die Wahrnehmung der Ereignisse in Österreich und über die Rolle von Musik für die Opposition. Zum Schluss sprechen die beiden auch über das heutige Polen.
Mehr über die Lieder von Solidarność können Sie auch aus der Sendung "Spielräume Spezial" auf Ö1 am 26. Oktober um 17:10 Uhr erfahren: https://oe1.orf.at/programm/20211026/655970/Lieder-der-Freiheit-Polen-1981
Die Sendung kann man 7 Tage nachhören.
Otmar Lahodynsky war langjähriger Redakteur beim Nahrichtenmagazin "profil" sowie EU-Korrespondent und stellvertretender Chefredakteur der Tageszeitung „Die Presse“. Von 2014 bis 2021 war er auch Präsident der Vereinigung Europäischer Journalisten. Für seine Verdienste in der Berichterstattung über Polen und die Solidarnosc-Zeit erhielt er den polnischen „Kavaliersorden“ von Präsident Bronislaw Komorowski.
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“Europe has to be seen from its many differences, but in the end the common law is the hope for compromise and further cooperation.”
Institutional challenges in the European Union have been exacerbated by the pandemic at the same time that EU enlargement has been put aside. Agreed in July 2020, the recovery fund Next Generation EU, brought hope of further integration and collaboration.
But will we observe institutional changes and a shift in power relations towards Central and South-Eastern Europe? How could Brexit lead to EU institutional recovery and reform?
To answer these question, Sebastian Schäffer is welcoming the Austrian Historian and University Professor Dr Michael Gehler.
Formerly head of the Institute for Modern and Contemporary History Research in Vienna, the European Commission awarded him the position of "Jean Monnet Chair" for European history. Professor for contemporary German and European history, Dr Gehler is the head of the Institute for History at the University of Hildesheim in Germany.
Artwork recommended by the guest: The Towel of Babel, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1953.
CEE – Central Europe Explained is a podcast series produced by the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, powered by Erste Group.
Host: Sebastian Schäffer, IDM Managing Director
Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie
Proofreading: Jack Gill
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Central Europe Explained is back for its second season!
CEE 2.0 is focusing on Post-Covid Recovery that the regions of Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe is going through.
If many wonder “When will a return to normalcy finally happen?”, then drastic changes in an out-of-date idea of normality appear necessary.
National individualism, democratic emergency, empires of disinformation, tourism and ecology, human rights, the youth, gender inequalities… To overcome these hurdles, we must focus on deeper concerns and see what has changed irreversibly and which measures must be taken in the post-pandemic recovery.
If you are interested in the future of Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe: tune into CEE and subscribe to the IDM podcast series on Apple podcast, Spotify, Acast, or elsewhere to get your podcasts.
Central Europe Explained is a podcast series produced by the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe (IDM).
Production: Emma Hontebeyrie
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On July 2, 2021, 16 national conservative political parties signed the so-called Joint Declaration on the Future of the European Union. In the document, they outlined their perception on the future of the EU: a re-deepening of sovereignty of Member States accompanied by the strengthening of the nation-state system in opposition to other more integrated visions of the EU.
What are the parties behind the document which was announced as a response to the Conference on the Future of Europe? How is it perceived in different European countries? And, finally, what role can the national conservative forces play in the Europe of tomorrow?
In the episode, Daniel Martinek is hosting Emilie Laborel, Dominik Koc and Misha Nychyporuk, current trainees at IDM, who are analysing both the Declaration and its signatory parties as well as their relations to the EU.
Production Emma Hontebeyrie
Interview mit Aliaksei Paluyan, Regisseur des Dokumentarfilms „Courage“
Kunst trifft auf Diktator: Im Sommer 2020 machte sich der Filmemacher Aliaksei Paluyan auf die Suche nach mutigen KünstlerInnen, die trotz harten Repressionen des belarussischen Regimes ihre Kunst ausüben – im Untergrund oder auch im Exil. Inspiration für seinen Film fand Paluyan im 2005 gegründeten Free Theatre Belarus und dessen Ensemble-Mitglieder. Das Ergebnis ist der jüngst bei der Berlinale präsentierte Dokumentarfilm „Courage“. Christian Aichmayr hat mit dem Regisseur beim Filmfestival Crossing Europe gesprochen. IDM präsentiert Ausschnitte aus dem Interview und erklärt die Hintergründe der Protestbewegung.
Welche Menschen stellen sich dem Regime entgegen und welche Rolle spielten insbesondere Frauen? Was bedeuten Flucht und Exil für die Betroffenen? Welche Chance hat die Opposition? Und wo steht die Europäische Union in diesem Spannungsverhältnis? Paluyan widmet sich mit einem klaren Appell an die ZuhörerInnen: „Denkt über uns, sprecht über uns! (…) Die Belarussen zeigen, was wahre Demokratie ist: friedlich mit bloßer Hand gegen einen Tyrannen gehen und ihm ins Gesicht sagen: wir wollen das nicht.“
In der zweiten Episode des Podcasts „IDM Expertise“ widmen sich Daniela Neubacher und Lisa Behrens der Rolle von Protest und Kultur im Exil.
Weiterführende Informationen
VOR ORT-Beitrag „‘Courage‘ – Der Widerstand der Bevölkerung in Belarus“ von Christian Aichmayr:
https://cba.fro.at/503795
Offizieller Trailer „Courage“:
https://vimeo.com/555110898
IDM-Publikation (2019) „Kultur und Protest im Donauraum“:
https://joom.ag/sapC
IDM-Publikation (2020) „Kultur im Exil“:
https://joom.ag/ZFdI
Lisa Behrens: Demokratische Lösung für Belarus? Ein langer Weg in die Freiheit, online unter
http://www.idm.at/idm-news/item/demokratische-lösung-für-belarus-bericht-von-einem-arbeitstreffen-mit-svetlana-tichanowskaja
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Audio-Version des Buches Balkan nach Europa - sofort!
Erhard Busek und Sebastian Schäffer fordern die sofortige Aufnahme aller Westbalkanstaaten in die EU. Ihr Plädoyer verbinden sie mit „G’schichtln“ über Grenzen, Glauben und Grausamkeiten, über Fabeln, Frieden und Fußball. So bilden die persönlichen Erlebnisse und Erinnerungen der Autoren auch ein Zeugnis ihrer Zeit.
Dr. Erhard Busek ist Vizekanzler a.D. und Vorsitzender des Instituts für den Donauraum und Mitteleuropa (IDM) in Wien.
Sebastian Schäffer ist Geschäftsführer des IDM.
Balkan nach Europa - sofort!Erhard Busek & Sebastian Schäffer. Wien: Story.one Publishing. 80 S. Gebunden, HC gerader Rücken kaschiert. ISBN 978-3-99087-941-2.
Albanien, Bosnien Herzegowina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Nordmazedonien, Serbien:Balkan nach Europa - sofort!
Eine Kurzgeschichtensammlung über den Westbalkan und ein Plädoyer für dessen sofortige Aufnahme in die EU, geschrieben von Erhard Busek und Sebastian Schäffer.
“The European Commission is the only Think Tank with executive power.”
In July 2020, the European Council agreed to a historical recovery fund: Next Generation EU, in order to support member states affected by the pandemic. Now that it has been ratified by the European Parliament, each of 27 EU Member States must do so for the decision to enter into force.
Which are the future perspectives in the region regarding EU Budget and the Recovery Fund?
To answer this question, Sebastian Schäffer - Managing Director at IDM - talks with Dr. Johannes Hahn, European Commissioner for Budget and Administration.
Let us not forget that we must continue debating and contributing to the future of Europe. And as Commissioner Hahn mentioned, “IDM has been contributing a lot in the past and is not only contributing but also facilitating”.
This is the final episode of CEE - Central Europe Explained - an IDM podcast series powered by Erste Group.
With Dr. Johannes Hahn and Sebastian Schäffer.
Production: Emma Hontebeyrie
"It would be well worth taking a united approach rather than a bilateral one (in relations to the United Kingdom)."
January 1, 2021, marked the end of the transition period during the EU law continued to apply in the United Kingdom, and with that Brexit finally entered into force. What does Brexit mean for the Central and Southeast European region? Can Brexit have a possible domino effect within the EU? What future steps should the European Union as well as the non-EU Member States take as a response to Brexit?
Daniel Martínek, a research associate at IDM, discusses the implications of Brexit with Danielle Piatkiewicz, a research fellow at the Brussels office of the Prague-based Institute for European Policy EUROPEUM.
Learn more about Brexit in this episode of CEE - Central Europe Explained, an IDM podcast series powered by Erste Group.
With Danielle Piatkiewicz and Daniel Martínek.
Danielle Piatkiewicz is a research fellow at the Brussels office of the Prague-based Institute for European Policy EUROPEUM where she is focusing on issues around Transatlantic and Central and Eastern European security, NATO, and Eastern Partnership. In addition, Danielle is also an independent consultant for the Alliance of Democracies Foundation.
Production: Emma Hontebeyrie
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“[Mini Schengen] is actually a request to go quicker and to go deeper into integration.”
Looking at the map of Europe, the Western Balkan countries appear as a non-EU enclave surrounded by EU-member states; between Greece and the rest of the EU but outside of the Schengen area.
This episode focuses on the challenges at the borders of the EU by putting light on the cooperation in the Western Balkans.
For this, Emma Hontebeyrie (Podcast Producer for IDM) talks with Goran Svilanović, among others a member of the International Council of IDM, former Secretary-General of the Regional Cooperation Council, and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia and Montenegro.
CEE - Central Europe Explained, an IDM podcast series powered by Erste Group.
With Goran Svilanović and Emma Hontebeyrie.
Goran Svilanović is currently Country Manager for Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Montenegro at Abkons but also a member of the International Council of IDM, former Secretary-General of the Regional Cooperation Council, and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia and Montenegro.
Production: Emma Hontebeyrie
“Central Europe became a sort of the center of a sandwich between Germany and Russia”.
Following up on Ivana Karaskova's and Malwina Talik’s talk about China and Central Europe, this episode focuses on the relations between the United States and the region.
For this, Emma Hontebeyrie (Podcast Producer for IDM) is welcoming Dardis McNamee, Editor in Chief of the city regional magazine and affiliated platform Metropole, based in Vienna.
What are the consequences of Trump’s presidency for the region? What should we expect from Biden regarding Central and Southeastern Europe?
CEE - Central Europe Explained, an IDM podcast series powered by Erste Group. With Dardis McNamee and Emma Hontebeyrie.
Dardis McNamee is the Editor in Chief of Metropole. She has written for The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler (NYC), the Wall Street Journal Europe, and Die Zeit in Vienna, as well as having been a speechwriter to two U.S. ambassadors to Austria. She was awarded the 2007 Kemper Award for Excellence in Teaching (Media & Communications).
Production: Emma Hontebeyrie
Why is it important to talk about women's rights?
"Emancipation means the lack of discrimination (…) but emancipation is also a state of mind."
says Judit Acsády in our interview.
Women’s situation in Europe has steadily improved over the past decades but can we, therefore, be complacent about the condition of women’s rights? Inequalities and biases remain a fact in various spheres of women’s lives and the pandemic has already reversed many recent achievements.
On the occasion of International Women’s Day, we prepared a podcast that shows the condition of women's rights in Central Europe seen from an expert and personal perspective. Listen to the interview about the historical development of women’s rights with a gender expert Judit Acsády as well as a personal discussion among ladies working at the IDM: Daniela Neubacher, Malwina Talik, Emma Hontebeyrie, and Federica Mangiameli.
“Please, not another podcast about women” - some may say, feeling overwhelmed with the number of events on women taking place these days. At the same time, the current challenges women keep facing show us how important is to keep the discussion open to reach women's equality.
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“When it comes to Chinese influence in the economy, there are many more words than deeds.”
This episode is about a new old player on the Central and Eastern European playground, namely People’s Republic of China. An old player because before the fall of Communism in Europe, many countries of the region had close ties with China, even if sometimes on an on-and-off basis. A new player because with the growing global role of China, the relations between this part of Europe and the Middle Kingdom entered a new chapter.
Therefore, Malwina Talik (research associate at IDM) is welcoming Ivana Karaskova, China Research Fellow and a Project Coordinator at the Association for International Affairs (AMO). Together, they will discuss Chinese interests in the Central Eastern European Region.
What role do they play in China’s “Going Global Strategy”? Can good China-CEE relations pose a potential threat to the EU?
Listen to this episode and find your answers!
CEE - Central Europe Explained, an IDM podcast series powered by Erste Group.With Ivana Karaskova and Malwina Talik.
Ivana Karaskova is a China Research Fellow and a Project Coordinator at the Association for International Affairs (AMO) in Prague. She is also a European China Policy Fellow at MERICS in Berlin and a Czech member of China expert pool at the European Center of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats, based in Helsinki. Moreover, Ivana founded and leads two international China-focused projects, MapInfluenCE and China Observers in Central and Eastern Europe (CHOICE).
Production: Emma Hontebeyrie
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"Let's be more active, this should be our motor in the region. Let's propose constructive ideas, let's lead some European initiatives. [...] And with that, we can start talking of erasing some of these division lines which exist between West and East."
Lack of political representation in Central and Southeast European countries; EU institutions' leading positions held by "old" Western EU members; location of this EU institution in the Western part of the continent: Does an East-West dichotomy still exist?
To answer this question, Sebastian Schäffer - Managing Director at IDM - is welcoming Vladislava Gubalova, Research Fellow at the Future of Europe Programme at Globsec. Together they will focus the remaining disparities exiting among the different EU member states and discuss solutions to completely end this East/West divide and move forward together as a truly United Europe.
CEE - Central Europe Explained, an IDM podcast series powered by Erste Group.
With Vladislava Gubalova and Sebastian Schäffer.
Production: Emma Hontebeyrie
"This is the future for Central Europe: [to] start to take itself more seriously; grow more mature in public discussion about directions, about the strategy and also about consequences of lack of such a strategy."
In the following episode, Malwina Talik - research associate at IDM - is welcoming Wojciech Przybylski - President of Res Publica and Editor in Chief at Visegrad Insight - to discuss the aftermath of the "Eastern" enlargement(s) of the EU.
Together, they will look to the changes, challenges, and opportunities 2004 EU enlargement brought. Moreover, we will focus on the case of Poland and its economic success story.
CEE - Central Europe Explained, an IDM podcast series powered by Erste Group.
With Wojciech Przybylski and Malwina Talik.
Wojciech Przybylski is the editor-in-chief of Visegrad Insight and president of the board at the Res Publica Foundation. His expertise includes European politics and political culture. Previously, he has been the editor-in-chief of Eurozine — a Vienna-based magazine with a European network of cultural journals, and the Polish quarterly Res Publica Nowa. He also co-authored the book “Understanding Central Europe”, Routledge 2017.
Twitter: @wprzybylski
Production: Emma Hontebeyrie
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“We have to remember that the accession to the EU did not mean only the integration of the Central and Eastern European countries into the Western Europe but also anunprecedented integration of the Central Europe itself."
In our next episode, Daniel Martínek, research associate at IDM, is welcoming Vít Dostál, Research Director of the Prague-based Research Center AMO - Association for International Affairs. In their discussion, they are focusing on political, economic and social developments that have been encouraged by the EU integration of Central Europe, on the current situation shaped by more than 15 years of the EU membership and on the future prospects of Central Europe within the EU.
CEE - Central Europe Explained, an IDM podcast series powered by Erste Group.
With Vít Dostál and Daniel Martínek.
Production: Emma Hontebeyrie
“Emissions don’t know any borders: the ones emitted from a coal power plant in Czech Republic are just as responsible for the bushfires in Australia as emissions emitted in Australia or in the US or anywhere else.We all have the responsibility to reduce our emissions.”
In our previous episode, Katalin-Tünde Huber mentioned that we need intensive European support and long-time projects regarding challenges such as Climate Change. Following the 2016 Paris Agreement, the European Green Deal policy aims to be climate-neutral by 2050.
Therefore, Daniela Neubacher (research associate at IDM) is welcoming the energy expert Kateřina Davidová, a researcher at the Czech Think Tank EUROPEUM in Prague, and project coordinator for the Centre for Transport and Energy. Together, they will discuss climate-neutrality, its importance on a region and international scale, and the ways the EU and its member states are dealing with this new policy.
CEE - Central Europe Explained, an IDM podcast series powered by Erste Group.
With Kateřina Davidová and Daniela Neubacher.
Production: Emma Hontebeyrie
“It should be a peaceful competition, but competition it will be.”
In the third part of “Becoming an EU Member,” we are now focusing on the future perspectives, opportunities, and challenges in the region.
Last week, Sebastian Schäffer discussed with the two European enlargement specialists, Katalin-Tünde Huber, and Ambassador Klaus Wölfer, about the potential accession of the Southeast European countries to the EU. Leaving off with the challenges for the society that enlargement brings with itself, we start this episode with the importance of cultural reform within the EU and its next steps.
Which are the future challenges regarding European accession in the region? What could be the future scenarios? Which benefits does the European enlargement bring for the EU?
Find your answers in CEE - Central Europe Explain - with:
- Katalin-Tünde Huber, Head of Unit "EU Enlargement" at the Ministry for Europe and International Affairs
- Ambassador Klaus Wölfer, Head of Department Southeast Europe and EU Enlargement Special Representative for the Western Balkans Federal Ministry for Europe and International Affairs; member of the board here at IDM
- Sebastian Schäffer, Managing Director at IDM
Production: Emma Hontebeyrie
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“Now we have to refocus on where we stand and what we really want to achieve.”
Following our previous episode “Becoming an EU Member - The case of Romania, Bulgaria, and Croatia”, this podcast focuses on Southeast European countries. Therefore, Sebastian Schäffer (Managing Director at IDM) is welcoming two European Enlargement specialists: Mag. Katalin-Tünde Huber - Head of Unit "EU Enlargement" at the Ministry for Europe and International affairs; and Ambassador Klaus Wölfer - Head of Department Southeast Europe and EU Enlargement Special Representative for the Western Balkans Federal Ministry for Europe and International Affairs, as well as a member of the board here at IDM.
Together, they will discuss the opportunities and challenges of European enlargement regarding Southeast European Countries.
Which challenges lie underneath the region? What did we learn from the 6th enlargement back in 2013? How important is the Copenhagen Criteria for the enlargement process? Finally, how does the enlargement process impact the “old member states” and their societies? Does it foster EU skepticism?
CEE - Central Europe Explained, an IDM podcast series powered by Erste Group.
With Mag. Katalin-Tünde Huber, Ambassador Klaus Wölfer and Sebastian Schäffer .
Production: Emma Hontebeyrie
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“Becoming an EU and NATO member was a historic vengeance”
In this episode, Sebastian Schäffer (Managing Director at IDM) is interviewing Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu, former Prime Minister, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, and former Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Romania.
Together, they will discuss the latest European enlargement in 2007 and the lessons learned.
How did the accession of Romania to the EU change the situation of the country? Moreover, how did it impact the accession of other countries in the EU? What should change in the future of enlargement?
CEE - Central Europe Explained, an IDM podcast series powered by Erste Group.
With Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu and Sebastian Schäffer.
Production: Emma Hontebeyrie
"Art and culture touches not only our intellect but also our souls and our hearts"
This episode, which is the second part of "EU to your home", will focus on European integration politics. Daniel Martínek (Research Associate IDM) will talk to Katka Krejcova, responsible for international relations in the Department for Art and Culture in the Office of the Government of Lower Austria.
How can the EU be brought closer to people even in the most remote areas? What role does culture play within regional cooperation and European integration? As an example, we will learn more about the cooperation within the ARGE Donauländer and Novi Sad becoming the Cultural Capital of Europe in 2022, being the first city from outside the EU.
ARGE Donauländer: https://www.noe.gv.at/noe/Internationales-Europa/Arge_Donaulaender_allgemeine_Infos1.html
- Internationale Donau-Kulturkonferenz zu Gast auf der Schallaburg - Shaping Solidarity by Culture:
https://www.noe.gv.at/noe/Internationales-Europa/Donau-Kulturkonferenz-Schallaburg.html
CEE - Central Europe Explained, an IDM podcast series powered by Erste Group.
With Katka Krejcova and Daniel Martínek.
Production: Emma Hontebeyrie
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“The EU Strategy for the Danube Region is the implementation of the European idea.”
This week, Silvia Nadjivan (Deputy Managing Director at IDM) will be talking to Robert Lichtner, coordinator of the Danube Strategy Point in Vienna.
In the first episode of our series “EU to your Home”, they will be discussing together the regionalization of European politics with a focus on the mutual dependence of macro-regional strategies such as the EUSDR, cross-border cooperation, and the EU enlargement policies concerning South-Eastern Europe.
How does the region connect with European politics? What are the strategies employed?
Find your answers in CEE - Central Europe Explained, an IDM podcast powered by Erste Group.
CEE - Central Europe Explained, an IDM podcast series powered by Erste Group.
With Robert Lichtne and Silvia Nadjivan.
Production: Emma Hontebeyrie
“We should continue to tell people that what they believe in terms of the nation-state is also a myth.”
The “imagination of the nation” plays a key role in the perception of citizens towards the European Union.
As explained our the previous episode, European myths strongly impact these beliefs which have diverse consequences in different parts of the EU.
Focusing on Central and Southeast Europe, we will try to understand the dynamics of popular myths in this region which has experienced a different enlargement process than in the Western part of the continent.
What are these myths used in conspiracy theories? How do they influence populist movements, in the ‘East’ and in the ‘West’? What are the tasks head and which future for popular myths?
In this last part of “European Union and Popular Myths”, Sebastian Schäffer (Managing Director at IDM, Vienna), is again welcoming Thomas Diez (Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Tübingen) to discuss this topic within a Central and Southeastern European perceptive.
CEE - Central Europe Explained, an IDM podcast series powered by Erste Group.
With Thomas Diez and Sebastian Schäffer.
Production: Emma Hontebeyrie
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“In the end for many, the EU itself is a kind of myth.”
From fantasy to a more accurate reality, myths about Europe and the EU are a wide-ranging subject. Some, as the myth of Europa, are based on mythology. Other, as the ‘bicycle myth’, come into sight as metaphors. However, popular myths about the EU also find their origin in reality and can even sound quite absurd.
‘Curved cucumber’, ‘banana ban’, ‘bureaucratic moloch’: where are these myths coming from? Lobbying? Powerful countries? Power of history? How do they influence people’s perception of the European Union? More than that, how do they impact European integration or even separation?
In these two next episodes of CEE, Sebastian Schäffer (managing director of IDM, Vienna), is discussing these topics with Thomas Diez (Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Tübingen).
This first episode is exposing several popular myths about the EU, their impacts, and power. Can we deconstruct them? Should we expect new myths to arise in the future?
CEE - Central Europe Explained, an IDM podcast series powered by Erste Group.
With Thomas Diez and Sebastian Schäffer.
Production: Emma Hontebeyrie
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
"Education and culture should be something that the EU do together", Ambassador Emil Brix.
Which role did European Community for Coal and Steel play in the creation of the EU? How was it perceived behind the Iron Curtain? What are the current expectations about the EU? What should be the future European agenda?
In this episode, Daniel Martínek is discussing with Ambassador Emil Brix, Director of the School of International Studies in Vienna, about the creation of the EU and its past, current, and future challenges.
Moreover, we are focusing on European concepts and furthermore analyzing the lessons we have learned from the last decades, in order to deal with the current challenges. Together, they are looking at different narratives, which were existing behind the Iron Curtain and the confrontation of two concepts of Europe.
CEE - Central Europe Explained, an IDM podcast series powered by Erste Group.
With Ambassador Emil Brix and Daniel Martínek.
Production: Emma Hontebeyrie
"Minorities do have the voice but the their voice is not heard."
Together, Biljana Jovíc (Chairperson at the Center for Migration Studies, Belgrade) and Silvia Nadjivan (Deputy Managing Director at IDM, Vienna) will focus on the place of minorities in the region.
Which place do they actually have? How are they integrated? How can the knowledge of common people about their neighboring countries be enhanced to reduce stereotypes and clichés?
From the misuse of minorities to other success stories, we focus on these challenges in the Central and Southeast European region.
CEE - Central Europe Explained, an IDM podcast series powered by Erste Group.
With Biljana Jovíc and Silvia Nadjivan.
Production: Emma Hontebeyrie
"Overcoming historical legacy and conflicts with cooperation within many levels: regional and European."
In this episode, Márton Ugrósdy (director of the Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade in Budapest) and Daniela Neubacher (research associate at the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe) are focusing on Austria, Visegrád Four, and the Western Balkans.
Together, they will discuss the relationships between Central and Southeast European region, the Western Balkans enlargement, and the legacies from the break-up of former Yugoslavia.
CEE - Central Europe Explained, an IDM podcast series powered by Erste Group.
With Márton Ugrósdy and Daniela Neubacher.
Production: Emma Hontebeyrie
What does Central Europe mean today? What are its various meanings? Which one should we follow?
In this opening episode, we will focus with Dr. Erhard Busek on the different existing approaches towards Central Europe. We will try to define what actually Central Europe is and, from a territorial point of view, try to understand the ever-changing geographical expression “Central Europe”. We will look at different cooperation formats that are in place among Central European countries and in relation to the EU. Between a “great European success story” and a “fragmented and marginalized region”, we will try to give an understanding of those various diversions and explain to which extent they are or are not relevant.
CEE - Central Europe Explained, an IDM podcast series powered by Erste Group.
With Dr. Erhard Busek and Sebastian Schäffer.
Production: Emma Hontebeyrie
What is the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe?
Together with Sebastian Schäffer, managing director of the institute, we will be discussing about what IDM actually is.
We will see how the "power" of History shaped the institute, which have been the latest changes for IDM, current challenges and next steps for the future.
What is Central Europe today?
Austria, Visegrád Four, Western Balkans. What are popular myths in and about the European Union?
How do regions connect with European politics?
Enlargement, borders, China, Russia, Turkey. Which challenges lie ahead regarding the social and political situation in the region?
Climate change, economy, Green Deal. How will Brexit affect Central and South East Europe?
What are possible future scenarios?
CEE - Central Europe Explained - is discussing ongoing challenges with renowned experts on and from the region.
CEE is a 20 episodes podcast show powered by Erste Group and realized by the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe. Subscribe now on Acast and your Podcast App.
Available from the 21st October 2020.
IDM Expertise Podcast is giving real understanding about current challenges in the Region as well as the work of the Institut for the Danube Region and Central Europe.
Follow the IDM team on a regular basis and learn more about the history of the institute, recent events, and publications about also regional news and political insights.
IDM Expertise is an IDM Podcast Show, available on Youtube, Acast, and your Podcast App.