Dec82022

Feminist social science research has been developing over the last three decades intensively, aiming at gendering research methodologies, theoretical debates and empirical research. Feminist political science, neighbouring disciplines and interdisciplinary research have shaped new approaches to theory and practice, and have sought to produce work that is of direct relevance to achieving women’s movement goals, whether within public policy or within political institutions broadly conceived. Gender and politics research seeks to identify obstacles to change and the possibilities for a broad gender-responsive transformation. However, we are witnessing a continual marginalisation of feminist political analysis in the “mainstream” social sciences and growing opposition to gender studies in Europe and beyond. These negative developments have indeed arrived in South-East Europe and the feminist political science is still on the margins, very much dependent on individual engagement and endeavours.

In order to promote regional cooperation and collaborative approaches, the Gender and Politics Research Network in South-East Europe (GenPolSEE) was established at the Founding Meeting in November 2022, hosted by the national Institute of Social Science (Belgrade) and the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory of the University of Belgrade.

GenPolSEE is an informal, board-based feminist network of researchers interested in fostering research on gender and politics in South-East Europe. The network is committed to the following network objectives:

  • Strengthening peer-to-peer learning and exchange among gender and politics researchers in the region;
  • Promoting contemporary feminist research methodologies among scholars from the region and strengthening links with international experts, networks and platforms;
  • Conducting empirical research aimed at supporting change, innovation and transformation, and promoting research from the region internationally;

 

The thematic research focus of the GenPolSEE network revolves around the following issues:

  • Gender and representation: institutions, critical actors, arenas of representation, women’s and social movements, masculinities and intersectionality;
  • Gender and backlash: anti-gender movements, backlash on women’s and LGBTI rights, right-wing politics;
  • Gender and public policy: gender equality legislation, inclusive policy making, accountability mechanisms, gender mainstreaming, gender-responsive budgeting;

 

The informal GenPolSEE network is fully non-profit and is conducting following activities:

  • Informal exchange via a network mailing list & social media channels;
  • GenPolSEE webinar series;
  • GenPolSEE network meetings;
  • Thematic national or comparative, regional research projects.

 

GenPolSEE coordination group
Adriana Zaharijević, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade
zaharijevic@ifdt.bg.ac.rs
Lilijana Čičkarić, Principal Research Fellow, Institute of Social Sciences, Belgrade
lilijana.cickaric@yahoo.com, lcickaric@idn.org.rs
Saša Gavrić, PhD Researcher/Associate, University of Leipzig
sasa.gavric@uni-leipzig.de, sasa.gavric@gmail.com
Tajma Kapić, Freelance researcher, Sarajevo
tajma@cradle.ie
Merita Poni, Associate Professor, University of Tirana
meritaponi@gmail.com

 

GenPolSEE members

  • Ada Guven, Lecturer, Bedër University College, Tirana
  • Adelina Hasani, PhD, independent researcher, Prishtina
  • Ajla Skrbić, Guest Professor, Freie Universität Berlin
  • Adnan Kadribašić, Independent, Sarajevo
  • Amila Ždralović, Associate Professor Law Faculty, University of Sarajevo
  • Biljana Đorđević, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade
  • Biljana Kotevska, Independent, Skopje
  • Edma Ajanović, Danube University Krems
  • Elena Nacevska, Researcher, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana
  • Esilda Luku, Faculty of Political Sciences and Law, Aleksander Moisiu University of Durres
  • Ivana Pantelić, Research Associate, Institute of Contemporary History, Belgrade
  • Irena Cvetovikj, Koalicija Margini, Skopje
  • Irena Fiket, Research Fellow, Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade
  • Jelana Lončar, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade
  • Jelena Riznić, Junior Researcher, Institute of Social Science, Belgrade
  • Jure Skubic, Assistant and Researcher, Institute for Contemporary History, Ljubljana
  • Karolina Lendák-Kabók, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Novi Sad
  • Katarina Lončarević, Associate Professor, Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade
  • Krisztina Rácz, Research Fellow, Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade
  • Lirije Paushi, Teaching Assistant, Department of Political Science, Prishtina
  • Maja Gergorić, PhD student, University of Zagreb
  • Manja Veličkovska, independent, Skopje
  • Marjeta Šinko, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb
  • Marsela Dauti, Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Social Work and Social Policy, University of Tirana
  • Merita Poni, Lecturer, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tirana
  • Milan Urošević, Research fellow, Institute of Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade
  • Milica Antić Gaber, Full Professor, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana
  • Milica Resanović, Research Associate, Institute of Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade
  • Nada Drobnjak, Independent, Former Member of Parliament, Montenegro
  • Nikoleta Đukanović, Assistant Professor, University Donja Gorica, Podgorica
  • Nina Perger, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana
  • Olivera Komar, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Political Science, Podgorica
  • Paula Petričević, independent research, Kotor
  • Rok Smrdelj, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana
  • Roman Kuhar, Full Professor, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana
  • Slavcho Dimitrov, Koalicija Margini, Skopje
  • Tajma Kapić, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Dublin City University
  • Tanja Vučković Juroš, Marie Curie Fellow, University of Zagreb
  • Vjollca Krasniqi, Associate Professor, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Prishtina
  • Zorana Antonijević, Associate, Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade
  • Zlatiborka Popov Momčinović, Associate Professor, Faculty of Philosophy, University of East Sarajevo

 

Next to the gender & politics researchers from South-East Europe and working on South-East Europe, we also accept affiliated members of international scholars working on gender & politics in South-East Europe. GenPolSEE has following affiliated members:

  • Anja Vojvodic, PhD, Lecturer, City University of New York, LaGuardia Community College

 

Our network will grow and further develop with the support of following international gender & politics scholars, members of our the GenPolSEE Friends Board. Those are:

  • Petra Ahrens, Academy Research Fellow, Tampere University
  • Sarah Childs, Professor, University of Edinburgh
  • Karen Celis, Research Professor, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
  • Mona Lena Krook, Professor, Rutgers University

 

GenPolSEE initiated publications

  • Thematic Issue: Political Representation of Women: Global Theory and Empirical Reality from South-East Europe, guest editor: Saša Gavrić, in GENERO – A Journal of Feminist Theory and Cultural Studies, Issue 27, 2023
  • Roman Kuhar and Adriana Zaharijević (editors): Anti-Gender Mobilizations in Post-Yugoslav Space. Palgrave (forthcoming).

 

GenPolSEE events

 

GenPolSEE institutional support