Name and Surname
Aida Kapetanović
Affiliation
Scuola Normale Superiore
Contact email
aida.kapetanovic@sns.it
Short Biography
Aida Kapetanović is a recent doctoral graduate at the faculty of political science and sociology of the Scuola Normale Superiore. Her research interests combine environmental sociology, social movement studies, cultural and symbolic dimensions of collective action, nationalism, identity, and qualitative research methodologies. Her main area of interest is Southeast Europe. She is an activist in Florence, where she has been involved in various grassroots organisations.
Research abstract
Let’s Defend the Balkan Rivers: Regional Networking, Frames, and Policies for River Protection in SEE
The growing political pressure for decarbonization in the Balkans has driven a surge in hydropower projects, posing significant threats to local communities and riverine ecosystems. In response, grassroots initiatives for river protection have emerged across the region. This research focuses on the regional network “Let’s Defend the Balkan Rivers” to examine the role of local environmental struggles in shaping an ecological transition from a bottom-up perspective. It explores the evolution of regional coordination, the diffusion of frames, and the role of regional networking in supporting claim-making across different scales. The study employs frame analysis of the network’s documents and semi-structured interviews with key activists, building on prior research on river protection movements in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.