Gender and Politics Research Network in South-East Europe (GenPolSEE)

Why GenPolSEE? 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 marginalization 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 to the 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;
  • Thematic national or comparative, regional research projects.

GenPolSEE co-ordinators:

GenPolSEE members:

GenPolSEE brings together members from South-East Europe, focusing on researchers from Ljubljana, via Sarajevo to Skopje and Tirana. We plan to expand membership in the future. Following members have joined the GenPolSEE network at its Founding Meeting in November 2022:

  • Ada Guven, Lecturer, Bedër University College, Tirana
  • Adelina Hasani, PhD, Independent researcher, Prishtina
  • Ajla Škrbić, 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, Skoplje
  • 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 Cvetovik, Koalicija Margini, Skoplje
  • 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
  • Karolina Lendák-Kabók, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Novi Sad
  • Katarina Lončarević, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade
  • Krisztina Rácz, Research Fellow, Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade
  • Lirije Paushi, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Prishtina
  • Marija Risteska, Executive Director, Centre for Research and Policy Making, 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
  • Milica Antić Gaber, Full Professor, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana
  • Mилица Ресановић, истраживачица у Институту за филозофију и друштвену теорију Универзитета у Београду
  • Nada Drobnjak, Independent, Former Member of Parliament, Montenegro
  • Nikoleta Đukanović, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Legal Sciences, University Donja Gorica, Podgorica
  • Olivera Komar, Associate Professor, Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Podgorica
  • Paula Petričević, independent researcher, Kotor
  • Petra Ahrens, Academy Research Fellow, Tampere University
  • Roman Kuhar, Full Professor, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana
  • Slavcho Dimitrov, Koalicija Margini, Skoplje
  • Tajma Kapić, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Dublin City University
  • 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:

  • Anja Vojvodić, PhD Rutgers University, Lecturer at different US universities

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

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