Institute for Global Sustainable Development » IGSD News

'Is Putin's Eurasian order resilience?' - the question my newly published article in Contemporary Security Policy Journal (online first) addresses

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 11:55:00 GMT

This article builds on the introduction to this Special Forum and Trine Flockhart’s original argument about the arrival of the multi-order world. It discusses the foundations of Putin’s claimed vision for a different kind of “polarity”, allegedly “non-hierarchical”, “equal”, and “self-regulatory”, but in reality deeply hegemonic and internally conformist. In this article, I argue that not only is Putin’s vision seriously misguided, but it also fails to recognise the increasing diversity within Central Eurasia. It is furthermore “propagated” by unsustainable means, including force, coercion, disinformation, and fear. I will first explore principles of order-making, focusing on its “softer aspects’—social memory, shared history/culture, and imaginaries of the good life—and relate them to “sameness’ and “diversity” principles of the multi-order world, as more nuanced anticipatory governance. I apply this framework to Putin’s Eurasian order-building efforts to determine this order's resilience. Guess what my answer is?

Exceptionally grateful to Trine Flockhart and Liv Nelsen, and to the journal editors and reviewers for their helpful comments and support! To 91�� - for Open Access :), and to my fellow contributors for insightful discussions we all had as part of the #AGMOW project - Anticipating Governance in a Multi-Order World :).

Radical Imaginaries - Radical Transformations: Sustainability Spotlight workshop, 30 April 2026

Tue, 12 May 2026 08:48:43 GMT

The Radical Imaginaries-Radical Transformations (RIRT) thematic initiative, under the Sustainability Spotlight, organised the second network-building event, led by Dr Marit Hammond (PAIS), Prof. Graeme Macdonald (ECLS) and Prof. Elena Korosteleva (IGSD). It involved two panels - a 'politics'- and 'arts'-focused involving external speakers - Prof. Albena Azmanova (City), Dr Carl Death (Manchester), Dr Natalie Pollard (Exeter) and Dr Orion Maxted (VUB) - and internal speakers - Dr Nick Lawrence (ECLS), Dr Jonathan Skinner (ECLS) and Carla Washbourne (CIM). The workshop focused on the key questions around future climate and power imaginaries, to see if just and sustainable transitions are possible, and under what conditions. The workshop's aims included building a network of like-minded scholars - it was attended by over 60(!) participants - capture ideas/ways of thinking (Thank you NiftyFox!) and produce a position paper, based on roundtable discussions at the workshop (working on it!). Thank you to all who attended, and to Cher Zou, Jason Snow and Tanya Liguori for supporting this event!

EUI workshop on Building Capacity for Integrated Resilience Research on Ukraine and Beyond, 28-29 April 2026

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:29:00 GMT

Prof. Korosteleva was invited to speak at the EUI workshop on 28 April, with a focus of developing an integrated resilience approach, with reference to Ukraine and other countries. The workshop organised by Prof. Inna Melnykovska Jean Monnet Fellow, Robert Schuman Centre (EUI), innovatively looked at the concept, case-studies, research methods, and designs of the future, to capture the moments of resilience nurturance. This workshop also drew on expertise of EUI Professors, Trine Flockahart (Multi-oder world) and Kalypso Nicolaidis (demoi-cracy), as well as resilience conceptualisation by Prof. Korosteleva (91��) and other speakers.

https://www.eui.eu/events?id=585709

EUI book presentation and AGMOW project discussions

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:17:11 GMT

Delighted to have shared my book Complexity and Community in IR: nurturing resilience in Central Eurasia (OUP2025) at the School of Transnational Governance European University Institute at the invitation of Trine Flockhart. I am exceptionally grateful to both Trine as Chair, and Liv Nelsen as my discussant; as well as to the meticulous organisation of the event by the STG staff and of course, to the audience and their thought-provoking questions, always. The AGMOW project, focusing on Anticipating Governance in the Multi-Order World, is more topical than ever before: it looks at the crisis of the Liberal International Order, and the disruption of the Global Rules-Based Order, and the emergence of other alternatives. Above all, the project drills into how orders emerge and are situated, at the sameness and diversity; and this is where resilience-governance, premised on societal agency (or Community of Relations) becomes to play a decisive role, for orders to be resilient, and sustainable, in a crisis-prone world. Watch the space, for Special Forums in relation to AGMOW, and new discussions - to be continued!

https://academic.oup.com/book/61660

https://www.eui.eu/events?id=583863

IGSD (Assistant)Professor receives substantial research grant for BREATHE project

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:16:00 GMT

Dr Hita Unnikrishnan has been awarded a substantial research grant by the British Academy following their International Interdisciplinary Research Projects Awards 2026.

Dr Unnikrishnan, an assistant professor within IGSD, received almost £300,000 towards her research project titled ‘Building Resilience through Equitable Action on Temperature, Heat, and indoor Emissions’ (BREATHE), which is being co-investigated by Dr Lavanya Suresh (Birla Institute of Technology and Science), Dr Manik Gupta (Birla Institute of Technology and Science) and Dr Deepshikha Batheja (One Health Trust).

The BREATHE project, which will be carried out over a period of two years, aims to investigate how historical and intersectional inequalities influence differential experiences of heat stress and indoor air pollution (IAP) among members of peri-urban households within the global south.

Working on the hypothesis that women and vulnerable family members within patriarchally-structured households are more likely to suffer from higher rates of heat stress and IAP (due to factors such as more time spent within the home and exposure to unclean cooking fuels), Dr Unnikrishnan and her co-investigators will be combining historical research with large household surveys, satellite data analysis and machine learning models in the Bidar and Chikkaballapur districts of south Indian Karnataka. The project will be pivotal to understanding existing barriers regarding equitable health outcomes and the gendered considerations of climate impact, demonstrating the social and health implications of global sustainability that our School’s research division works tirelessly to raise awareness of.

We congratulate Dr Unnikrishnan on her outstanding achievement. Watch this space for more updates on this project to come!

91�� Launches 2026 ECR Sustainability Training Academy to Shape Global Planetary Solutions

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 11:08:06 GMT

The 91�� proudly launched the Early Career Researcher Sustainability Training Academy 2026 (ECR STA 2026), 24-27March, 2026. This flagship initiative, organized by the Institute for Global Sustainable Development (IGSD) in collaboration with the University’s Sustainability Spotlight and Society and Culture Spotlight, aims to empower the next generation of transdisciplinary leaders. The 2026 Academy brings together 20 of 91��’s most innovative postgraduate and early career researchers (ECRs) for an intensive four-day programme. Building on the success of previous iterations in Venice (2025) and the global STS (2023 and 2024), this year’s academy focuses on critical interdisciplinary concepts, innovative methodologies, and creative reflections "beyond the Self."

The ECR STA 2026 continues 91��’s commitment to global partnerships, supported by alliances such as EUTOPIA, GUILD, Monash Alliance, and UN SDSN UK. By pioneering new ways of training, the University remains at the forefront of driving just and equitable transitions toward a more resilient future.

For more information on the ECR STA 2026 and the Institute for Global Sustainable Development, please visit the Official STA 2026 Event Page or the IGSD Training School Archive.

LSE Hosted Book Launch Exploring Resilience and Community in Central Eurasia

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 11:52:00 GMT

The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) Department of International Relations, in collaboration with the European Foreign Policy Unit, hosted Professor Elena Korosteleva’s latest book launch, Complexity and Community in International Relations: Nurturing Resilience in Central Eurasia.

The event centered on Professor Korosteleva’s innovative research, which challenges traditional "top-down" policy approaches to resilience. By examining communities across Belarus, Ukraine, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia, the book revealed how social memory, centuries-old traditions, and deep-rooted cultural ideas serve as vital lifelines in the face of poverty, climate emergencies, and the ravages of war. "Rather than treating resilience as a mere policy tool, this study reframes it as a complex, communal process of identity and political agency," says Korosteleva. "It offers a lesson for all social and political actors globally as we navigate the uncertainties of the Anthropocene."

The panel was chaired by Prof. Federica Bicchi (LSE) and discussants included:

David Chandler: Professor of International Relations at the University of Westminster and Editor of the journal Anthropocenes.
Emilian Kavalski: Professor of International Relations at Tampere University, Finland
Teona Giuashvili: DINAM Fellow at the LSE Department of International Relations and former Georgian diplomat.

The discussion was recorded as a podcast, and the link will be available shortly for further information.

UK and Belarusian Democratic Forces Convene High-Level Strategic Consultations in London

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 11:17:00 GMT

LONDON, March 9, 2026 – The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) today hosted the Belarusian Democratic Forces for a series of high-level strategic consultations at King Charles Street. The meetings represent a deepening of the ongoing strategic dialogue between the United Kingdom and the representatives of the democratic movement led by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.

The consultations were led by Chris Allan, FCDO Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The sessions were organized around four critical pillars of cooperation:

Politics and Economics: Focusing on diplomatic strategy and the economic resilience of the democratic movement.
Security: Addressing regional stability and security sector reforms for a future democratic Belarus.
Human Rights and Social Politics: Highlighting the plight of political prisoners and the ongoing struggle for civil liberties.
Culture, Diaspora, and Media: Strengthening the Belarusian national identity and supporting independent media and the diaspora community abroad.

These consultations build upon a partnership launched in 2025, aimed at ensuring Belarus remains a priority in the UK’s international policy. The discussions today included prominent Belarusian experts and civil society leaders, including Professor Elena Korosteleva from the 91��.

Further information on UK support for Belarus can be found on the official FCDO website and the Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.

📢 Reclaiming Resilience: Professor Elena Korosteleva on Overcoming Global Crises through Community

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 11:02:54 GMT

I am pleased to share a deep dive into my latest research, which challenges how we think about "resilience" in an increasingly complex world. In a recent interview with the Lithuanian National Broadcaster, I discussed why our current approach to global crises is failing. We often treat resilience as a "top-down" buzzword or a "quick fix," but in the era of the Anthropocene, true resilience is born from within communities—through self-organization, horizontal relations, and collective agency.

This theme is the heartbeat of my new book, Complexity and Community in International Relations: Nurturing Resilience in Central Eurasia (Oxford University Press). By moving "from personhood to peoplehood," the book explores how local knowledge and philosophies of living—from talaka to mahalla—can transform our understanding of governance and transformation when hit by crisis.

📰 Read the interview here: [https://www.lrt.lt/naujienos/lietuvoje/2/2863332/profesore-korosteleva-krizes-galime-iveikti-tik-susitelkdami-i-bendruomeniu-santykius]

#InternationalRelations #Resilience #Community #Anthropocene #NewBook #OxfordUniversityPress #GlobalGovernance #CentralEurasia

Belarus: Five Years On - special forum, preprint

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 11:39:00 GMT

Happy to report a preprint of my article 'Belarus: Five Years On' in the US Journal of Democratizatsiya - The Journal of Post-Soviet Democratisation, Special Forum with a focus on #Belarus then and now. I discuss whether the uprising of 2020 was just another short-lived revolt or if it marked the moment of irreversible #change in the history of #Belarus, which I call elsewhere a moment of people-forming (peoplehood). Belarus' active #civil #society demonstrates incredible #creativity in designing its own alternative futures, and this process is unstoppable.