In this talk Miriam Ruerup will discuss the challenges of writing a history of the experience of statelessness. At the centre of her research are the “victims” of the development of strong nation-states — those who experienced a fundamental loss of rights and security through the loss of their citizenship. The focus will, however, not only lie on the experience of loss, but also on those who translated their displacement into the creation of a diasporic community bound by their shared experiences of exile and trauma, as well as by a common cultural heritage.

Climate change mitigation policies often impose concentrated costs in exchange for diffuse future benefits. The associated burden has spurred opposition from stakeholders and a prominent backlash from populist and radical right (PRR) parties, which politicize green policies as elitist impositions on everyday citizens. This raises the question whether mainstream political actors react to the electoral pressure from the PRR and become less supportive of green policies. While the theoretical argument is compelling, it is difficult to provide a systematic test for such an effect.

Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine upended Europe’s security order, exposing vulnerabilities that continue to shape trans-Atlantic strategy. By early 2025, Russia is advancing slowly in Ukraine’s east, while Kyiv faces resource and manpower strains, and U.S. policy under a new Trump administration introduces uncertainty. Neither side has a clear path to achieving its objectives, and prospects for a ceasefire remain slim. Still, U.S. leverage—sanctions capacity, military weight, and alliance leadership—offers a narrow window to test Moscow’s willingness to negotiate.