Institute of International Relations and Political Science
10 Vokiečių, LT-01130 Vilnius
Tel. 251 4130, fax 251 4134
E-mail
www.tspmi.vu.lt
Dean - Prof. Dr. Ramūnas Vilpišauskas
STAFF
42 teachers (26 holding research degree), 3 research fellows (3 holding research degree), 17 doctoral students
RESEARCH AREAS
Transformations of Lithuanian Political life: Theory and Practice
Development of the European Union after Lisbon Treaty
International Politics: Problems, Research Methods and Challenges for Lithuanian Foreign Policy
DOCTORAL DISSERTATIONS MAINTAINED IN 2013
M. Jastramskis. Electoral volatility in Lithuanian municipal council elections, 1995–2011.
V. Kuokštis. The Political Economy of Internal Adjustment in the Baltic States: Explaining Responses to the Crisis.
Ž. Pavilionis. Metapolitics for Europe: Holy See and Lithuania.
MAIN CONFERENCES ORGANIZED IN 2013
National conference. The State and Political Science: Observe Do Not Create
International conference. Lithuanian EU Pre-Presidency conference
International conference. Security in Central and Eastern Europe: NATO, Russia and the Way Ahead
DEPARTMENT OF EUROPEAN STUDIES
10 Vokiečių, LT-01130 Vilnius
Tel. 251 4142, fax 251 4134
E-mail:
Head – Prof. Dr. Gediminas Vitkus
STAFF
Professors: Habil. Dr. J. Čičinskas, Dr. V. Nakrošis, Dr. V. Radžvilas, Dr. R. Vilpišauskas, Dr. G. Vitkus.
Associate professors: Dr. G. Azguridienė, Dr. S. Kropas, Dr. R. Kuodis, Dr. A. Molis.
Senior research fellows: Dr. K. Maniokas, D. Žeruolis.
Lecturers: Dr. E. Barcevičius, L. Kasčiūnas, V. Kuokštis, Dr. Ž. Martinaitis.
Assistants: I. Giedraitytė, J. Pranevičius, V. Pukinaitė, I. Šimonytė.
Doctoral students: S. Bankauskaitė-Grigaliūnaitė, L. Jurkonis, M. Skuodis, D. Skusevičienė, E. Šiaudvytienė, R. Švedas, D. Žvalionytė.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Europeanization process in the EU member states
EU enlargement and the institutional reform
RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2013
Projects Supported by University Budget
The Development of the European Union after the Lisbon Treaty: the Problems of Economic Integration, Political Consolidation and External Relations. Prof. Habil. Dr. J. Čičinskas. 2010–2013.
There were two main questions on the research agenda in 2013. One of these questions was related to the Lithuanian EU Presidency in the second half of 2013, which mainly concerned the preparation for the presidency and its agenda. It issued in number of events, discussions and reviews. Another question was related to the impact of financial crisis on the dynamics of European integration as well as the explanation of varieties of state responses to the crisis.
Main publications:
Čičinskas, J., Dulkys, A., 2012. Finansų krizė ir nauji sprendimai Europos Sąjungoje: mažos valstybės atvejis. Lietuvos metinė strateginė apžvalga 2012-2013, vol. 11, 117–139.
Vilpišauskas, R., 2013. Eurozone crisis and European integration: functional spillover, political spillback? Journal of European Integration, vol. 35, no 3, 361–373.
Kuokštis V., 2012. Baltic Variety of Capitalism as an Explanation to the Success of Internal Devaluation. In: Leonid Kosals ir Heiko Pleines (eds.), Governance Failure and Reform Attempts after the Global Economic Crisis of 2008/2009. Case Studies from Central and Eastern Europe. Changing Europe book series no. 9. Ibidem Publishers, Stuttgart, 13–28.
Public Policy Process and Development of Public Administration in Lithuania after the EU Enlargement. Prof. Dr. V. Nakrošis. 2010–2013.
The main research carried on in 2013 was on the politicization of the state and party patronage in Lithuania. It involved data collection and analysis of the data in order to answer the following questions: what is the level and scope of politicization of the state in Lithuania, how it changed during the last decades and what causes could account for the state politicization in Lithuania. Apart from the publications, a number of articles which present the results were prepared and they will be published in a special issue of Politologija in 2014.
Main publications:
Nakrošis, V., Gudžinskas, L., 2013. Party patronage and state politicisation in the post-communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe: a game theory approach. NISPAcee Journal of Public Administration and Policy, vol. 5, no. 2, 89–120.
Jurkonis, L., Gineitienė, Z. Valstybės valdomų įmonių valdymo efektyvumas - įmonių socialinės atsakomybės perspektyva. Whither our economies: 3rd international scientific conference, October 24–25, 2013, Vilnius: conference proceedings, 85–93.
National Research Projects
Research Council of Lithuania. Lithuania in the European Union: Transformation or Imitation? (No. MIP-010/2013). Doc. Dr. K. Maniokas. 2013–2015.
The research project aims to examine, assess and explain Europeanization of the post-communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEEC), which have become EU members in 2004 and 2007. The methodologies for analysis of Europeanization at the level of polity, politics and policy distinguishing a) the identity and quality of democracy, and b) institutions and public policy aspects were developed.
The preliminary findings were presented and discussed in a public seminar which took place on 18 October 2013.
International Research Projects
EU Lifelong Learning Programme: Erasmus academic network LISBOAN. 2010–2013.
Aiming at promoting excellence in teaching EU studies LISBOAN has the primary objective to bring together academics involved in research and teaching on the Lisbon Treaty in order to overcome persisting disciplinary and geographical divides in EU studies.
MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS
Centre of European Integration Studies
TransEuropean Policy Studies Association (TEPSA)
EPIN - European Policy Institutes Network
European Social, Legal and Economic Projects (Lithuania)
Public Policy and Management Institute (Lithuania)
OTHER SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES
Prof. G. Vitkus –
- editor-in-Chief of the yearbook Lithuanian Annual Strategic Review;
- editorial board member of the journal Politologija (Political Science);
- member of Humanities and Social Science Committee of the Lithuanian Research Council.
Prof. R. Vilpišauskas –
- editorial board member of the journals and series: Journal of Baltic Studies, Lithuanian Foreign Policy Review, Lithuanian Strategic Annual Review, Baltic Journal of Political Science, Politics and Society in the Baltic Sea Region;
- member of organizational committees of the international conferences: Lithuanian EU Pre-Presidency conference (organized by IIRPS together with TEPSA and European integration studies centre on 4–5 July, 2013) and European international cooperation and Eastern partnership in R&D;
- member of Sunset Commission, State Progress Council.
Prof. V. Nakrošis –
- editorial board member of the journal Administrative Culture;
- the Best Comparative Paper award of NISPAcee in 2013 (for paper co-authored with Dr. Žilvinas Martinaitis, Vilnius University, Lithuania, Prof. Calin Hintea, Babes-Bolyai University, Romania, Mr. Dan Balica, Babes-Bolyai University, Romania), http://www.nispa.sk/page.php?sid=975;
Prof. J. Čičinskas –
- editor-in-Chief of the journal Pinigų studijos (Monetary Studies);
- council member of the National Centre of Quality Assessment in Higher Education.
DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
10 Vokiečių, LT-01130 Vilnius
Tel. 251 4139, fax 251 4134
E-mail:
Head – Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tomas Janeliūnas
STAFF
Senior research fellow: Dr. V. Ališauskas, Prof. Dr. R. Lopata.
Associate professors: Dr. D. Jakniūnaitė, Dr. T. Janeliūnas, Dr. V. Sirutavičius, Dr. M. Šešelgytė.
Lecturers: Dr. L. Jonavičius, Dr. E. Leonaitė, Dr. D.Šlekys.
Research fellows: Dr. K. Aleksa, Dr. D. Jurgelevičiūtė, Dr. N. Maliukevičius, Dr. J. Neliupšienė.
Assistants and junior research fellows: D. Bankauskaitė, V. Jurkonis, I. Makaraitytė, R. Miglinaitė, K. Vaičiūnaitė, G. Vaščenkaitė.
Doctoral students: K. Andrijauskas, G. Bartusevičiūtė, V. Beržiūnas, I. Koreivaitė, M. Zapolskis.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
International security
Transatlantic relations
Regional studies: Belarus, Ukraine, and Kaliningrad Oblast
Geo-strategic transformation: old and new challenges for Central and Eastern Europe
Lithuanian foreign and security policy
RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2013
Projects Supported by University Budget
Changes in International Politics, Research methods and Lithuanian Foreign Policy. Prof. Habil. Dr. E. Nekrašas. 2010–2013.
The issues researched in 2013 were: understanding of changes in international politics requires establishing how the major actors of international politics perceive and construct the threats to their security as well as how they define their interests, which, on their turn, are considered to be one of the main explanatory factors of their policies.
Main publications:
Žielys, P., 2012. JAV saugumo interesai ir paramos demokratijai programos Gruzijoje ir Ukrainoje. Lietuvos metinė strateginė apžvalga 2012-2013, vol. 11, 167–184.
Koreivaitė, I., 2013. Irano grėsmės projekcijos. Politologija, nr. 2, 124–168.
Šešelgytė, M., 2013. Lithuania. Strategic cultures in Europe: security and defence policies across the continent. - Schriftenreihe des Zentrums für Militärgeschichte und Sozialwissenschaften der Bundeswehr, vol. 15 / Heiko Bie, 217–229.
Political Transformations in Eastern Europe. Prof. Dr. R. Lopata. 2010–2013.
The main research issue pursued in 2013 was the question of what are the implications of Eurasian Union for both EU neighbourhood policy and Lithuanian foreign policy.
Main publications:
Kasčiūnas, L., Šukytė, D., 2013. The creation of the Eurasian Union and its implications for the European neighbourhood policy. Lithuanian Foreign Policy Review, nr. 29, 63–79.
Vilpišauskas, R., 2013. Eurazijos Sąjunga ar Europos Sąjunga? Dilema Rytų partnerystės šalims. Politologija / Vilniaus universitetas, nr. 2, 64–96.
Jakniūnaitė, D., 2013. Baltijos valstybės ir Rusija: liminali dvišalių santykių būsena. Politologija, nr. 3, 21–45.
National Research Projects
Research Council of Lithuania. Lithuanian Foreign Policy since 2004: between Stability and Change. (No. MIP-012/2013). Assoc. Prof. Dr. D. Jakniunaite. 2013–2014.
The goal of the project is to analyze the main changes and trends in Lithuania foreign policy from 2004 till 2012, contributing to the small states foreign policy analysis and the Lithuania's foreign policy thinking by revealing the opportunities and limits for its development. The conceptual model of foreign policy change and foreign policy analysis has been developed in 2013, which will be applied to summarize the main trends of Lithuania's foreign policy and to make inferences about the determinants of small states foreign policy.
Research Council of Lithuania. Lithuanian-Belarusian Relations in the History of Politics of Lithuania Republic and Belarus Republic (No. TAP-LB-12-023). Prof. Dr. R. Lopata. 2013–2014.
The project aims at examining the Belarusian-Lithuanian ongoing history of politics, highlighting the dominant historical narratives and defining their interests to reveal their geopolitical and perpetuating geo-cultural identity, assessing their challenges in Lithuanian-Belarusian relations. The preparation of articles for a joint publication, to be published in 2014, was taking place in 2013.
Research Council of Lithuania. The Factors of the Stability of Belarusian Regime and Trends of its Change. (No. MIP-108). Dr. J. Neliupšienė. 2012–2014.
The project is aimed at analyzing and determining assumptions of the continuity of Belarusian regime. The researchers examine the internal factors and assumptions of regime stability: both subjective and objective, which ensure the long life of the political regime through settling political institutions and social norms. The research also focuses on external factors in order to determine the vulnerability of political regime stability in Belarus.
Main publications:
Jonavičius, L., 2013. From Russia with love: internal balance of power in Russia and the survival of Lukashenko’s regime. Lithuanian Foreign Policy Review, no. 29, 81–111.
International Research Projects
Marie Curie Actions. EU-PREACC - Possibilities and limits, challenges and obstacles of transferring CEE EU pre-accession best practices and experience to Moldova’s and Georgia's pre-accession process, project manager Assoc. Prof. D. Jakniūnaitė. 2013–2017.
The research will cover areas of the EU-Moldova and EU-Georgia cooperation, linked to both, the European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan and the EU conditionality. It looks at Moldova’s and Georgia’s economic, legal and political situation and development. The focus of the project and project-related research is structuring the CEE states’ reform experience and analyzing the possibilities and limits of transferring the best practices and experience to Moldova’s and Georgia’s (possible) EU pre-accession process. It analyses the situation in Moldova and Georgia and suggests benchmarking opportunities best suitable for Moldova and Georgia. The results of the analysis and researchers/lecturers exchange are wrapped up via regular thematic workshops and publications. The output of the research results is also used in improving and developing the European Union-related curricula and courses in all participating universities: in Tartu, Vilnius, Moldova and Georgia.
The Nordic Baltic Small States: Perceptions on Economy, Security and Identity in an Increasingly Regionalized Europe. Assoc. Prof. Dr. M. Šešelgytė. 2011–2013.
The main objective of the project is to establish a strong research network for the Northwest and Baltic states. It aimed at building up an all-round academic expertise on the themes presented and creating a multi-purpose network between the participants. The network offers a forum for the extension of small states research and study to the small autonomous entities of the West-Nordic region – Greenland and the Faroes – in particular.
Main publications:
Rublovskis, R., Šešelgytė, M., Kaljurand, R., 2013. Defence and security for the small: perspectives from the Baltic States. [Reykjavik]: Centre for Small State Studies Institute of International Affairs.
MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS
Military Academy of Lithuania (Lithuania)
The Higher School of Economics, Moscow (Russia)
Baltic Defence College, Tartu (Estonia)
Institute of International Affairs and Centre for Small States Studies, University of Iceland (Iceland)
OTHER SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES
Assoc. Prof. T. Janeliūnas –
- editor-in-Chief of the journals Politologija (Political Science) and Lithuanian Foreign Policy Review.
Prof. R. Lopata –
- editorial board member of the journal Politologija (Political Science), Lithuanian Foreign Policy Review, Lithuanian Annual Strategic Review.
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL THEORY
10 Vokiečių, LT-01130 Vilnius
Tel. 219 3154, fax 5 251 4134
E-mail
Head - Prof. Dr. Alvydas Jokubaitis
STAFF
Professors: Dr. A. Jokubaitis, Dr. D. Pūras, Dr. A. Ramonaitė.
Associate professors: Dr. N. Arlauskaitė, Dr. K. Girnius, Dr. A. Jankauskas, Dr. D. Jastramskis, Dr. A. Lukošaitis, Dr. J. Novagrockienė, Dr. N. Putinaitė, Dr. P. Ragauskas, Dr. I. Vinogradnaitė.
Lecturers: Dr. J. Dementavičius, Dr. L. Gudžinskas, Dr. M. Jastramskis.
Assistants: J. Kavaliauskaitė, I. Petronytė.
Doctoral students: V. Mačkinis, A. Meškytė, A. Pūras, L. Strupinskienė, J. Ulinskaitė, V. Valantiejus, E. Verseckaitė.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Modern political theory and methodology
Political communication and public relations
Party system and electoral process
Democratization process in Lithuania
RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2013
Projects Supported by University Budget
Challenges to Democracy in Postcommunist World. Prof. A. Jokubaitis. 2010–2013.
There were two major questions, upon which the research was focused in 2013. One question concerned the issues of the interrelationship between media and politics in contemporary world. The results of research on this topic were published in a special issue of journal Politologija. Another question concerned the normative basis of modern democracy, focusing on the issues of values, virtues and beliefs which are conducive or, on the contrary, incompatible with democracy.
Main publications:
Arlauskaitė, N., 2013. Dokumentas ir / ar prisijaukintas valdžios žvilgsnis: "Blokados" archyvas. Politologija, nr. 1, 88–132.
Jokubaitis, A., 2013. Kodėl demokratijai nereikia religijos? Politologija, nr. 3, 3–20.
Karalius, G., 2013. Laisvės problema demokratijoje: drąsos aspektas. Politologija, Nr. 3 (71), 106–134.
National Research Projects
Research Council of Lithuania. Film Adaptation: Between Narratology and Cultural Criticism. (No. MIP-077/2013). Assoc. Prof. Dr. N. Arlauskaite. 2013–2014.
The aim is to propose a new model for the analysis of film adaptations and to apply it to diverse intercultural examples. The main material of the research and book is film adaptations of the novels The Idiot and Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky produced in Russia, USA, France, Finland, Japan, Italy, Poland, and Brazil. The result of the project is book-length study, which is to be prepared for publication in 2014.
Research Council of Lithuania. Invisible Society of Soviet-Era Lithuania: the Revision of Distinction Between Systemic and Non-Systemic Social Networks. Prof. Dr. A. Ramonaite. 2012–2014.
The major goal of the research is to conceptualize and determine the underlying distinction between informal social networks that cohabitated and reproduced (post)totalitarian communist system, and social networks that generated alternative social life worlds and were poorly tolerated by the state. The main activities during 2013 were collecting empirical data on informal societal micro-structure in Lithuania during the Late Soviet era.
Research Council of Lithuania. The Politics of History as a Source of Geopolitical and Geocultural Identity. (No. VAT-31/2012). Prof. Dr. R. Lopata. 2012–2014.
The goals of the projects are to investigate and evaluate the geo-political factors (Poland, Belarus, the Russian political history, the historical discourse of the EU) of the Lithuania’s historical identity, their interactions and tensions as well as to investigate and evaluate the interaction between the political and historical consciousness, historical memory, reconstructing the defining discourses.
Research Council of Lithuania. The Anthology of Lithuania’s Political Thought. (No. LIT-4-15). Assoc. Prof. Dr. A. Jankauskas. 2011–2013.
The aim of this project was to prepare and publish the Anthology of Lithuania’s political thought which would include the most significant sources of Lithuania’s Political Thought since the times of the First Republic of Lithuania until the re-establishment of the independent state in 1990.
Main publications:
Lietuvos politinės minties antologija. T.2: Politinė mintis išeivijoje. / Vilnius: Vilniaus universiteto leidykla, 2013.
Lietuvos politinės minties antologija. T.3: Politinė mintis Lietuvoje 1940-1990 / Vilnius: Vilniaus universiteto leidykla, 2013.
Research Council of Lithuania. Lithuanian National Electoral Study. (No. MIP-17). Assoc. Prof. A. Ramonaitė. 2012–2014.
The goal is to build the empirical and methodological foundation for long-term systemic Lithuanian people’s political behaviour research to determine the Lithuanian public political behaviour characteristics and factors in 2012, as well as summarize their transformation during the 20-year period of multiparty elections in Lithuania during the election process. The collection of empirical data was finalized in 2013 and the book The Electoral Behaviour of Lithuanians is under preparation, to be published in 2014.
International Research Projects
COST action project. The Actual Voter: the Electoral Democracy’s Analytic Strategy, Including Continental West, South and East. Assoc. Prof. A. Ramonaitė. 2009–2013.
The main purpose of the project is to improve the material assumptions and scientific expertise of analysis of efficiency of electoral democracy in Europe. These assumptions will be enhanced by identifying and integrating the national electoral behaviour databases. Research objectives: 1) to overview countries of different electoral behaviour research tradition, to identify and compare research results and strategies; 2) to assess the comparability of national election surveys; 3) to develop a unified theoretical model of electoral behaviour and the research program. Lithuanian researchers have prepared data files for unified databases.
EU Lifelong Learning programme. Erasmus academic network PADEMIA. Project coordinator Dr. Katjana Gattermann, University of Cologne (Germany), IIRPS academic staff involved Assoc. Prof. Dr. I. Vinogradnaitė. 2013–2016.
The primary objective is to bring together academics involved in research and teaching on the Parliamentary Democracy in Europe in order to overcome persisting disciplinary and geographical divides in EU studies. Project activities include network-wide annual interdisciplinary conferences, international seminars, PhD schools, lecture series, etc. online paper series, a student paper competition, annual research and teaching awards.
MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS
Creighton University (USA)
Public Policy and Management Institute (Lithuania)
Lithuanian Institute of History (Lithuania)
OTHER SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES
Prof. A. Jokubaitis –
- editorial board member of the journal Politologija (Political Science), Politeja and Horyzonty Polityki ( Horizons of Politics).
Prof. A. Ramonaitė –
- editorial board member of the journals Baltic Journal of Political Science and Politologija (Political Science);
- member of the State Progress Council, http://www.lrv.lt/veikla/valstybes-pazangos-taryba/.
Assoc. Prof. A. Jankauskas –
- editorial board member of the journals and series: Lithuanian Foreign Policy Review, Lithuanian Strategic Annual Review, Politologija.
Dr. L. Gudžinskas –
- editor-in-Chief of the journal Baltic Journal of Political Science;
- President of the Lithuanian Political Science Association.