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The Åland Islands Peace Institute has developed an online college course on territorial self-governance using the Åland Islands as an example and case study. This is an interdisciplinary course that takes a broad perspective on discussions of self-governance, self-determination, multi-level governance and the rights of minorities. It addresses Åland’s self-governance, demilitarisation and adoption of neutrality, as well as the culture and language guarantees necessary for any language and culture. Additionally, it discusses the importance of territorial autonomy as a possible tool for conflict resolution, e.g. as a possible solution to ethnopolitical conflicts. The deadline for application is 2 September 2022. More information here.

By looking at various cases of autonomous and minority regions in Europe, the webinar aims to provide a comparative insight into processes of empowerment and securitization in minority contexts and to understand the extent to which these processes intersect with inter-state relations and sub-state cross-border cooperation activities. Insights from the Baltic states, Romania, Catalonia and the Basque Country will be discussed and compared, while also taking into account past and recent developments in South Tyrol.  The speakers are Noe Cornago (University of the Basque Country), Kristina Kallas (University of Tartu) and Andreea Udrea (University of Glasgow). You can watch here the recording of the webinar. 

Applications for the 2022 Summer School on Human Rights, Minorities and Diversity Governance are open! The focus of the 2022 edition is “Autonomy, Borders, Conflicts”. This two-week interdisciplinary programme combines lectures, workshops, roundtable discussions and study visits. It will take place I the period 4-15 July 2022 at the Institute for Minority Rights of Eurac Research in Bolzano/Bozen (Italy). The participants are postgraduate students, civil servants, NGO representatives, journalists and other practitioners. The deadline for application is 15 April 2022.  For online application and detailed information (about topics, speakers, fees, scholarships etc), see the summer school’s website.

The 2022 webinar of our Annual Webinar Series "Discussing World Autonomies" focuses on “Europe’s Most Durable Autonomies: The Åland Islands and South Tyrol”. These two successful autonomous regions are often mentioned as a source of inspiration for conflict resolution around the world. In 2022, Åland celebrates the centenary of autonomy while South Tyrol marks 50 years since the adoption of its Second Autonomy Statute. The speakers are Sia Spiliopoulou Åkermark (Associate Professor in International Law at Uppsala University and Director of the Åland Islands Peace Institute) and Elisabeth Alber (Senior Researcher at the Institute for Comparative Federalism, Eurac Research). You can watch here the recording of the webinar.

This online talk aims to explore potentials of non-territorial autonomy (NTA), core practical challenges, and prospects for better practical outreach (both widening and deepening) of the concept. It is structured around four main topics: the nexus and tension between the territorial and personal principles in the minority protection; labeling the concept as “autonomy”; membership; and competences: NTA institutions as minority agents. The panelists are Prof. Zsuzsa Csergő, Prof. Levente Salat and Prof. David Smith. You can watch here the recording of this online talk.

We are organising together with the Centre for Autonomy Experience an Annual Webinar Series called "Discussing World Autonomies". The goal is to share knowledge about autonomies worldwide, how they function and discussing the challenges they face. The topic of the 2021 webinar is "Autonomy and Sovereignty Conflict: Insights from Catalonia and Perspectives from Post-Brexit Scotland and Northern Ireland". The speakers are Marc Sanjaume (Professor of Political Science at Open University of Catalonia), Clare Rice (Researcher at the Newcastle University) and Daniel Cetrà (Research Fellow at the Centre on Constitutional Change at the University of Edinburgh and Eurac Research Federal Scholar in Residence 2021). You can watch here the recording of the webinar.