Reclaiming the margins in environmental research: Epistemic inequalities across Europe’s geographical and disciplinary peripheries
We are pleased to share our new open access article in Applied Geography, which examines how epistemic inequalities shape environmental research across Europe, with a particular focus on the participation of Southern, Central and Eastern European SSH researchers. The paper argues that equitable EU research collaboration requires more than geographical inclusion: it also calls for a […]
Informality and Spatial Marginality of Roma in Bulgaria and Hungary – Tünde Virág’s book chapter has been published
Tünde Virág’s latest chapter provides a comparative analysis of how Roma communities are spatially marginalized in Bulgaria and Hungary. Using Loïc Wacquant’s concepts of the “ghetto” and “anti-ghetto,” it shows how state policies, welfare systems, and historical trajectories shape distinct patterns of segregation in Eastern Europe. Published in the De Gruyter Handbook of Eastern European […]
Geopolitical Challenges and Urban Diplomacy – online conference program
Geopolitical Challenges and Urban Diplomacy Online Conference (Teams) 20 March 2026 (Friday) In an era of shifting power and fractured sovereignty, cities have moved beyond their traditional administrative roles to become autonomous, outspoken actors on the global stage. Our upcoming online conference, “Geopolitical Challenges and Urban Diplomacy” explores how municipalities – from Warsaw to Taipei […]
New publication: ‘Success is a kind of faith in doing something correctly’ by Réka Horeczki, Ildikó Egyed, Péter Póla
The study demonstrates that stable loyalty and confidence in municipal leadership is felt not only toward the figure of the leader but also his entourage, i.e., the administrative staff and the representative body. The primary data collection in the framework of the research conducted by the Institute for Regional Studies enabled the examination of a […]
8th International Balkan Summer School – Skopje, 6-12 July 2026
„Religion, Nationalism and Identity in the Balkans after 2000: Obstacles and Negotiated Outcomes” Organizing Institutions: Balkan Studies Foundation, North Macedonia South East European University, North Macedonia ELTE Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Hungary Oranje Institute, Netherlands Ankara Center for Thought and Research, Türkiye Deadline for Abstract Submission: April 15, 2026 More details: http://balkansummerschool.com/
SSH CENTRE project has successfully concluded – Summary video
The SSH CENTRE (Social Sciences and Humanities for Climate, Energy aNd Transport Research Excellence) project has concluded its mission to demonstrate how social sciences and humanities (SSH) drive effective change in climate, energy, and mobility sectors. Researchers from CERS IRS participated in this European collaboration, contributing to the project’s goal of bridging the gap between […]
Local Success in Hungary Based on Two Selected Districts – new study by our colleagues
Réka Horeczki, Ildikó Egyed, Szilárd Rácz and Lívia Csajbi authored the study ‘Local Success in Hungary Based on Two Selected Districts’ now available. This article examines the different approaches to settlement success and municipal leadership in the case of Hungarian municipalities. Our objective is to examine mayoral perceptions of success in two selected districts in […]
Innovation in space, time and networks – Report on the GeoInno2026 conference
The 8th Geography of Innovation (GeoInno2026) conference took place from 28 to 30 January 2026 at the Corvinus University of Budapest, co-organised by the ELTE KRTK. Following cities such as Saint-Étienne, Utrecht, Toulouse, Barcelona, Stavanger, Milan, and Manchester, Budapest became the first city in Central and Eastern Europe to be included on the prestigious list […]
Central and Eastern Europe: 20 Years in the European Union – paper of our colleagues has been published
‘Central and Eastern Europe: 20 Years in the European Union’ – paper of Szilárd Rácz, Ildikó Egyed and Réka Horeczki has been published. The first part of the article outlines the unique development path of Central and Eastern European countries after their market economic transition, and the changing geo-economic framework conditions referred to as “externally- […]
Call for Abstracts: Special Session at the 65th ERSA Congress, Sofia
Call for Abstracts: Special Session at the 65th ERSA Congress, Sofia The 65th ERSA Congress will be held in Sofia from August 25–28 this year. With Prof. Aleksandra Ravnachka (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences), we are organising a special session: S-70 Uneven Prosperity: Spatial Polarisation, Social Vulnerability, and In-Work Poverty The deadline for extended abstract submissions is February 20, 2026. […]