Institute for Global Sustainable Development » IGSD News

University of Warwick Launches 2026 ECR Sustainability Training Academy to Shape Global Planetary Solutions

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 11:08:06 GMT

The University of Warwick 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 Warwick’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 Warwick’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 University of Warwick.

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.

HOPE: Alternative futures and broken worlds

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 17:34:33 GMT

On 11 February, Professor David Chandler kicked off the Sustainability Spotlight's first thematic event with his book talk on HOPE: Alternative Futures and Broken Worlds. The thematic event was part of the 'Radical Imaginaries - Radical Transformations' series of activities coordinated by Dr Marit Hammond (PAIS), Professors Graeme Macdonald (English) and Elena Korosteleva (IGSD). The discussion problematised the meaning of hope as an instrument of neoliberal thinking, to seek alternative understandings and develop radical imaginaries of alternative futures, The discussion will be continued by a workshop on 30 April, with external speakers and research network-building.

Carnegie Europe debate about Europe's engagement with Belarus hosts top-level experts

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 16:47:52 GMT

Carnegie Europe organised a higher-level discussion on the need for Europe to re-engage with Belarus. 10 experts, ranging from former Ambassadors, heads of think-tanks, and scholars, were invited to respond in 200 words to the question of engagement, and while there were nuances in responses, the general gist was a 'no' to engaging with dictators. This is reassuring, especially on the eve of the 4th anniversary of Russia's war against Ukraine: putting more pressure on dictators and being strategic in supporting opposition is the only way forward, as was argued by Professor Korosteleva.

Professor Korosteleva gives a keynote on Resilience in Berlin

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 14:49:44 GMT

I was delighted to give a keynote on my OUP book 'Complexity and Community in IR: Nurturing Resilience in Central Eurasia' to the KIU Competence Network of Interdisciplinary Ukrainian Studies, at Frankfurt (Order) in Berlin. While introducing some key concepts from the book - the VUCA-world, the Anthropocene, complexity-thinking and resilience - I drew a lot on my empirical work in the region, especially on Ukraine and Belarus, which was of interest and relevance to the PhD students (mostly from Ukraine) of this EU-funded network.

Thank you to Susann Worschecn, a Principle Coordinator of the network, for the invitation, and to the students- for so many questions you all had about resilience, Ukraine and the wider region.

Horizon Europe SHAPEDEM-EU Final Review with the European Commission

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 10:46:00 GMT

The Horizon Europe SHAPEDEM project concludes with its final review conference on 20 January 2026, with the European Commission. The consortium, comprising 12 partners from Germany, Denmark, Belgium, Italy, Lebanon, Poland, Spain, Ukraine, and the UK, represented by the University of Warwick, presented its work to the panel of evaluators. The project focused on assessing the understanding and practices of democracy in the eastern and southern neighbourhoods, as well as the EU support for democracy as a composite stakeholder. Warwick was responsible for undertaking work - fieldwork and analysis - in the six countries in the eastern neighbourhood (WP2), drawing on the results of online surveys, focus groups, interviews, and roundtables. WP2 specific outputs included 8 published, submited and projected publications.

It has been three challenging years of research, including overcoming the obstacles of BREXIT, Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, Belarus civil war, Gaza war, and increasing geopolitical complexity around the globe. Yet, the project went beyond all expectations and has achieved a lot, including critiquing and offering specific recommendations to the EU on how best to support democracy efforts in around the globe. Team Warwick – including Anastasiia Kudlenko and Aijan Sharshenova – is grateful to the EU, UKRI and especially to the consortium and its leadership – for the support, and inspiration. Thank you!

Professor Korosteleva was invited to speak at the LSE roundtable on the future of Europe, 10 December 2025

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 09:42:30 GMT

Professor Korosteleva was invited to speak at the LSE roundtable, organised by Prof. Federica Bicchi, on the future of Europe and European Foreign Policy, together Christopher Hill (LSE) and Jan Orbie (Ghent). They addressed the issues of the US's new security strategy, Russia's war in Ukraine, and Europe's place in the changing global order architecture, following the crisis of the Liberal International Order. The discussion also involved PhD and Master's students, from LSE and King's.