Project Description
The project on the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, now entering its fifth year, contributes to the regional organization's security dialogue, with a particular focus on emerging dynamics of security and generational perspectives. The project offers a contribution to the regional organization’s security dialogue and a forum for analyzing and evaluating emerging security challenges facing the organization. It fosters insights on negotiations and diplomatic interactions with an emphasis on involving political practitioners from outside the organization into the traditional ranks of OSCE practices and field operations.
Background
The OSCE is the world’s largest security organization with 57 participating states and 11 cooperating countries throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. The OSCE works for stability and security, human rights, democracy, minorities, socioeconomic and environmental matters for more than one and a half billion people, through political dialogue and field activities on the basis of joint principles and commitments. Its decisions are taken on the basis of consensus. The OSCE was established after the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Helsinki, Finland, in 1975 and is headquartered in Vienna, Austria.
The organization provides a space for political dialogue on a wide range of security issues and a platform for joint action to improve the lives of individuals and communities. The OSCE attempts to bridge differences and build trust between states by co-operating on conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation. Specifically, it focuses on military security, cybersecurity, conflict prevention, confidence and security building measures (CSBM); socioeconomic and environmental issues; and human rights, minorities, democracy building, election observation, media freedom. OSCE participating States span from Vancouver to Vladivostok, including the U.S. and Canada, all NATO and EU member states. View the full list of participating states and OSCE activities and documents here.
Research Fellowships
Visiting practitioners include, Amb. Clemens Koja, frmr, Chair of the Permanent Council of the OSCE during the 2017 Austrian Chairmanship; Amb. Florian Raunig frmr. Task Force Head for the 2017 Austrian Chairmanship; Amb. Christian Strohal; frmr. Special Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office during the 2017 Austrian Chairmanship; and other representatives. The project has a team of dedicated student associates and is open to any interested.
