Info: New Research Centre

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Subject: Info: New Research Centre

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Info: New Research Centre


CENTRE FOR OSCE RESEARCH FOUNDED IN HAMBURG
 
The Centre for OSCE Research (CORE) is the first institution in the
world specially dedicated to research on the Organization for Security
and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). CORE was founded with a special
ceremony taking place at the City Hall of the Free and Hanseatic City
of Hamburg on 6 January 2000 in the presence of the President of
Germany, Johannes Rau. CORE is headed by Prof. Dr. Dr. Dieter S. Lutz,
deputy head is Dr. Wolfgang Zellner. CORE came into being following an
intensification of research on the OSCE at the Institute for Peace
Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg (IFSH) since
1994.
 
PROFILE

The some 20 staff members devote special attention to the following
areas:
- the activities of the OSCE in the area of conflict prevention and
conflict management,
- the contribution of the OSCE to the development of democracy and
security,
- the institutional evolution and the improvement of the
Organization's effectiveness, and
- the role of the OSCE in the pan-European security architecture.

Corresponding with the main focus of the OSCE, special emphasis is put
on the analysis of Central and Eastern European transition countries.
CORE works as a politically independent think tank and combines basic
research on central aspects of OSCE development with demand-oriented
analysis of current problems and practical contributions to relevant
issues.

The addressees include political actors as well as the academic and
political public in Germany and abroad. CORE projects are supported,
among others, by the German Foreign Office, the Federal Ministry for
Education and Research, the Senate of the Free and Hanseatic City of
Hamburg and the German Research Association (Deutsche
Forschungsgemeinschaft/DFG).
 
PROJECTS

Along with short-term analyses, four long-term research projects are
being conducted.

- Since 1999 a research project has been devoted to the effectiveness
of the OSCE minority regime. Based on comparative case studies on the
implementation of the recommendations of the High Commissioner on
National Minorities in six Central and Eastern European countries, the
project attempts to find a scientific explanation for the efficiency
or inefficiency of the minority regime.

- Currently in its planning phase, a project has been put forth which
during its course strives to develop a theory-based analytical
framework aiming to systematize the factors determining the
inter-institutional co-operation in Europe. Subsequent empirical
analyses of practical co-operation of the OSCE with other institutions
will be based on this framework.

- The most important instruments of the OSCE, the missions or field
activities, are the subject of a research project which is still in
its conceptual stage. The aim is to examine the performance profile of
missions against the background of complex control and influence
mechanisms in the triangular relationship between missions, OSCE
institutions and individual states.

- Another project which is also in its conceptual stage is dealing
with the human dimension of the OSCE. The central question focuses on
the contributions of the democratization instruments to security.
These instruments are being systematically categorized and tested for
their effectiveness on the basis of six comparative case studies.
 
ACTIVITIES

- The OSCE Yearbook, which has been published by the IFSH since 1995,
constitutes another central element of CORE activities. In the
Yearbook high-ranking politicians, diplomats, military members as well
as scholars and experts from various participating States report about
the Organization and its tasks. The traditionally threefold structure
includes descriptions of the developments and perspectives of the
OSCE, analyses of the instruments, procedures and mechanisms as well
as presentations of the internal work and structure of the
Organization. Each volume is supplemented by an appendix with
documents. The Yearbook is published in three languages (German,
English, Russian) and is the only publication of its kind in the OSCE
area.

- The results of ongoing CORE projects are being published in the
series Working Papers. The Newsletter CORE News contains information
on events and developments at the CORE.

- The OSCE Depository Library is still in its initial stage. It will
make available to the public a comprehensive collection of
OSCE-related documents and secondary literature.

The Centre for OSCE Research puts great emphasis on directing its
activities towards practical orientation and international outlook.
Besides their academic qualification, several staff members have
practical experience in institutions and missions of the OSCE. The
involvement in the training of civil personnel for international
missions by the German Foreign Office (since 1999) makes possible a
regular exchange of experience with the practical work in the field.
At present six foreign scholars are working on joint CORE projects in
their home countries. An OSCE Fellowship programme, intended to be
launched in late 2000, will offer scholars from OSCE States the
opportunity of a research stay at CORE.
 
THE IFSH

The Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University
of Hamburg aims to analyse threats to peace and international security
and to seek possible solutions. It was established in 1971 as a
non-profit foundation according to German civil law. Its founding
Director General ret. Wolf Graf von Baudissin was succeeded by former
Federal Minister Egon Bahr in 1984. Current Director of the IFSH is
Prof. Dr. Dr. Dieter S. Lutz. The IFSH has a resident staff of over
40, among them guest researchers and military officers from Germany
and abroad as well as experts from various fields.

Research Programme

1. European security in view of conceptual innovation and
organizational synthesis.

2. Disarmament and arms control with special focus on qualitative and
preventive approaches.

3. Processes of political and social transformation in Central and
Eastern Europe.

4. The legal, economic, military and technological dimensions of
global governance.

Publications

The Institute publishes a number of series, including
- the monograph series "Demokratie, Sicherheit, Frieden" (Democracy,
Security, Peace);
- the quarterly journal "Sicherheit und Frieden";
- the "Hamburger Beitr�ge zur Friedensforschung und
Sicherheitspolitik" (Hamburg Contributions to Peace Research and
Security Policy);
- the annual "Friedensgutachten" (State-of-Peace-Yearbook, together
with partner institutions).

CONTACT

Centre for OSCE Research:
Dr. Wolfgang Zellner
Deputy Head
Centre for OSCE Research (CORE)
Falkenstein 1
D � 22587  Hamburg
Tel.: +49-(0)40-866 077-63
Fax: +49-(0)40-866 36 15
E-mail: [email protected]
 
OSCE Yearbook:
Ursel Schlichting, M.A.
Editor-in-Chief of the OSCE Yearbook
Falkenstein 1
D � 22587  Hamburg
Tel.: +49-(0)40-866 077-32
Fax: +49-(0)40-866 36 15
E-mail: [email protected]
 
OSCE Depository Library:
Dipl.-Bibl. Ute Runge
Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of
Hamburg (IFSH)
Falkenstein 1
D � 22587  Hamburg
Tel.: +49-(0)40-866 077-51
Fax: +49-(0)40-866 36 15
E-mail: [email protected]

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