Wilson Center Experts

Nida Gelazis

Former Senior Associate

European Studies

Expertise:

Democracy

;

Gender

;

Global Governance

;

United Nations

;

Governance

;

Human Rights

;

Women's Rights

;

International Development

;

Migration

;

NATO

;

Society and Culture

;

U.S. Foreign Policy

;

Europe

;

Albania

;

Bosnia and Herzegovina

;

Bulgaria

;

Croatia

;

Czech Republic

;

Eastern Europe

;

Estonia

;

European Union

;

Hungary

;

Kosovo

;

Latvia

;

Lithuania

;

Macedonia

;

Montenegro

;

Poland

;

Romania

;

Serbia

;

Slovakia

;

Slovenia

;

Turkey

;

Western Balkans

;

Belarus

Education

M.A., Comparative European and International Law (LLM), European University Institute, Florence, Italy; B.A., Political Science, University of Chicago

Subjects

Balkan Region,Constitutionalism,Democratization,East Europe,European Union,Human Rights,International Law

Experience

Managing editor, East European Constitutional Review, University of Chicago Law School and the Constitutional and Legislative Policy Institute, Budapest, Hungary (1994-96); research associate, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute, Florence, Italy (1997-2000)

Expertise

East Europe; European Union (especially enlargement); constitutionalism; democratization; human rights; international law

Major Publications

Cities after the Fall of Communism: Reshaping Cultural Landscapes and European Identity, co-editor with John J. Czaplicka and Blair A. Ruble (Woodrow Wilson Center Press and The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2009)
"The Tenth Anniversary of the Dayton Accords and Afterwards: Reflections on Post-Conflict State- and Nation-Building," editor, EES Special Report, April 2007
"An Evaluation of International Instruments that Address the Condition of Statelessness: A Case Study of Estonia and Latvia," in International Migration Law: Developing Paradigms and Key Challenges, ed. Ryszard Cholewinski, Richard Perruchoud and Euan MacDonald (Asser Press, 2007)
"Fighting Poverty and Reforming Social Security: What Can Post-Soviet States Learn from the New Democracies of Central Europe?," co-editor with Michael Cain and Tomazs Inglot, EES Special Report, February 2007
"Kosovo: Mission Not Yet Accomplished," co-author with Martin Sletzinger, The Wilson Quarterly, Autumn 2005
"Women in East European Politics," editor, EES Special Report, September 2005
"Statelessness in the Baltic States: Ramifications for European Citizenship and Social Stratification after EU Enlargement," European Journal of Migration and Law 6: 225-242, 2004.
"East Europe's New Role in the Middle East," editor, EES News Special Report, January 2004
"Defending Order and Freedom: The Lithuanian Constitutional Court in its First Decade," in Constitutional Justice: East and West, ed. Wojciech Sadurski (Kluwer International, 2003)
"Institutional Engineering in Lithuania: Stability through Compromise," in Consolidation of Democracy in Eastern Europe: Institutional Engineering, ed. Jan Zielonka (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001)
"The Effects of EU Conditionality on Citizenship Policies and Protection of National Minorities in the Baltic States," in The Road to the European Union - Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, ed. Jan Zielonka and Vello Pettai (Manchester University Press, 2003); also published as a Working Paper of the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, No. 2000/68

Related Content for this Expert

Human Rights in Post-Communist Transitions: Fulfillment or Betrayal?

February 22, 2010 // 11:00am — 12:00pm

The book "Human Rights and Their Limits" shows that the concept of human rights has developed in waves: each call for rights served the purpose of social groups that tried to stop further proliferation of rights once their own goals were reached. While defending the universality of human rights as norms of behavior, Osiatynski admits that the philosophy on human rights does not need to be universal. more

Assimilation, Accommodation, and Exclusion in the Balkans: Serbian Nation-Building Policies Toward Kosovo Albanians, 1912-1940

October 27, 2010 // 12:00pm — 1:00pm

In the process of nation-building, states attempt to make the state and the demographic nation overlap. In this process, national minorities become a problem and European nation states have a checkered past in terms of dealing with them, with variable policies reflecting ethnic antipathy at one moment and cooperation at another. Conventional wisdom holds that ethnic antipathy is the result of cultural distance or "age-old ethnic hatreds." However, according to Harris Mylonas, these theories neither predict outcomes nor account for variation in minority policy over time. His research focuses on the relationship between minority treatment and interstate relations, in an effort to gain a broader understanding the complexity of state-building and minority policies in Europe. more

Reaching Out at a Time of Economic Crisis: External Anchors and Internal Dynamics in the Western Balkans

October 21, 2009 // 12:00pm — 1:00pm

The celebration of two anniversaries that are being held in Europe this—the fall of the Berlin Wall 20 years ago and the first EU enlargement to postcommunist Europe five years ago—is being tempered by a deep and widespread economic recession. This recession has been disproportionately felt in the Western Balkans, Jens Bastian argued, which has obscured the path these countries are working hard to follow into the EU. more

The Variable Impact of EU Conditionality: Differentiated Reforms in the Entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina

April 20, 2011 // 12:00pm — 1:00pm

Since the Dayton Peace Accord was signed 16 years ago, the European Union (EU) has been actively involved in Bosnia and Herzegovina in various capacities and has created a number of local institutions to support its four current missions. At the same time, the complicated state institutional structure in Bosnia means that the EU must simultaneously interact with a number of local and state-level institutions. Mujo Hadzic discussed a central puzzle: Does EU conditionality work in such a complex environment? Given this institutional complexity, Hadzic argued, both the Bosnian government and the EU struggle to speak with one voice, which dilutes the EU's impact and diffuses the energies of Bosnian institutions. more

Extreme Politics: Nationalism, Violence, and the End of Eastern Europe

March 03, 2010 // 11:00am — 12:00pm

Charles King's new book Extreme Politics declares an end to the period of "post-communism," both as a period of European History and in terms of the conduct of US foreign policy. The book offers a critique of the way in which academics and policy makers have viewed this period, which began with the fall of the Berlin Wall on 11/9/1989 and ended with the terrorist attacks on 9/11/2001. King argues that this period should be viewed as a unique interlude, rather than as a postscript to the Cold War. more

Hungary Under FIDESZ: A Retreat from Democracy?

January 25, 2011 // 10:30am — 12:00pm

The economic crisis in Hungary has evolved into a political crisis, as Viktor Orban's FIDESZ government has passed a number of laws and initiatives that severely thwart democracy. Orban's populism has led his government to restrict press freedoms, undermine the balance of powers and silence opponents in the arts and academia by cutting institutional budgets, while claiming austerity. According to Attila Mesterházy, leader of the opposition Hungarian Socialist Party, the FIDESZ government's reforms do not serve the national interest and have harmed Hungary's reputation abroad during this crucial period when it holds the rotating EU presidency. more

From Recipient to Donor: New Europe Promotes Democracy in the Neighborhood

November 18, 2009 // 11:00am — 12:00pm

During his first official trip to Europe representing the new administration, U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden highlighted the importance of re-energizing democracy promotion efforts in East Europe. Yet, since the postcommunist transition began 20 years ago, not only the methods but also the actors involved in democracy promotion have changed considerably. Most strikingly, postcommunist countries that have been relatively successful in their own transitions to democracy have emerged as key players in democracy promotion in the Western Balkans and former Soviet states. Tsveta Petrova identified these new actors, analyzed their motivations, and characterized the methods they use to promote democracy beyond their own borders. more

Getting Kosovo out of Limbo?

April 12, 2010 // 12:00pm — 1:00pm

Since Kosovo's declaration of independence in February 2008, it has been in limbo, as have Serbia, the EU and the broader international community. The hurry to finish the period of Yugoslav dissolution and conflict resulted in something other than the end of transitional administration and creation of a final frontier desired. Instead, there was a messy proliferation of transitional states, in even murkier circumstances than there had been previously. more

A Blow to Democracy: Election Fraud, Corruption and Political Violence in Albania

February 08, 2011 // 11:00am — 12:00pm

Erion Veliaj, a former civil society activist and coordinator of the Albanian opposition parties, discussed the demonstration held on January 21, 2011. The demonstration ended in violence, with four shot and killed by the Republican Guard. Prime Minister Sali Berisha characterized the event as an attempted coup d'état in an attempt to justify the violent response, and said that the demonstrators had been carrying weapons disguised as umbrellas. Veliaj argued at the meeting that these contentions were "ludicrous": according to Veliaj, this was just another in a number of peaceful demonstrations organized by the opposition to protest what they see were unfair elections in 2009. The Albanian government, Veliaj said, was trying to force the population to choose between stability and freedom. more

Banning Headscarves in Bulgaria: Reflections on the Debate over Religious Symbols in Public Schools

January 14, 2010 // 11:00am — 12:00pm

n Europe, the issue of headscarves has the power to expose a variety of social cleavages because it instantly provokes strong stances on matters such as national identity, religion, gender and human rights. This issue also reflects the way in which states set priorities within the broad category of human rights they are obliged to protect. Through her analysis of headscarf bans in Bulgarian schools, Kristen Ghodsee illustrated how a young postcommunist democracy has attempted to create a coherent policy on headscarves while balancing its commitments to multiple constituencies in the US, its fellow EU member states as well as its own diverse population. more

Pages

Serbia and the EU: Assessing the Economic Prospects

April 21, 2010 // 12:00pm — 1:00pm

As elsewhere in the Western Balkans, Serbia made significant strides in the period 203-8 toward becoming the "functioning market economy" specified by the Copenhagen Criteria as a major credential for membership in the European Union.

Getting Kosovo out of Limbo?

April 12, 2010 // 12:00pm — 1:00pm

Pages

Reaching out to the Balkans in Times of Crisis

Jul 07, 2011

The following policy brief stems from a meeting of the Working Group on the Western Balkans which took place on November 12-14, 2010 in Athens, Greece.

The Working Group on the Western Balkans: Enhancing Civil Society Participation in EU Enlargement

Jul 07, 2011

This is the publication of the second meeting of the Working Group on the Western Balkans which took place on October 19, 2010.

The Working Group on the Western Balkans

Jul 07, 2011

The following publication stems from the inaugural meeting of the Working Group on the Western Balkans which took place on June 29, 2010.

Women in East European Politics

Jul 07, 2011

This conference aimed at exploring the experiences and the political goals of women elected to parliament in the postcommunist countries of East Central Europe and Russia. Since 1989, the political scene in Eastern Europe and Russia has changed swiftly. In many countries, women participated in the drive to transform the communist system through demonstrations, civil activism and roundtables.Yet, in the immediate transition period, civic participation of the population in general has declined and the social and political participation of women seems to have declined more than that of men. This difference is attributed in part to the fact that women have been more burdened by the complex adjustments to the social and economic transformations of their societies. In the last few years, however, women with good qualifications and professional experience are slowly gaining political power and influence in several countries.

342. Greece, the Western Balkans and the European Union

Jul 07, 2011

November 2007 - The Wilson Center's East European Studies program, in cooperation with the American College of Thessaloniki, the University division of Anatolia College, held a workshop November 30-December 1, 2007, which aimed at trouble-shooting the complex process of European integration of the Western Balkans. This meeting was sponsored by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. Discussions built upon the dual premise that EU accession holds the best hope for overcoming stagnation in the Western Balkans and that the traditional enlargement process is not working in the region. The US, the EU and neighboring countries, such as Greece, certainly have much to contribute in reinvigorating this process, and coordinating their policies seems to be of paramount importance.

338. Institutionalized Ethnic Division in Bosnia: A Way Forward for Iraq?

Jul 07, 2011

September 2007 - Over the past few months, the Biden-Gelb plan has been widely discussed as a solution for the faltering policy in Iraq. A major component of the plan is to decentralize power in Iraq—Bosnian style—to the three main ethnic and religious groups in an effort to end the civil war. While the applicability of the Bosnian model has been challenged in the press based on the differences in the circumstances under which the Dayton Agreement was signed in Bosnia and the current environment in Iraq, the desirability of the Bosnian model has largely gone unchallenged. This meeting aimed at bringing up some of the rather uncomfortable realities that the Dayton model created in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The debate on what to do in Iraq should not ignore the fact that-although the fighting in Bosnia has ended-inter-ethnic cooperation and dialogue have languished. Twelve years after Dayton, Bosnia is still far from the effective, sovereign and democratic state that the agreement had envisioned. In the end the Bosnian model may serve up more questions than answers for Iraq.

334. Ending the State-Building Impasse: What Can Be Learned from Previous EU Enlargements that Might Offer Solutions for Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Jul 07, 2011

February 2007 - Over the last two years, the international community's policy has been to accelerate the process of state-building in Bosnia and Herzegovina, so that a strong, unified state can "plug into" European institutions. Certainly, the United States hopes that the European Union (EU) can replicate the strong and positive impact it has had on its 10 member states from postcommunist Europe. At the same time, the EU is eager to test the capacity of its Common Foreign and Security Policy in the Western Balkans and therefore has taken up the challenge to play a larger role in Bosnia and, hopefully, lead it through the accession process.

The Tenth Anniversary of the Dayton Accords and Afterwards: Reflections on Post-Conflict State- and Nation-Building

Jul 07, 2011

This publication stemmed from the December 7, 2005 conference, co-sponsored by East European Studies, West European Studies, and the Southeast Europe Project. The 1995 Dayton Accords ended the violent conflict that raged in Bosnia-Herzegovina from 1992 to 1995. Yet, while the fighting has ended, ten years afterwards the Dayton Accords have not been replaced by a more permanent legal foundation in Bosnia-Herzegovina. More than simply commemorating the end of a war, East European Studies proposes holding a conference to reflect on what the Dayton Accords achieved over the last decade, what remains to be done in terms of creating a cohesive and self-sustaining state in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and what role the international community can play to promote state-building there. A better understanding of the Dayton Accords will add to the knowledge of peace brokering and state-building, which has become highly relevant in terms of U.S. Security Policy towards the wider world.

Fighting Poverty and Reforming Social Security: What Can Post-Soviet States Learn From the New Democracies of Central Europe?

Jul 07, 2011

Conference proceedings from a meeting held in Washington, DC, June 10, 2005. After decades of communist rule, reforming social policies and welfare state institutions turned out to be much more difficult and complex than previously anticipated. Regional trends emerged. Most Central European democracies introduced significant institutional reforms in social security, while changing social assistance programs to fight risks associated with poverty. In contrast, many post-Soviet states are still struggling to provide modernized and reliable welfare state protections to the elderly, the disabled and the poor during the prolonged era of political and economic transformation. This one-day conference convened international scholars and policy practitioners to examine patterns of welfare state development in select post-communist states and to analyze how national histories, international actors, domestic institutional contexts and the interdependence of recent social, economic and political reforms have contributed to differences in social policies and welfare state provision. Conference participants explored major similarities and differences in social protection reform in various countries with special attention to practical and theoretical lessons of transition that can enhance our understanding of present and future problems and challenges facing the evolving post-Soviet welfare states in Russia and the neighboring states.

Follow this Expert on RSS

Independent Research, Open Dialogue & Actionable Ideas

Wilson Center Experts