Academic roundtable of the Jean Monnet Network

TraPoCo

The network Transnational Political Contention in Europe (TraPoCo) aims at creating a consortium of international players committed to advancing the study of the role of societal actors in deepening democratic processes at EU level.

Led by the Scuola Normale Superiore (SNS), TraPoCo comprises: 4 universities (SNS, University of Belgrade, University College Dublin, BOKU University-Vienna), the think-tank OBC Transeuropa, and the NGO The Good Lobby.

So far, scholars studying the multiple dimensions of the European project have generally disregarded the ability of societal actors to engage with EU legal provisions and institutions to advance their causes, mainly devoting attention to their confrontational tactics. Similarly, debates on civil society have paid little attention to the transnational dimension of activism and the engagement of societal actors in lobbying or litigation activities at EU level. However, societal actors have increasingly engaged in relevant areas such as environmental protection and climate justice, anti-discrimination, labour relations, and refugee rights, prompting collective action at the transnational level.

With the aim of advancing the study of transnational political activism in the European space, TraPoCo gathers scholars from different fields (social movements, civil society, environmental studies, migration, anti-discrimination, labour studies, EU integration). Its partners are based in 5 countries (AT, ES, IE, IT, RS), but it carries out activities also in BE, BG, RO and involves the University of Trento as associate.

In addition to research work, TraPoCo stimulates knowledge-sharing among relevant stakeholders with policy debates and webinars. It promotes the enrichment of teaching curricula with the mobility scheme and a Syllabus. It proposes an International Summer School in Bilbao and experiential training in Italy. Finally, it works on the dissemination of the research findings with an information campaign and communication activities.

The kick-off meeting

To lay the ground for a fruitful cooperation, the first transnational meeting of the partnership will contribute to networking and building confidence among partner organisations. It will include a session open to the public.

During the kick off meeting (held in the premises of Scuola Normale Superiore in Florence) partners will finalise their research questions and define a common methodological framework. In particular, the attention will be pointed to the discussion of relevant issues falling within the definition of the research outline, theoretical and empirical framework, along with exposing the state of art in the respective domain.

On the occasion of the kick-off meeting, an academic roundtable will also be organised. It will bring together the Network academic coordinators, i.e. an interdisciplinary community with a particular interest in transnational political activism in the European space so as to discuss the present dynamics, faced challenges and future perspectives.

Program

h14-16: Academic round table

14:00 - 14:15 Opening remarks

Luigi Ambrosio, Director, Scuola Normale Superiore
Donatella Della Porta, professor of Political science, dean of the Faculty of Political and

Social Sciences, Scuola Normale Superiore

14:15 - 15:30 Discussion panel: “Transnational Europe: Dynamics and opportunities”

Pierre Monforte, Associate Professor at the University of Leicester
Sabrina Zajak, Deutsches Zentrum Für Integrations- und Migrationsforschung (Dezim), Berlin; Professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Ruhr-University Bochum
Jelisaveta Petrović, research fellow at the University of Belgrade 
Environmental activism and the EU enlargement: lessons from Serbia
Aron Buzogany, Professor at BOKU University
Fridays for future and the Europeanization of environmental protection
Graham Finlay, Professor at the School of Politics and International Relations, and Roland Erne, Professor and Jean Monnet Chair of European Integration and Employment Relations at University College Dublin
European Citizens Initiative for the right2water: the role of European Federation of Public Sector Unions

Moderator: Luisa Chiodi, Scientific director, Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa

 

15:30 - 15:45 Questions and answers

15:45 - 16:00 Concluding remarks

 

With the support of the Eramsum+ Programme of the European Union