Centre for Eastern Studies
Encyclopedia
Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW) is a Warsaw
-based think tank
that undertakes independent research on the political, economic and social situation in Central
and Eastern Europe
, Balkans
, Caucasus
and Central Asia
.
The Centre was founded in 1990 and is fully financed from the Polish
state
budget. In 2006 the Centre was named in honour of its founder Marek Karp.
The OSW is the largest of the European Union
’s think tanks to focus its research on the part of Europe which until 1989 had been separated from the West by the Iron Curtain.
The Centre is particularly active in debates concerning the European Union
's policy towards its Eastern neighbours (European Neighbourhood Policy
, Eastern Partnership
), challenges to energy security
in Europe, as well as the political, social and economic transformation of countries neighbouring Poland
.
The analyses and publications produced by the OSW help to shape Polish foreign policy
.
s.
The Centre's director is Jolanta Darczewska. Deputy directors are Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz and Adam Eberhardt.
There are six research units:
There are three English-language analytical newsletters
that are available by subscription:
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
-based think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
that undertakes independent research on the political, economic and social situation in Central
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
and Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
, Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
, Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
and Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
.
The Centre was founded in 1990 and is fully financed from the Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
state
Politics of Poland
The politics of Poland take place in the framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister is the head of government of a multi-party system and the President is the head of state....
budget. In 2006 the Centre was named in honour of its founder Marek Karp.
The OSW is the largest of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
’s think tanks to focus its research on the part of Europe which until 1989 had been separated from the West by the Iron Curtain.
The Centre is particularly active in debates concerning the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
's policy towards its Eastern neighbours (European Neighbourhood Policy
European Neighbourhood Policy
The European Neighbourhood Policy is a foreign relations instrument of the European Union which seeks to tie those countries to the east and south of the EU into the EU...
, Eastern Partnership
Eastern Partnership
The Eastern Partnership is a project which was initiated by the European Union . It was presented by the foreign minister of Poland with assistance from Sweden at a the EU's General Affairs and External Relations Council in Brussels on 26 May 2008...
), challenges to energy security
Energy security
Energy security is a term for an association between national security and the availability of natural resources for energy consumption. Access to cheap energy has become essential to the functioning of modern economies. However, the uneven distribution of energy supplies among countries has led...
in Europe, as well as the political, social and economic transformation of countries neighbouring Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
The analyses and publications produced by the OSW help to shape Polish foreign policy
Foreign relations of Poland
The Republic of Poland is a Central European country and member of the European Union and NATO, among others. In recent years, Poland has extended its responsibilities and position in European and Western affairs, supporting and establishing friendly foreign relations with both the West and with...
.
Staff and work groups
The OSW employs over 50 research fellowResearch fellow
The title of research fellow is used to denote a research position at a university or similar institution, usually for academic staff or faculty members. A research fellow may act either as an independent investigator or under the supervision of a principal investigator...
s.
The Centre's director is Jolanta Darczewska. Deputy directors are Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz and Adam Eberhardt.
There are six research units:
- Russian DepartmentRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
- Department of UkraineUkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, BelarusBelarusBelarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
and the Baltic States - Department of the Caucasus and Central AsiaCentral AsiaCentral Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
- Central EuropeanCentral EuropeCentral Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
Department - GermanGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Department - Security and Defence Department
- Eastern PartnershipEastern PartnershipThe Eastern Partnership is a project which was initiated by the European Union . It was presented by the foreign minister of Poland with assistance from Sweden at a the EU's General Affairs and External Relations Council in Brussels on 26 May 2008...
Department
Publications
Most of the OSW publications are available free of charge at the Centre's Web site, both in Polish and English (including "Policy Briefs", "OSW Studies", "OSW Report", and compact "Daily News").There are three English-language analytical newsletters
Newsletter
A newsletter is a regularly distributed publication generally about one main topic that is of interest to its subscribers. Newspapers and leaflets are types of newsletters. Additionally, newsletters delivered electronically via email have gained rapid acceptance for the same reasons email in...
that are available by subscription:
- Eastweek—a weekly newsletter on recent developments in Russia, Ukraine, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
- CE Weekly ("Central European Weekly")—a weekly newsletter on recent developments in Central Europe, Germany, the Balkans and the Baltic States.
- OSW Commentary—a series of more in-depth analyses concerning the most important developments in the OSW area of interest.