The Asian, African, and Latin American Studies Research Group was established in 2019. The group brings together young researchers from IIRPS VU who are interested in regions of the world that are further away from Europe and the Euro-Atlantic area and are less frequently analyzed by the Lithuanian scientific community and discussed in the media. Given that there is little discussion in Lithuania about the political, economic, and social development of these regions, researchers strive not only to prepare academic publications but also to inform the general public. The research group’s academic interests and expertise cover general domestic and foreign policy processes in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, as well as specific topics:
- The rise of China;
- Russia-China relations;
- Challenges to development in sub-Saharan Africa;
- Iran’s political development and behavior in the international arena;
- Regionalism in Latin America;
- EU relations with countries of the Global South.
Research group members organize discussions and comment on current events in the media and on social media accounts. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of their research, group members regularly collaborate with researchers from other faculties at Vilnius University and other higher education institutions in Lithuania and abroad. The group’s researchers have developed and offer a popular elective course on emerging world regions to VU bachelor’s program students. Members of the research group regularly collaborate with the public sector, non-governmental organizations, and the media, and deepen their knowledge in policy analysis centers and business.
Discussions and international reports:
