Researcher Borut Klabjan involved in one of 80 new COST Actions
We are pleased to announce that our researcher, Dr Borut Klabjan, has been selected to participate in one of the 80 newly approved COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) Actions. The project, titled CA25134 – EDGE: Edges of Democracy, Geography & Environment, brings together a wide international network of researchers dedicated to advancing the understanding of contemporary challenges facing democracy in Europe.
The EDGE project stems from the observation that Europe’s liberal democratic model often provides only a limited sense of social cohesion and belonging. This “thin” form of solidarity has contributed to the rise of alternative political movements—frequently populist, nativist, or ethno-national—that promise stronger forms of attachment. The project therefore seeks to explore new ways of understanding democracy beyond established norms, addressing pressing issues such as right-wing populism, climate change, and migration.
A central focus of EDGE is on Europe’s margins, peripheral regions, and borderlands, where diverse and often overlooked democratic practices have historically developed. The project investigates “thick,” robust, and embodied vernacular forms of democratic life that foster cohesion and solidarity without relying on exclusionary ethnic or nationalist frameworks.
EDGE adopts a strongly interdisciplinary approach, encompassing sociology, anthropology, political science, history, media studies, and language studies. Key research themes include democracy, geography, environment, political inclusion, and European identity. Through tools such as cultural production, mapping, lexicon development, and pedagogy, the project aims to reposition Europe’s peripheries as important sites for rethinking democratic participation.
The Action includes partners from more than 25 countries, including Slovenia, as well as collaborators from North Africa and international partners from Canada, the United States, and Hong Kong. It also brings together academic institutions, international organisations—such as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights—and other key stakeholders.
Dr Borut Klabjan’s participation in the EDGE Action represents a significant recognition of his research workltural practices.
Full list of newly approved COST Actions