University of Bath, Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies

The University of Bath Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies contribution to research on European security focuses on three issues. The first is the structural changes in European security such as the changing power dimensions of post-Cold War Europe, ethnic conflict in Europe, and the role of religion in European affairs. The second is in the changing nature of security institutions, such as the EU as a security provider and the conflict and crisis within the OSCE and its region.

In particular, Prof David Galbreath’s research on the OSCE has been ongoing since 2003, with several journal articles and books on the OSCE and its institutions. This research has revolved around several issues. The first is the role of the OSCE as a minority rights protector. The OSCE goes further than any other international organization in reserving an office specifically for the attention on minority issues. This research has examined how the OSCE plays this role in relation to the larger imperatives of ethno-nationalist conflict in the former Yugoslavia and Soviet Union in addition to the organization’s role in the European integration process. The underpinning argument is that the relationship between the OSCE, EU and Council of Europe form what can be referred to as an international regime to engage and protect the rights of minorities in Europe. Conceptually, this is interesting because the literature understands inter-international organization relations so little as they do not fit easily within traditional approaches to international relations in general and international regimes specifically. Prof Galbreath has been consulted by the US Department of State, UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities.

Contact:
1 West North
University of Bath
Claverton Down
Bath
BA2 7AY
United Kingdom
https://www.bath.ac.uk/departments/department-of-politics-languages-international-studies/

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Representative

Prof. David Galbreath
Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Contact: d.galbreath@bath.ac.uk

David J. Galbreath is Professor of International Security and Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Bath, UK. He is the former editor-in-chief of European Security and Defence Studies, as well as current associate editor of the European Journal of International Security. His work focuses on military modernisation and the role of technology in this process. His most recent books are co-edited with John Deni for the Routledge Handbook on Defence Studies (2018) and with Jocelyn Mawdsley and Laura Chappell for Contemporary European Security  (2019). He is currently writing a manuscript with Alex Neads for Lynne Rienner publishers entitled Technologies at War expected 2020.