Instituto do Oriente

Divided into three main lines – Geopolitical and Geostrategic Relations in Middle East, Turkey and the Turkish-speaking World and Post-Soviet Space – the research group studying Middle East and Central Asia seeks to analyse regional dynamics established in this geographical area. By means of a multidisciplinary research, this group analyses the regional situation, outlining prospective scenarios defined by the development of international relations itself.     

Themes:

• Geopolitic and geostrategic relations in the Middle East;
• Turkey and the Turkish world.

Projects underway:

• Democratisation, Economy Lessons and EU Accession: What Portugal and Turkey can learn from one another (DEEPT) 

East Asia: identities, States and mobility

This research line combines several theories and methods of Anthropological social sciences with International Relations and Political Sciences, promoting studies on contemporaneity challenges and contradictions regarding this region’s societies and States and focusing mainly on identities, mobility and State-Building.

Themes:

• Identities, States and Mobilities;
• State building;
• Dinamics in context of change.

Projects underway:

• Identity Reformulations in the Special Administrative Region of Macao
• Crisis and Migratori Policies New Mobility Regimes Created by Golden Visa

The Research Group carrying its research on Southeast Asia and South Asia has developed its work mainly focusing on the following subjects: State-Building (and associated phenomena like State fragility or collapse), from a perspective of cross-linking International Relations, Political Science and Anthropology; in this same interdisciplinary view, this group has studied expressions and evolution of the nationalist phenomenon, and safety, in a multidimensional perspective, taking into account its most recent interpretations (e.g. human safety or energetic safety). This Research Group has also investigated the regional integration process in Southeast Asia, by studying ASEAN specificities and evolution, in a political, economic and safety point of view. State-Building Monitor stands out among its regular activities. Some topics have deserved a special attention, like India’s geopolitics in the South Asia context, State-Building in East Timor, energetic safety in Southeast Asia (in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia), nationalism (and irredentism) in the Indian Union, Myanmar, Thailand, Philippines, and Indonesia, and ASEAN’s institutional development, among others.   

Themes:

• State building;
• Regional Integration;
• Nationalisms;
• Security Issues;
• India in the context of South Asia.

Projects underway:

• State Building and State Fragility Monitor;
• Indian Union's Foreign Policy and the European Union's Response.