Dr Dejan Stjepanovic

My research interests extend to three areas – territorial politics, minorities and migration.

In my PhD thesis I analysed why in some sub-state regions of Croatia and Serbia, regionalist politicians were explicitly refuting claims to independence and what implications this might have for our understanding of statehood. Building on that research, my forthcoming monograph (Palgrave) addresses broader theoretical questions on the relations between regionalism and nationalism and introduces the concepts of plurinational, multinational and sectional regionalism to the theories of nationalism and territorial politics. Related to these themes, I published an article dealing with sub-state citizenship (in Europe-Asia Studie) and on dual sub-state citizenship (in Nationalism and Ethnic Politics). Together with John Hulsey (from JMU), I created a large dataset and co-authored a peer-reviewed book-chapter dealing with second-order elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I also coded a large citizenship law database for North and South American countries, Australia and New Zealand. As regards my interest in minorities and kin-state relations, I developed the concept of claimed co-ethnics, describing unidirectional relations between kin-states and minorities, in an article published in Ethnopolitics

I am currently conducting research in the issues of self-determination and regional integration, and on securitisation of migration.

I am actively involved in activities beyond academia and am frequently invited to give expert opinion to international organisations, media and civil society.

Suggested areas for postgraduate supervision

I would welcome enquiries from potential research students interested in comparative territorial politics, devolution, nationalism, migration or citizenship in Europe.