The Baltic Civilization Research Institute is an international non-governmental organization established with the support of the Moscow State University.
It provides for analytical, academic, scientific and organizational activities of the Amber Bridge regional non-governmental foundation, primarily those connected with the integration of intellectual potential of ten Baltic nations, which are: Russia, Germany, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Finland, Sweden, and Estonia.
The international status of the Institute is provided not only by the fact that experts from different Baltic countries are involved in its activities. This think-tank is also well included in the process of international data exchange, as well as focused at the accumulation of ideas that could help northern European neighbours strengthen their common ground.
Michael Bondar’, Ph.D., is responsible for the research programmes.
The BCRI’s objectives are:
• to widen the scope of ideas that circulate in the region’s political, economic and cultural spheres;
• to seek new forms of cooperation between public institutions and policy-shaping communities;
• to discover factors disruptive for the international community;
• to reduce possible discrepancies by clarifying each other’s positions.
The BCRI’s activity lies in the following problem areas:
The Baltic civilization as a historic and geographic phenomenon
• Integrity of the North European space (as a ‘northern mirror’ of the Mediterranean)
• Structure of the North European space, its specific features, its role in the history of the
European culture Environmental Studies
• The Baltic region as an integral ecosphere. Creating a theoretical, conceptual and analytical basis for the projects.
• Environment-oriented technologies of the exploitation of the region’s naval and coastal biological resources .
• Environmental consciousness and responsible approaches to the ecosphere, international ecological dialogue.
Economic Studies
• Current experience of the Baltic countries in social-oriented economies.
• Logistics of transit and business operations in the region.
Social and Political Studies
• Institutional basis and socio-demographic results of combining parliamentary democracy with the Scandinavian socialist models of society.
• Ecological movements as part of political systems in the Baltic countries.
• Political model of the Baltic states.
• The regional political agenda.
Historical, Ethnographic and Cultural Studies
• Cultural anthropology (ethnology), linguistics (Slavic, Baltic and Finno-Ugric languages).
• Projects of Baltic integration through centuries, Starting from Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (Rzeczpospolita).
• Modern-era experience in warfare and conflict settlement.
• Baltic fleets and their naval traditions.
Public Opinion Research
• Stereotypes in public consciousness: views of history and knowledge of the ‘neighbors’.
• Understanding present-day political and economic processes.