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Join us for 'Interdisciplinary Dialogue on evolving identities in times of democratic Transformation (IDenti-T)' with Professor Ekaterina Yahyaoui Krivenko, Grace Barnes, Dr Mary-Ann Ciosk, and Dr Honor Tuohy as part of our Let’s Talk Research Seminar Series.

When: 1pm, Tuesday, 17 February 2026

Where: Seminar Room, Irish Centre for Human Rights, University of Galway

Identity has been a key component of political organising and functioning of contemporary European states for centuries, acting as a vector for establishing alliances and belonging to particular communities, societies and states. However, today the concept of identity is losing its stability. Thus, a mismatch between the fluid, fragmented, unstable and more diverse contemporary identities, on the one hand, and political organising and institutional forms of European democracies, relying on an outdated assumption of stable and relatively homogeneous identities on the other, is emerging. This mismatch and its strategic weaponisation constitute central causes of democratic backsliding, pushback and the rise of authoritarian tendencies in Europe.

Acknowledging that one single discipline, researcher is unable to address all issues associated with this problem, IDenti-T's goal is to foster the interdisciplinary development, dissemination and teaching of novel understandings of identities in their relationship to organising in societies that respect participatory democratic values and are able to foster belonging.

The session will be led by Professor Ekaterina Yahyaoui Krivenko who was awarded the ENLIGHT Thematic Network (ETN) grant, along with IDenti-T project coordinator Honor Tuohy (PhD candidate, ICHR), Grace Barnes (PhD candidate, CDLP), Mary-Ann Ciosk (postdoctoral researcher, ICHR) and will present the underlying premises of the project, its structure and approach, as well as future activities offering opportunities for involvement to those interested in the topic.

Lunch will be provided.