Skip to main content

Kiryl Kascian

Followers

200

Following

146

Co-authors

6

Public Views

InterestsView All (16)

Uploads

Papers by Kiryl Kascian

Latvia’s Ambiguous Attitude towards the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities: Is Diversity a Threat?

Public Governance, Administration and Finances Law Review , 2024

On 22 February 2024, the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of Nat... more On 22 February 2024, the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities published a critical opinion on Latvia within the framework of the fourth monitoring cycle. This text is centred on government comments as an important element of the standardised FCNM monitoring mechanisms provided by the Latvian Government during the four monitoring circles. This study identifies and assesses the key arguments and techniques employed by Latvia in this sectoral dialogue framework. It shows that the Latvian authorities view diversity as a threat to social cohesion, and their endeavours, inter alia, in the minority education domain, combine references to Latvia's traumatic historical experience, constitutional identity, and the margin of state discretion that camouflage the absence of political will to advance minority rights. Among other negative factors, this signals a dangerous path that could likely be followed by other states that are parties to this Convention.

Evolution of Lithuania’s Approach towards Writing of Personal Names in the Official Documents: On the Verge of Liberalisation?

Public Governance, Administration and Finances Law Review, 2023

On 18 January 2022, the parliament of Lithuania adopted the law on writing personal names in the ... more On 18 January 2022, the parliament of Lithuania adopted the law on writing personal names in the official documents. Having substantially liberalised the existing practice, the law, however, offered only a partial solution because it did not sanction the use of non-Lithuanian diacritical characters. Based on the relevant legal, linguistic and historical contexts, relevant Lithuanian legislation and case law, this study analyses the evolution of Lithuania’s approach towards the writing of its citizens’ personal names in official documents. The text shows that the significant changes that took place in Lithuanian society during the last 30 years have resulted in a partial liberalisation of these practices. The recent case law suggests that the state is on the verge of accepting full liberalisation, particularly if relevant interwar legislation and a broader understanding of historical traditions of the Lithuanian language will be taken into account. However, the Constitutional Court plays a key role in determining the contents and directions of this process.

Implications of Russia's war in Ukraine for Belarus and its society: what exactly is written in the EU documents?

Public Governance, Administration and Finances Law Review, 2022

This article provides an assessment of the relevant EU documents pertinent to the restrictive mea... more This article provides an assessment of the relevant EU documents pertinent to the restrictive measures against Lukashenka's regime after the 2020 fraudulent presidential elections in Belarus and since the beginning of 2022 Russia's aggression against Ukraine. The text identifies relevant concepts and provides their contextual analysis vis-à-vis their linkage with Belarus in general, its society and Lukashenka's regime. The article reveals that Belarus did not become a priority of the EU and its prewar critical engagement policy failed to contribute to the development of a unified EU-wide vocabulary addressing the Belarusian case. With the start of the war, it was internationalised and placed within a binarity "victim of aggression-(co-) aggressor" with little evidence of an unequivocal shift towards a primary focus on the contextual interpretation of the domestic developments in Belarus .

A vicious circle of marginalisation: the EAPL-CFA’s rhetoric on Ukraine

New Eastern Europe, 2022

The war in Ukraine has put many of Europe’s traditionally pro-Kremlin parties in a difficult situ... more

Society in the authoritarian discourse: The case of the 2020 presidential election in Belarus

Intersections. East European Journal of Society and Politics, 2021

In August 2020, the presidential election took place in Belarus, followed by unprecedented mass p... more In August 2020, the presidential election took place in Belarus, followed by unprecedented mass protests due to apparent election fraud. Aliaksandr Lukashenka, the country's long-term authoritarian leader, faced the biggest electoral challenge since his first election in 1994. This article analyzes his official rhetoric during the campaign and after the election focusing on the image of the society. For this purpose, discourse-historical approach is applied to understand his political vision of the developments in Belarus and to explore changes in his rhetoric caused by the unprecedented challenge to his power. The research demonstrates that Lukashenka acts as a classical authoritarian ruler with respective discursive strategies. The text shows that he adopted the imaginary role of Belarus's strict father, who has assumed full responsibility for its fate and offensively reacts to every challenger of this role. It also reveals that Lukashenka sees his personal contract with the Belarusian society as a stable and durable instrument that does not require changes and per se implies his personal engagement as a party to it. Finally, the analysis of Lukashenka's rhetoric in 2020 suggests that a voluntary transition of power in Belarus remains rather wishful thinking.

Belarus’s Day of National Unity: a controversial public holiday with a flawed logic

New Eastern Europe, 2021

On September 17th, Belarus celebrated its so-called “Day of National Unity”, an official holiday ... more On September 17th, Belarus celebrated its so-called “Day of National Unity”, an official holiday created on June 7th by Lukashenka’s edict. The date echoes the events of 1939, when the Soviet army entered Poland’s territory as a result of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Based on official interpretations and discourse, this text attempts to briefly demonstrate the flawed official logic that led Minsk to choose this date as a public holiday.

Migration crisis presents opportunites for Lithuania’s Orbán admirer

New Eastern Europe, 2021

The recent migration crisis has brought new issues to Lithuanian politics. Home to the country’s ... more The recent migration crisis has brought new issues to Lithuanian politics. Home to the country’s Polish minority, the south-eastern part of Lithuania was one of the regions most affected. It appears that the situation has opened up new opportunities for the ‘Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania – Christian Families Alliance’ to sustain and mobilise an electorate that remains highly responsive to “traditional values”.

Lukashenka’s campaign against Nazism: one must imagine Sisyphus happy

New Eastern Europe, May 24, 2021

On May 14th, Alyaksandr Lukashenka approved a new law on preventing the rehabilitation of Nazism.... more On May 14th, Alyaksandr Lukashenka approved a new law on preventing the rehabilitation of Nazism. It quickly became a part of the regime’s strategy to suppress Belarusian civil society following the 2020 presidential election. The authorities also launched a criminal investigation into the genocide of Belarus’s population during WWII. This article offers an overview of the implications of Lukashenka’s campaign against Nazism for Belarusian society.

The Representation of Lithuania’s National Minorities in the European Parliament: Just Poles?

Intersections. East European Journal of Society and Politics, 2021

There are two channels for achieving the representation of national minorities in representative ... more There are two channels for achieving the representation of national minorities in representative bodies. One of them is the inclusion of minority representatives on mainstream party lists, while the other is their self-organization via ethnic parties. The arrangements pertinent to the organization of European Parliament elections hypothetically provide citizens with equal opportunities to be elected, regardless of their belonging to national minorities. However, some EU Member States are characterized by a relatively ethnically homogeneous population combined with a small number of allocated MEP mandates. Based on the empirical evidence from Lithuania, this article assesses the feasibility of the use of the two channels by politicians with a minority background in relation to their being elected MEPs, and shows that the latter methods represent two different types of representation according to Pitkin’s concept. The article concludes that being elected via the mainstream party lists requires a politician to have a high profile in the public life of Lithuania, whereas the success of use of the monopolized ethnic channel is contingent on the general electoral condition of the ethnic party and its capacity to sustain its constituency among the country’s national minorities. The text’s findings provide a country-specific illustration that may also be applicable in the wider context of East Central Europe in relation to studies focused on the electoral performances of ethnic parties and the inclusion of minority representatives in the activities of mainstream parties.

Volodymyr Zelensky has upped the ante in his fight against pro-Russian propaganda. But is his latest move a miscalculation?

The Loop: ECPR's Political Science Blog, 2021

In February 2021, Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky banned three TV channels branded pro-Russi... more

Patterns of Emotional Displays in Campaign Messages during the 2019 European Parliamentary Election in Lithuania

by Viktor Denisenko and Kiryl Kascian

Intersection.EEJSP, 2020

The 2019 European Parliament (EP) election in Lithuania was a second-order event significantly af... more The 2019 European Parliament (EP) election in Lithuania was a second-order event significantly affected by domestic political developments and agendas. As with all previous EP elections, it attracted a minimal level of public attention in Lithuania, creating challenges and opportunities for Lithuanian political groups to effectively reach their electorates. This article focuses on the emotional display patterns of the campaign messages of political parties during the 2019 European Parliamentary campaign in Lithuania. To this end, it applies Lasswell's model of communication to assess printed media-and social-network-based campaign materials. Findings confirm that emotional messages dominated the communication of the political groups to their voters, and show the extremely broad spectrum of political messages that were used to arouse emotions. The study indicates that the concept of Europe remains distant and abstract to voters in Lithuania. Politicians' messages to voters overwhelmingly appealed to the European context when addressing domestic agendas, thereby exploiting the emotional aspects of domestic political discourses in Lithuania and the perception of the EU in the country. Finally, the study demonstrates that the personification of political strategies involving politicians' charisma, public image, and expressivity were key elements in terms of the election outcome.

Are we witnessing the end of ethnic parties in Lithuania?

The Loop: ECPR's Political Science Blog, 2020

In Lithuania's recent parliamentary election, the party claiming to represent the interests of Po... more

Patterns of Emotional Displays in Campaign Messages during the 2019 European Parliamentary Election in Lithuania

Intersections. East European Journal of Society and Politics, 2020

The 2019 European Parliament (EP) election in Lithuania was a second-order event significantly af... more The 2019 European Parliament (EP) election in Lithuania was a second-order event significantly affected by domestic political developments and agendas. As with all previous EP elections, it attracted a minimal level of public attention in Lithuania, creating challenges and opportunities for Lithuanian political groups to effectively reach their electorates. This article focuses on the emotional display patterns of the campaign messages of political parties during the 2019 European Parliamentary campaign in Lithuania. To this end, it applies Lasswell’s model of communication to assess printed media- and social-network-based campaign materials. Findings confirm that emotional messages dominated the communication of the political groups to their voters, and show the extremely broad spectrum of political messages that were used to arouse emotions. The study indicates that the concept of Europe remains distant and abstract to voters in Lithuania. Politicians’ messages to voters overwhelmingly appealed to the European context when addressing domestic agendas, thereby exploiting the emotional aspects of domestic political discourses in Lithuania and the perception of the EU in the country. Finally, the study demonstrates that the personification of political strategies involving politicians’ charisma, public image, and expressivity were key elements in terms of the election outcome.

What new election should the Belarusian society demand

New Eastern Europe, 2020

The recent fraudulent presidential election in Belarus has triggered continuous mass protests thr... more The recent fraudulent presidential election in Belarus has triggered continuous mass protests throughout the country. The violent crackdown of the protests resulted in substantial international condemnation of the activities that Lukashenka's regime undertook. Among those calling for dialogue, there are voices in favour of a new free and fair presidential election with international observers.

A Judicial Path to Nowhere?: Challenging the Minority Education Reform Before Latvia’s Constitutional Court

Kascian, Kiryl: A Judicial Path to Nowhere?: Challenging the Minority Education Reform Before Latvia’s Constitutional Court, VerfassungsBlog, 2019/10/03, https://verfassungsblog.de/a-judicial-path-to-nowhere/, DOI: https://doi.org/10.17176/20191003-232709-0., 2019

On 25 September 2019, the Constitutional Court of Latvia opened a case on the constitutionality o... more On 25 September 2019, the Constitutional Court of Latvia opened a case on the constitutionality of several provisions regarding pre-school education for minorities. The complainants are not likely to succeed with their appeal, though, as the Constitutional Court has so far used the country’s Soviet history as well as Latvia’s cultural identity as arguments to uphold the restriction of minority rights.

Орбан и Томашевский: что не так с этими политиками?

inBALTIC, Dec 11, 2018

Вам кажется, что лидер Избирательной акции поляков Литвы-Союза Христианских семей Вальдемар Томаш... more Вам кажется, что лидер Избирательной акции поляков Литвы-Союза Христианских семей Вальдемар Томашевский - душка, а премьер-министр Венгрии Виктор Орбан - милейший человек, который изо всех сил отстаивает традиционные ценности? Как бы не так! Пример для Орбана-Турция, Китай или Россия, а для Томашевского-Орбан, который защищая собственные духовные скрепы срежиссировал изменения в законодательство, согласно которым бездомные фактически приравниваются к нарушителям закона. Попробуем разобраться, за какие права и ценности выступает Орбан, почему его так критикуют «либеральные» и «проиммигрантские» силы, почему Томашевский поддерживает линию Орбана и какие последствия это может иметь для Литвы.

Late Soviet Constitutional Law and Non-Russian Union Republics: Unequal Among Equals?

by Kiryl Kascian and Belarusian Review

The Soviet Union was a multi-ethnic state which accommodated numerous nationalities within one po... more The Soviet Union was a multi-ethnic state which accommodated numerous nationalities within one political formation. Post-war developments of the official national policies in the USSR were characterized by the further rapprochement and merger of Soviet peoples and by the creation of a single Soviet culture. The ethnic composition and territorial division of the USSR predetermined a special role for Russian culture and language as tools for achieving these goals while, at the same time, the maintenance of the official historical canon and available options for each nation within this framework were centralized from Moscow. The Soviet constitutional system “employ[ed] “social engineering through law” and thus developed new meanings within quite standard terminology. With this regard, the 1977 Soviet Constitution was merely a reflection of the experiences of the Soviet state-building which complied with the situation in the Soviet society of that times. The adoption of the new constitutions of the union republics in 1978 was made according to the model and in compliance with the 1977 USSR Constitution. Nevertheless, it provided the union republics with at least two channels to assess and demonstrate identities of their titular nations.

Kiryl Kascian. 'Belarus-EU Relations: Ad Hoc Actions vs. Pre-developed Strategy', Belarusian Review Working Paper #2, November 2014

by Belarusian Review and Kiryl Kascian

Within the EU perspective as demonstrated by Lithuania’s EU Presidency Programme, Belarus remains... more Within the EU perspective as demonstrated by Lithuania’s EU Presidency Programme, Belarus remains an outsider of the EaP. Thus, the current status quo in the Belarus-EU relations seems to be a foregone conclusion for both parties involved. Moreover, in case of any political changes in Belarus, the EU seems to lack any pre-developed strategy focused on this country. Furthermore, since the EaP itself never became a priority of the EU foreign policy, it is unlikely that the EU could effectively react and comprehensively support any apparent changes in Belarus and thus prove its status of an important player in the EaP region. Hence, the current configuration of the EaP measured by a given partner country’s stance towards the Association Agreements with the EU provides that the EaP is mainly focused not on outsiders in order to attract them with the EU policy mechanisms provided by the EaP, but merely to further engage the leaders of the initiative. Thus, since the implementation of the EaP, Belarus-EU bilateral relations could be characterized as ad hoc actions that were at best planned for a short term. The paper is a case study focused on the perspectives of the Belarus-EU relations within the EaP framework addressing the factors of the authoritarian nature of the political regime in Belarus, the factor of the country’s membership in the Russian-lead Customs Union and the reasons why the EaP has proven to be not the most attractive option for Belarus authorities.

The Romanization of Belarusian: an Unnecessary Dualism

The Belarusian state employs two different systems for the romanization of geographical and perso... more The Belarusian state employs two different systems for the romanization of geographical and personal names. Currently, a massive ignorance of the two systems for romanization of geographical and personal names can be observed in the English versions of the official websites of Belarusian public bodies, state-run media and private companies. This view is determined by the lack of effective implementation and control mechanisms, as well as erroneous extension of Art. 17 of the Constitution to the principles of romanization of geographical and personal names. In addition to effective measures within the country, a targeted involvement and promotion of correct standards for the romanization of Belarusian geographical and personal names is also needed abroad in order to overcome an unnecessary and rather subjective approach by the foreign media, experts and scholars who still romanize Belarusian names based on their personal choices and/or the self-assessed convenience of their prospective readers.

Belarus-EU Relations: Ad Hoc Actions vs. Pre-developed Strategy

by Kiryl Kascian and Belarusian Review

Within the EU perspective as demonstrated by Lithuania’s EU Presidency Programme, Belarus remains... more Within the EU perspective as demonstrated by Lithuania’s EU Presidency Programme, Belarus remains an outsider of the EaP. Thus, the current status quo in the Belarus-EU relations seems to be a foregone conclusion for both parties involved. Moreover, in case of any political changes in Belarus, the EU seems to lack any pre-developed strategy focused on this country. Furthermore, since the EaP itself never became a priority of the EU foreign policy, it is unlikely that the EU could effectively react and comprehensively support any apparent changes in Belarus and thus prove its status of an important player in the EaP region. Hence, the current configuration of the EaP measured by a given partner country’s stance towards the Association Agreements with the EU provides that the EaP is mainly focused not on outsiders in order to attract them with the EU policy mechanisms provided by the EaP, but merely to further engage the leaders of the initiative. Thus, since the implementation of the EaP, Belarus-EU bilateral relations could be characterized as ad hoc actions that were at best planned for a short term. The paper is a case study focused on the perspectives of the Belarus-EU relations within the EaP framework addressing the factors of the authoritarian nature of the political regime in Belarus, the factor of the country’s membership in the Russian-lead Customs Union and the reasons why the EaP has proven to be not the most attractive option for Belarus authorities.

Latvia’s Ambiguous Attitude towards the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities: Is Diversity a Threat?

Public Governance, Administration and Finances Law Review , 2024

On 22 February 2024, the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of Nat... more On 22 February 2024, the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities published a critical opinion on Latvia within the framework of the fourth monitoring cycle. This text is centred on government comments as an important element of the standardised FCNM monitoring mechanisms provided by the Latvian Government during the four monitoring circles. This study identifies and assesses the key arguments and techniques employed by Latvia in this sectoral dialogue framework. It shows that the Latvian authorities view diversity as a threat to social cohesion, and their endeavours, inter alia, in the minority education domain, combine references to Latvia's traumatic historical experience, constitutional identity, and the margin of state discretion that camouflage the absence of political will to advance minority rights. Among other negative factors, this signals a dangerous path that could likely be followed by other states that are parties to this Convention.

Evolution of Lithuania’s Approach towards Writing of Personal Names in the Official Documents: On the Verge of Liberalisation?

Public Governance, Administration and Finances Law Review, 2023

On 18 January 2022, the parliament of Lithuania adopted the law on writing personal names in the ... more On 18 January 2022, the parliament of Lithuania adopted the law on writing personal names in the official documents. Having substantially liberalised the existing practice, the law, however, offered only a partial solution because it did not sanction the use of non-Lithuanian diacritical characters. Based on the relevant legal, linguistic and historical contexts, relevant Lithuanian legislation and case law, this study analyses the evolution of Lithuania’s approach towards the writing of its citizens’ personal names in official documents. The text shows that the significant changes that took place in Lithuanian society during the last 30 years have resulted in a partial liberalisation of these practices. The recent case law suggests that the state is on the verge of accepting full liberalisation, particularly if relevant interwar legislation and a broader understanding of historical traditions of the Lithuanian language will be taken into account. However, the Constitutional Court plays a key role in determining the contents and directions of this process.

Implications of Russia's war in Ukraine for Belarus and its society: what exactly is written in the EU documents?

Public Governance, Administration and Finances Law Review, 2022

This article provides an assessment of the relevant EU documents pertinent to the restrictive mea... more This article provides an assessment of the relevant EU documents pertinent to the restrictive measures against Lukashenka's regime after the 2020 fraudulent presidential elections in Belarus and since the beginning of 2022 Russia's aggression against Ukraine. The text identifies relevant concepts and provides their contextual analysis vis-à-vis their linkage with Belarus in general, its society and Lukashenka's regime. The article reveals that Belarus did not become a priority of the EU and its prewar critical engagement policy failed to contribute to the development of a unified EU-wide vocabulary addressing the Belarusian case. With the start of the war, it was internationalised and placed within a binarity "victim of aggression-(co-) aggressor" with little evidence of an unequivocal shift towards a primary focus on the contextual interpretation of the domestic developments in Belarus .

A vicious circle of marginalisation: the EAPL-CFA’s rhetoric on Ukraine

New Eastern Europe, 2022

The war in Ukraine has put many of Europe’s traditionally pro-Kremlin parties in a difficult situ... more

Society in the authoritarian discourse: The case of the 2020 presidential election in Belarus

Intersections. East European Journal of Society and Politics, 2021

In August 2020, the presidential election took place in Belarus, followed by unprecedented mass p... more In August 2020, the presidential election took place in Belarus, followed by unprecedented mass protests due to apparent election fraud. Aliaksandr Lukashenka, the country's long-term authoritarian leader, faced the biggest electoral challenge since his first election in 1994. This article analyzes his official rhetoric during the campaign and after the election focusing on the image of the society. For this purpose, discourse-historical approach is applied to understand his political vision of the developments in Belarus and to explore changes in his rhetoric caused by the unprecedented challenge to his power. The research demonstrates that Lukashenka acts as a classical authoritarian ruler with respective discursive strategies. The text shows that he adopted the imaginary role of Belarus's strict father, who has assumed full responsibility for its fate and offensively reacts to every challenger of this role. It also reveals that Lukashenka sees his personal contract with the Belarusian society as a stable and durable instrument that does not require changes and per se implies his personal engagement as a party to it. Finally, the analysis of Lukashenka's rhetoric in 2020 suggests that a voluntary transition of power in Belarus remains rather wishful thinking.

Belarus’s Day of National Unity: a controversial public holiday with a flawed logic

New Eastern Europe, 2021

On September 17th, Belarus celebrated its so-called “Day of National Unity”, an official holiday ... more On September 17th, Belarus celebrated its so-called “Day of National Unity”, an official holiday created on June 7th by Lukashenka’s edict. The date echoes the events of 1939, when the Soviet army entered Poland’s territory as a result of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Based on official interpretations and discourse, this text attempts to briefly demonstrate the flawed official logic that led Minsk to choose this date as a public holiday.

Migration crisis presents opportunites for Lithuania’s Orbán admirer

New Eastern Europe, 2021

The recent migration crisis has brought new issues to Lithuanian politics. Home to the country’s ... more The recent migration crisis has brought new issues to Lithuanian politics. Home to the country’s Polish minority, the south-eastern part of Lithuania was one of the regions most affected. It appears that the situation has opened up new opportunities for the ‘Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania – Christian Families Alliance’ to sustain and mobilise an electorate that remains highly responsive to “traditional values”.

Lukashenka’s campaign against Nazism: one must imagine Sisyphus happy

New Eastern Europe, May 24, 2021

On May 14th, Alyaksandr Lukashenka approved a new law on preventing the rehabilitation of Nazism.... more On May 14th, Alyaksandr Lukashenka approved a new law on preventing the rehabilitation of Nazism. It quickly became a part of the regime’s strategy to suppress Belarusian civil society following the 2020 presidential election. The authorities also launched a criminal investigation into the genocide of Belarus’s population during WWII. This article offers an overview of the implications of Lukashenka’s campaign against Nazism for Belarusian society.

The Representation of Lithuania’s National Minorities in the European Parliament: Just Poles?

Intersections. East European Journal of Society and Politics, 2021

There are two channels for achieving the representation of national minorities in representative ... more There are two channels for achieving the representation of national minorities in representative bodies. One of them is the inclusion of minority representatives on mainstream party lists, while the other is their self-organization via ethnic parties. The arrangements pertinent to the organization of European Parliament elections hypothetically provide citizens with equal opportunities to be elected, regardless of their belonging to national minorities. However, some EU Member States are characterized by a relatively ethnically homogeneous population combined with a small number of allocated MEP mandates. Based on the empirical evidence from Lithuania, this article assesses the feasibility of the use of the two channels by politicians with a minority background in relation to their being elected MEPs, and shows that the latter methods represent two different types of representation according to Pitkin’s concept. The article concludes that being elected via the mainstream party lists requires a politician to have a high profile in the public life of Lithuania, whereas the success of use of the monopolized ethnic channel is contingent on the general electoral condition of the ethnic party and its capacity to sustain its constituency among the country’s national minorities. The text’s findings provide a country-specific illustration that may also be applicable in the wider context of East Central Europe in relation to studies focused on the electoral performances of ethnic parties and the inclusion of minority representatives in the activities of mainstream parties.

Volodymyr Zelensky has upped the ante in his fight against pro-Russian propaganda. But is his latest move a miscalculation?

The Loop: ECPR's Political Science Blog, 2021

In February 2021, Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky banned three TV channels branded pro-Russi... more

Patterns of Emotional Displays in Campaign Messages during the 2019 European Parliamentary Election in Lithuania

by Viktor Denisenko and Kiryl Kascian

Intersection.EEJSP, 2020

The 2019 European Parliament (EP) election in Lithuania was a second-order event significantly af... more The 2019 European Parliament (EP) election in Lithuania was a second-order event significantly affected by domestic political developments and agendas. As with all previous EP elections, it attracted a minimal level of public attention in Lithuania, creating challenges and opportunities for Lithuanian political groups to effectively reach their electorates. This article focuses on the emotional display patterns of the campaign messages of political parties during the 2019 European Parliamentary campaign in Lithuania. To this end, it applies Lasswell's model of communication to assess printed media-and social-network-based campaign materials. Findings confirm that emotional messages dominated the communication of the political groups to their voters, and show the extremely broad spectrum of political messages that were used to arouse emotions. The study indicates that the concept of Europe remains distant and abstract to voters in Lithuania. Politicians' messages to voters overwhelmingly appealed to the European context when addressing domestic agendas, thereby exploiting the emotional aspects of domestic political discourses in Lithuania and the perception of the EU in the country. Finally, the study demonstrates that the personification of political strategies involving politicians' charisma, public image, and expressivity were key elements in terms of the election outcome.

Are we witnessing the end of ethnic parties in Lithuania?

The Loop: ECPR's Political Science Blog, 2020

In Lithuania's recent parliamentary election, the party claiming to represent the interests of Po... more

Patterns of Emotional Displays in Campaign Messages during the 2019 European Parliamentary Election in Lithuania

Intersections. East European Journal of Society and Politics, 2020

The 2019 European Parliament (EP) election in Lithuania was a second-order event significantly af... more The 2019 European Parliament (EP) election in Lithuania was a second-order event significantly affected by domestic political developments and agendas. As with all previous EP elections, it attracted a minimal level of public attention in Lithuania, creating challenges and opportunities for Lithuanian political groups to effectively reach their electorates. This article focuses on the emotional display patterns of the campaign messages of political parties during the 2019 European Parliamentary campaign in Lithuania. To this end, it applies Lasswell’s model of communication to assess printed media- and social-network-based campaign materials. Findings confirm that emotional messages dominated the communication of the political groups to their voters, and show the extremely broad spectrum of political messages that were used to arouse emotions. The study indicates that the concept of Europe remains distant and abstract to voters in Lithuania. Politicians’ messages to voters overwhelmingly appealed to the European context when addressing domestic agendas, thereby exploiting the emotional aspects of domestic political discourses in Lithuania and the perception of the EU in the country. Finally, the study demonstrates that the personification of political strategies involving politicians’ charisma, public image, and expressivity were key elements in terms of the election outcome.

What new election should the Belarusian society demand

New Eastern Europe, 2020

The recent fraudulent presidential election in Belarus has triggered continuous mass protests thr... more The recent fraudulent presidential election in Belarus has triggered continuous mass protests throughout the country. The violent crackdown of the protests resulted in substantial international condemnation of the activities that Lukashenka's regime undertook. Among those calling for dialogue, there are voices in favour of a new free and fair presidential election with international observers.

A Judicial Path to Nowhere?: Challenging the Minority Education Reform Before Latvia’s Constitutional Court

Kascian, Kiryl: A Judicial Path to Nowhere?: Challenging the Minority Education Reform Before Latvia’s Constitutional Court, VerfassungsBlog, 2019/10/03, https://verfassungsblog.de/a-judicial-path-to-nowhere/, DOI: https://doi.org/10.17176/20191003-232709-0., 2019

On 25 September 2019, the Constitutional Court of Latvia opened a case on the constitutionality o... more On 25 September 2019, the Constitutional Court of Latvia opened a case on the constitutionality of several provisions regarding pre-school education for minorities. The complainants are not likely to succeed with their appeal, though, as the Constitutional Court has so far used the country’s Soviet history as well as Latvia’s cultural identity as arguments to uphold the restriction of minority rights.

Орбан и Томашевский: что не так с этими политиками?

inBALTIC, Dec 11, 2018

Вам кажется, что лидер Избирательной акции поляков Литвы-Союза Христианских семей Вальдемар Томаш... more Вам кажется, что лидер Избирательной акции поляков Литвы-Союза Христианских семей Вальдемар Томашевский - душка, а премьер-министр Венгрии Виктор Орбан - милейший человек, который изо всех сил отстаивает традиционные ценности? Как бы не так! Пример для Орбана-Турция, Китай или Россия, а для Томашевского-Орбан, который защищая собственные духовные скрепы срежиссировал изменения в законодательство, согласно которым бездомные фактически приравниваются к нарушителям закона. Попробуем разобраться, за какие права и ценности выступает Орбан, почему его так критикуют «либеральные» и «проиммигрантские» силы, почему Томашевский поддерживает линию Орбана и какие последствия это может иметь для Литвы.

Late Soviet Constitutional Law and Non-Russian Union Republics: Unequal Among Equals?

by Kiryl Kascian and Belarusian Review

The Soviet Union was a multi-ethnic state which accommodated numerous nationalities within one po... more The Soviet Union was a multi-ethnic state which accommodated numerous nationalities within one political formation. Post-war developments of the official national policies in the USSR were characterized by the further rapprochement and merger of Soviet peoples and by the creation of a single Soviet culture. The ethnic composition and territorial division of the USSR predetermined a special role for Russian culture and language as tools for achieving these goals while, at the same time, the maintenance of the official historical canon and available options for each nation within this framework were centralized from Moscow. The Soviet constitutional system “employ[ed] “social engineering through law” and thus developed new meanings within quite standard terminology. With this regard, the 1977 Soviet Constitution was merely a reflection of the experiences of the Soviet state-building which complied with the situation in the Soviet society of that times. The adoption of the new constitutions of the union republics in 1978 was made according to the model and in compliance with the 1977 USSR Constitution. Nevertheless, it provided the union republics with at least two channels to assess and demonstrate identities of their titular nations.

Kiryl Kascian. 'Belarus-EU Relations: Ad Hoc Actions vs. Pre-developed Strategy', Belarusian Review Working Paper #2, November 2014

by Belarusian Review and Kiryl Kascian

Within the EU perspective as demonstrated by Lithuania’s EU Presidency Programme, Belarus remains... more Within the EU perspective as demonstrated by Lithuania’s EU Presidency Programme, Belarus remains an outsider of the EaP. Thus, the current status quo in the Belarus-EU relations seems to be a foregone conclusion for both parties involved. Moreover, in case of any political changes in Belarus, the EU seems to lack any pre-developed strategy focused on this country. Furthermore, since the EaP itself never became a priority of the EU foreign policy, it is unlikely that the EU could effectively react and comprehensively support any apparent changes in Belarus and thus prove its status of an important player in the EaP region. Hence, the current configuration of the EaP measured by a given partner country’s stance towards the Association Agreements with the EU provides that the EaP is mainly focused not on outsiders in order to attract them with the EU policy mechanisms provided by the EaP, but merely to further engage the leaders of the initiative. Thus, since the implementation of the EaP, Belarus-EU bilateral relations could be characterized as ad hoc actions that were at best planned for a short term. The paper is a case study focused on the perspectives of the Belarus-EU relations within the EaP framework addressing the factors of the authoritarian nature of the political regime in Belarus, the factor of the country’s membership in the Russian-lead Customs Union and the reasons why the EaP has proven to be not the most attractive option for Belarus authorities.

The Romanization of Belarusian: an Unnecessary Dualism

The Belarusian state employs two different systems for the romanization of geographical and perso... more The Belarusian state employs two different systems for the romanization of geographical and personal names. Currently, a massive ignorance of the two systems for romanization of geographical and personal names can be observed in the English versions of the official websites of Belarusian public bodies, state-run media and private companies. This view is determined by the lack of effective implementation and control mechanisms, as well as erroneous extension of Art. 17 of the Constitution to the principles of romanization of geographical and personal names. In addition to effective measures within the country, a targeted involvement and promotion of correct standards for the romanization of Belarusian geographical and personal names is also needed abroad in order to overcome an unnecessary and rather subjective approach by the foreign media, experts and scholars who still romanize Belarusian names based on their personal choices and/or the self-assessed convenience of their prospective readers.

Belarus-EU Relations: Ad Hoc Actions vs. Pre-developed Strategy

by Kiryl Kascian and Belarusian Review

Within the EU perspective as demonstrated by Lithuania’s EU Presidency Programme, Belarus remains... more Within the EU perspective as demonstrated by Lithuania’s EU Presidency Programme, Belarus remains an outsider of the EaP. Thus, the current status quo in the Belarus-EU relations seems to be a foregone conclusion for both parties involved. Moreover, in case of any political changes in Belarus, the EU seems to lack any pre-developed strategy focused on this country. Furthermore, since the EaP itself never became a priority of the EU foreign policy, it is unlikely that the EU could effectively react and comprehensively support any apparent changes in Belarus and thus prove its status of an important player in the EaP region. Hence, the current configuration of the EaP measured by a given partner country’s stance towards the Association Agreements with the EU provides that the EaP is mainly focused not on outsiders in order to attract them with the EU policy mechanisms provided by the EaP, but merely to further engage the leaders of the initiative. Thus, since the implementation of the EaP, Belarus-EU bilateral relations could be characterized as ad hoc actions that were at best planned for a short term. The paper is a case study focused on the perspectives of the Belarus-EU relations within the EaP framework addressing the factors of the authoritarian nature of the political regime in Belarus, the factor of the country’s membership in the Russian-lead Customs Union and the reasons why the EaP has proven to be not the most attractive option for Belarus authorities.

Book Review: Andrew Wilson. Belarus: the Last European Dictatorship

by Belarusian Review, Kiryl Kascian, and Hanna Vasilevich

Andrew Wilson. Belarus: the Last European Dictatorship. Yale University Press, 2011. 256 p. Publ... more

Book Review: Andrew Savchenko. Belarus – a Perpetual Borderland

by Belarusian Review, Kiryl Kascian, and Hanna Vasilevich

Andrew Savchenko. Belarus – a Perpetual Borderland. Brill Academic Publishers, 2009. 239 p. Publ... more

Belarus: does Europeanisation require a geopolitical choice?

Flenley, Paul, and Michael Mannin (eds.) European Union and Its Eastern Neighbourhood: Europeanisation and Its Twenty-First-Century Contradictions (Manchester University Press, 2018), 2018

In October 2015 a predictable presidential election took place in Belarus. Following the results ... more In October 2015 a predictable presidential election took place in Belarus. Following the results of this election, the European Union suspended and subsequently lifted sanctions against hight-ranking Belarusian officials despite the lack of substantial domestic changes in the country. Moreover, Belarus remains the only country of the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood free from any kind of ethnic or territorial conflict. In view of this, the study of the nature of Belarus-EU relations is of particular significance. Belarus and the EU have different perspectives of the relationship. In the case of Belarus, its authorities stress economic factors at the expense of the political dimension. In the case of the EU, despite recent concessions to the Belarusian authorities, the Union has not renounced its critical engagement policy towards the country. Thus, this chapter aims to understand the positions of both Minsk and Brussels in their search for an effective framework of bilateral cooperation which would also take into account the geopolitical configurations in the region. To understand the current situation of bilateral Belarus-EU relations, the chapter addresses the history and framework of these relations, the geopolitical situation in the region, as well as the views on these relations from Minsk and Brussels. Equally significant are the perspectives of the Eastern Partnership region’s development within a wider geopolitical context. Thus, the chapter addresses the role of Russia and the ‘Russian world’ concept promoted by its authorities, as well as the impact of the Ukrainian conflict on the situation in Belarus. The conclusion focuses on the mechanisms which could contribute to mutual Belarus-EU engagement within existing windows of opportunity.

Czech Republic Acknowledgement of Belarusian and Vietnamese as New Minorities

by Hanna Vasilevich and Kiryl Kascian

As a result of the Czech government decision of 3 July 2013, the Government Council for National ... more As a result of the Czech government decision of 3 July 2013, the Government Council for National Minorities was expanded to the representatives of Belarusian and Vietnamese minorities. This article discusses the aspects of the Czech minority-related legislation within the context of this decision. The article also focuses on the formation of these two minorities during history and on their current position in the Czech society

Belarusian Review. Special Jewish Issue (2016)

by Kiryl Kascian, Алексей Браточкин, Hanna Vasilevich, Belarusian Review, and MAria Paula Survilla

This special Jewish issue of “Belarusian Review” is the result of a project combining the efforts... more This special Jewish issue of “Belarusian Review” is the result of a project combining the efforts of “Belarusian Review,” its online platform The_Point Journal, the Goldstein-Goren Diaspora Research Center at Tel Aviv University, and the Center for Belarusian Studies at the Southwestern College in Winfield, KS.