"Somewhere and sometimes we are all a minority. Minorities live everywhere in Europe and diversity, but also inequalities, are increasing worldwide." (Prof. Joseph Marko, former director of the institute)

Our work is based on the premise that human and minority rights are indivisible - for everyone. We explore issues which relate to discrimination, equal opportunities, participation and diversity governance in terms of cultural, linguistic and religious diversity and we seek to overcome the traditional categories of historical minorities, new minorities and indigenous peoples.

By analyzing boundaries and identities - be they territorial or social, real, perceived or constructed - we seek to address the challenges faced by minorities throughout the world. At our core, we investigate respective developments at the intersection between global events and local situations.

Our research groups ‘Equality and Diversity in Integrated Societies ‘, ‘Politics and Actors in Societal Conflicts‘, and ‘Autonomies, Boundaries and Identities‘ comprise expert knowledge in the areas of law and political science, history and anthropology, and enable close co-operation with research institutions, universities, international organisations, and NGOs.