Csilla Fedinec’s analysis in the April 24 issue of Jelen.

The concept of regime change always presupposes that a political system is not merely subject to modification, but from time to time loses the very basis of its own legitimacy. Regime change becomes necessary when legal and institutional frameworks can no longer credibly reflect the functioning of society, or when the relationship of trust between power and society is durably broken.

An analysis by Csilla Fedinec in the April 23 issue of Jelen.

In Russia’s war-related and broader geopolitical ambitions, a clear intention emerges to restore its influence over the post-Soviet space. This is not merely a matter of historical nostalgia or ideological aspiration, but a process driven by a highly concrete strategic logic, aimed at the military and political reintegration of the former Soviet region. Within this system, particular importance is assigned to those states whose geographic location, military infrastructure, or political orientation enables them to play a key role. In this context, Belarus and Ukraine assume closely interconnected yet distinct roles: while Ukraine has become the focal point of the conflict through its armed resistance, Belarus has emerged as a less visible but strategically decisive supporting actor.

The significance of Belarus lies in the fact that it does not appear as an independent belligerent, but rather as a space that enables the extension of Russian military presence. This role is particularly important for the dynamics of the war, as it forms a kind of intermediate zone between Russia and NATO’s eastern flank, while also providing direct access to northern Ukraine

Csilla Fedinec will participate in the 7th Regional History Conference in Eger on April 14, 2026.

Our colleague, Ágnes Tóth, gave lectures on the situation of Germans in Hungary after 1945:

On March 27, she delivered a lecture in Stuttgart at an event organized by the Liszt Institute and the Institute for Danube Swabian History and Regional Studies, held on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the expulsion of Germans from Hungary. The title of her lecture was: Forced Migration and Power Restructuring in Hungary (1945–1948).

On March 31, at the invitation of the German Minority Self-Government, she gave a lecture in Újhartyán titled The Situation of Germans in Hungary, 1945–1953.

Csilla Fedinec’s article has been published in issue 2026/1 of Fórum Társadalomtudományi Szemle.

The escalation of the Russian–Ukrainian war in February 2022 has profoundly reshaped European security architecture and the international discourse on the protection of national minorities. Historically, minority rights in Europe have been primarily addressed through human rights and cultural perspectives, emphasising the preservation of linguistic and cultural identity, access to education, and political participation. Institutions such as the Council of Europe, the European Union, and the OSCE have established normative and monitoring frameworks to safeguard these rights, largely treating minority protection as a mechanism for societal cohesion and democratic stability. However, the 2022 war exposed the potential for minority protection narratives to be used for geopolitical purposes. Russian political rhetoric presented alleged threats to Russian-speaking populations in Ukraine as a justification for military intervention, blending legal and human rights terminology with political and territorial ambitions. This highlighted the limitations of a purely normative approach and prompted a re-evaluation of minority protection in security terms. In response, international institutions and the Ukrainian state have adopted an integrated post-2022 model combining legal guarantees, cultural support, and security measures. This approach emphasises protecting minority languages and education, ensuring political participation and fostering loyalty, and monitoring external influence and propaganda. Empirical evidence from Hungarian, Romanian, Polish and Crimean Tatar communities shows that when minorities are actively engaged in civil and defensive efforts, societal cohesion is strengthened and the 'internal enemy' narrative is undermined. The study also examines the role of kinship-based state policies, emphasising how the supportive engagement of Romania and Poland contrasts with Hungary's more contentious interventions, which could pose risks to trust and integration. Overall, the war has catalysed a paradigm shift in European minority protection, emphasising the inseparability of human rights, political loyalty and security considerations in contexts affected by conflict.

The full issue is available on the journal's website.

CONTENTS

HUNGARIAN SELF-ORGANIZATIONS IN BANAT AND BAČKA
Leeway and Control: Administrative Supervision of Vojvodina Hungarian Associations in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1936–1941)
“Bačka belongs to the People of Bačka.” The Organization of Administrative Positions and the Struggle for Positions in Reannexed Bačka
The Bishop and the Others. German Occupation, Christian Nationalism, and Reformed Congregations in the Banat Region, 1941–1944

CHINA AND THE MINORITY QUESTION
Ethnic Minorities in China’s Changing Political Landscape
Herders and Settlers: How Mongol Conquerors Became the “Model Minority” in Modern China
Algorithmic Imaginary in Surveillance Technicity: The Renegotiation of Minzu Identity among China’s Ethnic Minority Wanghongs on Douyin

DISCUSSION
Questionnaire on the Political Representation of National Minorities II.
Balázs Dobos, Péró Lászity, Sándor Móré, Anna Unger‍243

REVIEW
L. Balogh Béni, Enikő Kirkósa, Ferenc Eiler, Andrea Juhász, Ágnes Huber

Balázs Dobos will give a presentation on the parliamentary representation of national minorities at a professional forum for national minority organizations organized by the Alliance of National Minorities in Szeged and the Greek Cultural Center Nonprofit Ltd., to be held at the House of National Minorities in Szeged on March 27 at 5:00 p.m.

Balázs Dobos will give a presentation on the parliamentary representation of national minorities at a professional forum for national minority organizations organized by the National Self-Government of Greeks in Hungary and the Greek Cultural Center Nonprofit Ltd., to be held at the House of National Minorities in the XIV. district on March 23 at 5:00 p.m. The program of the event is available at HERE.

An article by our colleague Csilla Fedinec, titled The Power of Communication: What Lessons Does the Philosophy of Jürgen Habermas Offer? was published in Jelen.

On the occasion of March 15, our colleague Tamás Gusztáv Filep was awarded the Hungarian Silver Cross of Merit (Civil Division) in recognition of his work.