Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

Nationalist State Transformation and Conflict

Objective

Scholars studying contemporary conflict and development have increasingly turned to the historical roots of state formation. Going beyond Tilly’s classical theory of state formation, the NASTAC project creates a new theory of nationalist state transformation that will be evaluated with historical maps and archival data extracted through machine learning. While much has been written about state formation and nationalism, there is currently no empirically verified theory that shows how nationalism transformed and keeps transforming state internal and external properties, and how post-nationalist mechanisms counteract this influence. Without such a framework it is difficult to know under what conditions partition or power sharing should be used to pacify conflict-ridden multi-ethnic states. The project contains four work packages (WPs). WP1 will investigate whether state penetration and the evolution of the size and shapes of states have interacted with warfare according to Tilly’s expectations. WP2 will develop our theory of nationalist state transformation showing how nationalism affected internal state reach and how it triggered external change, such as secession, unification and irredentism, and, in turn, how these processes interacted with, and modified, patterns of conflict. WP3 will apply the theory of nationalist state transformation to the post-1945 world and will analyze how it interacts with post-nationalist mechanisms, such as power sharing. WP4 will develop innovative methods that draw on recent advances in machine learning techniques, such as deep learning, in order to transform historical maps and documents into disaggregated and spatially explicit datasets with extensive historical scope. Led by Lars-Erik Cederman, the NASTAC project will be hosted by the International Conflict Research group at ETH Zürich, which has published extensively in top outlets and has ample experience in managing large research projects.

Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

ERC-ADG - Advanced Grant

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) ERC-2017-ADG

See all projects funded under this call

Host institution

EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 2 631 556,00
Address
Raemistrasse 101
8092 Zuerich
Switzerland

See on map

Region
Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Zürich Zürich
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 2 631 556,00

Beneficiaries (1)

My booklet 0 0