This is a network of centres and experts that research and monitor ethnic conflicts and migratory flows in Europe. It was promoted by the CSS and became operational in 1997 thanks to a contribution from the European Commission. It subsequently received funding from Compagnia di San Paolo and other Italian and foreign foundations, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Social Affairs of the Italian Prime Minister’s Office. The network is coordinated by Alessandro Silj, general secretary of the CSS. It has conducted numerous field researches on minorities and ethnic conflicts in the Balkan area, three reports on Turkey, a comparative analysis on the integration of immigrants at a local level in nine EU cities (all published) and recently completed a research on the crisis of multiculturalism in Europe and a field survey (with over 20 focus groups in six countries) on the problems faced by Muslim minorities in Europe after 11/9. MUSMINE, a research and training programme on the subject of Muslim minorities, created as a joint venture with the Robert Schuman Center of the Istituto Universitario Europeo, has been operational in Florence since January 2007.
2008 projects include: 1) a research network with the participation of researchers from all the interested countries will work on “Southeast Europe: Minorities and Regional Stability and Security – a European perspective”; 2) a field research in several European cities will deal with the problems concerning the building of mosques.