Research Councillor
mitja.zagar@guest.arnes.si
+386 1 200 18 73 
Dr. Mitja Žagar (1961) is a lawyer and political scientist, full professor, and scientific advisor. He holds a doctorate in law (dissertation: Contemporary Federalism with Special Emphasis on Asymmetric Federation in Multinational States, Faculty of Law, University of Ljubljana, 1990). At the INV, where he has been employed since 1990, he is engaged in legal and political studies of ethnicity, ethnic relations and conflicts, human and minority rights, minority protection, regulation and management of socially relevant diversity (diversity management), and crises and conflicts. He pays particular attention to international law, constitutional and legal (in individual countries and comparatively) regulation and management of ethnic relations and socially relevant diversity, including the prevention, management, and resolution of crises and conflicts. During this time, he has led and coordinated a number of national, European, and international research projects, and has also participated in other research projects. From 1999 to 2007, he was the director of the INV, and he also led the research unit and research program, of which he has been a member since its inception. Since 2001, he has headed the International Center for Interethnic Relations and Minorities in Southeast Europe.
He is a full professor at the University of Ljubljana (Faculty of Social Sciences - FDV, Faculty of Law – PF, Faculty of Arts – FF), the University of Primorska (Faculty of Humanities Koper – FHŠ) and the New University (European Law Faculty – EvroPF, Faculty of Slovenian and International Studies – FSMŠ). He has lectured in national and international (mostly postgraduate) study programs at universities in Europe (e.g., Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Hungary, and Germany), Africa (South Africa), Australia, New Zealand, and North America (Canada and the USA). He has coordinated national, European, and international master's and doctoral programs and modules (including the Erasmus Mundus master's program on local democracy and development and the doctoral program on diversity management) at various universities in Slovenia and abroad.
As an expert, evaluator, and reviewer, he collaborates with international organizations (e.g., UN, UNESCO, UNDP, Council of Europe, OSCE and its High Commissioner on National Minorities, Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, etc.), national institutions (e.g., ministries, government offices, representative bodies) and local communities in various countries (e.g., Slovenia, Albania, Australia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, South Africa, Canada, Germany, North Macedonia, Serbia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, United States, etc.), scientific journals, and non-governmental organizations working in the fields of diversity management, sustainable development, ethnic and minority policies, as well as foundations, research agencies, and institutions for quality assurance in higher education and research. In the period 2015-2020, he was a member of the Scientific Council of the Public Agency for Research Activities of the Republic of Slovenia.
His research activities cover the fields of law, political science, ethnic and minority studies, diversity management, and peace and conflict studies. He conducts multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and comparative research on topics such as human rights and freedoms, (special) rights and protection of minorities and their members, ethnicity, regulation and management of socially relevant diversity, inclusion, integration, cooperation, social and especially political participation, democracy, multiculturalism and interculturalism, autonomy, federalism, transformations, transitions and democratisation, institutional development, active citizenship, civic and lifelong education and training, prevention, management and resolution of crises and conflicts, etc.
