College of Arts and Sciences’ Pete Moore to study one of Europe’s newest nations through Fulbright award

When Pete Moore, PhD, arrives in Montenegro next spring, he'll be stepping into a new region of the world—and a new chapter in his research career.

Moore, the Marcus A. Hanna Associate Professor of Politics at the Case Western Reserve University College of Arts and Sciences, recently received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar award to support teaching and research at University of Montenegro. During the nearly six-month appointment, he will collaborate with faculty members, deliver guest lectures, and conduct research examining how small states navigate political and economic change in the 21st century.

The project focuses on Montenegro, a nation of roughly 600,000 people on the Adriatic coast that regained its independence in 2006 following the breakup of the former Yugoslavia.

“Montenegro is viewed as being a successful small state,” Moore said. “It saw less violence during the wars in the Balkans, it's been very stable, its growth rates are among the best in that part of Europe and it looks like they're going to join the European Union (EU) in the next couple of years.”

Working with colleagues in the University of Montenegro Department of Political Science, Moore will explore what opportunities and challenges may emerge as the country moves closer to EU membership. Among the questions he hopes to examine is how EU integration could affect issues such as economic vulnerability, demographic shifts and political stability.

“Montenegro has been successful, but there are some important challenges ahead,” he said. “We're looking at this tension that small states face. There are advantages—they can often coordinate better—but they're also more vulnerable, especially to outside economic and political pressures.”

The award is Moore's third Fulbright grant, building on earlier Fulbright-supported research in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait that examined political economy, security and governance in the Middle East. While those experiences—and much of his broader scholarship—have focused on the Middle East, the Gulf States and North Africa, his work in Montenegro represents an opportunity to explore an entirely new region of the world.

“One of the fun things when you start studying a new area—or even go to a new country—is that you make lots of mistakes, and it's kind of fun,” Moore said. “You get a real intellectual and personal thrill out of learning something new. It feels like you're starting over again as a graduate student.”

His research will combine archival and media analysis with interviews of political leaders, civil society representatives and officials involved in Montenegro's ongoing negotiations with the EU. He also plans to examine several key moments in the country's recent history, including its accession to NATO, to better understand how major political decisions were made.

Beyond the research itself, Moore sees his time in Montenegro as an opportunity to build lasting connections between Case Western Reserve and University of Montenegro, strengthen institutional partnerships and expand educational opportunities for students.

One goal is to develop a new course at CWRU focused on Southeast European politics. He also hopes to encourage future exchanges between the two universities.

“I want to learn this new part of the world, and I want to keep the relationships with these faculty members,” Moore said. “Fulbright works best when you build those connections and keep that commitment going after the award ends.”

As Montenegro moves toward a pivotal moment in its national development, Moore is eager to witness those changes firsthand.

“It's a good time to be there,” he said. “There's going to be a lot of discussion about Montenegro, how it fits into Europe and what it means to be a small state in today's world.”