Pavlos Serafeim

As an Assistant Professor at the Department of Social Theology and Christian Culture at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, I have developed a highly interdisciplinary research profile that bridges Ecclesiastical History, International Relations, and Religious Diplomacy. My core academic work investigates the geopolitical and cultural role of religious institutions within the modern international system and global governance. In particular, I specialize in the geopolitics of faith, examining the strategic influence of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Ancient Patriarchates in relation to European Union policies, global security, and regional stability across South-Eastern Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Africa.

Alongside these geopolitical dimensions, my research explores environmental theology and the impact of "green" religious diplomacy, analyzing how religious leaders can effectively mobilize global climate awareness. My historical background also includes an extensive track record in studying religious networks during the Cold War and contemporary global conflicts.

Driven by an interest in contemporary technological tools, I also bring practical experience from EU-funded innovation projects in the field of Digital Humanities. In this context, I have collaborated with specialized researchers and tech experts from universities in Thessaloniki who applied Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning algorithms for cultural heritage preservation, specifically focusing on the automated recognition of Byzantine hymns. By participating in an MSCA Consortium, I can offer high-impact theoretical and policy-oriented contributions tailored to the Social Sciences and Humanities panel.

Furthermore, representing the largest university in Greece allows me to provide strategic access to unique local and international ecclesiastical archives, monastic libraries, and non-academic cultural networks throughout South-Eastern Europe and the Middle East. My goal is to foster genuine interdisciplinary synergy by successfully connecting history, international politics, ecology, and digital technologies within an innovative collaborative framework.