Research Fellows
The Center for European Studies’ CES Research Fellows program is a research assistantship initiative that pairs undergraduate students with CES faculty members who are interested in working with students on current research projects. The program provides a unique opportunity for students to gain research experience while learning the research methodologies of various academic disciplines and approaches. Research opportunities with the Center are available in both the social sciences and humanities fields, allowing students from a range of departments the chance to gain experience that will prepare them for future academic pursuits whether it be the University or CLAS Scholars programs, an honors thesis, or graduate school.
Students will gain hands on research experience in one of the wide range of projects currently pursued by CES faculty. In addition, students will gain a deeper understanding of research methods, practice in public speaking through the end-of-term workshop presentations, networking skills from monthly meetings with faculty and professionals in academics, and improved analytical proficiency through reviews and critical analysis of program-related talks and panels.
CES Research Fellows program is open to students in all departments and any class standing (i.e. Freshmen, Sophomore, Junior, Senior). CES cannot guarantee that all applicants will be assigned to a faculty project.
Students will be enrolled in EUS 4911 the semester of their fellowship. The course is taken for 3 credits. A zero-credit option is available for students who wish to participate but do not wish to earn credit, but will still be expected to complete the same number of weekly hours as students receiving credit.
For more information, please see the program overview
Requirements
- 9-weekly research hours
- Regular meetings with faculty mentor to review progress
- End-of-semester research presentation
- Attendance at monthly fellows meeting
Apply
Please submit the following materials
- Application Form
- Resume or CV
- 1-page statement of purpose including, but not limited to:
- Why you are applying for the CES Research Fellows?
- Faculty research projects of interest (if applicable)
- What you expect to gain from the experience
- Any previous research experience
Deadline for Spring Fellowship: Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Spring 2025 Faculty Projects
| Faculty | Research Project Overview | Research Fellow Tasks |
| Asli Baysal |
Dr. Baysal is conducting a research project focused on the financial resource curse linked to EU funds in member states experiencing democratic backsliding. Research fellows will help Dr. Baysal search for instances (newspaper articles, reports by EU institutions, scholarly literature) where economic growth and improvement have aligned with the tactics of authoritarian-leaning regimes that subtly redirect these funds to maintain power and undermine liberal democratic norms. While knowledge of Hungarian, Slovakian, Polish, or Czech is beneficial, it is not mandatory. Assistance is also needed in conducting a literature review on two EU investigative bodies: The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO). Additionally, support is required for preliminary data collection for a study on incumbents defeated in local elections in backsliding states in Europe, beginning with Turkey. |
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| Lenka Bustikova |
Lenka Bustikova is engaged in four distinct research projects. The first project examines public support for illiberal civil society in Poland, Hungary, Czechia, and Slovakia. This research focuses on uncovering evidence of church intervention in politics and analyzing the influence of socially conservative advocacy groups on regulatory policies, particularly in the areas of reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, and religious accommodation. The second project investigates public opinion regarding the Azov brigade and the politicization of veterans in Ukraine. This study explores Azov’s role in Ukraine’s self-defense narrative and examines how Russian propaganda leverages Azov to undermine the legitimacy of the current Ukrainian government. The third project explores divergent attitudes toward democracy in Eastern and Western Europe, with particular attention to declining democratic support among young people and the radicalization of young men. The fourth project, currently in its preliminary stages, is an exploratory investigation into individuals, such as oligarchs or illiberal politicians, who have transformed into advocates for democracy. Each project seeks to contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between political ideologies, public opinion, and societal transformation. |
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| Chrys Kostopoulos |
Dr. Kostopoulos is working on two projects. The first project focuses on a historical investigation of mathematical education in the ancient Greco-Roman world, and its impact on the development of certain philosophical and political ideas such as democracy, Platonic theory of the forms, rationalism, teleology, etc. Broadly speaking, it examines mathematics in its “society-shaping” function and its role in the development of important tenets that shaped the ancient Greek and Roman society. The second project, in collaboration with Meletios Pouliopoulos of the Greek Cultural Resources in Boston, focuses on the microhistory of the Rebetika songs both in Greece and in the USA, including history of performers, record labels, dating of recordings, archiving, examination of the socio-political and historical context, etc. |
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| Agata Kowalewska | Relationship between health, food, and nutrition among Europeans; National, minority, and specific ethnic group foodway and dietary patterns; Broadly understood food safety in Europe and the European Union, from genetically modified organisms to illegal food entering the EU market and consumer-specific food safety behaviors; Food-related legislation of the European Union with focus on the Common Agricultural Policy and the Environment Policy; Effects of Green Deal and other sustainable measures on Europe’s food environment. |
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| Amie Kreppel |
Professor Amie Kreppel is working on a number of different of European Union (EU) related projects which involve both detailed data collection and analysis and more qualitative work compiling materials from a variety of academic and archival (online) sources. Project 1 is an analysis of the responsiveness of the EU institutions to public sentiment and electoral commitments. This includes data collection for EP election manifestos and matching policy commitments to actual policy negotiations. Project 2 is focused on the evolution of oversight and accountability measures in the European Parliament and requires compiling articles and collecting data from text-based resources. Finally, Project 3 (on hold) is focused on evaluating the oversight efforts and influence of the EP in the emerging area of fiscal governance in the EU. |
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| Armin Langer |
Dr. Langer is currently preparing articles for peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes on three different topics: First, hip-hop as a political tool among immigrants and minorities in Europe, as exemplified by Dominican-Spanish artist Ari Puello. Second, the use of populist rhetoric in the European Parliament elections, with a focus on Austria and Hungary. Third, how European refugees in Trujillo’s Dominican Republic navigated the complexities of a repressive dictatorship that welcomed them for their perceived whiteness. Research fellows will assist Dr. Langer in tasks such as literature reviews, data collection and analysis, and writing. Fellows who make significant contributions to these projects will be credited as co-authors of the resulting publications. |
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| Emrah Sahin | Dr. Sahin is working on or beginning research on a wide array of projects relating to political and socio-religious themes in southeast Europe, Turkey, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East from the late Ottoman Empire to the present day. Students may also be asked to help with ongoing projects, which can be found online. Dr. Sahin will move away from daily political matters and dig deeper into original and authentic sources to produce a balanced view of the subject matter and students should be ready to critically and diligently examine various dimensions of the topic under study. |
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