Lora Anne Viola

Prof. Lora Anne Viola is a University Professor of Political Science at the John F. Kennedy Institute, Freie Universität Berlin. Her expertise centers on international institutions, US foreign policy, and global governance. She holds a PhD from the University of Chicago, alongside degrees from Columbia University and the University of Chicago. Viola’s research examines institutional design, power dynamics, and transatlantic relations, with her monograph *The Closure of the International System* (2020) earning multiple accolades. She serves on the SCRIPTS Executive Board, Berlin Graduate School for Global Studies, and represents FUB on the Europaeum Academic Council. Her work bridges academia and public discourse, with frequent commentary on US politics and transatlantic challenges. Key awards include the ECPR Hedley Bull Prize and ISA’s Chadwick Alger Best Book Award. Viola supervises doctoral research on topics like feminist foreign policies, US hegemony dilemmas, and geoeconomic networks. Her teaching and mentorship focus on linking theoretical frameworks to contemporary policy issues.

Education

• PhD in Political Science, University of Chicago
• MA in International Relations, University of Chicago
• BA in Political Science & Economics, Columbia University

Research Interests

Viola’s work interrogates how institutions shape international hierarchies and equalities, with particular attention to US foreign policy’s role in maintaining or destabilizing global order. Her recent projects analyze illiberal tendencies within liberal internationalism and the evolving transatlantic relationship amid geopolitical tensions. Methodologically, she integrates historical institutionalism with qualitative case studies.

Labs & Collaborations

Viola leads the Research Unit 'Orders' within the SCRIPTS Cluster, exploring legitimacy dynamics in global governance. She co-organizes the 'US Foreign Policy in Turbulent Times' lecture series and actively contributes to knowledge exchange through the Humboldt Lab and public forums.