معرفی
Andras Szalai serves as Associate Professor and Head of the Department of International Relations and European Studies at the Institute of Political and International Studies, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) in Budapest, Hungary. His institutional affiliation falls under ELTE's Faculty of Social Sciences (Társadalomtudományi Kar), with office located at 1117 Budapest, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/a, Room 2.91. He maintains active academic engagement through lecturing duties and research leadership, contactable via email at andras.szalai@tatk.elte.hu and phone extension 6867.
Dr. Szalai's research program critically examines the nexus of populism, security, and migration within Central and Eastern European contexts, with particular emphasis on Hungary's illiberal governance under Viktor Orbán. His scholarly work investigates how regimes instrumentalize border politics, construct crisis narratives, and deploy securitization frameworks to consolidate political power and shape national identity. This research trajectory spans theoretical security studies and empirical analyses of migration policies, border symbolism, and authoritarian legal strategies, establishing him as a significant voice in contemporary political discourse on democratic backsliding.
Analysis of his publication record (2015-2024) reveals a progressive deepening of focus on illiberal security governance, evolving from early Cold War deterrence studies to current examinations of migration securitization and border symbolism. His recent scholarship demonstrates consistent thematic coherence around the 'insecurity toolbox' of populist regimes, with multilingual output (English, French, Spanish) indicating international scholarly reach. The 2022-2024 publications particularly highlight innovative frameworks like 'bordering as political reassurance' and 'enacted melodrama' in anti-immigration campaigns.
While the available documentation does not specify advising activities or grant funding, Dr. Szalai's leadership as Department Head and prolific publication output in high-impact research areas underscore his institutional prominence. His ongoing scholarly contributions continue to address critical questions about democracy, security, and migration in an era of rising populism across Europe.
