Andrew Cartwright

Andrew Cartwright is an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Policy at the Central European University (CEU) and holds the same rank in the Doctoral School of Political Science, Public Policy, and International Relations. He serves as a Research Fellow at the Democracy Institute in Vienna and previously directed the CEU’s Center for Policy Studies. His academic background includes a PhD in Law from the University of Warwick (2001), postdoctoral research at the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology, and prior roles at the University of Liverpool.

His research focuses on rural development, demography-property relations in post-socialist states, and policy implementation. Key publications include *The Return of the Peasant* (2001) and edited volumes on policy experiments in Central and Eastern Europe. He leads initiatives such as the Policy Lab program, collaborating with NGOs like the OSF, UN FAO, and World Bank. His work addresses abandoned farmland policies through UN FAO LANDNET, where he chairs a working group on land abandonment.

Cartwright’s contributions span academic writing (43+ publications), editorial roles in *Rural and Regional Development*, and policy advocacy. His research bridges theoretical and applied domains, emphasizing participatory governance and innovative policy solutions in shrinking rural communities.