Maria Popova

Maria Popova is an Associate Professor of Political Science at McGill University and Scientific Director of the Jean Monnet Centre Montreal. She also serves as Editor of the Cambridge Elements Series on Politics and Society from Central Europe to Central Asia. Her research focuses on the rule of law, democracy, and authoritarian dynamics in Eastern Europe, with a particular emphasis on Ukraine, Russia, and post-communist transformation. She holds a BA from Dartmouth College and MA/PhD from Harvard University.

Her work examines the weaponization of law in authoritarian contexts, judicial reforms in post-Maidan Ukraine, and anti-corruption strategies in Eastern Europe. Key publications include *Politicized Justice in Emerging Democracies* (2012, awarded the American Association for Ukrainian Studies Prize) and *Russia and Ukraine: Entangled Histories, Diverging States* (2024). She has contributed to over 40 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters analyzing topics like judicial independence, populism, EU accession dynamics, and conspiracy theories in post-communist politics.

Her current research explores Ukraine's path to EU membership, anticorruption reforms in the Balkans, and foreign-educated politicians in Eastern Europe. She regularly publishes policy analyses on Ukraine's security needs and European integration in outlets like *Foreign Affairs*, *Washington Post*, and *Journal of Democracy*.

Popova teaches courses on comparative politics, European Union studies, and mixed-methods research. Her work bridges academic scholarship with policy impact, addressing pressing issues in Eastern Europe's democratic development and geopolitical challenges.