Prof. Dr. Olena Palko is a historian specializing in Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, and Ukraine. She holds the SNSF Professorship at the University of Basel's Department of History, focusing on East European History. Her research emphasizes Soviet minority policies, cultural politics, and national identity formation in interwar Ukraine. She is a leading scholar with notable works including Making Ukraine Soviet (2021), awarded the 2023 Alexander Nove Prize. Her current SNF-funded project, Red Tower of Babel , examines Soviet minority experiments in Ukraine. Education: PhD from University of East Anglia (2017); Kandydat nauk from National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (2013). Research Interests: Soviet nationality policy, minority history, Ukrainian twentieth-century history, transnational border dynamics. Her work bridges archival analysis with transnational perspectives, addressing contested borderlands between Poland and the USSR. Key publications include co-edited volumes like Making Ukraine (2022) and Ukraine's Many Faces (2023). She actively contributes to academic governance roles, including co-convening the BASEES Study Group for Minority History and serving on the Scientific Advisory Council of the Council of Europe's history observatory.
Norman M. Naimark serves as the Robert & Florence McDonnell Professor of East European Studies and Professor of History at Stanford University, with courtesy appointments in German Studies. He holds senior fellowships at both the Hoover Institution and Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, and is affiliated with The Europe Center and the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law. Education: Ph.D. in History, Stanford University (1972) Naimark specializes in Soviet-era Eastern European history, with dual research pillars: Soviet policies in post-WWII Europe and 20th-century genocide/ethnic cleansing phenomena. His work bridges historical analysis with contemporary human rights discourse, emphasizing geopolitical power dynamics and systematic violence against civilian populations. Methodologically, he combines archival rigor with comparative frameworks across national contexts. His publication trajectory from 1979–2019 reveals evolving focus from Marxist movements in partitioned Poland to Soviet occupation mechanics, culminating in comprehensive genocide studies. The 2019 monograph on Stalin's postwar European sovereignty struggles synthesizes decades of research into Soviet imperial practices. Scientific awards: Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (1996) Richard W. Lyman Award for outstanding faculty volunteer service (1995) Stanford Dean's Teaching Award (1991-92, 2002-3) Naimark's academic leadership includes directing Stanford's Global Studies Division, Bing Overseas Studies Program, and Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies. His research informs current policy discussions on authoritarianism and democratic resilience, as evidenced by recent engagements with Belarusian democracy movements and U.S.-Russia relations. He collaborates extensively through Stanford's interdisciplinary centers, particularly contributing historical perspectives to The Europe Center's sovereignty research and the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law's governance initiatives.
Karl Gustafsson is a Professor at Stockholm University within the Department of Economic History and International Relations. His work bridges security studies , collective memory , and digital research methods in international relations. Current Role: Professor of International Relations, Stockholm University Previous Positions: Post-Doc at Lund University, Researcher at Swedish Institute of International Affairs Visiting Appointments: University of Tokyo, Osaka University, Keio University, Academia Sinica, Nordic Institute of Asian Studies Research Focus: Karl specializes in memory politics , ontological security , and anxiety-driven international dynamics , particularly in Sino-Japanese relations and digital platforms . His studies explore how historical narratives and online memory construction influence state identity and policy. Awards & Grants: Recipient of the Wang Gungwu Prize (2014) and Stockholm University Association’s award (2011). Holds Swedish Research Council and Marianne & Marcus Wallenberg Foundation grants for projects on apologies in international politics and digital memory in East Asia . Publications: His work appears in journals such as International Studies Quarterly , European Journal of International Relations , and Memory Studies , addressing topics like narrative power in East Asia, anxiety’s role in policy change , and digital humanities applications in IR.
Professor Agnieszka Zabłocka-Kos is a faculty member at the Institute of Art History, University of Wrocław, specializing in Central European architectural history and urbanism. Her work focuses on 19th-20th century architecture, with particular emphasis on Wrocław/Breslau, including post-war reconstruction, national identity construction, and sacred space design. Professor, University of Wrocław Specialist in 19th-20th century Central European architecture Director of postdoctoral internships (NCN FUGA III) Recipient of multiple Rector's awards for research and teaching Research Themes: Urban development in Central Europe, political architecture in Poland/Germany, sacred architecture of the 19th century, post-war modernism, industrial architecture revitalization. Her students have produced award-winning theses on topics like Wrocław urban blocks, Silesian architects, and post-industrial adaptations. Scientific Contributions: Notable works include the edited volume Architecture in the 'long' 19th century (2019), multiple articles on Breslau's architectural conflicts, and international projects on Central European sacred architecture. She has supervised 33 master's and 5 doctoral theses, with several student works published as books. Dettloff Prize for dissertation (1992) Rector's awards for research and didactic achievements International projects with universities in Berlin, Freiburg, and Leipzig Advisor for Wrocław's Monument Office and City Development Bureau Her teaching integrates interdisciplinary approaches, linking art history with political, economic, and social contexts. She promotes student research popularization through conferences, exhibitions, and publications.
Prof. Stefan Rohdewald is a Professor of East and South-Eastern European History at the University of Leipzig since 2020. Previously, he held positions at Justus Liebig University Giessen (2013-2020), University of Passau (2003-2012), and University of Zurich (1998-2001). His research focuses on transregional histories, religious memory, and intercultural communication in Eastern Europe and the Ottoman sphere. Key roles include coordinating DFG’s Transottomanica program and leading the GiZo partnership with University of Zagreb. Education: PhD (2004, University of Zurich), Habilitation (2012, University of Passau). Research interests span memorial discourses, Ottoman-Europe relations, and sport history. Major projects include studies on Serbo-Bulgarian religious figures and transottoman mobility dynamics. He chairs conferences on minority politics and Ottoman Europe, contributing to over 70 peer-reviewed publications. Award-winning publications include Götter der Nationen (2014) and Vlad der Pfähler (2017). His work bridges Eastern European, Ottoman, and transnational histories through innovative methodological frameworks.
Professor Shoon Murray is a distinguished faculty member at American University's School of International Service, specializing in American foreign policy and civil-military relations. Holding a PhD in political science from Yale University, she teaches foundational courses including Analysis of US Foreign Policy (SISU-230) and Foreign Policy: Theory and Decision Making (SIS-689). Education: PhD in Political Science, Yale University Research Focus: Dr. Murray's scholarship critically examines war powers, decision-making theory, and the interplay between public opinion, media, and foreign policy formation. Her work analyzes how political leaders navigate security crises, congressional-authority tensions in military actions, and institutional shifts in diplomatic practices amid global power diffusion. She investigates enduring phenomena like the “rally ‘round the flag’” effect while documenting the post-9/11 militarization of U.S. strategic approaches. Publication Trends: Recent research centers on the evolution of the 2001 AUMF, combatant commanders' diplomatic roles, and State Department-DoD institutional competition. Her scholarship reveals how military actors increasingly shape foreign policy narratives while traditional diplomatic channels erode, with implications for democratic accountability and strategic coherence in counterterrorism operations.
Deval Desai serves as Reader in International Economic Law at the University of Edinburgh's Edinburgh Law School, a position he has held since 2020 after serving as Lecturer from 2020-2023. His academic career includes research positions at Harvard Law School and the Geneva Graduate Institute. Dr. Desai also brings extensive practical experience from a decade working with the World Bank on rule of law and governance in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as advising the United Nations on rule of law issues. Dr. Desai's educational background includes an MA in History and French Literature from Oxford University, followed by legal training at City University/BPP Law School (PGDipL and PGDipLP), and advanced law degrees (LLM and SJD) from Harvard Law School. At Harvard, he held prestigious fellowships including the Byse Fellowship, Program on Negotiation Next Generation Fellowship, and Institute for Global Law and Policy Fellowship. MA (Oxon), History and French Literature PGDipL, PGDipLP, City University/BPP Law School LLM, Harvard Law School SJD, Harvard Law School Dr. Desai's research centers on law and development, administrative law and regulation, theories of the state, and patterns of knowledge and authority across the Global North and South. His work examines institutional reform processes, particularly how expertise and knowledge operate within rule of law initiatives. His interdisciplinary approach draws from legal and social theory, development studies, international relations, and performance studies, as evidenced in his monograph Expert Ignorance (Cambridge University Press). His recent work focuses on fiscal sociology, administrative law in the Global South, and the politics of social welfare provision. Dr. Desai's publications span leading journals in law, political science, and development studies, revealing a consistent focus on the intersections between legal institutions, governance, and development. His work demonstrates increasing engagement with comparative methodologies and critical perspectives on knowledge production in global governance. Recent articles show particular attention to fiscal policy, welfare systems, and responses to global crises like the Covid-19 pandemic, with comparative studies between India and European contexts. Dame Muriel Spark Medal (2024, Royal Society of Edinburgh) Chancellor's 'Rising Star' Award (2023, University of Edinburgh) Member of the Young Academy of Scotland Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts Fellow of the Young Academy of Europe Dr. Desai has secured significant research funding from diverse international sources, including a £2.1 million Swiss National Science Foundation Sinergia grant titled 'Reversing the Gaze: Towards Post-Comparative Area Studies' where he serves as PI. He also leads projects funded by the British Academy, University of Edinburgh's Big Ideas Accelerator, Scottish Funding Council, and Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office. His commitment to mentoring is evident through his recognition with the Susan Manning Award for Inspiring Mentor and his leadership in establishing programs like the Global Scholars' Academy at the Geneva Graduate Institute and the Global Justice summer school at CEU. As editor-in-chief of the Cambridge University Press book series 'Elements in Legal Theory and the Global South' and serving on multiple editorial boards, Dr. Desai plays a significant role in shaping scholarly discourse. His current research projects examine 'loss' in legal institutions guiding transitional processes, constitutional implications of fiscal arrangements in fragile contexts, and social welfare provision in India and Italy.
Dr. Simon O'Meara is a Professor at SOAS University of London , serving as Reader in the History of Architecture & Archaeology of the Islamic Middle East and Department Student Support and Experience Convenor. He holds a PhD from the University of Leeds (2004) in Arabic and Islamic Studies, following BA and MA degrees in Art History with a focus on visual theory. Key research areas: Islamic architecture , North African urbanism , material culture , and Islamic visual theory Specializes in analyzing how Islamic religious/legal discourses shape urban spaces and visual culture His publications include two monographs: Space and Muslim Urban Life (2007) on Fez's party walls, and The Kaʿba Orientations (2020) on Mecca's spatial symbolism. Current work examines Quranic exegesis through architectural lenses (2024) and Sufi cosmological centers (2023). PhD supervision topics include: Charlie Oubridge: The Nation in Egyptology Aydin Ozcandan: Ottoman fountains and epigraphs Contact: so20@soas.ac.uk | Office: Room 558, Russell Square: College Buildings
Pawan Adhikari is a Professor of Accounting at Essex Business School, University of Essex , where he serves as Director of Impact and Enterprise and Director of Essex Accounting Centre . He is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting and Financial Management and a Executive Board Member of the Comparative International Governmental Accounting Research Network (CIGAR) . Previously, he led accounting reforms at Nepal’s Accounting and Auditing Standards Board and lectured at Nord University, Norway. PhD, Nord University Business School Fellow of the Higher Education Academy His research focuses on public sector accounting in developing countries, particularly accounting reforms , public value creation , and climate accountability . He explores how accrual accounting and participatory budgeting can enhance transparency in South Asian and African contexts. His work has influenced policy-making in Nepal and is recognized with the 2023 Best International Research Impact award by the University of Essex. Recent publications analyze wellbeing economies (2025), NGO accountability in disasters (2024), and climate budgeting (2023). He collaborates with institutions like the World Bank , European Commission , and British Academy , focusing on projects related to financial resilience , circular economy , and health sector accountability . Supervising 8 current PhD students, his advisees have produced work on topics like accrual accounting in Bangladesh and NGO accountability in Palestine . World Bank/PEFA Research Award African Accounting and Financial Association (AAFA) Award ESRC IIA Impact Fund GCRF and SeNSS Grants 2019 Best Postgraduate Supervisor (Essex)
Suzanne Staggenborg is a Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Sociology at the University of Pittsburgh's Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences. Her research focuses on social movements, political sociology, environmental sociology, and qualitative methods. She holds a PhD from Northwestern University (1985), an MA from Washington University (1979), and a BA from Miami University (1977). Staggenborg’s work examines grassroots environmental activism, abortion politics, and coalition-building in social movements. Her book Grassroots Environmentalism (2020) explores challenges faced by local groups opposing fracking and promoting sustainability. She has served as Chair of the Department of Sociology at the University of Pittsburgh (2012–2019) and McGill University (2005–2008). Her research highlights strategic challenges in environmental movements, gender dynamics in activism, and the interplay between social movements and political opportunity structures. Awards include the John D. McCarthy Award (2019) and grants from the National Science Foundation and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. Education: PhD, Sociology, Northwestern University, 1985 MA, Sociology, Washington University, 1979 BA, Sociology and Psychology, Miami University, 1977 Key Awards: John D. McCarthy Award (2019) Member, Sociological Research Association (1997) Professional Service: Editorial boards for Mobilization , Social Movement Studies , and others Co-editor, Cambridge University Press Series on Contentious Politics
Dr. Young Yun Kim is a Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Oklahoma's Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences, where she has developed nationally recognized Intercultural Communication graduate programs since joining in 1988. Her academic journey spans continents, beginning in Seoul, Korea, and continuing through significant scholarly institutions in the United States. B.A.: Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea M.A.: University of Hawaii (East-West Center Communication Institute) Ph.D.: Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois Dr. Kim's research pioneers the theoretical foundations of cross-cultural adaptation and interethnic communication. Her Integrative Communication Theory of Cross-Cultural Adaptation positions communication as the central mechanism for achieving internal equilibrium in new cultural environments, while her Contextual Theory of Interethnic Communication examines associative and dissociative behaviors across ethnic boundaries. Her work uniquely bridges personal transformation with systemic cultural dynamics, emphasizing how intercultural experiences foster expanded human understanding. Analysis of her recent publications reveals consistent theoretical refinement with increasing focus on identity transformation, synchrony in communication, and the emergence of intercultural personhood beyond traditional cultural boundaries. Her scholarship demonstrates remarkable continuity in core themes while progressively incorporating globalization's impact on individual and collective identity formation. Scientific Awards Fellow of the International Communication Association (2002) Top Scholar Award for Lifetime Achievement, Intercultural Communication Division, International Communication Association (2006) Dr. Kim has directed numerous doctoral theses and collaborated on significant cross-cultural research projects examining adaptation patterns among diverse populations including Korean and Indonesian expatriates, Hispanic youth, international students, and refugees. Her research funding includes a two-year study of Indochinese refugees (1978-1980) sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, reflecting sustained external validation of her methodological rigor and theoretical significance. As a foundational leader in intercultural scholarship, Dr. Kim serves on 11 editorial boards including Journal of Communication and Human Communication Research, and has held executive positions in the International Communication Association and International Academy for Intercultural Research, culminating in her presidency (2013-2015) of the latter organization.
Ignacio Ojea Quintana serves as Assistant Professor at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich's Faculty of Philosophy, Philosophy of Science and Religious Studies within the Chair of Philosophy of Science. He joined LMU in 2022 after a three-year research fellowship at the Australian National University's School of Philosophy. His academic foundation includes a PhD in Philosophy from Columbia University (2019), supervised by Philip Kitcher with focus on formal social epistemology, and prior Masters/BA degrees in Philosophical Logic from the University of Buenos Aires where he collaborated with the Buenos Aires Logic Group. Ojea Quintana's research employs formal methodologies to examine digital technologies' impact on knowledge organization across scientific and public spheres. His work intersects Social Epistemology , Philosophy of Data Science , and Autonomous Systems Ethics , with significant contributions to social media network analysis of controversial movements. Current projects analyze Twitter dynamics in racial justice movements, ethical constraints in AI decision systems, and consensus formation in scientific modeling. His 2021-2022 publications reveal an interdisciplinary trajectory bridging philosophy, computer science, and social sciences. Key trends include computational analysis of online discourse, formal modeling of group rationality under uncertainty, and ethical frameworks for AI systems. Works appear in high-impact venues including Nature Humanities and Social Sciences Communications and the AAAI/ACM Conference on AI, Ethics, and Society. Ojea Quintana maintains active collaborations with the "Humanising Machine Intelligence" initiative (formerly at ANU) and the Buenos Aires Logic Group. His research program demonstrates sustained engagement with technology's societal implications through formal modeling approaches and empirical digital trace analysis.
Elliott Ash is an Associate Professor of Law, Economics, and Data Science at ETH Zurich's Center for Law & Economics. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics and J.D. from Columbia University, a B.A. in Economics, Government, and Philosophy from the University of Texas at Austin, and an LL.M. in International Criminal Law from the University of Amsterdam. His research focuses on empirical legal studies using econometrics, NLP, and ML, examining topics like judicial behavior, legislative impact, and AI-driven governance. He has been funded by the ERC, Swiss NSF, and others. Research Interests: Elliott explores automation of legal decisions, text-as-data analysis in law, and the intersection of AI with legal systems. He develops tools like BallotBot and LePaRD to enhance legal transparency and public understanding. His work bridges law, economics, and computer science, with publications in top journals like the American Economic Journal and Review of Economics and Statistics . Teaching: Courses include Building a Robot Judge , Natural Language Processing for Law , and Big Data for Public Policy . He co-organizes the Zurich Workshop in AI+Economics and Monash-Warwick-Zurich Text-as-Data Workshops. Awards: European Research Council Starting Grant, Swiss National Science Foundation Grant, and multiple grants from U.S. and Swiss institutions. His work has been featured in NPR , VoxEU , and Georgetown Law Journal . Labs/Teams: Leads the Swiss AI Initiative's Human-AI Alignment team, collaborates with the CEPR on Political Economy research, and serves as an Economic Journal Associate Editor.
Myriam Dunn Cavelty serves as Deputy Head of Research and Teaching at the Center for Security Studies (CSS) at ETH Zurich, where she leads significant academic initiatives in cybersecurity and digital governance. She holds formal affiliations as an associate researcher at the Center for Advanced Security Theory at the University of Copenhagen, and has held prestigious visiting positions at Brown University, the University of Darmstadt (as a Mercator Fellow), and the Central European University. Her research expertise centers on how digital technologies influence political behavior and societal values, with particular attention to governance arrangements for digital technologies and their embedding in social, political, and economic processes. Her scholarly contributions span cybersecurity politics, cyber warfare, critical infrastructure protection, and strategic foresight, reflecting an interdisciplinary approach that bridges political science, international relations, and technology studies. Dunn Cavelty's publication record demonstrates remarkable consistency and impact, with works spanning from 2008 to the present. Her research shows an evolution from early analyses of cyber-threat construction to contemporary examinations of AI in security contexts and the political dimensions of cybersecurity governance. Her work consistently addresses the intersection of technological capabilities and political constraints, examining how states and other actors navigate security challenges in the digital domain. Mercator Fellow at the University of Darmstadt Editor-in-Chief of Contemporary Security Policy Advisory work for governments, international institutions, and corporations As an academic leader, she has advised numerous doctoral students and supervised research projects examining the political dimensions of cybersecurity. Her work with the Center for Security Studies involves directing research programs that connect academic inquiry with policy relevance, particularly in the areas of risk analysis and strategic foresight. She has established herself as a leading voice in European cybersecurity scholarship, with particular expertise in the Swiss context and broader European security frameworks.
G. John Ikenberry is the Albert G. Milbank Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University, jointly appointed in the Department of Politics and the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs. He is Co-Director of the Center for International Security Studies and the Princeton Project on National Security. Ikenberry also holds the title of Global Eminence Scholar at Kyung Hee University and has held visiting fellowships at All Souls College and Balliol College, Oxford. His research centers on international relations, with a focus on the liberal international order, American foreign policy, institutional design, and post-war order building. Ikenberry’s work explores how power, legitimacy, and institutions interact to shape global governance. His scholarship bridges theory and policy, influencing both academic discourse and real-world strategy. The 15 most recent articles and books reflect a deep engagement with themes such as liberal internationalism, U.S. primacy, multilateralism, and the resilience of global institutions. His publications analyze historical patterns of order creation, contemporary challenges to the Western alliance, and the future of democratic governance in a shifting geopolitical landscape. Scientific Awards: Schroeder-Jervis Award (2002) from the American Political Science Association for best book in international history and politics ( After Victory ) Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Advising and Grants: While specific students are not listed, Ikenberry has co-directed major research projects including the Princeton Project on National Security and has advised on U.S. foreign policy through roles on the State Department Policy Planning Staff and the Council on Foreign Relations Task Force. His work has been supported by prestigious academic and policy institutions, enabling broad scholarly and practical impact. Labs and Research Centers: Ikenberry is actively involved in leading research centers at Princeton, including the Center for International Security Studies and the Princeton Project on National Security, which bring together scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to address pressing global challenges.
