Critical Area Studies for Europe (CASE)


The European Union Center of Excellence (EUCE) at the University of Pittsburgh strikes a new path in EU Studies through its initiative to reconsider the area studies model; Critical Area Studies for Europe (CASE) breaks with inherited (post-) Cold War approaches and considers the EU befitting its 21st-century role in the world. CASE will address central questions of contemporary EU policy while building scholarly communities that bring together colleagues and units whose work has not attended explicitly attended to Europe, to focus on the EU.

Following our earlier emphasis on EU cultural policy, CASE will promote excellence in teaching and research by expanding our inclusion of diverse units that have not historically played a role in EU Studies and European area studies. ESC will focus on sustainability and security as key themes as we enter this three-year grant cycle. 

 

 

Year 1


Conversations On Europe connects top experts from around the United States and Europe to discuss contemporary issues facing Europe and the Transatlantic relationship. Using both personal and institutional videoconference technology, panelists take questions and interact with audiences at Pitt and at remote sites in the US and Europe.  Conversations On Europe is free and open to the public. 

A complete library of video resources to enhance transatlantic conversations is also now available. In addition, you can view the full Playlist for Conversations on Europe on the Pitt Global Channel of YouTube. Please note, however, that the supplemental materials are only available by clicking on the topics listed below. 

The series is intended to present a broad range of views and opinions about topics relevant to Europe. The views expressed are those of the presenters and cannot be taken to represent the views or opinions of the U.S. Government nor the European Union. 

We welcome your feedback on these videos and the Conversations on Europe series. Please take our survey. 

European Studies Center at Pitt Elections 2024: European Parliament Elections Across the 27 Member States
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
MODERATORS: 
Jae-Jae Spoon, University of Pittsburgh 
Zeynep Somer-Topcu, The University of Texas at Austin 
PANELISTS: 
Kai Arzheimer, University of Mainz 
Catherine DeVries, Bocconi University 
Jan Rovny, Sciences Po-Paris

During this session of our Conversations on Europe, we will focus our discussion on the ongoing election campaign to the European Parliament, as the elections will take place between June 6th and 9th. With looming economic slowdown, increasing migration both on the southern and eastern border of the EU and growing support for populist and nationalist parties, what are the prospects for the EU integration? What are the main topics of the campaign and how will they impact the elections? Which parties will gain a majority in the upcoming 5-year term and shape the future of the EU? 

The Russian War in Ukraine: Displaced People and Changing Security Concerns 
Tuesday, March 12, 2024 
MODERATORS: 
Randall Halle, University of Pittsburgh
Erica Edwards, University of Pittsburgh 
PANELISTS: 
Joachim A. Koops, Leiden University 
Kseniya Yurtayeva, University of Michigan 

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine transformed European security concerns dramatically. It has disrupted the lives of countless people in the region. It triggered a new wave of rapid forced migration throughout the EU and in other neighboring countries. Displacement from the war impacts not only Ukrainian women and children fleeing to Poland, Germany, Hungary, Moldova, and other neighboring countries. It has also affected Russians avoiding mobilization or Russian intellectuals avoiding repressions in their home country. Unfortunately, at a time of record numbers of internal and external displaced persons worldwide, numbers of people seeking asylum have now risen in Central Asia and Caucasus. In addition to considering the overall security situation resulting from the war, this Conversation on Europe will ask: how do these movements of people affect the current situation in the EU and in receiving countries? How have societies and state apparatuses reacted to this migration and what can we learn from these dynamics? What role does “security” and securitization play in these processes?

Mis/disinformation Security: Protecting EU Values and Democracies 
Tuesday, February 13, 2024 
MODERATOR: 
Erica Edwards, University of Pittsburgh
PANELISTS: 
Ralitsa Kovacheva, Sofia University
Julia Partheymüller, University of Vienna 
Elena Bruni, LUISS Guido Carli, Italy, Fulbright Distinguished Lecturer, University of Pittsburgh 

Not to be confused with misinformation, meaning inaccurate information, disinformation is false material meant to intentionally mislead or misinform individuals. Brought to the fore in 2016 with Brexit and the election of Donald Trump, disinformation threatens to erode trust in democratic systems, weaken individual freedoms, and increasingly undermine governments around the world. While the U.S. has yet to make meaningful progress in addressing disinformation, Europe has moved forward with new legislation and initiatives. Join us for this session of Conversation on Europe in which we ask what steps Europe is taking to shore up EU values and counter disinformation. 

Yaoundé Conventions 60 years on: Africa-EU Relations Now* 
Tuesday, November 14, 2023 
MODERATORS: 
Randall Halle, University of Pittsburgh
Catherine Koverola, University of Pittsburgh 
PANELISTS: 
Michael Odijie, University College London 
Pernille Røge, University of Pittsburgh 
Mounir Saidani, Editor-in-Chief of Omran Social Sciences/Arabb Center for Research and Political Studies-Doha 
Abdou Seck, Gaston Berger University/Groupe D’Action et D’Etude Critique Africa (GAEC) 

It is 60 years since the signing of the Yaoundé Convention (1963).This was a moment in the history of decolonization when the Associated African States, 12 mainly young postcolonial Western Africa countries, signed a trade agreement with the also young European Economic Community. The Yaoundé Convention was part of the EEC’s Eurafrica initiative, an effort to maintain a presence in the former colonies. Yaoundé initiated a series of trade and aid agreements that replaced the colonial relation with a developmental model. An era of trade and infrastructural development followed. However, many critics have suggested that this strategy of aid set off the pattern of uneven and unequal development. This Conversation on Europe and Africa takes this event as an opportunity to consider development aid in Africa historically and in its contemporary form. Our panelists bring a mix of historical and regional knowledge to the conversation. 

Polish Post-Election Results in Poland and their Impact on European Security for Poland 
Tuesday, October 17, 2023 
MODERATORS: 
Randall Halle, University of Pittsburgh 
Paweł Lewicki, University of Pittsburgh 
PANELISTS: 
Jan Kubik, Rutgers University & University College of London 
Michał Kotnarowski, Polish Academy of Sciences 
Monika Nalepa, University of Chicago 

October is the month of Parliamentary Elections in Eastern Europe’s powerhouse, Poland. On 15 October, the electorate stands at a crossroads and our invited panelists will discuss the path the Polish voters will have chosen. In addition to the implications for Poland, our panelists will discuss what the election results mean for relations with Poland’s neighbors, Ukraine in particular. And given that Brussels has repeatedly drawn attention to Polish democratic backsliding under the current government, this CoE will ask what the election it means for the EU? 

European Year of Skills: What's the Future of Labor Security in Europe? 
Tuesday, September 12, 2023 
MODERATOR: 
Randall Halle, University of Pittsburgh 
PANELISTS: 
Jane Gingrich, University of Oxford
Stefan Olsson, Deputy Director General, European Commission, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion 
Jamie Woodcock, University of Essex 

The EU declared 2023 the Year of Skills to bring attention to the challenges the contemporary workforce faces and to the European responses. It is indeed a period of transition in labor, with no little unrest. The Yellow Vest strikes are perhaps the best known of the strikes that have taken place recently in Europe. This Conversation on Europe (CoE) considers the state of labor and the security of employment. In conversation with our panelists, we will consider labor struggles, the disruption of historical industries, the insecurity caused by inflation, energy scarcity, and AI. We will consider the future in Europe of the developing culturally diverse workforce? And we will hear about EU level initiatives to develop skilled workers for the 21st century. 

Climate Change and Migration-What Can the US Learn from Europe? 
Tuesday, March 21, 2023 
MODERATOR: 
Mary Rauktis, University of Pittsburgh 
PANELISTS: 
Carla Malafaia, University of Porto, Portugal 
Cosmin Nada, University of Porto, Portugal 
Sheila Velez Martinez, School of Law, University of Pittsburgh

 As North and Central America increasingly experience climate change and disasters (fires, hurricanes, drought, rising waters from the Great Lakes and Atlantic Ocean), the US has come to realize what our European colleagues have been experiencing, as they have been at the forefront of the accelerating trend of global displacement related to climate change. The panel will be an informal discussion of how Europe’s experience with climate change and migrants can inform the United States. 

Climate Change: Perspectives from France and Italy 
Tuesday, February 14, 2023 
MODERATOR: 
Giuseppina Mecchia, University of Pittsburgh 
PANELISTS: 
Yves Citton, Université Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint Denis, France 
Daniela Fargione, University of Turin, Italy 

In the last few years, we have seen an increasing international awareness of the challenges facing the interaction between human populations and a changing environment. In France and Italy, these issues have in fact occupied a really important role in philosophical, social and political debates and initiatives for at least five decades. Our panelists will offer a diverse and far-reaching presentation of their own involvement with the research and initiatives presently occurring in Italy and France. 

Legacies and Manifestations of Irish Nationalism and Irish National Identity in the EU and the UK in the Context of Brexit 
Tuesday, January 17, 2023 
MODERATOR: 
Jennifer Keating, University of Pittsburgh 
PANELISTS: 
Garrett Carr, Seamus Heaney Center, Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland 
John Carson, Carnegie Mellon University 
Mairéad McClean, Artist and Filmmaker, from Bath, England, and Northern Ireland
Eve Patten, Director of the Long Room Hub, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland

Ireland’s relationships with Europe have safeguarded features of national identity from the early twentieth century to the present as the region negotiated its long-standing and historically fraught relationship with the United Kingdom. In recent years, Ireland’s role in the EU has further solidified these regional relationships as a counterpoint to its tangled politics with the UK, especially in complex concepts of national identity in Northern Ireland. Amid ongoing political tumult in the UK and the complexity of Britain’s exit from the EU through Brexit. 

Co-support provided by the International Foreign Language Education Office of the U.S. Department of Education and the European Commission's Erasmus+ Program.

20th Anniversary of the EU Enlargement

The European Studies Center/European Union Center of Excellence (ESC/EUCE), along with the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies (REEES), offers a new lecture series to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the EU Enlargement. 

This virtual lecture series will be held on the last Thursday of each month. 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of the biggest enlargement of the European Union in its history. Ten countries, mainly former socialist Eastern European states, almost doubled the EU from 15 to 25 member states. May 1, 2004, was the triumphal return to the European Family for many. But for some, it initiated a process of disenchantment with the EU and the West Each month, the ESC/EUCE together with REEES at the University of Pittsburgh, will focus our attention on a specific country or a group of countries in the EU by inviting experts and eyewitnesses to discuss the hopes and realities of the EU integration before and after expansion to address what hopes were fulfilled and what new hopes exist for the Union in the present.

 

EU Enlargement: Spotlight on Baltic States (Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia)
Thursday, December 7, 2023
Moderator: Randall Halle, University of Pittsburgh
Panelists:
Daunis Auers, University of Latvia
Dr. Auers is a professor of European studies and Jean Monnet, Chair of the University of Latvia. He studied at the London School of Economics and defended his PhD at University College London. He has been a Fulbright Scholar at the University of California-Berkeley (2005-2006) and a Baltic-American Freedom Foundation Scholar at Wayne State University in Detroit (2014). His book on The Comparative Government and Politics of the Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in the 21st Century – was published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2015. He is currently working on a monograph analyzing Nordic-Baltic integration and is a Fulbright program Visiting Professor at the University of Washington in Seattle during the fall and winter of 2023/2024.

Ivars Ijabs, PhD, Member of the European Parliament
Dr. Ijabs is a Member of the European Parliament, elected in 2019 from the electoral alliance “Attīstībai/Par!”. Before entering politics, he was a widely known political scientist, publicist, associated professor at the University of Latvia and a researcher at the Advanced Social and Political Research Institute of the University of Latvia.  In the European Parliament, Dr. Ijabs is active in the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON), the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO), and the Special Committee on Beating Cancer (BECA), representing the “Renew Europe” group. His priorities are with legislative proposals that would bring more EU funding for science, research, and innovation in Latvia.

EU Enlargement: Spotlight on Slovakia 
Thursday, November 30, 2023
Moderator: Gregor Thum, University of Pittsburgh 
Panelists:
Michal Vašečka, PhD, Bratislava Policy Institute
Dr. Vašečka is a sociologist by background and focuses his interests on issues of ethnicity, race, antisemitism, and migration studies. As an Associate Professor he operates at the Bratislava International School of Liberal Arts (BISLA) since 2015, he is a program director of Bratislava Policy Institute. Since 2012 Michal Vašečka serves as a representative of Slovakia in the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) of the Council of Europe. He operated at the Faculty of Social Studies of Masaryk University in Brno in 2002-2017 and at the Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences of the Comenius University in 2006-2009.

Miloslav Bahna, PhD., Slovak Academy of Sciences
Dr. Bahna is a senior researcher at the Institute for Sociology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, where he currently serves as the director. His research focuses on international migration, quantitative comparative sociology, and quantitative survey methodology. He is a long-term representative of Slovakia in the International Social Survey Programme and the CESSDA ERIC pan-European infrastructure. His first book focuses on post-2004 EU enlargement migration from Slovakia (VEDA, the publishing house of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, 2011).

EU Enlargement: Spotlight on Czech Republic
Thursday, October 26, 2023
Moderator: Pawel Lewicki, University of Pittsburgh 
Panelists:
Pavel Telicka, Czech Diplomat, Politician and Businessman
A former negotiator of Czech access to the EU and a former member of the EU Parliament (2014-2019), he contributed to the country’s integration into the EU throughout his career. He was elected as a Member of the European Parliament. Pavel Telicka was the 2nd Vice-Chair of the ALDE Group and, in the second part of his mandate, Vice-President of the European Parliament and coordinator of ALDE MEPs in the Committee on Transport and Tourism. Additionally, Pavel engaged in the Committee on Industry, Research, and Energy, where he was responsible for several pieces of legislation, especially on circular economy, cybersecurity, and energy policy. His other political interests and activities included the digital economy, better EU regulation, foreign policy, human rights, and democracy worldwide.

Carol Leff, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Dr. Carol Leff is Professor Emeritus from the Department of Political Science at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, where she was a long-term executive and former director of the Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies Center. Her research and publications focus on Czech and Slovak politics, including EU relations and the post-communist transition. Additionally, she was the Editor (1991-1998), Board Member (2005)and President (2004-2008) of the Slovak Studies Association of the American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies. Her publications include Interwar Czechoslovakia - A National State for a Multiethnic Population, Interwar East Central Europe, 1918-1941: The Failure of Democracy-Building, the Fate of Minorities (2020); Building Democratic Values in the Czech Republic since 1989, Central and Southeast European Politics since 1989 (2019);Slovakia and the Making of Czechoslovakia: Controversies and Legacies, Kosmas: Czechoslovak & Central European Journal, New Series 2 (2019).

EU Enlargement: Spotlight on Poland
Thursday, September 28, 2023
Moderator: Pawel Lewicki, University of Pittsburgh 
Panelists:
Anna Horolets, University of Warsaw
Dr. Horolest is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology, University of Warsaw. Her research interests include discourse analysis, Europeanization and migration studies. Her published articles have appeared in East European Politics and Societies and Leisure Sciences.

Janusz Reiter, Former Poland Ambassador to Germany 
Janusz Reiter attended German studies at the University of Warsaw. In 1977, he started working as a journalist. Between the years 1990-95, Mr. Reiter served as a Polish ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany. He was actively engaged in the rebuilding process of Polish-German relations. In 1996, he founded the Centre for International Relations (CIR), an independent thinktank, focused on foreign and security policies. He held this position for 11 years. In 2005, he became the Polish Ambassador to the United States, and in 2008 – a Special Emissary in regard of the climate changes and in this capacity, he participated in the preparations for climate changes conferences in Poznań and Copenhagen. Moreover, he was a deputy chairman of Presspublica Sp. z o. o. (Ltd.). 

Sponsors: 
European Studies Center, A Jean Monnet Center of Excellence  I Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies 
University Center for International Studies I Department of Education I European Commission's Erasmus+ Program

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January 19-25, 2024
EUFF Trailer
 

HARRIS THEATER 
809 Liberty Avenue 
Pittsburgh, PA 15222 
Faculty, staff, and students of the University of Pittsburgh may attend for free by showing a Pitt University ID at the door. 

Easy Living/La vita facile (2019) 
COUNTRY: Italy 
DIRECTORS: Orso Miyakawa and Peter Miyakawa 
A small seaside town on the border between France and Italy. Don is an American tennis teacher who dreams of being a painter. Camilla is a college student who smuggles medicines, alcohol and cigarettes across the border with the help of her teenager brother Brando. Their lives take a turn when they meet Elvis, an illegal immigrant trying to sneak across the border to catch up with his wife in Paris. 

Sunday, January 21, 2024  I  2:30 PM 
Tuesday, January 23, 2024  I 7:00 PM 

France (2021) 
COUNTRY: France 
DIRECTOR: Bruno Dumont 
France de Meurs is a seemingly unflappable superstar TV journalist whose career, home life, and psychological stability are shaken after she carelessly drives into a young delivery man on a busy Paris Street. The accident triggers a series of self-reckonings, as well as a strange romance that proves impossible to shake. 

Friday, January 19, 2024  I  5:00 PM 
Thursday, January 25, 2024 I  4:30 PM

Green Border/Zielona granica (2023)
COUNTRY: Poland 
Drama, 2h 27m 
DIRECTOR: Agnieszka Holland 
A Syrian family leaves the violence of their country behind, hoping to cross from Belarus into Poland and then onto the safe haven of Sweden. But, like so many lost souls, they end up caught in a political maelstrom, demonized by the Polish government, and press and used as pawns in an inhumane, deadly border game. 
This harrowing, urgent drama from the veteran Polish director Agnieszka Holland constructs an intricate account of the contemporary global humanitarian crisis, expanding out to encompass the interconnected lives of security patrol officers, activist lawyers, and civilians who put themselves on the line for strangers. With the sobering and sometimes shocking Green Border, Holland reaffirms both her unyielding commitment to political filmmaking and the ability of immersive storytelling to illuminate the darkest corners of the world. 

Sunday, January 21, 2024  I 7:00 PM 
Thursday, January 25, 2024  I 7:00 PM 

Lonely Oaks/ Vergiss Meyn Nicht(2023) 
COUNTRY: Germany 
Documentary, 1h 40m 
DIRECTORS: Fabiana Fragale, Kilian Kuhlendahl, Jens Mühlhoff 
A new community has emerged, thirty meters above the ground in the treetops of the Hambach Forest. In 2018, this site becomes the focus of climate policy disputes in Germany on account of a group of people who have got involved by living in self-built tree houses in a bid to prevent the threatened clearance of the forest. 
Film student Steffen Meyn documented these activists’ partly peaceful, partly radical, partly aggressive struggle against the destruction of nature over a period of two years with a 360-degree helmet camera. But then he fell from a tree during a police eviction and died. This documentary by Meyn’s friends and fellow students Fabiana Fragale, Kilian Kuhlendahl and Jens Mühlhoff is based on his footage. In their film, the protagonist’s doubts come across just as clearly as does his friendly perseverance and his efforts to cope with the more militant aspects of the movement. In addition, the directors conducted interviews with activists on whom the experiences in “Hambi” have left their mark. How far, they ask, does activism need to go? And how far should it go? 

Saturday, January 20, 2024     I  4:00 PM
Monday, January 22, 2024 I 5:00 PM

MITRA (2021) 
COUNTRY: Netherlands 
DIRECTOR: Kaweh Modiri 
Drama, 1H 47M 
Is it her? Scientist Halen isn’t certain. She has never actually seen Leyla, the woman who betrayed her daughter, but that voice. Almost 40 years later, she can still recognize that voice. Can’t she? Opportunity arises for Haleh to avenge her daughter’s execution. How reliable are memories of traumatic events? And how sweet or useful is revenge? 
Dutch Iranian director Kaweh Modiri sows doubt in viewers while stubborn Haleh is convinced she is right. She determinedly enters the life of Leyla, who has just fled to the Netherlands and lives in a flat with her young daughter. Mitra is based on Mordiri’s own life: his sister Mitra was executed before he was born. He acutely alternated between the sandy-blue of Iran in 1982 and the dark Netherlands.

Saturday, January 20, 2024  I  2:00 PM
Monday, January 22, 2024 I 7:00 PM

Ramona (2022)  
COUNTRY: Spain 
DIRECTOR: Andrea Bagney 
Comedy/Drama/Romance, 1h 20m
Andrea Bagney’s sparkling debut feature, largely shot in black and white in a stylistic nod to the French New Wave of the 1960s, is a romantic comedy with a difference. After living abroad for several years, Ramona and her boyfriend Nico return to Madrid where she hopes to restart her film acting career. Anxious on the evening before her first audition, Ramona walks the streets of Madrid where she encounters a charismatic older man named Bruno. They walk together and head to a bar where, over a few drinks, they talk about the state of the planet, climate change, and where the world is headed. Certainly fast friends, could they also be falling in love? It’s entirely possible, but what will really complicate the answer is Ramona’s discovery that Bruno is directing the very same film for which she’ll be auditioning. 

Sunday, January 21, 2024  I  4:30 PM 
Wednesday, January 24, 2024  I 7:00 PM

R.M.N.  (2022) 
COUNTRY: German 
DIRECTOR: Cristian Mungiu 
Romania’s region of Transylvania, historically an ethnically diverse community, is gripped by xenophobia and nationalism when migrants from the east arrive for work. After a racist provocation by his employer in a German slaughterhouse, Matthias), a Romanian migrant worker of Roma descent, hitchhikes home to the foothills of Transylvania. 
The region, which once resisted Ottoman invasion, has been populated at different epochs by Hungarians, Romanians, and Germans and remains a cultural, religious, and linguistic hub. He is coldly welcomed by his young son Rudi (Mark, his estranged wife Ana, his longtime Hungarian lover Csilla, and his father figure Papa Otto), whose ailments require him to undergo an MRI (the translation of which lends its name to the film’s title). 

Tuesday, January 23, 2024  I  4:30 PM
Saturday, January 20, 2024   I  7:00 PM   

Somewhere Over the Chemtrails (2022) 
COUNTRY: Czech Republic 
Director: Adam Rybanský 
Clumsy Standa and recently widower Bronya are volunteer firefighters in a small village where they enjoy a quiet and peaceful life. Things begin to change when a van crashes into a crowd of people during the Easter Fair. Before anyone notices, the driver runs away from the car crash. People believe it is a terrorist attack and the festive mood is replaced by an atmosphere of fear, hatred, and misinformation. Bronya, who is convinced of terrorism, is trying to do something to improve the situation. The sense of danger pumps new blood into his veins, and the fire brigade becomes a militia. 

Friday, January 19, 2024  I 5:00 PM
Wednesday, January 24, 2024  I 5:00 PM 

 

Sponsors:
European Studies Center I Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies I University Center for International Studies
Department of Education I UNC Chapel Hill I Indiana University I University of Cincinnati
Harris Theater, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust

 

 

FALL LECTURE SERIES

This lecture series delves into the complex and often intertwined phenomena of antisemitism, Islamophobia, and racism in contemporary Europe. As xenophobic and discriminatory ideologies resurface and intensify across the continent, this series aims to critically examine the historical roots, present manifestations, and future implications of these forms of prejudice. Through interdisciplinary approaches, leading scholars, activists, and policymakers will engage in discussions on how social, political, and economic factors contribute to these biases, exploring their impact on communities and individuals.
 

TUESDAY SEPT 24, 2024
 4900 POSVAR HALL 
 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM ET 
How Does One Become Racist?
Carole Reynaud-Paligot, Centre d'histoire du XIXe siècle - Université Paris 1

While genetics has invalidated the notion of "human races", racism has not disappeared. How can we shed light on this paradox? By mobilizing the social sciences (social psychology, history, sociology, anthropology), we can understand why stereotypes and racism continue to thrive. The conference, illustrated by comic strips, will help us to understand these phenomena, and to think about how we can fight racism more effectively.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2024
4130 POSVAR HALL
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM 

Europe's Other Jew and Muslim: Past and Present
Farid Hafez, William and Mary
In daily politics, antisemitism and Islamophobia are often debated as two opposing concepts, though they have much in common. This talk delves into often neglected relationships of anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim racism and opens up horizons for a critical discussion about these phenomena.
 

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2024
WILLIAM PITT UNION, LOWER LEVEL 
4:00 PM -5:30 PM

Cycles of Hate: The EU’s Combating Antisemitism Policy from 2015 till today
Carolyn M. Dudek, Hofstra University
Combating antisemitism within the EU is a newer policy initiative. This presentation will examine why the EU created a policy focusing on antisemitism, the legal basis to create such a policy, and some of the policy tools the EU possesses to address it.

Co-Sponsors:
African Studies I Center for Africana Studies I Center for Ethnic Studies Research I Center for Black European Studies and the Atlantic, Carnegie Mellon University  I Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences I Department of French and Italian I Department of History of Arts and Architecture I Department of German I Department of Religious Studies I Early Modern Worlds I Film and Media Program
Jewish Studies Program I Medieval and Renaissance Studies Program I European Studies Center, A Jean Monnet Center of Excellence I University Center for International Studies European Commission's Erasmus+ Program

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European Security: A European Studies Seminar

As part of this year's European Security, the European Studies Center (ESC) is pleased to invite applications to participate in a Transdisciplinary Research Seminar for the 2023-2024 Academic Year. The seminar will provide an opportunity for Pitt faculty at all levels to come together to learn about EU and European security questions, understood broadly. In addition to state and military questions, we will consider security in relation to climate, economy, gender, migration, populism, among others.

The goal of the seminar is to incubate a transdisciplinary research community taking up a problem, method/s, or emerging field that cuts across disciplines and that develops teaching model on security in European and/or international context.

It will entail a combination of activities that collectively contribute to the coming together of a sustainable research cluster: common readings, guest speakers, a master class, teleconferences, and sharing work in progress.

THURSDAY JANUARY 11, 2024
3:00 PM -5:00 PM ET
4419 Posvar Hall
Facilitated by: Randall Halle, Director, European Studies Center
REGISTRATION LINK: HERE

Should the EU Engage with Hamas?
Khaled al Hroub, PhD, Northwestern University, Qatar
About the Speaker: 
Professor of Middle Eastern Studies and Arab Media Studies at Northwestern University in Qatar; former fellow of the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Cambridge, where he lectured on the history and politics of the contemporary Middle East, and was the founder and director of the Cambridge Arab Media Project between 2003 and 2012. He published numerous books and studies on Palestinian, Arab and international affairs in including Gaza Tunnels: Dying for life, dicing with death (forthcoming, 2024); Hamas: Political Thought and Practice (2000); Political Islam: Context versus Ideology (2011); and Religious Broadcasting in the Middle East (2012). In Arabic he published In Praise of Revolution (2012); The Anxious Intellectual versus the Certain Intellectual (2018); and Soft Critique of Zionism in Ruhi Khaldi’s Book “Le Sionisme” (2021). Hroub holds a Ph.D. in international relations from the University of Cambridge. 


THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2024
3:00 PM -5:00 PM ET
4217 Posvar Hall
Facilitated by: Randall Halle, Director, European Studies Center
Registration Link: HERE

Speaker: Mahmoud Javadi, Ph.D., Erasmus University Rotterdam
This seminar will explore the realm of European emerging technologies governance, with a specific emphasis on the European Union. Furthermore, the session will consider the EU's policies regarding civilian and military AI through precise case studies. 
As preparation for the discussion with Mahmoud Javadi, participants in the seminar will read two articles available upon registration. 

About the Speaker: 
Dr. Javadi (He/Him) holds the position of AI Governance Researcher at Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), The Netherlands, where he contributes to an EU-funded research project focused on reigniting multilateralism via emerging technologies. Prior to his current role, Mahmoud was affiliated with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he conducted research on EU external relations. He also represents EUR at the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium. educational credentials encompass a Doctorate in European external politics and a Master of Arts in transnational security governance from the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence, Italy. His upcoming book on the defense artificial Intelligence (AI) ecosystem in Europe is scheduled for release by Springer in August 2024.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2024
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM ET
4217 POSVAR HALL
Facilitated by: Randall Halle, Director, European Studies Center
Registration Link: HERE

Is a Desecuritization of Migration Strategies Possible? Insights From the Flexicuritization of Migration Approach
Georgia Dimari, Ph.D., University of Crete

Discussions of “crisis at the border” fill the news on both sides of the Atlantic. Focusing on one of the primary European receiving countries in the current migration waves, this seminar will put forward a consideration of flexicuritization as a departure from the securitization of migration. 
As preparation for the discussion with Prof. Dimari, participants in the seminar will read three brief articles of hers available upon registration. 

About the Speaker: 
Dr. Georgia Dimari is a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the Department of Political Science of the University of Crete, where she has taught security and securitization issues. Currently, she is exploring the transformation of the Greek Migration Policy the post-2015 period. She holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Crete, an MA in American Studies from the University of Turin, and a BA in International and European Studies from the University of Piraeus. She researches security, securitization of migration, desecuritization and migration policy,and the securitization of Covid- 19 in Greece. She participated in the research program (CA 10076) “Impact and categorization of the prospects of integration of refugees into the Greek productive system,” co-funded by the European Social Fund and national funds, and is currently in the program “Management of Migration in Greece: Construction of a Pilot Model (Start-up) for Forecasting Migration Flows and Development of Policy Scenarios for Greek Immigration Policy,” funded by the Research & Management Committee of the University of Crete.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2024
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM ET
4217 POSVAR HALL
Facilitated by: Randall Halle, Director, European Studies Center
REGISTRATION: HERE

European Union as a Civilizing Reminiscent of the Past? 
Yannis Stivachi, Ph.D., Virginia Tech
In this meeting, we will consider whether and to what extent the rhetoric and practice of the European Union resembles the rhetoric and practices associated with the historical European international society and its expansion that led to the creation of the contemporary global international society. To this end, two comparisons will be made: first, between the historical standard of ‘civilization’ and EU’s conditionality; and second, between how Russia and the Ottoman Empire were perceived and treated in previous centuries with the way that the EU has treated the cases of Russia and Turkey in recent years. 
Seats are limited to allow for good conversation.

About the Speaker: 
Yannis A. Stivachtis is Professor of Political Science and Jean Monnet Chair at Virginia Tech where he serves as Director of the Center for European Union, Transatlantic and Trans-European Space Studies (CEUTTSS) - A Jean Monnet Center of Excellence. He is the editor of Routledge’ Critical European Studies book series and co-editor of the Athens Journal of Mediterranean Studies. He currently serves as Senior Advisor of the Center for European and Mediterranean Affairs (CEMA) of the Athens Institute for Education & Research (ATINER) (Greece) and Senior Advisor of the Research Institute for European & American Studies (RIEAS, Greece).

His research and teaching interests include international relations theory (with particular emphasis on the English School of International Relations and the study of regional international system/society in Europe, Eurasia, and the Middle East), European Studies (including EU’s strategy, CFSP/CSDP, Enlargement, and ENP), European Security (including arms control and disarmament), and international organizations in Europe (NATO, OSCE, CoE, CSTO and EAEU).

THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2024
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM ET
4217 POSVAR HALL
Facilitated by: Randall Halle, Director, European Studies Center
REGISTRATION: HERE

The Polycrisis - Ethnicity, Migration, Climate and Inequality: Where do Europe and the Nation-State go?
Speaker: Hrishabh Sandaliya, Co-Director of European Programme for Integration and Migration (EPIM)

In this session he will speak candidly, offering insight from his "lived experience as a migrant, student, entrepreneur and civil society activist on the seeming impossibility of Europe today, and the hope - the relational and imagination infrastructures we need to ensure its continuity." Specifically, he hopes to relate "my time in and from Europe's different nooks and corners - borders (Cyprus and Armenia), Scandinavia, MittelEuropa and its capital, to the numerous challenges we face, and posit that perhaps we need a different way to make sense of our world, and address these issues - beyond the binaries of black and white and left and right."

About the Speaker: 
Hrishabh Sandilya is Co-Director of EPIM, the European Programme for Integration and Migration and Co-lead at ReImagined Futures, a collective systems change consultancy. Sandilya works on narratives, systems, and imagination and relational infrastructures as Co-Director of EPIM, the European Programme for Integration and Migration and at Re-Imagined Futures, a collective systems change consultancy he co-leads. Between 2018 and 2022, Hrishabh set up and led Project Phoenix in Cyprus, working on refugee inclusion and entrepreneurship, building on a decade-long body of work in the non-profit, academic, and entrepreneurial worlds across Czechia, Armenia, India, and Sweden. Hrishabh occasionally opines and comments, and his work has been featured on Czech Television and in Project Syndicate and the Indian Express (amongst others).

Hrishabh was raised in Bombay and then spent 12 years in Prague, building a parallel life within the city’s engrossing cultural scene - as a restaurateur, curating a gallery and a regular DJ gig at one of the city’s favorite clubs. After naturalizing as a Czech citizen, the rest of Europe beckoned, resulting in a meandering trail through Berlin, Yerevan, Sweden’s idyllic south coast, Nicosia, and eventually Brussels, during which he complemented professional pursuits with time spent sailing and filmmaking, and back at university. Hrishabh was a 2023 Marshall Memorial Fellow.

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2024
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM ET
4219 POSVAR HALL
Facilitated by: Randall Halle, Director, European Studies Center
REGISTRATION:  HERE

The EU’s Security and Defense Partnerships in a World in Transition
SPEAKER: Joachim A. Koops, Chair of Security Studies and Scientific Director (WD) of the Institute of Security and Global Affairs (ISGA) at Leiden University

This seminar will provide an overview of the historical, legal, institutional, and policy dimensions of the EU’s evolution as an international security actor. It will examine the development of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) and will analyze the EU’s partnerships with core strategic partners, as well as the EU’s inter-organizational cooperation with the UN and NATO in the context of rising geopolitical rivalries. This will also include the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, shifting international alliances, and the future of European strategic autonomy.

About the Speaker:
Joachim A. Koops is Chair of Security Studies and Scientific Director (WD) of the Institute of Security and Global Affairs (ISGA) at Leiden University’s campus in The Hague. His research focuses on Global Security Governance and the European Union’s foreign and security policies, the role of the United Nations, the European Union, and NATO (and their inter-organizational relations) in peace and security, as well as crisis management, peacekeeping, the responsibility to protect (R2P), and the changing nature of diplomacy. In addition, Joachim is interested in issues of academic diplomacy as well as higher education innovation and reform.
 

Sponsor: 
European Studies Center, A Jean Monnet Center of Excellence
University Center of International Studies 
European Commission's Erasmus+ Program

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Undergraduate Research Symposium 

The Undergraduate Research Symposium is an annual event since 2002 designed to provide undergraduate students from the University of Pittsburgh and other colleges and universities with advanced research experiences and opportunities to develop presentation skills. The event is open to undergraduates from all majors and institutions who have written a research paper from a social science, humanities, or business perspective focusing on the study of Eastern, Western, or Central Europe, the European Union, Russia, or Central Eurasia. 
After the initial submission of papers, selected participants are grouped into panels according to their research topics. The participants then give 10- to 15-minute presentations based on their research to a panel of faculty and graduate students. The presentations are open to the public. 

For past proceedings and programs: Undergraduate Research Symposium
URS Proceedings: 2024 
Program: 2024 
 

Sponsors: 
Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies
Consortium for Educational Resources on Islamic Studies 
European Studies Center, A Jean Monnet Center of Excellence & the European Commission's Erasmus+ Program 
University Center for International Studies Graduate Organization for the Study of Europe and Central Asia 
Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences

Funded in part by the Erasmus+ program of the European Union and the Curated Immersive Fellowships of Humanities Engage at the University of Pittsburgh, the Transatlantic Pitt-Florence EU Fellowship offers an immersive research experience that spans both Pittsburgh and Florence. 

This fellowship connects the Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU) in Italy and the Archive of European Integration (AEI) at the University of Pittsburgh, and the Barbara Sloan European Union Document Collections, supporting a broad range of projects related to European integration and the European Union. Scholars from various disciplines are encouraged to apply, especially those seeking to expand their research to include European integration and EU studies. 

The fellowship supports projects in areas ranging from academic publications and pedagogical materials to public-facing initiatives and policy briefs. Awardees will receive funding to travel between the U.S. and Italy, where they will participate in one week of training at the HAEU in Florence, followed by up to three weeks in Pittsburgh.

2024 
"Advancing EU Circular Economy through harmonization for Standards for Secondary Raw Materials"
Joel Christoph, Harvard University School
 

"Half a Century of Reinventing Liberalism in the European Union" 
Dr. Samuel Sadia, Postdoctoral fellow at the Centre Centermanities Research, University of the Western Cape 

Sponsors: 
European Studies Center, A Jean Monnet Center for Excellence  I Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU)  I Archive European Integration (AEI) I Barbara Sloan European Union Document Collection I Hillman Library  
 

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Year 2

Mark your calendars and your syllabi for Conversations on Europe! 

This series of moderated hybrid roundtables brings together experts with diverse perspectives to discuss contemporary issues facing Europe and the Transatlantic Relationship. This academic year, our Conversations on Europe will focus on European Sustainability. As reported by the UN, 83% of the global population wants their governments to take stronger action on climate change. And in response to this desire, the European Union seeks to lead the way in fostering sustainability and climate responses. Hallmarks of initiatives like the European Green Deal, the EU Climate Law, and the Net-Zero Industry Act, are a commitment to becoming the first climate-neutral continent by 2050; cutting 55% of net greenhouse gas emissions by 2030; and planting 3 billion additional trees in the EU by 2030. 
Will Europe achieve its goals? Do these initiatives respond sufficiently to the European citizens’ concerns? What lessons can we learn for our own considerations of sustainable development? 

Join the conversation each month with our invited academics, activists, and policymakers.  And let’s think about what works together. 
For previous Conversations on Europe, please visit our YouTube Channel: European Studies Center at Pitt, and for the past library of videos.

HYBRID FORMAT 
Tuesdays from 12:30 PM- 2:00 PM  ET 
4217 Posvar (In Person) 

Tuesday, April 8, 2025 I Developmental Aid and Renewables (canceled)
Tuesday, March 11, 2025 I  Rewilding, Preservation: Successes and Challenges (canceled) 
Tuesday, February 11, 2025 I Innovation in the European Energy Transition (canceled) 
Tuesday, January 14, 2025 I EVs and Green Disruptions to the Auto Industry (canceled) 

Tuesday, December 10, 2024
Economics of Climate Change
Join us for a critical discussion on the Economics of Climate Change. This panel will explore various European approaches to sustainability, including growth vs. degrowth and clean investment vs. circular consumption. Discover Transatlantic insights on the best economic practices for climate response!
Moderator: Randall Halle, University of Pittsburgh
Panelists:
Phoebe Koundouri, University of Cambridge
Max Koch, University of Lund
Maša Ocvirk, Global Europe Program, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars 


Tuesday, October 8, 2024
Civil Society Initiatives and the Judicial System
Dive into the pressing issues surrounding the criminalization of climate activists with our distinguished panel. Legal scholar Veronica Federico, Attorney Gaëlle Cognet, and Swiss Climate Activist Elisabeth Stern will discuss their experiences and challenges in the courtroom. Don't miss this critical discussion on civil rights and environmental activism!
Moderator: Randall Halle, University of Pittsburgh
Panelists: 
Gaëlle Cognet, Ashurst LLP 
Veronica Federico, University of Florence 
Elisabeth Stern, Klima Seniorinnen 


Tuesday, September 3, 2024
The History of Environmentalism: Right, Left, Center
Moderator: Randall Halle, University of Pittsburgh 
Panelists:
Iza Ding, Northwestern University of Michigan
Patrick Manning, University of Pittsburgh
Stephen Milder, Rachel Carson Center in Munich 


Sponsored: 
European Studies Center, A Jean Monnet Center of Excellence
Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies
Center for European Studies at the University of Texas-Austin
Department of Education
University Center for International Studies 
European Commission's Erasmus+ Program

Beyond the Ballot: A Democratic Journey 

Join us for a thought-provoking exploration of the challenges, successes, and prospects of democracy in contemporary Europe. This speaker series brings together leading experts, scholars, and policymakers to delve into the future of democracy in the European Union, its member states, and the neighborhood. 

From the challenges posed by populism and nationalism to the implications of EU integration on national democracies, each session will dissect key issues shaping the EU's democratic framework. Participants will gain insights into topics such as:

  • The impact of EU policies and regulations on democratic processes in member states. 
    Struggles for democratic accountability and transparency within EU institutions.
    The role of civil society and grassroots movements in shaping EU democracy. 
    How EU member states are adapting to global geopolitical shifts and their implications for democratic values. 

This series offers a critical examination of the strengths and vulnerabilities of democracy within the EU and Europe more broadly. The series is designed for students, academics, policymakers, and citizens interested in European affairs. 

Tuesday, February 25, 2025- Canceled 
Tuesday, March 25, 2025- Canceled 

Tuesday, January 28, 2025 
"Democratic Backsliding and the Rule of Law in Europe" 
This panel will delve into the issue of democratic backsliding across Europe, with a particular focus on its implications for the European Union. In light of the pivotal elections of 2024, the discussion aims to explore historical contexts and shed light on emerging threats to democratic principles in the region. 

Hybrid Format 
Registration link for virtual participation
In Person: 4217 Posvar Hall 
Time: 12:30-2:00 PM 

Tuesday, November, 19, 2024* 
Voices of Concern: How are Europe's youth expressing their dissatisfaction with the state of democracy? 
Hybrid Format 
Registration link for virtual participation: LINK 
In Person: 4217 Posvar Hall 
Time: 12:30-2:00 PM 
Co-Moderators: 
Kylie Baker, University of Pittsburgh 
Alina Korathu, University of Pittsburgh 
Erica Edwards, Associate Director, European Studies Center 
Panelists: 
Pieter de Wilde, University of Groningen
His research focuses on political conflict over European integration and globalization. He’s the principal investigator for the projects Unelected Representatives: The Impact on Liberal Democracy in Europe, Trondheim Analytica, and Reconciling Europe with its Citizens through Democracy and Rule of Law (RECONNECT). Before joining NTNU, he was a Senior Researcher at the WZB Berlin Social Science Center. De Wilde holds a PhD in political science from ARENA, Center for European Studies, University of Oslo. 

Michael Blauberger, Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg 
He has been teaching and researching at the University of Salzburg since 2011. He studied Political Science, Public International Law and Economics at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and University of Paris I. He wrote his doctoral thesis on European state aid control at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies, Cologne, and the University of Bremen. His publications appeared in peer reviewed journals such as the Journal of Common Market Studies, Journal of European Public Policy, West European Politics, Regulation & Governance, Research & Politics, Politische Vierteljahresschrift, Zeitschrift für Internationale Beziehungen. 
Michael Blauberger is editorial board member of the Journal of European Public Policy and coordinator of the docfunds doctoral college “Challenges of European Integration”. In his current research, he investigates EU action against democratic backsliding and the protection of mobile workers in the EU’s internal market. 

Tuesday, October 22, 2024 
Democratizing the EU: Is there a need for institutional reform? 
Hybrid Format 
Registration link for virtual participation: LINK 
In Person: 4217 Posvar Hall 
Time: 12:30-2:00 PM 

Moderator: 
Erica Edwards, University of Pittsburgh
Panelists: 
Manuel Müller, Finnish Institute of International Affairs 
Manuel Müller is a Senior Research Fellow in the European Union research programme. His research focuses mainly on institutional reform of the EU and supranational democracy.  

Christine Neuhold, Maastricht University, Netherlands 
Christine Neuhold is a professor of EU Democratic Governance and Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Maastricht University, 

Tuesday, September 24, 2024 
Hybrid Format 
Registration link for virtual participation: LINK 
In Person: 4217 Posvar Hall 
Time: 12:30-2:00 PM 
Election Roundup: What do the results of the 2024 European Parliamentary, British, and French Elections tell us about Europe Today?  
Join us for a thought-provoking exploration of the challenges, successes, and prospects of democracy in contemporary Europe. This speaker series brings together leading experts, scholars, and policymakers to delve into the future of democracy in the European Union, its member states, and the neighborhood. 
Co-Moderators:  
Erica Edwards, University of Pittsburgh
Jae-Jae Spoon, University of Pittsburgh 
Panelists:  
Tim Bale, Queen Mary University of London 
Diane Bolet, University of Essex  
Simon Hix, European University Institute 


Sponsors:
European Studies Center, A Jean Monnet Center of Excellence
Dietrick School of Arts and Sciences*
Department of Education
University Center for International Studies 
European Commission's Erasmus+ Program
 

 

2025 SPRING SEMESTER LECTURE SERIES: 

This lecture series delves into the complex and often intertwined phenomena of antisemitism, Islamophobia, and racism in contemporary Europe. As xenophobic and discriminatory ideologies resurface and intensify across the continent, this series aims to critically examine the historical roots, present manifestations, and future implications of these forms of prejudice. Through interdisciplinary approaches, leading scholars, activists, and policymakers will engage in discussions on how social, political, and economic factors contribute to these biases, exploring their impact on communities and individuals.

THURSDAY, MARCH, 13, 2025
4130 Posvar Hall 
4:00 PM - 5:15 PM

Feeling (Un)safe: Jews, Muslims and the German State Since October 7
Dick Moses, City College of New York
Abstract:
For about 25 years, a minority security dilemma has been crystalizing in Germany. With increasing Muslim immigration, the state has gradually instituted measures to acculturate this small but growing minority to the official memory culture centered on the Holocaust. It does so in part out a concern with Jewish safety, which is increasingly centered on sensitivities about German support of Israel rather than antisemitic crimes, nearly all of which are committed by Christian Germans. To make Jewish people feel safer, Muslim migrants are made to feel less safe. Conversely, Muslim security is experienced as endangering Jews. Therein lies the dilemma. This development hardened dramatically after October 7. How and why the trilateral relationship between the German state and its two non-Christian minorities issued in a dilemma
rather than reconciliation is the subject of this paper.

About the Speaker:
A. Dirk Moses is the Spitzer Professor of International Relations at the City College of New York. He is author and editor of publications on German history and in Genocide Studies, including Nachdem Genozid: Grundlage für eine neue Erinnerungskultur (2023). His public writings on Germany, Gaza, and Ukraine have appeared in the Geschichte der Gegenwart, the Boston Review, Noema Magazine and Lawfare. He edits the Journal of Genocide Research.

THURSDAY MARCH 27, 2025*
Global Hub 
3:00 PM- 4:00 PM

We Were Here: The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe*
Meet and Greet: Fred Kudjo Kuwornu*
About the Director:
Fred Kudjo Kuwornu is a multi-hyphenate socially engaged artist, filmmaker and scholar whose work is deeply influenced by his background as a person of African descent. Born and raised in Italy, Kuwornu is based in New York. His unique background is reflected in his triple citizenship, holding Italian, Ghanaian, and U.S. passports. By consistently bridging the past and present, the hegemonic and subaltern, the seen and unseen, Kuwornu's practice emerges as a vital contribution to contemporary visual culture, understanding the complex interplay between history, identity, race, and representation in our globalized world. Kuwornu's curatorial vision can be understood as a form of historical remixing in which he reconfigures archival materials and contemporary narratives to enlighten a rethinking of perspectives. His works have been exhibited at prestigious venues including the Central Pavilion at the Venice Art Biennale (2024), Museum of Moving Image in New York, Library of Congress, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, George Eastman Museum and numerous international film festivals. 
More info: https://www.fredkuwornu.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 2025 
125 Frick Fine Arts Building 
5:00 pm - 7:30 PM

Film: We Were Here: The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe*
Director: Fred Kudjo Kuwornu (Present for Q &A) 

We Were Here - The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe, exhibited in the Central Pavilion directed by Adriano Pedrosa at the 60ᵗʰ International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, sheds light on the overlooked presence of African and Black individuals in Renaissance Europe, highlighting their depiction in masterpieces by some of the era’s most celebrated artists. How did they come to Europe? Why were they portrayed? Were they truly all servants or slaves? If the Black faces portrayed in these Renaissance masterpieces could speak, what would they tell us?

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2025
4130 Posvar Hall 
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM

From Secularism to Public Order: Identity Politics and the Idea of Muslim Solidarity in France
Kirsten Wesselhoeft, Vassar College

Kirsten Wesselhoeft is an associate professor of religion at Vassar College. She is a scholar of contemporary Islam, drawing on ethnography and political analysis to study Muslim thought and culture in contexts shaped by colonial encounters and secular liberalism. Her first book, Fraternal Critique: The Politics of Muslim Community in France (Chicago, 2025), shows how young engaged Muslims use disagreement and dissent to cultivate community, a value that is in turn stigmatized by political elites. Her scholarly writing has appeared in Political Theology, Journal of the American Academy of Religion, and Sociology of Islam, among other journals.

Co-Sponsors:
African Studies*
Center for Africana Studies*
Center for Ethnic Studies Research*
Center for Black European Studies and the Atlantic, Carnegie Mellon University *
Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences*
Department of French and Italian*
Department of History of Arts and Architecture*
Department of German
Department of Religious Studies*Early Modern Worlds*
Film and Media Program*
Jewish Studies Program*
Medieval and Renaissance Studies Program*
European Studies Center, A Jean Monnet Center of Excellence*
University Center for International Studies*
European Commission's Erasmus+ Program


 

 

CLIMATE RESPONSE, HOPE, AND CHICKENS! 
January 17-23, 2025 
2025 EUFF Trailer

AFIRE (2023/Germany) 
Director: Christian Petzold 
102 MIN 
While vacationing by the Baltic Sea, writer Leon (Thomas Schubert) and photographer Felix (Langston Uibel) are surprised by the presence of Nadja (Paula Beer), a mysterious young woman staying as a guest at Felix’s family’s holiday home. Nadja distracts Leon from finishing his latest novel and with brutal honesty, forces him to confront his caustic temperament and self-absorption. As Nadja and Leon grow closer, an encroaching forest fire threatens the group and tensions escalate when a handsome lifeguard and Leon's tight-lipped book editor also arrive. 
Christian Petzold’s acclaimed latest was the winner of the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival. 

Harris Theater
809 Liberty Avenue  
Pittsburgh, PA 15222 

Saturday, Jan 18, 2025 |  7:00 PM  
Monday, Jan 20, 2025 |  5:00 PM 

Get Tickets:  AFIRE General Admission:  $9.00- $11.00  
Free Admission with valid PITT ID

ALCARRAS (2023/Spain)  
Director: Carla Simón
120 MIN 
In the small village of Alcarràs in Catalonia, the peach farmers of the Solé family spend every summer together picking fruit from their orchard. But when new plans arise to install solar panels and cut down trees, the members of this tight-knit group suddenly face eviction – and the loss of far more than their home. Winner of the Golden Bear at Berlinale, the sophomore film from Carla Simón (Summer 1993) is a sun-dappled, deeply moving ensemble portrait of the countryside and a community’s unbreakable bonds.

University of Pittsburgh 
121 LAWRENCE HALL (Free Admission) 
Wednesday, Jan 22, 2025  
Double Feature: 
6:00 PM -Feathers or Glamour (Estonia)  I 6:30 PM - Alcarrás (Spain)

ANIMAL KINGDOM (2023/France)  
Director: Thomas Cailley (interview with director)  
128 MIN 
In the Animal Kingdom, a visionary new thriller that drops viewers into an extraordinary world where mutations in human genetics cause people to transform into hybrid creatures, François (Roman Duris) does everything he can to save his wife, who is affected by this mysterious condition. As some of the creatures disappear into a nearby forest, François embarks with Emile (Paul Kircher), their 16-year-old son, on a quest to find her with help from a local police officer (Adèle Exarchopoulos). From acclaimed director Thomas Cailley, the film world premiered as the opening night selection of Cannes Un Certain Regard. 

Harris Theater
809 Liberty Avenue 
Pittsburgh, PA 15222 

Friday, Jan 17, 2025 | 7:30 PM 
Tuesday, Jan 21, 2025 | 7:00 PM 

Get Tickets:  The Animal Kingdom General Admission:  $9.00- $11.00  
Free Admission with a valid PITT ID 

DUTY OF CARE, THE CLIMATE TRAILS (2022, Netherlands) 
Director: Nic Balthazar 
55 MIN 
Duty of Care tells the exclusive, inside story of Roger Cox, the first and only lawyer to have successfully sued a government and an oil giant in landmark court cases that established catastrophic climate change can be made illegal. Roger’s ground-breaking cases against the Dutch government and oil major Shell established that those in power owe a duty of care to citizens to avoid catastrophic climate change, stunning legal experts and sending shockwaves through parliaments and corporate boardrooms around the world. With echoes of the lawsuits against Big Tobacco, this inspirational 55-minute documentary gives viewers a behind-the-scenes experience of the David v. Goliath battle as one Dutch property lawyer turned litigation maverick takes on powerful states and the world’s largest oil company in the courtroom drama of our lifetimes. 

Harris Theater 
809 Liberty Avenue 
Pittsburgh, PA 15222 

Sunday, Jan 19, 2025 | 5:30 PM 
Tuesday, Jan 21, 2025  I 5:30 PM 

Get Tickets: Duty of Care, The Climate Trails General Admission: $9.00 - $11.00 
Free Admission with a valid PITT ID

FLOWERS OF UKRAINE (2024, Ukraine/Poland) 
Director: Adelina Borets (Interview with Director) 
70 MIN 
Goats and chickens, tomatoes and cucumbers, in the middle of the city, Natalia protects her space in the heart of Kyiv. The fight against gentrification takes on a new front with the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Polish director Adelina Borets traveled to the capital of Ukraine to follow one of the city’s most colorful characters. In her garden Natalia raises not just vegetables but goats and chickens.  Her garden happens to be in the middle of a block of soviet style buildings in the heart of Kyiv. The 67-year-old force of a person has been fighting gentrification and investors. They  want her plot to build another building. Facing pressure from the developers and also from her own neighbors, Natalia stands her ground. The confrontation takes on a whole new dimension with the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Now the battle to protect her garden becomes a battle to preserve an entire way of life. 
Director Adelina Borets and Producer Glib Lukianets will join screenings of this film:

Harris Theater
809 Liberty Avenue 
Pittsburgh, PA 15222 

Wednesday, Jan 22, 2025 I 7:30 PM 
Get Tickets:  Flower of Ukraine General Admission: $9.00 - $11.00 
Free Admission with a valid PITT ID

University of Pittsburgh
Public Health G23 (Auditorium)  

Thursday, Jan 23, 2025  
Double Feature 6:00 PM: Feathers or Glamour  I 6:30 PM:  Flowers of Ukraine 
Q & A with Adelina Borets and Glib Lukianets 
Free Admission

FEATHERS OR GLAMOUR/SULED VOI GLAMUUR (2023/Estonia) 
Director: Eva Kübar (Interview with Director)  
28 MIN 
Estonian urban chicken “farming.” Chickens as pets in bedazzled diapers. It is a short film. 
*This film will be shown as a double feature with Rewilding. 

Harris Theater
809 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222 

Friday, Jan 17, 2025  I 5:00 PM 
Saturday, Jan 18, 2025 I 4:30 PM 

Get Tickets: Feathers or Glamour + Rewilding 
General Admission: $9.00- $11.00 
Free Admission with a valid PITT ID 

University of Pittsburgh
121 Lawrence Hall  
Wednesday, Jan 22 I 6:00 PM 
Free Admission

Public Health, G23
Thursday, Jan 23 I 6:00 PM  
Free Admission 

JOURNEY TO UTOPIA (2020, Denmark) 
Director: Erlend E. Mo (Interview with his wife, Ingeborg Fangel Mo) 
88 MIN 
Feeling desperate about climate change, filmmaker Erlend, opera singer Ingeborg and their children leave their farm to join an ecological experiment: Project Permatopia. The goal is to become fully self-sufficient. But the reality is much more difficult – bordering on disastrous. Will they give up? 

Harris Theater 
809 Liberty Avenue 
Pittsburgh, PA 15222 

Monday, Jan 20, 2025  I 7:00 PM  
Thursday, Jan 23, 2025  I 5:30 PM  

Get Tickets: Journey to Utopia General Admission:  $9.00- $11.00  
Free Admission with a valid PITT ID 

LUZZU (2022, Malta)
Director: Alex Camilleri
94 MIN. 
Hardworking new father Jesmark, played by a real-life Maltese fisherman, must choose between the traditional way of life practiced by his family for generations and an illicit black-market fishing operation in this stunning neorealist tale operating in the tradition of Luchino Visconti, Roberto Rossellini, and the Dardenne brothers. 

Harris Theater
809 Liberty Avenue 
Pittsburgh PA 15222 

Sunday, Jan 19, 2025 | 7:00 PM 
Wednesday, Jan 22 | 5:00 PM 

Get Tickets:  Luzzu General Admission:  $9.00 - $11.00 
Free Admission with a Valid PITT ID 

NEXT TO NOTHING/TYLE CO NIC (2023/Poland) 
Director: Grzegorz Dębowski 
93 MIN 
A group of farmers organizes a protest in front of the house of an MP who, contrary to previous promises, voted against their interests. At the same time, the body of one of the local farmers is found. Everyone suspects the leader of the protest, Jarek, even though the deceased was his closest friend. The man begins his own investigation, which leads him to find out the true causes of the deceased's death, and at the same time verifies the attitudes of people around him. 

Harris Theater 
Saturday, Jan 18, 2025  I 2:30 PM 
Thursday, Jan 23, 2025  I 7:30 PM 

Get Tickets:  Next to Nothing General Admission:  $9.00 - $11.00 
Free Admission with a valid PITT ID 

REWILDING (2018/France) 
Director: Vincent Periazio (Interview with the director)  
52 MIN 
What if we brought back big carnivores throughout Europe, gave them vast areas to reproduce, and rediscovered the past landscapes? This fascinating vision raises many questions, though. Should we not focus on the existing natural heritage? How could we implement it in modern and densely populated countries? What would the risk to human activity be? This film is a unique opportunity to look at both sides of the coin. It also profiles the wildlife resurgence that is happening on European doorsteps, with many species now making a comeback thanks to legal protection and dedicated conservation efforts over the last 30 years. 
*This film will be shown as a double feature with Feathers or Glamour /Suled Vōi Glamuur. 

Harris Theater
809 Liberty Avenue 
Pittsburgh, PA 15222 

Friday, Jan 17, 2025  I 5:00 PM 
Saturday, Jan 18, 2025  I 4:30 PM  

Get Tickets: Rewilding + Feathers or Glamour  I General Admission:  $9.00 - $11.00 
Free Admission with a valid PITT ID 

Co-Sponsors 
Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies  
Department of German 
Institute of European Studies
Indiana University Center of European Studies
UNC-Chapel Hill 
University of Cincinnati Department of Education 
Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Harris Theater
European Studies Center, A Jean Monnet Center of Excellence
University Center for International Studies
European Commission's Erasmus+ Program

2025: European and Eurasian Undergraduate Symposium 

The Undergraduate Research Symposium is an annual event since 2002 designed to provide undergraduate students from the University of Pittsburgh and other colleges and universities with advanced research experiences and opportunities to develop presentation skills. The event is open to undergraduates from all majors and institutions who have written a research paper from a social science, humanities, or business perspective focusing on the study of Eastern, Western, or Central Europe, the European Union, Russia, or Central Eurasia. 

After the initial submission of papers, selected participants are grouped into panels according to their research topics. The participants then give 10- to 15-minute presentations based on their research to a panel of faculty and graduate students. The presentations are open to the public. 

For past proceedings and programs: URS 

Proceedings: 2025 
Program: 2025 

Sponsors: 
Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies 
Consortium for Educational Resources on Islamic Studies
European Studies Center, A Jean Monnet Center of Excellence 
University Center for International Studies 
Graduate Organization for the Study of Europe and Central Asia 
Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences

Sustainable Cities & Communities: A Transatlantic Dialogue. 
Small Actions, Big Impact.  A Sustainable Tomorrow! 

October 15-16, 2025 

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2025 
URBAN FARM TOUR 
Shuttle Pickup: 230 South Bouquet (Posvar Hall) 
Arrive at shuttle pickup at 8:45 AM 
Max capacity: 25. Registration required
Link: CLOSED (please note we are at full capacity) 
You will be placed on a waiting list, and we will contact you if there's a cancellation. 

Farms We'll Be Visiting: 
Hilltop Urban Farm 
Farm Girl Eb 
Lisa Freeman and Family Farm (*Lunch Provided) 
Millvale Community Farm 
Oasis Farm & Fishery 

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: JESKO HIRSCHFELD, HUMBOLDT UNIVERSITY (Event Postponed until March 2026)  
The Green Scene: Urban Farmers, Sustainable Communities in Pittsburgh and Berlin 

University of Pittsburgh 
Wesley W. Posvar, Room 4130 
5:00 PM- 6:00 PM  

About the Keynote Speaker:  Jesko Hirschfeld studied economics at the universities of Bonn, Frankfurt am Main, and the Free University of Berlin. From 1996 to 1998, he worked as a scientific staff member for the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag), and from 1998 to 2002, he worked on his doctorate with a scholarship by the German Research Foundation (DFG) in the Research Training Group “Agriculture and Environment” at the University of Göttingen. 
Since 2002, he has been a research associate and later subject area manager for water and land management at the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW) in Berlin in the research field “Environmental Economics and Policy.” From 2017 to 2020, in addition to his work at the IÖW, he was a visiting professor for landscape economics at the Technical University of Berlin. From 2022 to 2024, he taught as a visiting professor of environmental economics at Humboldt University in Berlin. 
He has worked on numerous inter- and transdisciplinary projects on natural climate protection, nature-based adaptation to climate change, land and water use, and integrated coastal zone management, focusing primarily on economic aspects and ecological-economic assessments. In recent years, he has focused on urban ecosystem services provided by urban green spaces, parks, and gardens. 

THURSDAY OCTOBER 16, 2025 (Event Postponed until March 2026) 
PANEL DISCUSSION AND WORKSHOP 
Location: University of Pittsburgh William Pitt Union, Lower Level 
Registration Encouraged 

Welcoming Remarks 
Part I: Panel Discussion  
Moderator: Randall Halle, European Studies Center 
Panelists: 
Dr. Patrick Shirey — Geology and Environmental Science, University of Pittsburgh 
Lisa Freeman — Freeman and Family Farm 
State Representative Emily Kinkead, PA House District 20, Chair of the Legislative Hunger Caucus 
Dr. Jesko Hirschfeld — Humboldt University of Berlin 

Part II:  Breakout / Discussion 
Group A: Urban Farming Challenges and Opportunities 
Group B: Climate resilience strategies in cities 
Group C: Ensuring nutrition security for vulnerable populations 

Lunch will be provided 

Sponsors: 
European Studies Center, A Jean Monnet Center of Excellence 
Global Studies Center 
German Department 
Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation 
Office of Sustainability in the Health Sciences 
University Center of International Studies 
German on Campus 
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Washington
European Commission's Erasmus+ Program

 

Join us for a discussion on the growing challenges to democratic ideals in an age of populism, polarization, mis/mal/dis information, and rising authoritarianism. This event will explore the interplay between democratic values and anti-democratic forces, highlighting historical and contemporary movements that both support and erode the democratic project.

Wednesday, March 19, 2025 
School of Education Center for Urban Education 
4303 Wesley W. Posvar Hall 
9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Registration Link
 

Program: 

9:30 AM -10:30 AM                    Continental Breakfast                                                                        
10:00 AM -10:30 AM Welcome Remarks and Introductions
Randall Halle, European Studies Center
10:30 AM -12:00 PM

Roundtable I
Provocation on Mis/Mal/Dis Information
Moderators:
Müge Finkel, GSPIA, Ford Institute for Human Security
Paul Adams, Department of Political Science

Presenters: 
Jennifer Keating, Department of English
Elena Bruni, LUISS Guido Carli University in Rome, Italy, Former Distinguished Fulbright Professor, Department of Communication
Samuel Woolley, Department of Communication
Gabriella Lukacs, Department of Anthropology

 

12:00 PM -1:00 PM Lunch (Wesley W. Posvar Room 4130) 
1:00 PM -2:30 PM

Roundtable II:

Academic Panel 
Moderator: Michael Kenney, GSPIA, Ridgway Center for International Security Studies
Presenters:
Paul Johnson, Department of Communication, "Translational Problems and Opportunities: Overlaying European Political Thought onto US Populism"
Courtney Blackington, Department of Political Science, "Conspiracy Theory Communication Framing and Support for Anti-Democratic Behavior"
Ian Delabie, Department of Political Science,  "Let them eat cake: Local Socio-Economic Marginalization and Populist Reactions in France"
 

2:30 PM - 2:45 PMCoffee Break
2:45 PM - 4:15 PMRoundtable III

Provocation on Populism
Randall Halle, European Studies Center
Erica Edwards, European Studies Center

Presenters:
Cas Mudde, University of Georgia, School of Public and International Affairs
Nina Sajić, Institute of Political Science at the University of Banja Luka
Jae-Jae Spoon, Department of Political Science
Lucas Riddle, Department of German 
4:15 PM - 4:30 PM Closing Remarks
Randall, Halle, European Studies Center 

Co-sponsors:
European Studies Center, A Jean Monnet Center of Excellence
Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies
Department of Political Science
Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences
University Center for International Studies

With the support of the Eurasmus+ Programme of the European Union
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Funded in part by the Erasmus+ program of the European Union and the Curated Immersive Fellowships of Humanities Engage at the University of Pittsburgh, the Transatlantic Pitt-Florence EU Fellowship offers an immersive research experience that spans both Pittsburgh and Florence. 

This fellowship connects the Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU) in Italy and the Archive of European Integration (AEI) at the University of Pittsburgh, and the Barbara Sloan European Document Collection, supporting a broad range of projects related to European integration and the European Union. Scholars from various disciplines are encouraged to apply, especially those seeking to expand their research to include European integration and EU studies. 

The fellowship supports projects in areas ranging from academic publications and pedagogical materials to public-facing initiatives and policy briefs. Awardees will receive funding to travel between the U.S. and Italy, where they will participate in one week of training at the HAEU in Florence, followed by up to three weeks in Pittsburgh. 

2025:
"Cinematic Encounters and the Making of Europe: Film Festivals as Sites of Cultural Integration"
Rahul Kumar, PhD Candidate, University of Pittsburgh

"The European Commission: Under the Microscope"
John Scherpereel, Department of Political Science, James Madison University 
                  
"Advising the Founders: Analyzing the Formation of the European Union"
Renee Worst, English and History, Avell Junior/Senior High School

Sponsors: 
European Studies Center, A Jean Monnet Center for Excellence  I Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU)  I Archive European Integration (AEI) I Barbara Sloan European Union Document Collection I Hillman Library  

Year 3


About the State of International Legal Order Lecture Series:
Join the European Studies Center as we examine the post–World War II international legal order, tracing its achievements—from landmark global agreements to the creation of international courts—alongside the growing challenges posed by nationalism, power politics, and treaty violations. Against the backdrop of war, climate crisis, and mass displacement, the series asks whether a just and secure global order remains possible. Through conversations with leading experts, the series will explore how the system works, where it is failing, and whether it can be reformed or must be reimagined.

ESC Welcome Back Reception and Lecture: "What do Transatlantic Economic Troubles Mean for Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania?"

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2026

A joint collaboration with the German American Chamber of Commerce
Latin American Cultural Center (LACC)
4338 Bigelow Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA  15213
5:00 PM - Welcome Back Reception | 6:00 PM - Lecture 
REGISTRATION LINK:  HERE

About the Speaker:

Dr. Hamilton is a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and at SAIS, where he served as Austrian Marshall Plan Professor, Richard von Weizsäcker Professor, and founding director of the School’s Center for Transatlantic Relations. He is President of the Transatlantic Leadership Network. He has also been a senior U.S. diplomat and served as the first Robert Bosch Foundation Senior Diplomatic Fellow in the German Foreign Office. 
Dr. Hamilton will explore how shifting transatlantic economic relations are impacting businesses, policymakers, and communities in our region.

Sponsors:

European Studies Center/Jean Monnet EU Center of Excellence I German American Chamber of Commerce I German Department I Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Washington I Germany on Campus

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2026

"When the World Must Act: Why Multilateralism Matters in Preventing Genocide"

University of Pittsburgh, Barco Law Building, Alcoa Room 
6:00 PM - Reception | 7:00 PM - Roundtable Discussion
REGISTRATION LINK: HERE

On the 75th anniversary of the Genocide Convention and the 20th anniversary of the Responsibility to Protect, this roundtable asks why the world still struggles to stop mass atrocities. From Rwanda and Darfur to Ukraine, Sudan, and Gaza, we invite you to consider why global commitments have repeatedly failed—and what can be done about it.

Panelists:

Mikhail Minakov, European University Viadrina
Jonathan Hafetz, Seton Hall Law School
Ruth Mostern, University of Pittsburgh
Moderators: Betty Cruz, World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh & Randall Halle, University of Pittsburgh

Sponsors:

European Studies Center/Jean Monnet EU Center of Excellence I Department of History I Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences I Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies I Center for African Studies I Global Studies Center I University Center for International Studies I World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh

THURSDAY MARCH 5, 2026

“Displacement, the Right of Asylum, the Need to Migrate”

University of Pittsburgh, 125 Frick Arts Building 
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

This month, inspired by the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Refugee Convention, the series turns its attention to questions of migrant and refugee rights. With more than 122 million people displaced worldwide in 2025, we face conditions we have not experienced since the end of World War II. Along with this record of people fleeing war and conflict, there are further millions who have set out to find a better life for themselves and their families.
Often classified as economic migrants, they are also subject to aggression in their new countries of residence: the ICE actions in the US represent currently the most visible backlash migrants confront worldwide.
Join in a discussion with experts in our community to consider where we are, who we are, and what we can do.

Panelists:

Rosamaria Cristillo, Latino Community Center
Joseph Murphy, Esq, Allegheny Immigration Center 
Anouar Rahmani, City of Asylum 
Ankur Sakaria, Mayor Corey O’Connor
Moderator: Randall Halle, University of Pittsburgh

Sponsors:

European Studies Center/Jean Monnet EU Center of Excellence  I Center for African Studies I Center for Latin American Studies I Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences I Global Studies Center I University Center of International Studies

THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2026

"The US, the EU, the Past and Future of the International Legal Order"

University Club, Conference Room A
4:00 -5:30 PM 
REGISTRATION LINK: HERE

Discussions of the state of the international legal order fill our headlines and newsfeeds. They compel us to ask: what is happening to our world? The transatlantic relationship has provided the foundation of the International Legal Order for decades, but at this moment, that foundation seems to be crumbling. 
Pause your podcasts and join in for a live discussion of where we are and where we are headed!

Panelists:

Ruth Bajada, Deputy Ambassador of the EU Delegation of the US
Prof. Ronald Brand, Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg University Professor and Director of the Center for International Legal Education
Prof. Randall Halle, Klaus W. Jonas Professor and Director of the Jean Monnet EU Center of Excellence
Moderator: Prof. Carissa Slotterback, Dean of the School of Public and International Affairs

Sponsors:

European Studies Center, A Jean Monnet EU Center of Excellence I Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences I Global Studies Center 
Center for International Legal Education I School of Public and International Affairs I University Center for International Studies

Funded by the EU

Democracy, Community and (Space) Aliens! 
January 28 - February 7, 2026 

EUFF TRAILER  
 

Theatrical Locations:
Harris Theater
809 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15206 
*Free Admission for students with University and College ID 
*Free with Pitt ID for Faculty and Staff 
General Admission visit: Harris Theater  

University of Pittsburgh 
Pittsburgh, PA 15260 
*Free Admission

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2026  
University of Pittsburgh Wesley W. Posvar, Room 4130 

6:00 PM  I EXTERNAL ACTION: AT THE HEART OF DIPLOMACY (2024, Spain)  
Director: Dir. Albert Solé (Interview with Director)  
Documentary, 54 MIN 
A rare, behind-the-scenes look at how the EU navigates an increasingly chaotic geopolitical landscape. This documentary follows Josep Borrell through real-time diplomatic crises, revealing how global policy actually gets made. 

THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2026 
University of Pittsburgh: Public Health, G23 

8:00 PM I  FRANTA MIMOZEMSTAN [SPACE FRANK] (2024, CZ/SK) 
Director: Rudolf Havlik  
Sci-Fi, 109 MIN 
Strange happenings in a quiet Moravian village spark an offbeat alien mystery no one is prepared for. Campy, charming, and deeply European, this sci-fi romp asks what happens when your weirdest neighbor might actually be from space. 

FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2026 
Harris Theater, 809 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 
7:00 PM I  MEET THE BARBARES [MEET THE BARBARIANS] (2024, France) 
Director: Julie Delpy
Comedy/Drama, 101 MIN 
When a French village accidentally welcomes the “wrong” refugee family, their assumptions get turned upside down. Julie Delpy’s warm, funny dramedy asks who the real barbarians are when fear meets humanity. 

SATURDAY, JANUARY 31, 2026 
Harris Theater, 809 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 

5:00 PM I MARIJAS KLUSUMS [MARIA'S SILENCE) (2024, Latvia) 
Director: Dāvis Sīmanis
Historical Drama, 104 MIN 
A Latvian actress enters Stalin’s USSR seeking her grandchild and finds herself trapped inside a machinery of terror. This gripping historical drama exposes the everyday innocence shattered by ideology and violence. 

7:30 PM: TERYTORIUM [TERRITORY] (2025, Poland) 
Director: Bartek Paduch (Interview with director)  
Drama, 97 MIN 
A Polish cop uncovers a disturbing case that pulls him into a web of secrets uncomfortably close to home. Tense and tightly wound, it’s a European thriller with emotional stakes that hit universally.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2026
Harris Theater, 809 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
5:00 PM  Petra Kelly, Act Now! (2024, Germany) 

7:30 PM: Elfogy a levegõ [Without Air]  (2023, Hungary)
Director: Katalin Moldovia
Drama, 105 MIN 
A Hungarian literature teacher faces a moral and political firestorm after recommending a film about queer poets. This timely drama captures the pressure of censorship, fear, and courage in a community on edge.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2026
Desktop Documentary Films by Lého Galibert-Laîné
France 
A bold selection of experimental works exploring how cinema, the internet, and memory collide. These shorts push the boundaries of the video essay form, inviting viewers into an inventive new mode of storytelling. 
Curated and introduced by Charlotte Scurlock, Film and Media Studies 
Featuring four short films: 
Flanerie 2.0 (2018, 11 minutes) 
Watching the Pain of Others (2020, 31 minutes)
Forensickness(2020, 41 minutes) 
Would Like to Rage (2023, 11 minutes)

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2026
University of Pittsburgh, Public Health, G23

6:00 PM: Dahomey (2024, France, Benin, and Senegal) with Group Discussion 
Director: Mati Diop 
Documentary, 68 MIN 
As 26 stolen royal treasures finally return home from France to Benin, the objects themselves narrate a story of colonialism and reclamation. Mati Diop’s Golden Bear–winning documentary sparks a vibrant debate about history, democracy, and the future of cultural memory.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2026 
University of Pittsburgh, 121 Lawrence Hall 

Double Feature: Voices of Home from Ukraine
6:00 PM:  Teen Angst (2025, Ukraine/Germany) 
Director: Inga Pylypchuk 
Documentary, 37 MIN 
Nine young Ukrainian women document life in a war zone with honesty, humor, fear, and resilience. Their collaborative desktop film captures what coming-of-age looks like when the world is on fire. 

Kyiv Theater, An Island of Hope (2024, Ukraine/France) 
Director: Duccio Bellugi-Vannuccini & Thomas Briat 
Documentary, 110 MIN 
A legendary French theater director brings a workshop to wartime Kyiv, igniting a creative refuge amid destruction. The film celebrates the power of performance and the unshakeable spirit of Ukrainian artists.

Film Festival Sponsors: European Studies Center, A Jean Monnet Center of Excellence I University Center for International Studies 
Harris Theater, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust I  Africana Studies Center for African Studies I Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies I Department of German Film & Media Studies Program 

Our Partners: 
Institute of European Studies, Indiana University I The Ohio State University I University of Cincinnati 


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A Seminar-to-Publication Series of the European Studies Center 
2026 Focus: European Cultural Policy 

The European Studies Center invites you to an open series with hybrid and asynchronous forms. The series takes participants from a shared research foundation in European policy to a finished policy brief published in the Interdisciplinary Review of ValEUs (IRV). The series teaches the craft of writing for impact: how to transform complex political, economic, and cultural questions into clear, concise, and persuasive policy briefs that reach governmental, non-governmental, and international audiences. 

This is not a webinar for distracted viewers; it is a working seminar with a defined outcome. Participants are invited to read together, analyze real briefs together, draft, revise in response to structured feedback, and leave with a published piece of writing and a European Studies Center Certificate of completion. 

From Research to Publication 
From beginners to advanced: participants are welcome to bring their own policy research to the seminar. But the series accommodates absolute beginners. 

What to Expect: It opens with a curated foundation of readings on policy writing and the policy brief as a distinct genre. Then the series turns to investigate policy options around a particular topic: this year we will focus on European cultural policy. Initial hybrid meetings will discuss the readings seminar-style, so that everyone can share a common ground before drafting begins. 

Writing for policy impact is not the same as writing an academic essay, and the transition can challenge those demanding, particularly for those trained in longer, more discursive forms. The series treats that transition as its central task. Participants examine exemplary briefs closely as a group, learn the conventions and constraints of the form, and receive feedback at each milestone from peers and from the editorial team. The goal is not a large audience but a committed cohort that finishes. 

By design, participants will learn to: 
• Identify and define a policy problem with precision
 • Conduct concise, evidence-based analysis grounded in real research 
• Communicate complex issues in accessible, policy-oriented formats
 • Develop practical, actionable recommendations for decision-makers 

Who Should Participate: 
The series is interdisciplinary and open to a global audience. It is well suited to:
 • Faculty and researchers who want to engage the cultural policy impact of their academic work 
• Humanities scholars who want to engage the cultural policy that defines work in their fields of research 
• Graduate and undergraduate students preparing for careers in government, NGOs, journalism, advocacy, or international organizations 
• Educators, who may earn continuing education certification for completing the series 
• Professionals interested in public policy, international affairs, transatlantic relations, or European studies 

No prior policy-writing experience is required, and humanists are especially encouraged to participate. 
Participants should expect the work to be substantial but manageable. 

A Focus on European Cultural Policy: 
Prof. Randall Halle, Director of the European Studies Center/Jean Monnet EU Center of Excellence at the University of Pittsburgh, will lead the group in a focus on EU cultural policy and the European Commission’s objective “to develop a more strategic approach to cultural policy, ensuring that culture is woven into policy making across the board, and that more Europeans have access to culture.”

This moment is opportune because, to “guide and harness the multiple dimensions of culture,” the Commission adopted in June 2026 an overarching strategic framework: the Culture Compass for Europe. This strategic framework replaces the 2018 plan and sets forward future dynamics in this sector. Participants will have an opportunity to examine and intervene in the EU’s new framework along with its work plans and the open method of coordination. We will additionally review the related Framework for Action on Cultural Heritage, and the Strategy for International Cultural Relations. 

We will explore the place of the Creative and Culture Industries in the EU and become familiar with policies on intellectual property and artificial intelligence that impact the cultural sector. The shared reading foundation is drawn from this field, which gives the cohort a common vocabulary and a running seminar conversation. 

Participants who wish to develop a brief on a different European policy question are welcome to do so in consultation with the conveners. A shared thematic focus is what makes the seminar discussion productive, so independent topics are accommodated within that frame rather than as a substitute for it. 

Format and Schedule: 
The series is hybrid. 
Sessions meet in person in Pittsburgh and live online, so participants in the Center's global network can fully take part. 
All sessions are recorded and paired with asynchronous materials, allowing those in other time zones to follow the seminar and complete the work on their own schedule. 

Fall 2026 Schedule: 
 

WEDNESDAYTIME (Eastern/Central European)LOCATION RECORDING: 
SEP 02, 202612:30 PM -1:30 PM/18:30- 19:30 4217 POSVAR HALL 
SEP 16, 202612:30 PM -1:30 PM/18:30- 19:30 4217 POSVAR HALL 
OCT 07, 202612:30 PM -1:30 PM/18:30- 19:30 4217 POSVAR HALL 
OCT 21, 202612:30 PM -1:30 PM/18:30- 19:30 4217 POSVAR HALL 
NOV 04, 202612:30 PM -1:30 PM/18:30- 19:30 4217 POSVAR HALL 
NOV 18, 202612:30 PM -1:30 PM/18:30- 19:30 4217 POSVAR HALL 
DEC 02, 202612:30 PM -1:30 PM/18:30- 19:30 4217 POSVAR HALL 


Spring 2027: Editorial phase. Lighter-touch workshops and individual editing carry drafts through revision to publication in IRV. 

What Participants Earn: 
A finished policy brief published in the Interdisciplinary Review of ValEUs.
Publication is contingent on successful completion of the series. A European Studies Center certificate of completion. 
This is an ESC credential, not a university transcript credit. 
For educators, continuing-education certification. 

REGISTRATION I CLOSED 
If you have any questions, reach out to europeanstudies@pitt.edu

Sponsored by:
European Studies Center, A Jean Monnet Center of Excellence
University Center for International Studies (PittGlobal) 

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The Postwar International Legal Order: A European Studies Center Security 
Spring 2026 

Description: 
The International Legal Order arose after WWII as a response to the cataclysm that destroyed lives, cities and governments throughout Europe and the World. In recent decades, the international legal system has made significant strides—from landmark agreements like the Paris Climate Accords to the ongoing role of the International Court of Justice. Yet, at the same time, global cooperation has been increasingly undermined by rising nationalism and power-driven politics. International commitments are often pushed aside in favor of national interests, leading to violations of core treaties and charters. 

Amid ongoing crises—such as the war in Ukraine, the devastation in Gaza, and the carnage in Sudan—the global community appears divided and often unable to take meaningful action to prevent suffering or restore peace. Tariffs tear up standards of international trade. Climate crises spur on displacement and forced migration. Is a just world for all still in reach? And is the current internationalist model the way to achieve it, or are its critics right to want to dismantle it? This seminar will engage in a series of conversations with distinguished experts offering an exploration of the State International Legal Order (SILO). 

Through an open forum we will discuss: how it works, where it’s faltering, and what the future might hold. Through a closer look at its foundational institutions, challenges, and emerging alternatives, we will examine whether the current system can be strengthened—or if something new must take its place. In a world shaken by war, climate change, pandemic, inflation, hunger, and rapid forced migration, questions of security take on a new level of urgency. Rather than be overwhelmed by polycrisis, the European Studies Center will bring together colleagues to actively grapple with questions of security and the rule of law in an international context. 

The seminar will provide an opportunity for Pitt faculty and graduate students to come together to discuss EU and European roles in the SILO.  The goal of the seminar is to incubate a transdisciplinary research community taking up a problem that cuts across disciplines and that develops teaching model on security in European and/or international context. 

The security seminar will be led by ESC Director Randall Halle. 
It will entail a combination of activities that collectively contribute to the coming together of a sustainable research cluster: common readings, guest speakers, and sharing work in progress. 

Schedule and topics addressed:  

THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2026
4419 Posvar  I  6:00 PM 
"The Postwar International Legal Order Then and Now” This month the series considers the general formation of the institutions of the ILO out of the ashes of WWII. It considers the human rights agenda they fostered, how they transformed in the Cold War and post-Cold War eras, and where they are headed now. 

THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2026
"The US, the EU, the Past and Future of the International Legal Order"
University Club, Conference Room A
4:00 -5:30 PM 
 

THURSDAY MARCH 5, 2026
“Displacement, the Right of Asylum, the Need to Migrate”
University of Pittsburgh, 125 Frick Arts Building 
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
“Displacement, the Right of Asylum, the Need to Migrate.” With globally over 122mil people displaced 2025, we confront conditions now that we have not confronted since the end of WWII. This month, inspired by the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Refugee Convention, the series turns its attention to the legal agreements that sought to contend with postwar displacement and the legal status of persons seeking refuge from conflict and persecution. We attend to the distinctions of labor and economic migration that arose subsequently. And we discuss how the divergence of asylum and migration laws has informed the current conditions. 

MARCH 19, 2026
4419 Posvar Hall I 6:00 PM 
“Global Economic Order?” 
Even before the end of WWII, 44 allied nations gathered in Breton Woods, NH, to discuss the postwar economic order. The IMF and World Bank resulted as a commitment to multilateral economic agreements. The rebuilding of the international economic system evolved and shifted. In the 80+ years since Bretton Woods, multilateral trade and liberal free market policies have come under attack for generating inequities and displacements. The War in Ukraine and the formation of new trading blocs has intensified the search for a new economic order. What might that look like? 

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2026
"When the World Must Act: Why Multilateralism Matters in Preventing Genocide"
University of Pittsburgh, Barco Law Building, Alcoa Room 
6:00 PM - Reception | 7:00 PM - Roundtable Discussion

APRIL 30, 2026
4419 Posvar Hall  I 6:00 PM 
 “Genocide and the Responsibility to Protect” 
The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide entered into force 75 years ago. 20 years ago the Responsibility to Protect was added to the Genocide Convention, underscoring a global commitment to prevent and protect populations from genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing. The inability of the world to respond to genocide in former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, and Darfur compelled the R2P, but as Ukraine, Sudan, and Gaza have shown, the world is still unable to respond adequately to genocidal activity. Why?

Sponsored:
European Studies Center, A Jean Monnet Center of Excellence
University Center of International Studies

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Small Actions, Big Impact. A Sustainable Tomorrow!
Rescheduled Event

THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2026 
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Ecosystem Services & the Health Effects of Urban Farming
Dr. Jesko Hirschfeld, Presentation
About the Presenter: 
Jesko Hirschfeld studied economics at the universities of Bonn, Frankfurt am Main, and the Free University of Berlin. From 1996 to 1998, he worked as a scientific staff member for the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag), and from 1998 to 2002, he worked on his doctorate with a scholarship by the German Research Foundation (DFG) in the Research Training Group “Agriculture and Environment” at the University of Göttingen. Since 2002, he has been a research associate and later subject area manager for water and land management at the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW) in Berlin in the research field “Environmental Economics and Policy.” From 2017 to 2020, in addition to his work at the IÖW, he was a visiting professor for landscape economics at the Technical University of Berlin. From 2022 to 2024, he taught as a visiting professor of environmental economics at Humboldt University in Berlin. He has worked on numerous inter- and transdisciplinary projects on natural climate protection, nature-based adaptation to climate change, land and water use, and integrated coastal zone management, focusing primarily on economic aspects and ecological-economic assessments. In recent years, he focused on urban ecosystem services provided by urban green, parks, and gardens.

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2026 
Wesley W. Posvar, Room 5601 
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM 

Schedule: 
11:00 AM -Urban Farmers and Green Spaces: Berlin’s Lessons for Pittsburgh 
Dr. Jesko Hirschfeld, Humboldt University of Berlin 
Dr. Hirschfeld highlights innovative gardening initiatives, from classic allotments to new community-driven models. Explore how urban green spaces strengthen neighborhoods, improve climate resilience, and expand access to fresh food—while also confronting challenges like gentrification and shrinking public funding. Join us for a lively look at how urban farmers shape healthier, greener cities. 

1:00 PM- Panel Discussion 
Panelists: 
Dr. Patrick Shirey, University of Pittsburgh
Lisa Freeman, Freeman and Family Farm 
State Representative Emily Kinkead, PA House District 20, Chair of the Legislative Hunger Caucus 
Dr. Jesko Hirschfeld, Humboldt University of Berlin 

2:30 PM- Group Discussion 
Group A: Urban Farming Challenges & Opportunities
Group B: Climate resilience strategies in cities 
Group C: Ensuring nutrition security for vulnerable populations 

For Registration Link: bit.ly/407J6nH 

Sponsors: 
European Studies Center, A Jean Monnet Center of Excellence
Global Studies Center 
German Department 
Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation, Office of Sustainability in the Health Sciences 
Embassy of the Republic of Germany, Washington 
Germany on Campus I University Center for International Studies

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Funded in part by the Erasmus+ program of the European Union and the Curated Immersive Fellowships of Humanities Engage at the University of Pittsburgh, the Transatlantic Pitt-Florence EU Fellowship offers an immersive research experience that spans both Pittsburgh and Florence. 

This fellowship connects the Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU) in Italy and the Archive of European Integration (AEI) at the University of Pittsburgh,  and the Barbara Sloan European Union Document Collection, supporting a broad range of projects related to European integration and the European Union. Scholars from various disciplines are encouraged to apply, especially those seeking to expand their research to include European integration and EU studies. 

The fellowship supports projects in areas ranging from academic publications and pedagogical materials to public-facing initiatives and policy briefs. Awardees will receive funding to travel between the U.S. and Italy, where they will participate in one week of training at the HAEU in Florence, followed by up to three weeks in Pittsburgh. 

2026: 
Corey Williams, Shaler School District, Pittsburgh, PA 
"Revisiting the European Defense Community: Lessons from a Forgotten Blueprint for an Era of Strategic Uncertainty" 
Joshua Andy, Upper School History Teacher at Winchester Thurston School, Pittsburgh, PA 

Sponsors: 
European Studies Center, A Jean Monnet Center for Excellence  I Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU)  I Archive European Integration (AEI) I Barbara Sloan European Union Document Collection I Hillman Library  

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