Dear Euro students, fellow faculty, and dear Friends of Europe,
I would like to welcome you to an exciting academic year 2019-2020 for European Affairs. As we embark on celebrating 25 years of European Studies at UW as well as a quarter century of our Center for European Studies, we have several events that you should mark on your calendars.
- On Friday, November 1, we will be celebrating 25 years of European Studies. Starting at 2pm in the Petersen Room of Suzzallo Library, we will have three roundtables:
- Roundtable 1: Why study Europe today? 2:15 to 3:15pm.
- Roundtable 2: Issue Dynamics in the European Union 3:45 – 4:30pm.
- Roundtable 3: Actors and Forces in Europe, 4:30 – 5:15pm.
- Also on Friday, November 1, at 6:30pm in HUB 145, we will have a keynote address by John Keeler, Professor of Political Science and Dean, University of Pittsburgh, on “The Drama of European Integration, the Threat of Disintegration, and the Challenges of Center Management”.
- On November 8, a look back on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall will take place at UW called “Wunderbar Together: Zeitzeugen Panel & Discussion”.
- On Wednesday, November 20, at 7:00pm in Kane Hall 225, we will host a lecture by former Finnish Ambassador Jan Store on “A new beginning for Europe? The European Union in a time of turbulence and uncertainties”.
- On February 13, we will partner with the with the European Union Delegation to the United States to host “Destination Europe,” an event to promote research and post-doc opportunities in Europe, immediately before the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual conference, which will take place in Seattle.
- Finally, we invite you to join us for a full-day event in spring 2020 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
For students, we will organize another round of the ‘Model EU’ in March 2019 here at UW, and whoever is not sure how such a complex animal as the European Union makes decisions: Please join CES and the EU-funded Jean Monnet Center for this exciting simulation.
In January 2020, we welcome our new European Union Fellow Max Lemke. He comes from the EU Commission and will do research on new industrial policy in the Pacific Northwest. More importantly, he will be available for your questions and we look forward to introducing him to the Euro Studies community.
On the political landscape in Europe, Brexit as well as the start of a new Parliament and EU Commission loom as milestones for the future of the EU. We will keep you informed and hope that you can join us in some public events that we will organize on these topics.
The European Studies Program welcomes its new majors. We are in the process of revising the major to make it more compatible with other JSIS majors, so please stop by Joni Mart’s office in the Jackson School’s Office of Academic Services if you have questions or e-mail us.
Last, but not least: As we enter the new academic year, I am hoping that many of you will come by our CES quarters on the second floor of the Jackson School (THO 203 A) and say hi to CES Managing Director Phil Lyon. Phil has traveled most parts of Europe, knows the continent through his Ph.D. work, and is looking forward to working with you on European affairs.
As transatlantic relations are strained and Europe itself is facing major challenges, I’d like you to keep one thing in mind: Despite all setbacks, Europe, and the EU, are amazing experiments in peaceful conflict resolution as well as economic and political cooperation. We at CES and the European Studies Program believe that learning about Europe is fun, fascinating, and good for all our futures.
Please be in touch if you have questions about the European Studies program or our Center activities.
All best and have a successful year!
Sabine Lang
Director Center for European Studies
Chair European Studies Program