UACES Graduate Forum Conference 2018 | KU Leuven
UACES Graduate Forum Conference 2018
KU Leuven, belgium
On 12-13 July 2018, forty postgraduate and early career researchers across a range of disciplines gathered at KU Leuven to present and receive feedback on their work on contemporary Europe and the European Union.
The theme of this year’s conference was ‘An Actor on Multiple Stages: the EU as a Local, Regional and Global Power’, introduced by Kolja Raube (KU Leuven) in his keynote lecture.
When we speak about EU's legitimacy, we should focus not only on internal legitimacy (from within the EU) but also the external dimension – @raube_kolja @UACESgf #UACESgf18
— Diāna Potjomkina (@DianaPotjomkina) July 12, 2018
"The EU is not just an organisation but a community… and we need to explain why this community matters." says @raube_kolja in his #UACESgf18 keynote.
— Anna Wambach (@AnnaWambach) July 12, 2018
Five research sessions took place over the next two days, with presentations by delegates from a range of countries and disciplines in the social sciences and humanities. They examined the different stages on which the EU is present, and how these are reflected in the challenges it is facing: e.g. Brexit, Russia’s awakening, the future of the eurozone.
The final plenary session, chaired by UACES Graduate Forum Committee member Kamila Feddek, featured Nisida Gjoksi European Commission and academic and Katja Biedenkopf (KU Leuven). Their fascinating discourses were focused on the power of the European Union and its challenges in specific areas.
Katja Biedenkopf discussed EU external governance and diplomacy in the fields of environmental protection and climate change, global environmental and climate governance, while Nisida Gjoksi delivered a presentation on the EU’s enlargement policy and the role that the European Commission plays in this area, and also, on the policy towards the Western Balkans and the specificity of this enlargement wave. Nisida Gjoski emphasised the EU’s significant power towards this region which somehow contrast the view that the EU is losing power and Katja Biedenkopf focused on the historical evolution of EU climate leadership and presented four scenarios for its future based on her recent published research.
Nisida Gjoski
Both presenters initiated thought-provoking debate and they answered several questions related to constantly changing and complex role that the European Union currently plays on local, regional and global stage.
The conference was co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. Thank you to all the speakers, the Graduate Forum Committee and past committee member Thibaud Deruelle, our hosts Kolja Raube and Daan Fonck, and to the staff members at KU Leuven who chaired the research sessions.
Outputs
- View programme
- Read conference papers
- View Twitter Story
- View Flickr photos
- View Facebook photos
Blog posts by delegates
- ‘Russia, the EU and the Return of History’ – Daniel Matthew-Ferrero
- ‘The Future of Populism and the Institutional Setting of the “Ever Complex Union”’ – Karlis Bukovskis
- ‘Less Chatter, More Science: Approaching the Personalities of the High Representatives’ – Michaela Korsch
- ‘Finally Reaching a Bi-Regional Trade Agreement? The Potential and Challenges of EU-Mercosur Relations’ – Bruno Theodoro Luciano
- ‘The Perception of European Identity in Scotland’ – Alastair Mackie
- ‘Merkel, Coalition Politics and Negotiating the Common European Asylum System: Constrained by Domestic Actors?’ – Saskia Smellie
- ‘Russia-Ukraine Energy Disputes: Between War and Contracts’ – Eric Pardo
PODCASTS
- ‘Impact of EMU on Member-States / Social Evolution Theory & Regional Integration’
- ‘Critical European Studies: What, Why and How?’
- ‘Introduction to the EU and Cyberspace’
VIDEOS
Very happy to be attending this year's UACES graduate conference, which kicked off with an inspiring keynote by @raube_kolja, followed by an even more inspiring discussion. Exiting times are ahead of us as a future generation of EU studies scholars! #UACESgf18 https://t.co/Cw9lLBCkUj
— Vladimir Bogoeski (@bogoeskiv) July 12, 2018
A pleasure to chair a panel and lively debate on #Euroscepticism and #EUpoliticalparties at #UACESgf18 @UACESgf https://t.co/cQxu6rvAXQ
— Alex Andrione-Moylan (@AndrioneMoylanA) July 12, 2018
Hello from our Chair @AnnaWambach during the 1st day of #UACESgf18!
Learn more about our #PhD & #ECR #europeanstudies conference and view the programme at: https://t.co/us7exFmL77 pic.twitter.com/AHEWmJOFeJ
— UACES Graduate Forum (@UACESgf) July 12, 2018
Report by Kamila Feddek and Helena Cicmil
To take advantage of future UACES events and opportunities:
- Become a UACES Student Member
- Join us for the 2018 Doctoral Training Academy
- Follow @uacesgf on Twitter and on Facebook
- Join the EuroResearch mailing list
Please note that this article and linked content represents the views of the author(s) and not those of UACES or the European Commission.
