The Institute for European Studies (IES) is an international research program at Cornell University that promotes learning, research, and teaching about European cultures, societies, and languages. We are part of the Einaudi Center for International Studies and the Vice-Provost for International Affairs. Below are some highlights of our work over the past twelve months.
IES Faculty Research Pods
The Faculty Research Pod initiative started in early 2023, and has continued in 2024 with two more awards. An interdisciplinary team focusing on Eastern Europe is running a faculty workshop and other events under the name: “Of Plants, Place, and Politics”, and a Sociology faculty collaboration called “Inequality in Social Capital: Comparing the U.S. and Europe” is extending current research on social capital to a European comparison. Our first IES research pod, which explores responses to technological change in health care and telecommunications in the United Kingdom and United States, has successfully expanded, and received further funding and recognition.
Featured IES Research Pod
This research pod brings together several faculty from across Cornell departments and colleges whose work focuses on the region(s) covered by the Association of Slavic, East European and Eurasian Studies (ASEEES). The pod team has been meeting monthly to workshop draft research papers in an interdisciplinary setting. More broadly, under the rubric “Of Plants, Place, and Politics,” the pod focuses on the intersection of environmental, cultural and political themes, discussing how the changing climate (in all senses of the word) relates to their research, teaching, collegial networks and collaborations, public scholarship and advocacy, and the institutional support available to international and interdisciplinary studies of this region.
IES Graduate Fellows Program
The IES Graduate Fellows advance their research and contribute to the European Studies community by attending and engaging in IES-hosted talks, and by organizing and taking part in self-designed collective research activities. The Institute supports these activities with a small research stipend to each Fellow, and logistical support for their activities. IES Fellows also receive priority for our research and travel fellowships. The 2023-24 IES Graduate Fellows held a monthly research workshop where they shared their work, invited a speaker for the IES speaker series, and organized a capstone Research Symposium in April of 2024.
Thirteen graduate students from various disciplines (History, Government, Romance Studies, Architecture, Performing and Media Arts, and Music) have been accepted as IES Graduate Fellows for 2024-25.
We are pleased to announce that the Institute for European Studies has awarded close to $100,000 for student research in 2024. Our grants and fellowships support graduate and undergraduate research in Europe, and projects focused on European studies.
Our awardees study in a variety of disciplines, including Government, Romance Studies, History, Animal Science, Medieval Studies, Public Policy, Economics, and Near Eastern Studies. They will travel for research to Spain, the United Kingdom, Italy, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Greece, and the Netherlands. Find more information about awardees and their projects on our website.
Luigi Einaudi Dissertation Fellowship 2023-24 Winners
The Luigi Einaudi Graduate Dissertation Fellowship is our most significant graduate award. It consists of a fully-funded semester (or year) of field study in Europe, and is available to graduate students in modern European government, history, economics, and related social science fields.
"I am grateful for IES’ generous support of my dissertation research during the 2023-24 academic year. My time in Europe was very productive, with significant archival findings complemented by new connections with researchers in my field. This year’s learnings will be vital as I write up my dissertation."
David Rubenstein, History
The 2024-25 Luigi Einaudi Dissertation Fellowship awardees are Helena Crusius (Government) and Judith Tauber (Romance Studies). They will travel to Europe for dissertation research in Spring 2025.
European Studies Minor
Europe is a fascinating place to study and travel to, with a rich history and diversity, and with great potential for drawing fruitful comparisons to the US. Our 2024 European Studies Minor graduates have certainly discovered that over the course of their four years at Cornell. Twenty-six European Studies minors graduated in May 2024 (20% more than last year!). They have majored in a variety of disciplines, from Government (the most common) to Computer Science, Linguistics, History, Biological Science, Art History, Economics, Labor Relations, College Scholars, and others.
European Studies minors have studied many different European languages, with French and Spanish tied this year as the most popular, but including German, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish, and Russian. Several European Studies minors have taken advantage of the funding opportunities offered by our institute, including the Global Research Internship in Pamplona, Spain, the Michael Harum award for students of Slavic languages, and the independent summer research fellowships (Frederic Conger Wood and Susan Tarrow awards). More broadly, our minors have enjoyed study abroad in a variety of Cornell programs, from Oxford, London, and Ireland, to Paris and Geneva.
Featured European Studies Minor graduates
"My advice to future Cornell students is to study abroad! I studied abroad in Switzerland and also went on a trip to Copenhagen to do research. I learned so much from living in a different country, and it complemented what I learned in my European Studies classes." -Claire Tempelman '24
“I'd advise students to pursue many extracurricular activities as they're often more fulfilling than classes. Start with a lot of clubs and fellowships and narrow them down to those that prove meaningful to you. For the European Studies Minor, I'd recommend leaning into languages. Cornell and the European Studies Minor grant you the rare opportunity to devote yourself to learning a new language. Cornell has significant language resources and support for studying abroad which you should take advantage of.” -George Sarbinowski '24
“The European Studies Minor is so flexible and customizable to your interests! Find a topic you're interested in learning more about or already passionate about and use some of the courses that meet the requirements of the minor to view your interests from an alternative perspective - I promise you'll learn something new and intriguing!” -Jenna Resnik '24
global Summer Internships
The Einaudi global summer internships in Europe connect students with global practitioners and faculty conducting international research. Einaudi interns meet mentors and colleagues working in the international arena, polish real-world skills and language learning, and advance career goals. In Summer 2024 we sent three student interns to Hungary (MATE - Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences) and two students to Spain (I-Communitas, Public University of Navarre).
"I study entomology at Cornell, so I am always on the lookout for new and interesting insects. For my internship I’ve been in Godollo, Hungary, studying soil microarthropod communities in Hungarian solar parks. Overall, I have spent a lot of time learning not only about soil ecology, but also about the various ecosystems of Hungary and the beautiful nature that makes up Central Europe. I have loved my experience!" -Emily Cavanaugh
"Working under Mr. García was interesting since it was through academic endeavors that he aimed to make a difference. He regularly shared his work with government and military representatives when he believed the work could help them. He is also part of a think tank, Globernance, which gives greater visibility to his work. The internship was useful in defining how I want my career to look like. It helped me narrow down topics and projects that I would like to be involved in." -Adriana Arce Rossi
IES 2023-24 Speaker Series
IES Luigi Einaudi Distinguished Lecture
The IES Luigi Einaudi Distinguished Lecture series was established in 2023 under the leadership of IES Director Mabel Berezin. The post-war (and post-fascist), democratic constitution of Italy was ratified by the Italian Parliament on January 1, 1948, and on May 12, 1948, Luigi Einaudi, a liberal economist, became the first President of the Italian Republic. He served for seven years. Luigi’s son Mario was a dedicated anti-fascist activist who came to the United States, and took numerous fellowships at major universities, eventually becoming Professor of Government at Cornell, where he served from the mid-1940s until his retirement in 1972, and established the Luigi Einaudi Chair in European Studies.
Our institute is deeply connected to the legacy of World War II, and the hope for a global democratic future that followed. And yet here we are. Seventy-five years later, in the anniversary year of the Italian Constitution, we are facing challenges to democracy that would have been unimaginable in those optimistic post-war moments, and even 10 years ago. Democracy is under assault all over the globe, even in the US. This is one of the reasons that during my IES tenure, I have made challenges to democracy one of our core themes.
Prof. Mabel Berezin, IES Faculty Director
We look forward to another enriching academic year in 2024-25. Please email us at ies@cornell.edu to be added to our mailing list, so you can stay informed of upcoming events and opportunities.