The ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ IDEAS Visiting Fellowship for researchers from the Jagiellonian University's Faculty of International and Political Studies (FIPS) is a non-stipendiary research position available for one ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ term lasting a total of three to four months in the Fall semester of a given academic year. The visiting fellow is expected to complete a piece of research work or ongoing research during their fellowship and produce a Strategic Update for ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ IDEAS either during or up to six months after their stay in or, in the case of pandemic-related restrictions, affiliation with London.
The visiting fellowship is administered by ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ IDEAS’ Central and South-East Europe Programme, but the focus of the visiting fellow’s research may fall within any area of ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ IDEAS’ projects and output.
Central and Eastern Europe: A Theatre of Great-Power Rivalry
“We are in a very, very grave period in the world”, Henry Kissinger warned us a few years ago. Today, this statement still resonates as the global order enters into a time of transition. Central and Eastern Europe is greatly affected by this very process of change, which in turn influences European affairs in an unprecedented way. New political and social phenomena have emerged in the region, such as the decline of approval for liberal values and the rise of illiberal democracy. Similarly, the region remains an area of competition among the great powers, with Russia’s continuous efforts to undermine European integration wreaking havoc on political stability, increasing the need for a reconsideration of Western powers’ role in the region.
This project aims to investigate the idea of a reinforcement of the US-German alliance and the potential repercussions for the region. Research will focus on the possibility of the Americans passing the responsibility for the region to Germany, to become a stabilising force in the area. It will also answer the question of whether the Biden administration is able to consolidate Central and Eastern Europe again into a united pro-US alliance, and how US disengagement in this region may affect their relations with competing powers. This project will investigate the case studies of Poland, Hungary and Romania in the context of great-power competition, so as to analyse possible political scenarios for the region.
Dr Marcin Fatalski graduated from the Faculty of History at the Jagiellonian University. He holds a Ph.D. in political science from the Jagiellonian University and works there at the Institute of American Studies and Polish Diaspora. His research focuses on the modern history of international relations, US foreign policy, and nation-building/state-building policy. He has lectured at, among others, Radboud University Nijmegen, the University of Barcelona, Roma Tre University, Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Budapest, and the University of Veliko Tarnovo. He has conducted research in the Central Archives of Modern Records (Archiwum Akt Nowych), the Polish Institute of International Relations, and the Library of the John F. Kennedy Institute in Berlin.