In 1992 the New School, in collaboration with the Pew Charitable Trusts, established the Democracy Fellowship Program, which enabled advanced graduate students from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia to study at the Graduate Faculty for one year. In addition to attending Graduate Faculty courses, Democracy Fellows participated in the activities of the New York chapter of the Democracy Seminar and served as liaisons in the ECEP projects that involve their respective countries. The Democracy Fellowship Program also organized a Democracy Fellowship Workshop Series (open to all international students at the GF), the express purpose of which was to help familiarize students with the system of higher learning in the U.S. Workshops included "Evolution of American Graduate Institutions," "Ways of Preparing Research Papers," Approaches to Teaching," "Publishing in Academic Journals," "Grant Opportunities and Proposal Writing," and "Incorporating Your US Experience at Home." The three-year grant provided funds for five Democracy Fellows each year.
Gyorgy Simo
Institute of Sociology, Eotvos Lorand University, Budapest, Hungary,
and Associate Editor of the weekly Magyar Narancs . Mr. Simo first
learned of ECEP's activities in East and Central Europe in a Collaborative
Course, "Political Sociology," set up jointly by ECEP
and the Institute of Sociology (with Professors Antal Orkeny and
Gyorgy Csepeli, Mr. Simo's academic advisors). He came to us recommended
as not only one of the most promising young Hungarian scholars,
but also as somebody deeply involved in the country's social and
political transition. For example, Mr. Simo was a co-founder of
the now famous Tilos Radio , an independent -- and because of
the media law existing at the time, semi-clandestine -- station,
the purpose of which was to disseminate political and social commentary
to the public. While in New York, Gyorgy continued both his scholarly
activities and his work in the emerging Hungarian "public
sphere" by contributing articles about American political
and social topics to Magyar Narancs (one of these was an in-depth
series of coverage on the 1992 Presidential campaign) . Gyorgy
became an active member of the "Working Group on Political
Parties and Party Systems," led by Professors Andrew Arato
and Jan Gross, which publishes bi-annually a "Bulletin on
Electoral Statistics and Public Opinion Surveys" in the quarterly
journal East European Politics and Societies . (Upon his
return to Budapest, Gyorgy continued his post as liaison between
Hungary and the Working Group, and in the Spring of 1994 worked
on a series of articles with Professor Arato for Magyar Narancs
during Prof. Arato's semester-long tenure there.) Gyorgy was also
the special assistant to the Coordinator of "Cinema in Transition:
Recent Films from East and Central Europe," an ECEP-sponsored
festival held in April, 1993 and played a special role in the
inviting of two Hungarian visitors to the New School, Dr. Gyorgy
Csepeli and Andras Vagvolgyi, Editor-in-Chief of Magyar Narancs
, both of whom gave talks in ECEP's Lecture Series.
Radina Stoyanova
Department of Political Science, Sofia University, Bulgaria.
Upon learning of her Fellowship award, Radina traveled to Cracow
to participate in the First Annual Democracy and Diversity
Summer Graduate Institute, getting a jump start on her acquaintance
with the New School. In New York, she became a member of the Proseminar
on State Formation and Collective Action, led by Professor Charles
Tilly. She also participated in the Working Group on Political
Parties and Party Systems, and acted as liaison between the Bulgarian
chapter of the Democracy Seminar and the ECEP offices. She was
also instrumental in communicating on behalf of ECEP with ECEP's
collaborators in Sofia in the development of the Collaborative
Course project in Bulgaria. Ms. Stoyanova was host to Rumyana
Kolarova, professor of political science at Sofia University during
her two visits to the New School and helped organize a lecture
for her in ECEP's Lecture Series. Upon her return, Radina acted
as a Teacher's Assistant for the newly established Collaborative
Course in "Political Sociology" at Sofia University
(co-taught by Professors Dobrin Kanev--New Bulgarian University
--and Rumyana Kolarova). She acted as host to Professor Aristide
Zolberg who traveled to the Course to give a special lecture and
also held a meeting of the Working Group on "Nationality
and Diversity: Challenges to Liberalism and Democracy."
Pavel Tychtl
Institute of Sociology, Academy of Sciences, graduate of the
Department of Sociology, Charles University, Prague, the Czech
Republic. While in New York, Mr. Tychtl became a member of the
Proseminar on State Formation and Collective Action, led by Professor
Charles Tilly. As a member of a Research Team, "Analysis
of the Transitions from State Socialism, at the Institute of Sociology,
he served as a special liaison between the Czech and New York
members of the "Working Group on Political Parties and Party
Systems." He also contributed a piece (co-authored by Radim
Marada) to ECEP's quarterly Bulletin (Vol. 3, No. 3), an interview
with the late Rita Klimova during her stay at the New School.
Mr. Tychtl also helped with the arrangements for the visit of
Petr Pithart, the first post-communist Prime Minister, to the
New School.
Anna Kubiak
Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, Polish Academy of Sciences,
Warsaw, Poland. In New York, Ms. Kubiak helped organize and establish
a collection of books and materials related to East European studies,
which now serves as a resource center for students and researchers
of East European politics and societies. She also assisted in
the organization of the 1993 Democracy and Diversity, summer Graduate
Institute in Cracow, Poland, and played host to a visiting Polish
scholar, Prof. Ewa Letowska, former Commissioner of Human Rights.
While in New York she worked closely with Professor Jose Casanova
on her dissertation research. Presently she is in the process
of defending her dissertation, which is on religious groups and
para-religious groups in Poland as these intersect with democratization
problems transition.
Agnes Hochberg (Hungary)
Researcher at the History Department of the European University
Institute, Florence, Italy.
Svetoslav Malinov
Department of Political Science, Sofia University, Bulgaria.
Mr. Malinov learned about the Pew Democracy Fellowship through
ECEP's summer graduate institute "Democracy and Diversity,"
which he attended in 1992. In New York he was an active member
of the Substantive Working Group on "Political parties and
Party Systems" as well as the New York chapter of the Democracy
Seminar. Mr. Malinov presented a paper with Bulgarian Professor
Dobrin Kanev at the ECEP -- Center for European Studies of New
York University jointly sponsored conference entitled: East and
Central Europe: Reemergence of the Left?/Collapse of the Right?
. He also presented a paper at the "Sociology Student Workshop"
entitled "Edmund Burke's Critique of Democracy," and
began a project with Prof. Benjamin Barber which seeks to obtain
funds for translations of the classical political thinkers into
Bulgarian. He has also been very active as an intern for ECEP,
helping to set up Collaborative Courses in Bulgaria and acting
as a liaison with the Sofia chapter of the Democracy Seminar.
Currently he is writing his dissertation.
Jozef Pinior
Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, Graduate School for Social
Research, Warsaw, Poland. Mr. Pinior became interested in the
Democracy Fellowship while taking the ECEP Collaborative Course
"Social Construction of Democracy". Upon learning of
his Fellowship award, he traveled to Cracow for the summer graduate
institute "Democracy and Diversity". In New York Mr.
Pinior was an active member of the Substantive Working Group on
"Political Parties and Party System," as well as Professor
Jose Casanova' seminar "Democracy and Dictatorships in Latin
America," where made substantial progress on his dissertation,
a comparative study on the transition from authoritarian rule
to democracy in Eastern Europe and Latin America. Mr. Pinior presented
a paper at the ECEP, Center for European Studies of New York University
jointly sponsored conference, East and Central Europe: Reemergence
of the Left?/Collapse of the Right? entitled "The New Polish
Party-the New Authoritarianism?" As an ECEP intern he worked
hard gathering materials for the Collaborative Courses in Warsaw.
Mr. Pinior was also an active participant in the Democracy Seminar
and the newly expanded International Student Workshop. He is currently
writing his dissertation.
Anna Sosnowska
Institute of Sociology, Warsaw University. Ms. Sosnowska was a
member of Professor Benjamin Barber's seminar, "Modern Democratic
Theory," which was crucial for her dissertation project on
the descriptive versus prescriptive elements of Democracy. She
was consistently active in the working of ECEP where she functioned
as a special assistant to Professor Elzbieta Matynia. While in
New York, Anna acted as guide and host to numerous visiting Fellows
from the region, including Miroslawa Grabowska from the Institute
of Sociology in Warsaw. In the spring Ms. Sosnowska helped organize
the 1994 summer graduate institute "Democracy and Diversity"
in Cracow, Poland. Currently she is continuing her dissertation
research in Warsaw and working for a public opinion research institute.
Robert Gal
Department of Philosophy, Charles University, Prague. Mr. Gal
led an active life in New York, participating in academic and
cultural events of the New School. He was a vocal participant
in the "International Student Workshop" as well as ECEP's
Lecture Series. He also acted as a guide for visiting Fellow Martin
Butora. While in New York, Mr. Gal wrote a philosophical essay,
"To Be or To Kill," which will be published in Prague
in a forthcoming collection of essays titled Violence, edited
by Jan Urban and Miroslav Petrusek. Mr. Gal is a frequent contributor
to a popular weekly in Bratislava called Cultural Life.
Tibor Mezei
Department of Political Science, Eotvos Lorand University, Budapest,
Hungary. Mr. Mezei was a member of the Substantive Working Group,
"Political Parties and Party Systems" and took active
part in the New York chapter of the Democracy Seminar. Mr. Mezei
played a major role in inviting Member of the Hungarian Parliament,
Miklos Haraszti, to the New School. He has participated in the
seminar "On Civil Society," led by Prof. Andrew Arato,
where he expanded his dissertation project involving contemporary
American political theory and its relevance to the post-socialist
transitions. Back in Hungary, Tibor entered the Political Science
Department of Central European University, chaired by Janos Kis,
where he is progressing on his dissertation and research.
Monica Ciobanu
Sociology Department, University of Bucharest, Romania. Monica
received her MA from the University of Bucharest in 1993, and
went on to become an assistant researcher at the National Institute
of Sociology, Romanian Academy of Sciences, where she is pursuing
her Ph.D. She is interested in public policy issues in the context
of transition and the process of democratization. Specifically
she is examining the situation of women and families in post-communist
society, with special attention to their relationships to public
spaces and the labor market.
Jacek Kucharczyk
Graduate School for Social Research, Warsaw, Poland, Mr. Kucharczyk
is a doctoral candidate at the GSSR, where he is focusing on the
history of the concept of liberal culture and multiculturalism.
While in New York, he hopes to develop a theoretical framework
that will help him address cultural dilemmas facing Polish society
as it moves toward greater openness and democracy. At the Graduate
Faculty Mr. Kucharczyk is working as an apprentice to Adam Michnik,
and has joined the Working Group on Political Parties and Party
Systems as the Polish liaison. Jacek also attended the 1994 "Democracy
and Diversity" summer Graduate Institute in Cracow, Poland.
Lydia Kudlickova
Born in Ruzomberok, Slovakia, Department of Sociology, Commenius
University, Bratislava. Ms. Kudlickova received her MA in Sociology
in May 1994, where she wrote a thesis on the problem of homelessness
in Slovakia. At the Graduate Faculty's Department of Sociology
she plans to expand this research to include questions of social
change, the welfare state, job-training and unemployment.
Peeter Muursepp
Born in Keila, Estonia, Tallinn Pedagogical University. Mr.
Muursepp received his MA in Philosophy at Tartu University in
1992. Since 1992, he has been the co-coordinator (along with Dr.
Priit Jarve) of the Estonian branch of ECEP's Democracy Seminar.
He is presently affiliated with the Tallinn Pedagogical University
where he is a doctoral student and senior lecturer in Philosophy.
His scholarly work focuses on the philosophical problems associated
with rapid social and economic change in the post-totalitarian
world. At the New School he plans to deepen his understanding
of the current theoretical issues facing the processes of democratization
and liberalization. He is a member of ECEP's "Working Group
on Nationality and Diversity: Challenges to Liberalism and Democracy,"
led by Prof. Aristide Zolberg and is acting as liaison between
the ECEP offices and Estonian collaborators. Currently he is designing
a Collaborative Course to be taught by him upon his return to
Tallinn in the Fall of 1995. Peeter traveled to Cracow in 1993
for the Democracy and Diversity Institute and since then became
very active in helping other Estonians participate in the Institute.
Valeri Pandjarov,
Department of Political Science, New Bulgarian University,
Sofia. Mr. Pandjarov is completing his MA in Political Science
at the New Bulgarian University, an independent graduate institution
established in 1991. His research focuses on the issue of European
integration with attention to the problems of ethnicity and migration,
liberalism, and democracy. At the New School he plans to take
advantage of the resources there in order to enhance his future
dissertation.
Andras Tapolcai
Sociology Department, Budapest University of Economic Sciences,
Hungary. Mr. Tapolcai received his MA in Sociology in 1993. Currently,
he is a research Fellow and lecturer for the Department of Sociology
at Berzsenyi College in Szombathely. His doctoral research focuses
on the Roma population in Hungary, in which he explores how the
concept of nation encodes notions of otherness and discrimination.
At the Graduate Faculty, Andras intends to strengthen his theoretical
understanding of race and ethnic relations, by taking part in
seminars offered in the Department of Sociology.
