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.

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.

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.

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.