CEES Graduate Student Conference 2025
What does the future of Europe look like in an era of shifting borders, contested identities, and geopolitical uncertainty? This was the central question explored at the CEES International Graduate Student Conference, held from March 13–15. The annual conference New Perspectives, New Problems, and New Solutions in Europe and Eurasia brought together emerging scholars from Europe, Eurasia, and North America to discuss some of the region’s most pressing issues. From authoritarianism and migration to wartime narratives and digital security threats, the conference offered a platform for fresh ideas, innovative solutions, and spirited discussion.
The conference kicked off with a keynote by Dr. Markus Kaim, Head of the Department of Geoeconomy and Security Policy at the German Ministry of Finance. His talk From Berlin to the Battlefield: How Germany's 2025 Election Shapes European Security tackled a timely question: what role will Germany play in shaping Europe's security future? He highlighted the far-reaching consequences of Germany’s recent Bundestag election, an outcome that will influence Berlin’s military support for Ukraine, its defense spending priorities, and its leadership within NATO and the EU. Kaim’s message was clear, highlighting that decisions made in Berlin will be felt from Kyiv to Brussels, and their impact could redefine European stability for years to come. His talk set the stage for a series of panels in the days that followed, covering topics such as authoritarian masculinity, justice in wartime Ukraine, and the use of migration as a geopolitical tool.
The conference’s five panels covered an impressive range of topics, with presenters confronting some of the most complex issues facing Europe and Eurasia today, as well as throughout history. Literature, music and architecture were discussed alongside topics covering Russian information - psychological operations and Ukrainian refugee experiences in Canada. The role of illiberal democracy in Turkey and Uzbekistan’s delicate relationship with Afghanistan were also examined. The interdisciplinarity of the conference was evident in the variety of topics and methodologies that were presented. The panels, which touched on everything from the study of authoritarianism and foreign influence to the histories of Hungary, Ukraine, and the Balkans, provoked interesting questions from the audience and continued discussion across coffee breaks and lunches.
Thank you to everyone who joined, presented, and moderated these conversations, as well as to the organizing committee: Sophie Sacilotto, Ayberk Dizdarlar, David Chobotov, Johnny Amundson, Lev Pavlenko, Kaan Gumrah, Connor Haines.
The CEES International Graduate Conference is generously funded by the Centre for European and Eurasian Studies, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), PetroJacykProgram for the Study of Ukraine, Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations, Anne Tanenbaum Centre for Jewish Studies, Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures, Harney Program in Ethnic, Immigration and Pluralism Studies, Department of Political Science, Women and Gender Studies Institute, and the CEES Graduate Student Union
