Undergraduate Conference

Theme of the Fall 2024 IES Undergraduate Conference

We are excited to announce The Institute of European Studies’ upcoming research conference, with the theme of “the European Union’s Strategic Role in Global Affairs.” As the European Union faces a rapidly changing global landscape, this conference aims to explore how it is positioning itself in response to geopolitical shifts, technological disruptions, and energy transitions. From defense and security to technology and energy policy, participants are encouraged to examine the many dimensions of European involvement in world affairs.

Potential topics may include the EU’s balancing act between strategic autonomy and transatlantic cooperation, the continent's role in the geopolitics of technology, and the implications of energy policy for Europe’s geopolitical influence. Other areas of interest could include the impact of changes in migration or trade policy on the EU’s international influence. This interdisciplinary conference seeks to bring together research from various fields—political science, economics, human rights—to foster a deeper understanding of how Europe is reshaping its strategic identity amid global transformations. Students from all majors are invited to participate and present their research!

The application will consist of a google form with an abstract submission.

Conference Program: The European Union’s Strategic Role in Global Affairs

Date: November 15, 2024

Location: 223 Philosophy Hall

Opening Remarks

Time: 1:30

Speaker: Jeroen Dewulf, Institute of European Studies

Session 1: Strategic Economic Autonomy in an Evolving World Order

Time: 1:40-2:40

Moderator: Miriam Gassner, Albert Ludwigs Universität Freiburg

Presenter: Anshul Singh, University of California, Berkeley

Topic: Europe’s Path to Economic Autonomy Amidst a Second Trump Administration

Presenter: Jash Desai, University of California, Berkeley

Topic: EU-China Trade Tensions and the Role of Multinational Corporations

Presenter: Conor Devlin, University of California, Berkeley

Topic: Europe’s Path to Competitiveness in Space, Energy, and Industrial Strategy

Session 2: The EU’s Role in Civil Society and Energy Security

Time: 2:40 - 3:40

Moderator: Cajetan Späth, University of Regensburg

Presenter: Angel Fan, University of California, Berkeley

Topic: The EU’s Role in Civil Society Building in the Post-War Western Balkans

Presenter: Johnny Li, University of California, Berkeley

Title: Lessons from Europe’s Green Deal

Presenter: Tony Ordoukhanian, University of California, Berkeley

Topic: Armenia and the EU: Navigating Nuclear Energy and Sustainability Goals

Keynote

Time: 4:00

Speaker: Isabella Tomás, Austrian Consul in San Francisco

Reception

Time: 5pm