Page 1 - 2014springnewsletter

Fung Global Fellows, led by Wimmer, to focus on global diffusion The Fung Global Fellows Program will The six fellows selected for 2014-15: begin the 2014-15 academic year with a Seva Gunitsky, an assistant professor of new cohort of six visiting fellows focusing political science at the Munk School on the theme of global diffusion under the of Global Affairs, University of Toronto direction of Andreas Wimmer, the Hughes- in Canada; Rogers Professor of Sociology at Princeton Alexandra Kowalski, an assistant University. professor of sociology and social The program, administered by the anthropology at the Central European Princeton Institute for International University in Budapest, Hungary; and Regional Studies, brings together Deepak Malghan, an assistant professor international faculty members from the at the Indian Institute of Management in social sciences and humanities around a Bangalore, India; common theme. The 2014-15 theme will Lorena Poblete, a researcher at Centro include an examination of how certain de Investigaciones Sociales del Consejo policies, such as minority quota systems; Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y specific modes of social categorization, Técnicas/Instituto de Desarrollo Económico such as race in census forms; and cultural y Social (CIS-CONICET/IDES) in Buenos templates, such as the tradition of brides Aires, Argentina; wearing white, spread to nations around the Aashish Velkar, a lecturer in economic globe while others never catch on. Wimmer history at the University of Manchester in said he is interested in developing a more the U.K.; and Andreas Wimmer sophisticated understanding of what spreads Fabio Wasserfallen, an assistant to where and why. professor of political economy at the “Waves of War: Nationalism, State Some of the fellows are focused on Salzburg Center of European Union Studies Formation, and Ethnic Exclusion in policy diffusion and some are interested in Salzburg, Austria. the Modern World” (2013) and “Ethnic in the spread, or lack thereof, of cultural Wimmer, the second member of Boundary Making: Institutions, Power, understanding. Over the course of the year Princeton’s faculty to hold the two-year Networks” (2013). they will conduct research, write, and directorship, said he “found the idea of participate in a public seminar series where internationalizing the University’s networks The following is more information on the they will present their work to the Princeton of relationships though a midcareer newly appointed Fung fellows: community at large. fellowship program very attractive.” Gunitsky received a Ph.D. from The new fellows are a “great group The Fung program is an opportunity, Columbia University. His research of very talented post-Ph.D. scholars he said, “to contribute to the further focuses on the external determinants of from around the world — from India to cosmopolitization of academic horizons domestic reforms, particularly the effects Argentina,” Wimmer said. “Half of them are and to establish lasting relationships with of hegemonic transitions and the global historically, qualitatively minded scholars, scholars across continents.” diffusion of political institutions. He is and half of them are more oriented toward Wimmer’s own research aims to completing his first book, “Democracy quantitative social science work. I hope there understand the dynamics of nation-state and the Decline of Great Powers,” which will be some good and lasting moments formation, ethnic boundary making, examines the causes of democratic waves in of intellectual cross-fertilization and and political conflict from a comparative the 20th century. excitement.” perspective. His recent books include Continued on page 4 2 3 5 S P R IN G 2 0 1 4 Cyril Black book forum Undergraduate fellows 2014 Labouisse Prize on ‘Treasury’s War’ awarded named for 2015