Leading Scholars Convene at Tocqueville Program to Examine Transatlantic Ties & Governance Challenges
NEW HAVEN, CT – A distinguished group of political scientists, specializing in European and American political dynamics, are gathering under the auspices of Yale University’s Tocqueville Program, signaling a renewed focus on transatlantic understanding amidst evolving global challenges. the program is drawing on the expertise of scholars who have shaped the field, including those examining the historical roots of political ideologies and the complexities of modern governance.Among those featured is Professor Herbert Kitschelt, a foundational figure in the study of European integration and political conflict.Kitschelt co-founded the UNC Center for European Studies (1994) and its EU Center of Excellence (1998), directing both until 2006. His extensive body of work includes influential books like European Integration and Political Conflict: Citizens, Parties, groups (2004), It Didn’t Happen Here: Why Socialism Failed in the United States? (2000) co-authored wiht Seymour Martin Lipset, and Governance in the European Union (1996).
Also prominently featured are Liesbet Hooghe and Gary Marks, a collaborative duo renowned for their groundbreaking work on multilevel governance. The married scholars, who jointly author most projects and receive accolades together – including the APSA daniel Elazar Distinguished Federalism Scholar Award (2017) and the Martha Derthick Award for their seminal book Multi-Level Governance and European Integration (2001) – have also been awarded Honorary Doctorates from Maastricht University. Their ongoing research,encompassing titles like A Theory of International Organization (2019) and The Rise of Regional Authority (2010),continues to refine understandings of power dynamics across different levels of governance.
Rounding out the featured scholars is matthias Matthijs, Dean Acheson Associate Professor of International Political Economy at Johns Hopkins University and Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. Matthijs, who chaired the European Union Studies Association (EUSA) from 2019-2021, brings expertise in economic crises and transatlantic relations, having authored The Future of the Euro (2015) and Ideas and Economic Crises in Britain from Attlee to Blair (1945-2005) (2011). He previously received the samuel H.Beer Prize for Best Dissertation in british Politics and twice earned the Max M. Fisher Prize for Excellence in Teaching.
The Tocqueville Program’s focus on thes scholars underscores its commitment to fostering rigorous analysis of the enduring connections – and emerging tensions – between Europe and America, and to exploring the challenges facing democratic governance in both regions.
