About

The Center for the Study of Europe at Boston University provides institutional support for European studies across Boston University. We bring together faculty, students, international visitors, and others with interests in Europe across a variety of disciplines and coordinates the European Studies BA and minor. We also sponsor talks by leading scholars in the humanities and social sciences on political, economic, and social challenges facing Europe, as well as on European art, literature, and music.

The Center for the Study of Europe was established in 2011 and became part of the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies in 2014. It was preceded by the Institute for Human Sciences (2002-2010), which promoted research and discussion of public policy issues among European and American intellectuals and policymakers.

The Center is a member of the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) and the Council for European Studies. All Boston University faculty involved in the study of Europe through research or teaching, regardless of the school or college in which their appointments are based, are welcome to affiliate.

Vivien Schmidt, Jean Monnet Professor of European Integration, served as director of the Center through December 2016. She was succeeded by Cathie Jo Martin, Professor of Political Science, who directed the Center between January 2017 and December 2019. Daniela Caruso, Jean Monnet Chair and Professor of Law, became the Center’s third director in January 2020.

The mission of the Center for the Study of Europe is to promote a deeper understanding of Europe through its cultural heritage; its political, economic, legal, and religious histories; its art, literature, music, and philosophy; as well as through its emergence as a new kind of supranational entity, the European Union. Operationally, the Center provides a focal point and institutional support for the study of Europe across Boston University through coordination of teaching missions, support of research, community-building among faculty and students, and outreach beyond the University.

Each year the Center offers a rich program of activities ranging from public lectures and panel discussions, international symposia and conferences, film screenings and concerts, to seminars, round-tables, and lunch talks. Participants have included well-known academic researchers, politicians, policy experts, and journalists as well as artists, poets, activists, and public intellectuals. We work closely with other centers, departments, and schools here at BU; with local universities and cultural organizations; with European Consulates and Embassies; and with publishers of literature in translation, among others.

The European Studies program offers a 10-course major and a 6-course minor, both of which draw on the resources of the Pardee School of Global Studies, the College of Arts & Sciences, BU Study Abroad programs in Europe, as well as on BU’s other schools and colleges. The program combines a unifying regional focus with a multidisciplinary approach, enabling students to bring together courses that develop language skills; social, historical, and cultural knowledge; and political, economic, and international relations expertise. Both the major and the minor require written and spoken knowledge of a European language other than English.

News, Events & Opportunities

• A Reading and Conversation with Marie NDiaye

  Join us for a reading and conversation with esteemed author Marie NDiaye.  Please register on Eventbrite. Marie NDiaye was born in 1967 in Pithiviers (Le Loiret), to a French mother and Senegalese father. She is one of the most widely read and critically acclaimed living French authors. She won the Prix Femina... [ More ]

• Transatlantic Relations in a New World Order (03/16/26)

  Join us on March 16, 2026 for a presentation by Tormod Heir and Eugene Chausovsky about transatlantic relations in a new world order. Details and the registration link will be shared shortly, please check here or the CSE newsletter for updates. Tormod Heier is Professor in Military Strategy and Operations, and... [ More ]

• Architectures of the Apocalypse: An Interdisciplinary Conference (02/26/26 – 02/28/26)

  The Center for the Study of Europe is delighted to co-sponsor Architectures of the Apocalypse - an interdisciplinary conference for students and scholars of the Middle Ages, the ancient world, and the present day. All events at 121 Bay State Road unless otherwise indicated. For more information, including links to... [ More ]

• War and Peace: The Results of Four Years of War (02/23/26)

  Join us for a presentation by General David McKiernan and Ambassador Mark Storella, moderated by Professor Kaija Schilde. Please register on Eventbrite. These esteemed speakers will address key questions including: how has the Ukraine War changed warfare, and how has the Ukraine War changed diplomacy?

• DECENTERING EUROPE SERIES: Great Power Rivalry in the Middle East | Lasting Legacies (02/19/26)

  Join us for the next event in the BU CSE Decentering Europe Series. Presented by BU Professor Erik Goldstein and moderated by BU Professor Aimee Genell. The event will delve into how decades of great power rivalries in the Middle East shaped the region for decades  and set the stage... [ More ]

• EU-US Relations in Turbulent Times (02/19/26)

  Join us for a talk by KU Leuven Professor Dr. Jan Wouters, moderated by BU Professor Alexander de la Paz. Please register on Eventbrite. EU-US relations are evolving rapidly since the beginning of President Trump’s second term. January 2026 saw new tensions in the context of the President’s bid for Greenland, with... [ More ]

• Pop-Propaganda: How the Kremlin Markets its War like Disney and Coca-Cola (02/10/26)

  Join us for a talk by journalist and analyst Andrew Ryvkin. Ryvkin is a journalist and analyst who writes for The Atlantic, specializing in Russian politics, information warfare, and the inner mechanics of Kremlin power. Before his career in Western media, he spent years inside Russia’s propaganda system—publishing lifestyle magazines... [ More ]