Newsletter Issue 146
Europainstitut der Universität Basel | Institute for European Global Studies

Festive Greetings from the Institute for European Global Studies! As the year comes to a close, we look back on an autumn filled with vibrant discussions and international exchange. Highlights included a special event marking the 25th and 20th anniversaries of Switzerland's Bilateral I and II agreements with the EU, which featured valuable inputs from National Councillor Sarah Wyss and Prof. em. Georg Kreis, and an evening talk in which Dr. Simone Wyss Fedele, CEO of Switzerland Global Enterprise, shared insights into shifting geopolitics, global trade and Swiss business strategies abroad. 

We were particularly delighted to welcome Prof. José Augusto Fontoura Costa from São Paulo University, the EIB’s new Katekisama partner institute. He joined us in the EIB Salon and offered a fascinating perspective on international relations and law, touching upon foreign policy, judicial independence and, briefly, legal education in the context of Brazil’s global role. 

In this issue, you will find all the latest news about the exciting events and activities that took place during the autumn term at the Institute, as well as recent publications, media reports, and personnel matters. We wish you a pleasant read! 

Warm regards, 
Corey Ross and the team from the Europainstitut der Universität Basel  

News

An intergenerational discussion on the past, present and future of Switzerland's bilateral approach

National Councillor Sarah Wyss and Prof. em. Georg Kreis, founding director of the Europainstitut, discussed the development of Switzerland's bilateral path under the moderation of Prof. Dr. Christa Tobler and Prof. Dr. Andreas Müller. The event took place on November 25, 2024, on the occasion of the double anniversary of the bilateral agreements: 25 years of Bilaterals I and 20 years of Bilaterals II.

Salon Discussion with Prof. José Augusto Fontoura Costa

Prof. José Augusto Fontoura Costa from São Paulo University’s Law Faculty – our new Katekisama partner institution – paid a visit to the Sandgrube Salon on 19 November 2024 and presented a fascinating overview of international relations and law from a Brazilian perspective. Input from the audience – employees, students and colleagues from the law faculty – kept things lively from start to finish. Brazil’s history, legal education system, global trading relations and the BRICS were front and centre of the conversation.   

Lecture by Dr. Simone Wyss Fedele on Swiss foreign trade

Dr. Simone Wyss Fedele, CEO of Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE), gave a talk on the topic: “Geopolitical Shifts and the Realignment of Trade Flows: What Global Trends Mean for Internationally Active Swiss Companies.” She highlighted the impact of current global developments on international trade and outlined strategies for Swiss companies to navigate these changes successfully.

News from our Study Programs

Doctoral Colloquium/ PhD Project Lab

The Institute for European Global Studies has hosted another iteration of the PhD Project Lab. Doctoral students from the University of Heidelberg and the University of Basel had the opportunity to present their research projects to an interdisciplinary audience of doctoral and postdoctoral researchers as well as professors from the Institute.

The PhD Project Lab is a platform of the Graduate Program European Global Studies which enables exchange between early-career and senior researchers and enhances the interdisciplinary dialogue at the Institute. The event was organized by Corey Ross and Ralph Weber, the leaders of the research areas Global History of Europe and European Global Knowledge Production respectively.

Working Lunch with Dr. Maria Birnbaum

Dr. Maria Birnbaum gave a presentation entitled “Politics of Ignorance: The Power of Not Knowing” at the working lunch on 11 December 2024, focusing on the meaning, practice, and power of ignorance in the context of international politics.

Dr. Maria Birnbaum is a post-doctoral researcher at swisspeace and the University of Basel. She holds a PhD in Social and Political Science from the European University Institute and is an associate researcher at the Institute for Advanced Studies associated with the University of Princeton and the University of Bern. 

New Syllabus for Spring Semester 2025

The syllabus for our Master's program in European Global Studies for the spring semester 2025 is now available online.

The Master’s program in European Global Studies stands out for its comprehensive approach to the study of European societies. It combines methods and theories of law, economics, history and the social sciences to examine Europe in its global context, especially in its relationships to Africa and Asia.

Publications

New Issue of the Basel Papers

The new issue of the e-journal Global Europe – Basel Papers on Europe in a Global Perspective was released in October. It features three articles by graduates of the Institute of European Global Studies: Sarah Farhatiar, Michael Honegger, and Angela Zollinger.

Media Coverage

Interviews with Experts from the Europainstitut

Several national and international media outlets interviewed experts from the Europainstitut on current affairs. Ralph Weber spoke about risks of research espionage by China and Christa Tobler gave an interview on EU-Swiss relations.

22 November 2024, FAZ, Tagesanzeiger, Basler Zeitung, University World New (Weber)
28 October 2024, Handelszeitung (Tobler)

Personalia

Researchers from the Europainstitut at Conferences

Researchers from the Europainstitut took part in conferences, specialist meetings and discussion panels. Find a selection here:

Corey Ross has given a keynote lecture entitled "Water and Power in the Age of Empire – and Beyond" at the University of Bonn. The presentation was part of the international conference "Empire & Environment. 'A Place for Stories: Nature, History, and Narrative' – reconsidered".

Madeleine Herren-Oesch has given a guest lecture on the topic of "Foreign Residents and global trade in the late 19th century" at the University of Coimbra in Portugal.

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