Making sense of EU - Institut d'études européennes of the ULB

There are several narratives about the European Union, narratives that label it as “a peace project” and “a human rights actor", but does this imagery still stand to the test of the current international landscape? This episode aims to find answers to this vital interrogative and to outline new pathways for a more human rights-sensitive external action of the EU. The discussion is hosted by Alessi...

New forms of cooperation are emerging, and countries are increasingly turning to smaller, more flexible alliances to navigate uncertainty. In this new landscape, partnerships between like-minded actors matter more than ever, and the relationship between the European Union and Japan is a key example of this. In this episode of Making Sense of EU , recorded in Tokyo, we explore how the EU and Japan...

The international system faces its gravest crisis in decades. As global democracy retreats, authoritarian regimes actively challenge established international rules and norms. This episode asks: Which institutions are worth saving in this " burning house " of cooperation? We analyse the paralysis of the UN Security Council and NATO's struggle against illiberal pressures as the world order begins t...

Migration has long been a defining issue for the European Union, testing its capacity to act collectively while upholding human rights and international standards. In recent years, the EU has increasingly relied on externalisation (meaning outsourcing migration control to third countries) to reduce irregular arrivals. While this approach may be effective in deterring migration, it raises serious c...

International cooperation and the rules-based order as we know it is now at stake. The inauguration of Donald Trump in his second presidential term, Russia’s brutal war on Ukraine, and great power rivalry are just some of the factors that have had an influence on how countries can work together. In addition, several multilateral organisations are being criticized for a lack of efficiency in solvin...

Daniel Muth from the Vrij Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) is member of the NAVIGATOR work package on climate change, which is focusing on how the EU positions itself in term of climate uncertainties within a fragmented and evolving global governance landscape. Drawing on his expertise in environmental governance and international cooperation, Muth highlights the complexity of climate diplomacy. His an...

In this episode, host Anna Gelencsér from the Hungarian Helsinki Committee speaks with Anna Grudzinska of the National Federation of Polish NGOs (OFOP) and András Léderer from the Hungarian Helsinki Committee about the role of civil society organizations in monitoring EU funds in Hungary and Poland. The discussion highlights both shared and country-specific challenges. In both contexts, CSOs must...

In this special International Women’s Day episode of #TalkingwithEU, we’re tackling one of the most pressing issues in Europe today: gender equality . While the EU has made strides in closing the gap—through pay transparency, gender balance policies, and more—major challenges remain. This episode features an eye-opening discussion with Alessia Ruta and Andrea Abril Montoya , two young voices shapi...

📢 New Episode Alert! 🎙️ In this month’s episode of Talking with EU , we’re diving into The European Project in Times of Change ! 🌍✨ From geopolitical shifts to social movements, the EU faces a moment of transformation—so what does the future hold? Joining us are Eyes on Europe writers Alessia Ruta and our co-host Sara Bordigato , who contributed to this month’s edition of the magazine. 📰💡 Ale...

🎙️ In this special episode of Talking with the EU , we’re diving into uncharted waters as we explore the Navigator Project , a groundbreaking four-year research initiative. This project examines how the European Union can navigate an increasingly fragmented global governance landscape and reinforce a rules-based international order. From climate change to digitalisation, migration to security, the...

Prof. Ole Jacob Sending from the Norwegian Institute for International Affairs (NUPI) explains his leadership role in shaping the theory and methods of the NAVIGATOR project. With extensive experience researching the evolving landscape of global governance, he highlights how the rise of non-state actors presents significant challenges and opportunities. Additionally, he emphasizes the importance o...

“🎙️ In this episode of Talking with the EU , we bring you a first à chaud reaction to the 2024 US elections. With President Trump back in office, what does this mean for EU-US relations, NATO and the war in Ukraine? What lessons can Europe learn from the US regarding voter engagement and political participation? Featuring special guests Rocio Rivera Torrente, Editor-in-Chief of Eyes on Europe , an...

András Léderer from the Helsinki Committee interviews both Orsolya Vincze - a lawyer at a Hungarian anti-corruption NGO, and Gergely Kovács - an associated professor at Corvinus University of Budapest They discusses the transformation of Hungarian higher education institutions into privately owned entities managed by government-appointed boards with lifelong tenure, a process that began in 2018. T...

The NAVIGATOR project's Principal Investigator, Prof. John Karlsrud - Norwegian Institute for International Affairs (NUPI), discusses the research agenda and how it will explore the ways in which the EU should navigate multilateral corporations. After presenting himself, the international team involved as well as the project's genesis, Prof. Karlsrud details the central research questions, the emp...

🎙️New Episode Alert ‼️  You want to discover more about the dangerous consequences of false information, the role of foreign and domestic actors and how new technologies like AI are intensifying the disinformation threat in the EU?  Well, than listen to the latest and final episode of this academic year of “Talking with EU,” where our hosts @daniele and @arianna explore the pressing issue of disin...

In this seventh and last episode of the RED-SPINEL season of Making Sense of EU , we are delighted to welcome both Professor Ramona Coman of the Institut d’études européennes in Brussels, and Professor Daniel Kelemen of Georgetown University in Washington DC.    To wrap up this first series of episodes exploring the nature of dissensus surrounding liberal democracy, we chose to focus our discussio...

Only a few days left to the European Parliament Elections 2024! So go to the polls and #UseYourVote!  From 6-9 June, more than 400 million EU citizens are eligible to vote in this year’s EU election, making it the second biggest democratic election on the globe.  In this episode of #TalkingWithEU, our two co-hosts, Cora Rimoldi and Felix Fend, together with our two guests, Carmen Noviello and Ludo...

Welcome to the 6th episode of the second "Making Sense of EU" season! As with the season's other episodes, this one is also dedicated to the RED-SPINEL research project, and its analysis of the challenges facing liberal democracy across the European Union. In this episode, we talk to professors Ramona Coman and Zolt Enyedi , as they share with us some of the initial findings and questions of their...

This episode was recorded as part of the IEE-ULB' s # EUqualis Jean Monnet Center of Excellence. EUqualis is focused on exploring " (in)equality and the EU" from various perspectives, including the students'. As such, this episode produced by the students is published within the framework of the #EUqualis Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence (ERASMUS-JMO-2021-HEI-TCH-RSCH). The COVID-19 pandemic has h...

Welcome back to Making Sense of EU! This is already the fifth episode of the series's second season. As a reminder, as part of the RED-SPINEL research project, the season is dedicated to exploring the challenges liberal democracy is facing in the European Union. Our understanding of who we are, how we perceive others, and what our sense of belonging might be all depend on the stories we tell ourse...

The recent farmer's protests have shaken up the EU not only from the distance but also by manifestations of farmers from every corner of Europe pouring into Brussels itself, paralyzing the EU capital. But protests have not only been in Brussels but all across the EU.  That’s why in this episode we’re asking: Why are farmers so angry? And what different challenges is the EU agriculture policy facin...

The year of elections - A test for liberal democracy?  Tune in to get the full scoop of the students’ POV on a year of decisive elections!  In this episode two IEE-ULB master students - Daniele Bogani and Felix Fend - host a roundtable discussion with two IEE-ULB Alumni - Marta Volpe and Javier Bardón - delving deep into what to expect this year.    In 2024, over half of the world's population wil...

The student’s POV is finally back! After a long summer break, we are back to bring you the latest hot topics from EU politics in a student-friendly and engaging way! New year, new team. This means also that we’re happy to welcome a new bunch of students joining our podcast team.  In this episode, our two hosts, Daniele Bogani & Silvia Bagnuolo dive with our two guests, Lukas Schaefer and Maico...

One of the instruments of the European Union that provokes dissensus among Member States is conditionality. A tool for accountability for some, a threat to sovereignty for others, conditionality has been transforming EU governance. But how?    In the fourth episode of the second season, to help us Make sense of conditionality and its use in EU governance, we welcome professors Cristina Fasone &amp...

We’re back with a new episode of Making sense of EU, and this time we will try to learn more about how the policies surrounding economic governance in the European Union can fuel dissensus.   Can the EU legitimize policies and instruments that seem like intromissions into sovereign states' politics? Is EU economic governance democratic?   For this third episode of this season, we welcome two speci...