Women's Political Empowerment in the Balkans: Episode One (Albania)

Brussels is pushing to begin formal membership talks with Ukraine and Moldova at the end of June as Hungary continues its oppostition; the newly passed "foreign agent law" in Georgia seems to be stalling the country's EU course. Enlargement has been at the top of the EU agenda since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, but these developments seem to be complicating each member candidate's prospects for a smooth accession. We checked in with Nicholas Lokker, from the Center for a New American Security, to make sense of EU enlargement and the intervening variables in the process, such as Russia's continued aggression, China's Belt and Road Initiative, and European strategic autonomy.   The Europe Desk is a podcast from the BMW Center for German and European Studies at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. It brings together leading experts working on the most pertinent issues facing Europe and transatlantic relations today.   Music: Sam Kyzviat and Breakmaster Cylinder Design: Sarah Diebboll Leadership: Hailey Ordal, Josephine Sylvestre Production: Louis Onoratini, Andreea Procopan, and Alexandra Long Communications: Sophie al Mutawaly

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has passed its second year mark, and support from Kyiv is now facing multiple challenges, from a military aid package that is stalled in U.S. Congress, to rifts in the EU’s “strategic ambiguity” strategy and shortages in ammunition production. For this episode, we sat down with Max Bergmann, Director of the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program and Stuart Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, to discuss how the war in Ukraine may end and how we can maintain support for the country. The Europe Desk is a podcast from the BMW Center for German and European Studies at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. It brings together leading experts working on the most pertinent issues facing Europe and transatlantic relations today.    Music: Sam Kyzviat and Breakmaster Cylinder Design: Sarah Diebboll Leadership: Hailey Ordal, Josephine Sylvestre  Production: Andreea Procopan and Sophie al Mutawaly Communications: Sophie al Mutawaly

We sat down with Dr. Endre Szentkiralyi, president of the United Hungarian Societies and author, to discuss the role of diaspora communities in shaping the culture and society of the United States, as well as identity and assimilation in these communities. His works include the following: Being Hungarian in Cleveland: Maintaining Language, Culture, and Traditions; Cold War to Warm Cooperation: The Military Service of Cleveland Hungarians; and an oral history project, Do Hungarians Still Live in Cleveland? Collection of Memories. The Europe Desk is a podcast from the BMW Center for German and European Studies at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. It brings together leading experts working on the most pertinent issues facing Europe and transatlantic relations today.   Music: Sam Kyzviat and Breakmaster Cylinder Design: Sarah Diebboll Leadership: Hailey Ordal, Josephine Sylvestre Production: Greg Pal Communications: Sophie al Mutawaly

 As discussions on the future of the transatlantic relationship on Earth run hot, the Europe Desk has its head in - or rather above - the clouds: We sat down with Prof. Dr. Hoffman, former NASA astronaut, and current MIT professor, to discuss differing European and US priorities regarding space, the potential for enhanced transatlantic collaboration, and how sustainability is crucial - both in space and on earth.    The Europe Desk is a podcast from the BMW Center for German and European Studies at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. It brings together leading experts working on the most pertinent issues facing Europe and transatlantic relations today.    Music: Sam Kyzviat and Breakmaster Cylinder Design: Sarah Diebboll Leadership: Hailey Ordal, Josephine Sylvestre  Production: Siv Röhrl, Sophia Winograd and Charlotte Davis Communication: Sophie al Mutawaly

We sat down with Ana Kozomara of the Advanced Leadership in Politics Institute (ALPI) in Serbia. In this episode, we discuss the current landscape of women’s political representation in Serbia and why prioritizing women’s political empowerment is essential to democracy building in the country, as well as for trans-regional cooperation. The Europe Desk is a podcast from the BMW Center for German and European Studies at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. It brings together leading experts working on the most pertinent issues facing Europe and transatlantic relations today.    Music: Sam Kyzviat and Breakmaster Cylinder Design: Sarah Diebboll Leadership: Hailey Ordal, Josephine Sylvestre  Production: Alexandra Long and Nina Avramovski Communication: Sophie al Mutawaly

We sat down with Anesa Omanović, Marta Onorato, and Željka Cvejin of the International Republican Institute. In this episode, we cover IRI’s efforts to advance and improve women’s political representation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Serbia, and how such efforts have implications for objectives like trans-regional cooperation and EU accession. The Europe Desk is a podcast from the BMW Center for German and European Studies at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. It brings together leading experts working on the most pertinent issues facing Europe and transatlantic relations today.  Music: Sam Kyzviat and Breakmaster Cylinder Design: Sarah Diebboll Leadership: Hailey Ordal, Josephine Sylvestre  Production: Alexandra Long and Nina Avramovski Communication: Sophie al Mutawaly

We sat down with Valerie Dowling,  Director of Women’s Democracy Network (WDN) and Private Sector Engagement at International Republican Institute (IRI), a nonpartisan, nongovernmental sister organization of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). In this episode, we discuss the current landscape of women’s political representation in Albania and why prioritizing women’s political empowerment is essential to democracy building in the country.  The Europe Desk is a podcast from the BMW Center for German and European Studies at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. It brings together leading experts working on the most pertinent issues facing Europe and transatlantic relations today.   Music: Sam Kyzviat and Breakmaster Cylinder Design: Sarah Diebboll Leadership: Hailey Ordal, Josephine Sylvestre  Production: Alexandra Long and Nina Avramovski Communication: Sophie al Mutawaly

We sat down with Dr. Andrew Lebovich, a research fellow at the Clingendael Institute focused on Conflict Research. As an expert on security and political issues in the Sahel, we were able to ask Dr. Lebovich about the coup in Niger, the rising influence of China, Turkey and Russia in the region as well as the EU’s interests in the Sahel.  The Europe Desk is a podcast from the BMW Center for German and European Studies at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. It brings together leading experts working on the most pertinent issues facing Europe and transatlantic relations today.    Music: Sam Kyzviat and Breakmaster Cylinder Design: Sarah Diebboll Leadership: Hailey Ordal, Josephine Sylvestre  Production: Siv Röhrl, Yasmine Adrian and Louis Onoratini Communication: Sophie al Mutawaly

We sat down with Jaume Duch Guillot, the Director-General for Communication of the European Parliament and its spokesperson. We discussed the upcoming 2024 European Parliament elections, their implications and the work done by the Communications department.  The Europe Desk is a podcast from the BMW Center for German and European Studies at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. It brings together leading experts working on the most pertinent issues facing Europe and transatlantic relations today.    Music: Sam Kyzviat and Breakmaster Cylinder Design: Sarah Diebboll Leadership: Hailey Ordal, Josephine Sylvestre  Production: Andreea Procopan and Louis Onoratini Communication: Sophie al Mutawaly

We sat down with Dr. Danyel Reiche, a Visiting Research Fellow at the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS), a Visiting Associate Professor at Georgetown on the Qatar campus who teaches on “Soccer Politics”, and co-author of the book “Qatar and the 2022 FIFA World Cup: Politics, Controversy, Change”. We discussed the intersection of soccer and politics including sportswashing, the shifting dynamics of European soccer, and human rights in sports. The Europe Desk is a podcast from the BMW Center for German and European Studies at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. It brings together leading experts working on the most pertinet issues facing Europe and transatlantic relations today.   Music: Sam Kyzivat and Breakmaster Cylinder Design: Sarah Diebboll Leadership: Hailey Ordal, Josephine Sylvestre Production: Sophie al Mutawaly, Louis Onoratini, and Nina Avramovski Communications: Sophie al Mutawaly