ALEKSANDRA SZNAJDER
Department of Political Science
University of Richmond
Richmond, VA 23173
Tel. 804-289-8095
E-mail: asznajde@richmond.edu
EDUCATION
Yale University, Ph.D. (December 2006), Department of Political Science
Dissertation: “From Behemoths to Subsidiaries: The Politics of Steel Sector Restructuring and Privatization in Central and Eastern Europe”
Advisors: David R. Cameron (chair), Anna Grzymała-Busse, Susan Rose-Ackerman,
Iván Szelényi
Yale University, M.Phil., M.A., Department of Political Science, 2002
Qualifying Exams: Comparative Politics, Political Economy (with Distinction),
International Relations
Goucher College, B.A. in Political Science, International Relations, and French, 1999
Graduated with General Honors and Honors in all three majors
Honors Senior Thesis: “The European Union Environmental Policy Maturation Process and the Implications for the European Union Enlargement”
EMPLOYMENT
Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Richmond, 2007-
HONORS AND AWARDS
Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Harriman Institute, Columbia University, 2006-2007
American Council of Learned Societies Dissertation Fellowship in East European Studies, 2004-2005
Yale University Dissertation Fellowship, 2003-2004
Yale Center for International and Area Studies (YCIAS) Dissertation Fellowship, 2003
YCIAS Globalization and Self-Determination Grant, 2003
YCIAS European Union Studies Grant, 2002 (summer)
National Science Foundation Fellow, 2000-2003
Sterling Prize Fellowship, Yale University, 2000
University Fellowship, Yale University, 2000
Phi Beta Kappa Member, 1999
Sarah T. Hughes Award for Academic Excellence in Politics and Public Policy, 1999
Helen Carroll Shelley Prize in Romance Languages, Goucher College, 1999
Kościuszko Foundation Scholarship, 1999
Goucher College Presidential Scholarship, 1997-1999
L.N.S. Mahoney Scholarship to study at the University of Oxford, 1997-1998
The German Prize of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, 1997
PUBLICATIONS
“The State-Led Transition to Liberal Capitalism: Neoclassical, Organizational, World Systems, and Social Structural Explanations of Poland’s Economic Success” (with Lawrence P. King), American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 112, No. 3 (2006), pp. 751-801
“Effects of EU Accession on the Politics of Privatization – The Steel Sector in Comparative Perspective,” in Amelie Kutter and Vera Trappmann (eds.), Das Erbe des Beitritts. Mittel- und osteuropäische Gesellschaften nach dem Beitritt zur EU, [The Legacy of EU Accession - Central and Eastern European Societies after EU Accession], Baden-Baden: Nomos Verlag, 2006, pp. 209-231
“From Behemoths to Subsidiaries: The Politics of Steel Sector Restructuring and Privatization in Central and Eastern Europe,” Economic Sociology – the European Electronic Newsletter, Vol. 8, No.3 (2007), pp. 57-58
WORK IN PROGRESS
Book Manuscript
From Behemoths to Subsidiaries: External Pressures, Domestic Institutions and Varieties of Convergence of Central and Eastern European Capitalism in Heavy Industry (tentative title)
Paper Manuscripts
“Technocratic Filters: External Pressures, Domestic Institutions and Varieties of Convergence of Central and Eastern European Capitalism in Heavy Industry,” in preparation for publication
“Is the Party Over? The Effect of Communist Successor Parties on Economic Reform in Central and Eastern Europe,” in preparation for publication
“Masters and Commanders: The Politics of Managerial Non-Cooperation in Heavy Industry Restructuring in Central and Eastern Europe,” in preparation for publication
“Between Apprehension and Support: Labor Unions and the Process of Economic and Democratic Reform in Central and Eastern Europe,” in preparation for publication
“Still Restructuring? The Politics of the Steel Sector Restructuring in Poland and the Effects of EU Accession,” working paper
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Politics of economic reform, especially of privatization and industrial restructuring
Effects of EU enlargement
Interaction between external/global pressures and domestic-level institutions
Social dialogue
State reform and state capacity
CONFERENCES AND INVITED LECTURES
Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting 2008, two papers accepted for presentation
Council for European Studies 16th International Conference 2008: organizer of a panel “Belaboring Integration;” two papers accepted for presentation
American Political Science Association Annual Meeting 2007: co-organizer (with Roger Schoenman) of a panel “Diverse Uniformities? External Pressures, Domestic Forces, and Economic Reform in Postcommunist Europe”
American Political Science Association Annual Meeting, presented papers: 2003, 2005, 2007
Columbia University, Harriman Institute, presented a paper entitled “Is the Party Over? The Effect of Communist Successor Parties on Economic Reform in Central and Eastern Europe,”
May 2007
Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting 2005, 2007, presented papers; served as section chair in 2007
Mid-Atlantic Slavic Conference of the AAASS, March 2007, invited to serve as discussant for the “Economics and Politics” panel
Democratic Governance in Central and Eastern Europe Workshop, Maxwell School of Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, presented an invited paper, April 2006
European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder), Germany, delivered an invited lecture as part of lecture series: “The Legacy of EU Accession – Assessing the Effects for Central and Eastern European Societies,” June 2005
Globalization and Social Stress Conference, organized by Transformation, Integration and Globalization Economic Research (TIGER) and Yale Center for International and Area Studies, Warsaw, Poland, discussant for a panel entitled “Migration, Labor Markets and Human Development,” October 2003
Northeastern Political Science Association Annual Meeting, presented papers: 2001, 2002
Center for Comparative Research Annual Graduate Student Retreat, presented papers: 2001 (Yale University), 2002 (Central European University, Budapest, Hungary)
Summer School on Analytical Approaches to European Union Policy Making, organized by the European Consortium for Political Research, University of Konstanz, Germany, presented paper “Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union: Between Actors and Institutions,” September 2000
17th Annual Graduate Student Conference, Institute on Western Europe, Columbia University, presented awarded paper, “Agricultural Politics of EU Enlargement – the Case of Polish Application,” March 2000
U.S. Naval Academy Foreign Affairs Conference, presented paper, April 1997
TEACHING EXPERIENCE AND INTERESTS
Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Richmond, 2007-2008
Europe Today
Introduction to Comparative Politics
Transitions in Postcommunist Europe (senior seminar)
Lecturer, Department of Political Science, Yale University, 2005-2006
Politics of Economic Reform in Central and Eastern Europe (senior seminar), Fall 2005
Transitions in Central and Eastern Europe, Spring 2006
Teaching Assistant (discussion section leader and grader for two sections) for The New Europe course, taught by Professor David R. Cameron, Yale University, Fall 2001
Supplemental Instructor, Language Lab Monitor, and Tutor in French, Academic Center for Excellence, Goucher College, Spring 1997 and 1998-99 academic year
In addition to courses described above, I am prepared to teach survey courses in comparative politics, EU politics, as well as comparative politics and comparative and international political economy courses such as States and Regimes, Markets and States or The State and Society in the Global Economy.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Fieldwork in Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Romania, consisting of library and archival research, as well as of over 100 open-ended interviews with enterprise managers, trade union leaders, civil servants (national and EU-level), former ministers, academics, consultants, journalists, as well as sectoral business organization leaders in the steel sector of the respective countries, May 2003-June 2004
Preliminary dissertation library research in Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovenia, Summer 2002 (4 months)
Research Assistant to Professor Susan Rose-Ackerman, Yale University, Fall and Spring 2002, Summer 2004
Coordinator and co-designer of fieldwork in Poland: arranging and translating interviews with enterprise managers and government officials for Professor Lawrence P. King, Yale University, Summer 2001
Library research at EU institutions and interviews with EU and Polish civil servants and politicians regarding EU environmental policy development and impact on EU enlargement preparations (original research for Honors Senior Thesis), 1996-1998
FOREIGN LANGUAGES
Polish (native) Romanian (advanced)
French (excellent) Russian (advanced/intermediate)
Czech (advanced) German (basic/intermediate)
Slovak (advanced)
ADDITIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Attended the Institute on Qualitative Research Methods, organized by the Consortium on Qualitative Research Methods, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, January 2005
Center for Comparative Research Junior Fellow, Yale University, 2000-2006
Participated in the Central European University summer course: The Politics of Market Making and Industrial Relations in Europe, Budapest, Hungary, July 2002
Pursued independent study of Romanian through the Yale University Directed Independent Language Study Program, September 2002 - March 2003
Participated in the Romanian language summer course, organized by the University of Bucharest, Predeal, Romania, August 2002
Participated in the Summer School on Analytical Approaches to European Union Policy Making, organized by the European Consortium for Political Research, University of Konstanz, Germany, September 2000
University of Oxford, Mahoney Scholar, 1997-1998
Université de Paris, Sorbonne, Study Abroad, Fall 1996
INTERNSHIPS AND OTHER ACADEMIC TRAINING
Hansard Scholars Programme participant, London, UK: an internship with a Member of British Parliament combined with courses at the London School of Economics; wrote a research paper entitled: “Developments in British Water Policy: Actors and Influences,” Summer 1997
Internship with Carole Tongue, Member of European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium, Summer 1996
Internship at the Maryland International Division; experience included traveling to Poland and discussing possibilities of cooperation with Polish doctors, nurses, and film makers, Summer 1995. Work on programs initiated during the 1995 internship continued during the January 1996 internship.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
American Political Science Association
Midwest Political Science Association
Council for European Studies