Photo Credits: Sara Kurfeß via UNSPLASH
The dynamics among global powers have always been intricate. Especially in today’s tense climate, the interactions between key global players like the United States, the European Union, and Russia raise significant questions about the extent of their interdependence. The complexity intensifies when we consider their impact on local communities, with sanctions affecting inflation and the surge in gas, and goods. Join us for this seminar as we unravel with a variety of experts in the field about the intricate effects that international relations have on our local communities.
Speakers:
Carina van de Wetering
Currently working as a lecturer in Leiden University, Dr. Carina has provided instruction to both undergraduate and graduate students within the Institute of Political Science. Her main focus pertains to international relations, foreign policy analysis and security studies, especially within the American context. She had previously received a PhD in Politics and International Relations at the University of Bristol, and has since published a variety of studies regarding relations between world powers, including the US, India and the UK. Her studies showcase a distinct look into the complexity of trust, populism, and changing discourses.
Jacques Bazen
As a senior lecturer in the Saxion University of Applied Sciences within International Economics and Innovative Entrepreneurship, professor Bazen has educated students on international business prospects and the cultivation of their individual skills. He dedicates his research towards Regional Economic Development, therefore monitoring and formulating strategies to provide regional innovation. Amongst his papers, he collaborated on a research project examining the impact of sanctions between Russia and the European Union on the trade and agricultural sector in the Netherlands. Over the span of two decades, he has specialised in executing projects involving education, business growth, and civil society development in Central and Eastern European countries. Key areas of expertise encompass extensive knowledge of Central and Eastern Europe, international politics, geopolitics, regional economic development, and entrepreneurship, all underpinned by a wealth of teaching experience.
Brian Toll
After obtaining a bachelor degree at the University of Bristol in Russian studies, and a postgraduate certificate in education at the University of Sheffield, Brian Toll worked primarily for the European Commission. From 1993 until 2017, he held positions in various realms of international relations, primarily engaging with Russian-speaking and Asian countries. This included a five-year tenure as a diplomat in Central Asia. He has further worked for six years in the Unit responsible for sanctions, with particular focus on crisis management and peace-building in the Western Balkans. In his final five years, from 2013, he held a senior position at the Directorate General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, where his focus was on cooperation and exchange in higher education between the European Union and Asia. Prior to his employment with the European Commission, he worked as a consultant, researcher, and lecturer in the United Kingdom, Finland, and Russia.
