photographed by Michaela Nespěchalová

Interview with Vít Hloušek -  full professor, Department of International Relations and European Studies

Interviewed by Abhinav Banerjee, February 2024

1. How did you start your academic career, and what got you interested in European politics and history?

It's a long story. I started in the last decade of the 20th century while studying at Masaryk University. Initially, I wanted to be a historian when I applied for university, but ended up taking a combination of history and political science. As I approached the end of my master's studies, I decided academia was for me. I decided to pursue my PhD. I wanted to deal with the contemporary history of the second half of the 20th century. There was no suitable supervisor available in the history department, so I switched to political science, and from that moment on, I started to move more and more toward my interests in the sphere of comparative politics, especially party politics and political institutions, and already during my PhD years, there was an opportunity to become a regular teacher at the department. There was a period when new departments started to grow all around the Czech Republic. That was my opportunity window which I took and went through. And now I'm here dealing with European politics, both from the point of view of political science and contemporary history.

2. What has been the most extensive or exciting project that you've been a part of throughout your career?

The most exciting project is the one I'm working on now, researching current Central Eastern Europe and Euroscepticism. We're focusing on the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia, exploring changing patterns of Euroscepticism amidst the pandemic crisis.

It is my small team and me, it is not an individual endeavour anymore. Modern science is typically a product of collective activities. We are looking at the changing patterns of Euroscepticism and we are trying to find out whether the pandemic crisis helped the local Eurosceptics develop new arguments, strategies, and tactics. This is something I'm working on now. Generally, all the things I did during more than two decades of my academic career were oriented somehow to political parties or a comparison of political institutions. For example, I edited a volume on presidents in Central and Eastern Europe, and it was a very fascinating experience because I was so lucky to get the international team, every single country in the “post-communist” area was represented by a scholar from that particular country. There was a very deep insight into all specific cities and all idiosyncrasies of the local politics. So that was very exciting and I was trying to put it all together and to theorize a bit on the results of the project. Something similar happened to me five years ago because together with Professor Petr Kaniok we edited the volume on the European Parliament 2019 elections and again we focused on Euroscepticism and Central and Eastern Europe. We were lucky again to use our international contacts to get the local authors for every single country. It was also a very fascinating opportunity.

3. Can you mention any notable examples of successful or unsuccessful political party strategies in Central and Western Europe, considering your extensive work in contemporary European history?

Well, it depends on how you define success. If success is measured by obtaining and retaining power, then the most successful European party, in the eyes of European Union member countries, is Fidesz in Hungary. This party has been in governance since 2010, having not only a clear majority but even a constitutional majority in the Hungarian Parliament. Fidesz has been able to reshape both the institutional architecture and the regime of the country. However, if success is viewed in terms of a party's ability and willingness to engage in normal classical party competition, adhering to the principles essential for liberal democratic governance, then there is no universal formula for success. It largely depends on local traditions and the concept of path dependence, which acknowledges the significance of historical decisions. Essentially, history matters, and it's impossible to disregard the decisions made by predecessors. Additionally, external factors such as crises can significantly impact the strategies of political parties. Therefore, flexibility is essential, as is maintaining firm roots while being attuned to the changing societal and political landscapes. In the context of Europe, until the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union in Germany was considered successful due to the apt navigation of the party through various crises. However, ultimately, Merkel's failure to anticipate Russia's impact on European politics diminished her legacy as a successful German Chancellor. This would be one of the examples.

4. Since you link history to present times, what is your favourite course to teach, and is there any course you'd recommend to current students?

I can talk about the courses I'm delivering, but there are courses delivered by my colleagues which are excellent as well. Generally, if you are into security issues then our department is the spot for you because many experts are delivering the knowledge based on their original research in the field. For example, there are courses in comparative politics that are not bad too, and there are courses, of course, about European integration and the interactions between the European Union and the Member States. So, for example, you can delve deep into the issue of Brexit with Monika Brusenbauch Meislová. Or you can go across the European history political history of the 20th century in the course contemporary history of Europe, which I am trying to deliver. There are many courses that you may find interesting.

5. With such a variety of courses, students can find something they enjoy. Finally, Professor, could you give a message to current or prospective students?

Well, this is the most difficult question to ask today because every message might be interpreted in various ways, but I would say, remain interested in recent politics, and don't be afraid to tackle new issues. At the end of your studies, you will see that everything is wrapping up and creating one coherent ability to understand the world and its challenges.

You can listen to the whole interview on Spotify.