Martin Jirušek spent ten months at George Washington University in the United States of America. The assistant professor from the Department of International Relations and European Studies received a prestigious Fulbright scholarship, which allows Czech citizens to study, conduct research or teach in the USA. During his stay, he regularly wrote articles for our newsletter summarizing his experiences and impressions. As a conclusion of this series, we present an interview in which he evaluated his stay.
What surprised you the most during your stay?
I was pleasantly surprised by how open the university and academic community is in the US. This includes big names, authors of well-known and widely cited publications. Generally, they don't put a lot of stress on titles or how many articles you have in this or that prestigious journal. If they see that you have something to say, are willing to work, and are communicative, they are happy to include you in their research.
Were there any unpleasant surprises?
On the practical side, I was a bit surprised at how many things needed to be arranged to move to the US. To be fair it's logical, but the many little things one has to take care of and the hassle one has to go through at the beginning are a bit tedious. On the other hand, it's also a great experience and you learn a lot about the differences in how society works here and there.
Fortunately, the fact that in America, the default setting is to smile makes it a lot easier. Strangers approach you in a positive way and then adjust their attitude if necessary. It seems to me that here it’s the other way around and the initial attitude is one of distrust and aloofness.
What has been the biggest takeaway for you?
I guess the opportunity to be "where things are happening" so to speak. With my topic of energy in Russian and US foreign policy, I fit in well with the researchers there and their work. So I was able to live and breathe research literally seven days a week. My topic touches a lot on US foreign policy, so being right in the capital was invaluable. I was able to meet not only with academics but also with people who are directly involved in the making of US foreign policy. In that regard, I couldn't have picked a better place.
Aside from the research itself, is there anything else you discovered during your time in the US?
Whenever I research something, I try to understand the context as much as possible. That's also why I tried to look outside the "Washington bubble" and understand what America and its people are about. I enjoyed learning about the diversity and phenomena that often don't even reach us in Europe. In general, I feel that Europeans have a rather simplistic view of America and tend to see it as a homogeneous entity. Yet few things are so far from the truth.
What did you see as the most significant differences between Czech and American universities?
In general, I found people on and off campus more open and the whole environment was less formalized. There was also less back and forth about various metrics, and much more of an emphasis on social impact by academics there. So, there was more writing of various articles and essays also for professional websites and mass media. There was, in addition, a noticeable emphasis on having discussions for both the professional and general public than there is here.
What was inspiring for you at a foreign university?
Probably the opportunity to literally dig into a particular topic and be surrounded by similarly enthusiastic people. Moreover, America is an attractive destination and attracts experts from all over the world, which meant not only a benefit in terms of knowledge and information but also the invaluable experience that we could discuss things directly and I didn't have to look for them in a book somewhere.
Would you go again?
Definitely and without hesitation. I think everyone should go abroad. Ideally for an extended period of time. The distance from the daily routine, a different environment, and the way of working will give you a lot of new ideas. Seeing your home from the outside doesn't hurt either. You also learn something about yourself and stop taking yourself so seriously, so it's a benefit in terms of personal development too.
After the Christmas holiday break, we’re proud to bring you a refreshed section featuring colleagues from various departments of the faculty. In each edition, we’ll ask one person the same seven questions. This time, we spoke with Lenka Kuchyňková, a new addition to the Communication Office, who is responsible for organizing faculty events and managing the department’s administration.
This November at the Faculty of Social Studies was marked by a vibrant varied program, engaging events, and visits from notable personalities. Among the highlights were Tea with the Dean and the graduation ceremonies, which you can read more about in other articles in this newsletter. The faculty, however, also hosted several other interesting events.