I am inspired by the work of other scholars who base their research in meticulous and respectful engagement with the communities and cultures they are studying.”
Matej Jungwirth (he/him)
PhD Candidate in Political Science
Matej Jungwirth is a PhD candidate in Political Science in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. His research explores the impacts of territorial loss and displacement, aiming to illuminate the experiences of displaced communities and guide the development of policy solutions. Matej’s work spans global contexts, including a current project on Ukrainian refugees in the Czech Republic. He is the recipient of many awards including the Buffett Institute Graduate Research Fellowship.
How would you describe your research and/or work to a non-academic audience?
In my dissertation I study the long-term legacies of territorial loss and the resulting displacement of co-patriots from the lost lands into the remainders of their nation states. I am most interested in explaining why the same cause (loss of territory and co-patriot displacement) leads to a broad range of outcomes across cases. My research is grounded in comparative politics, but I am bringing in other disciplinary lenses, such as international relations, refugee studies, or collective memory.
What have been some of the most memorable twists and turns of your career?
In college, I read Thomas de Waal’s seminal books about the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the territory of Nagorno Karabakh. I organized a hiking trip for my family to the region in 2013, hoping to see the area for myself. With heavy backpacks, we made our way through the mountainous region on foot, enjoying the hospitality of local Armenians along the way. Still, the reminders of Azeri settlement in the region were inescapable – entire villages in ruins, overgrown Islamic cemeteries, and a gutted mosque in Shusha.
As I began writing my undergraduate thesis on the agency and role of displaced people in national narratives of victimhood, I decided to travel to Azerbaijan in the summer of 2014 to interview Azeris who were displaced from Nagorno Karabakh 25 years prior. Doing so, I had a glimpse of the individual toll and trauma of territorial conflict and the uncertainty attending protracted displacement. At the same time, I was forced to question my own positionality and privilege as an outsider who could visit villages and cities in Nagorno-Karabakh that were out of reach for the displaced Azeris who had lived there
One college summer, I also lived for six weeks in the West Bank town of Nablus where I volunteered as an English instructor with a local NGO, Project Hope. I was assigned to teach classes in former refugee camps on the outskirts of Nablus that have gradually turned into segregated neighborhoods with high incidence of crime and poverty. I was also stunned by the salience of the class-like divide between Palestinians (and their descendants) displaced in 1948 and/or 1967, and the non-displaced Palestinian citizens of West Bank.
The insights and experiences that I gained this particular summer have started me on the non-linear path that brought me to my present-day dissertation research.
Tell us what inspired your research and/or work.
My current research is deeply grounded in the various conversations I have had with displaced people and their descendants in various countries. As such, I see my dissertation as an attempt to pay back the trust I was given and contribute to a better understanding of the complex and overlooked situation of displaced individuals.
What is a mistake you have learned from in your career?
It's always okay to say no to protect your own time and sanity. This fall, I withdrew from two large conferences because I prioritized spending the summer with my son and family and I am exceedingly glad I did that.
Whom do you admire in your field and otherwise, and why?
I am inspired by the work of other scholars who base their research in meticulous and respectful engagement with the communities and cultures they are studying.
Why Northwestern?
Initially, I chose Northwestern because it offered me a solid funding package and was very close to my in-laws in Wisconsin. After some two years in, I believe that in Political Science we have fantastic scholars, both as faculty and as graduate students, as well as unparalleled atmosphere of collegiality and mutual support. I also appreciate our department's administrative staff and the strikingly non-hierarchical way this department operates.
How do you unwind after a long day?
I pick up my son from school and we play a ball game of his choosing. In case of inclement weather, we might go to a rock climbing gym instead.
What books are on your bedside table?
The Worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien by John Garth, The Sandman by Neil Gaiman and Moomins by Tove Jansson.
What did you originally want to be when you grew up?
An elected politician, or at least a diplomat but then I realized that I am not cut for representing positions and policies that I fundamentally disagree with.
What advice would you give your younger self or someone considering a similar path?
Do not rush yourself to get into the PhD program as soon as possible – I think that it is super helpful to have some non-academic professional experience and perspective prior to starting a PhD (everyone's path is unique and valid though!).
Tell us about a current achievement or something you're working on that excites you.
I currently have a survey in a collection phase among Ukrainian refugees in the Czech Republic. I am really hopeful that my portion of the survey will further our understanding of how these people decide between staying in the Czech Republic or returning to Ukraine and that this research might inform policy-making in my native country.
What are you most proud of in your career to date?
I started my PhD when my son was three years old. To date, I have managed to be both the primary caregiver (with my wife being our household's main breadwinner) for him and continue my PhD training on track. I am also proud of being able to draw a clear boundary between my work and family time without sacrificing one for the other (I dearly hope!).
Publish Date: January 7, 2024
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