The Department of Political Science at Central European University had a significant presence at the 2nd Annual Viennese Workshop in Political Economy, held on October 3, 2025, at the University of Vienna. The workshop brought together leading scholars to discuss pressing issues in political economy, from industrial policy and platform regulation to political behavior and international economic dynamics.
CEU representatives played key roles throughout the day-long event, which featured three thematic panels and a keynote address. Department Head Anil Duman co-presented research with PhD student Gülsün Alca on "The Informal Economy as a Political Buffer: Syrian Refugees and Voting Patterns in Turkey," examining how refugee integration into informal economic sectors influences electoral outcomes.
Björn Bremer, faculty member in the Department of Political Science, served as a discussant for the panel on political behavior, normative beliefs, and deliberation, contributing valuable insights to presentations on government responses to structural change, climate policy compliance, and voter attitudes toward corruption.
CEU PhD student Rajesh Parameswaran presented his research "Competing with or regulating Uber: how the state makes this choice in the platform economy," analyzing the strategic decisions governments face when confronting disruptive digital platforms. Dominik Brenner, CEU alumnus and visiting faculty member in the department, examined "Reform at the Margins: Negative Competitive Pressures and the Limits of Supranational Supervision," exploring the constraints on EU-level regulatory oversight.
Krisztina Szabó, visiting professor at the Department of Political Science and CEU alumna, co-presented research on "When Do Voters Punish Corrupt Candidates? Evidence from Hungary," offering important empirical insights into accountability and electoral behavior in challenging political contexts.
CEU faculty also contributed as discussants throughout the event. Dóra Piroska provided expert commentary on the morning panel examining institutions, regulation, and competition, while Evelyne Hübscher served as a discussant for the panel on political behavior and deliberation.
The workshop facilitated productive exchanges between scholars from CEU, the University of Vienna, WU Vienna, Corvinus University Budapest, and the University of Virginia. The day concluded with a keynote address by Mark Schwartz from the University of Virginia on "The Unbearable Tightness of Status Quo Thinking: European Industrial Policy in an Era of Change," followed by a workshop dinner that continued the lively discussions.
The workshop provided an excellent platform for our faculty and students to share their research, receive feedback from distinguished colleagues, and build networks that will shape future scholarly collaborations.
We congratulate all CEU participants on their contributions to this successful event and look forward to continued collaboration with our colleagues in Vienna and beyond.