About
Erika joined Politics department in 2004. She was Head of Department 2010-14 and was promoted to Professor in 2013. In 2017 she was awarded the named chair, the Bowes Chair in Politics. She is internationally recognized as an expert on studies of nations and nationalism generally, but specifically in Central and Eastern Europe, post- Soviet space and the Balkans. Within this general area, her research increasingly focuses on the significance of borders - physical and ideological - for understanding of nationalism, shaping of national identities, state policies and state behaviour, and the impact on the lives of those who live along or across these dividing lines ( see the forthcoming The Dilemma of Nationalism in Central and Eastern Europe, Bristol University Press, 2025).
She has published: Nationalism Theories and Cases, Edinburgh University Press, 2009; Democracy in New Europe (with Christopher Lord), Palgrave Macmillan, 2006; Nationalism and Democratisation Politics of Slovakia and Slovenia, Ashgate 2002 and re-published by Routledge in 2018. She has published articles in journals such as Europe-Asia Studies, East European Politics, Nationalism and Ethnic Politics and others.
PhD SUPERVISION
Erika is interested to hear from potential PhDs in supervising topics in the areas of:
nationalism studies, ethnic politics, post-communist democratisation and Europeanisation processes, and minority protection.
Recently completed thesis under her primary supervision: Identity and Context: the case of Herzegovina; Internally Displaced Persons in Ukraine in the Context of International Political Discourse; Externalising Migration: Bordering and Othering in the Journey of Asylum Seekers and Refugees, and the Production of joyful, violent and absent landscapes: walking with youth and politics in Eastern Bosnia.
Currently supervising: 'Everyday Democracy approach into the study of nationalism and populism in Serbia and Poland. For more detail of her research interests see under 'Research'.
As a director of the Europe and the World Centre ( EWC) she is very involved in public engagement through conferences and debates that are organized by the Centre. Recently, the EWC has joint the Manchester Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence in partnership which will help to reach wider and more varied audiences and promotes greater student experiences.
As a member of various accreditation and evaluation committees at HE institutions in Central Europe, she spreads good practice in teaching, research, ethics and grant capture into other parts of Europe. She provides regular commentaries on political developments to British and international press - see the EWC website https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/europe-and-the-world/
Prizes or Honours
- Bowes Chair in Politics (University of Liverpool, 2017)
- Commended for the 'Outstanding Contribution to Civic Engegament' University Success Award (2016)
- Research Grant (British Academy, 2010)
- Research Grant (The British Academy, 2005)