Markus Pollak

Were we too optimistic about the post-communist turn to liberal markets and democracy?

In conversation with Vienna Dialogues, Professor Rachel Epstein (University of Denver) reflects on 35 years of transition - and what we may have misunderstood.

Link to the episode: bit.ly/3MskEdA

How does unarmed civilian protection amidst violent conflict work?

Listen and find out in our conversation with Berit Bliesemann de Guevara and Xymena Kurowska about a large-scale IR research network with 26 projects all over the world.

@aberuni.bsky.social

open.spotify.com/episode/5fa8...

YouTube video by Vienna Dialogues- Coffee and IR Where geopolitics and higher ed meet: A conversation with historian Michael Ignatieff

Check out our very first video-podcast with Michael Ignatieff on the topic "Where geopolitics and higher ed meet". Hosts @ampontius.bsky.social and @erinjenne.bsky.social interviewed him and asked some of the most pressing questions about liberalism in illiberal times.

youtu.be/F0xt4vmsG28?...

While 2025 seems like a million years ago by now, it is still worth listening to our "2025 in Review", featuring Erin Jenne @erinjenne.bsky.social, Adam Pontius @ampontius.bsky.social, Letitia Roman @letitiaroman.bsky.social, and Markus Pollak @markuspo.bsky.social.

open.spotify.com/episode/4mEj...

Mimicking Democracy Promotion: How Parallel Observers Undermine OSCE Election Monitoring Parallel election monitoring does not just compete with established missions – it mimics them, subtly rewriting the rules of legitimacy from within.

Great article from my friend @markuspo.bsky.social in E-IR on mimicry as a form of norm contestation.

Mimicking Democracy Promotion: How Parallel Observers Undermine OSCE Election Monitoring Parallel election monitoring does not just compete with established missions – it mimics them, subtly rewriting the rules of legitimacy from within.

Just dropped a short piece on E-IR breaking down some highlights from my latest article in the Election Law Journal.

🧠 “Mimicking Democracy Promotion” – link in bio or here:

🔗 e-ir.info/2025/06/25/m...
#ElectionObservation#DemocracyPromotion #OSCE

I am happy and proud to share that my first peer-reviewed journal article has been published in the Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics and Policy.

www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/...

I would love to hear your thoughts if you have a chance to take a look!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/56MWW53sNVibWEt9qRkoUx?si=rM7XOAFoQcOMqM_EJ14BHQ

"I think what we will definitely see is that the FPÖ will try to test the limits to which they can stretch constitutional and European law" @laurenzennser.bsky.social

Our new podcast episode “How Austria was taken over by the far right” with @erinjenne.bsky.social

open.spotify.com/episode/56MW...

U.S. Foreign Policy in the Aftermath of the 2024 Presidential Election - with Stephen M. Walt Vienna Dialogues- Coffee and IR · Episode

So I started a new thing with @letitiaroman.bsky.social, @markuspo.bsky.social and Erin Jenne this term.

Check out our interview with @stephenwalt.bsky.social on our new podcast “Vienna Dialogues: Coffee and IR” here!

open.spotify.com/episode/2SrC...