Catherine E. de Vries is a distinguished political scientist and thought leader in contemporary politics in Europe and beyond. She currently holds the Generali Endowed Chair in European Policies and a Professorship in Political Science at Bocconi University. In her role as President of the Institute of European Policy Making @ Bocconi University, she spearheads research on EU reform and leadership in the world. Over the years, she has received several academic distinctions and awards, including an Honorary Professorship at Queen’s University Belfast. For her service to society, she was selected a Young Global Leader in the World Economic Forum in 2013.
Before moving to Bocconi, Catherine held professorships at the University of Oxford, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and visiting posts at UCLA and the University of Vienna. She serves as the Chair of the Advisory Board of the WZB Berlin, Member of the Board of Trustees of the Hertie School, Member of the Advisory Board of the Juan March Institute at Carlos II University, and Member of the European Integration Committee of the Dutch Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs. She also is an academic advisor to the Bertelsmann Foundation and Social Europe.
Catherine’s academic work delves into the complexities of democratic politics and political economy, focussing on themes like populism, public service provision, political corruption and migration. Notably, her book Euroscepticism and the Future of European Integration (Oxford University Press, 2018) received the European Union Studies Association’s Best Book in EU Studies Award in 2019 and was listed among the Financial Times‘ top five books on Europe’s future. She has also co-authored Political Entrepreneurs: The Rise of Challenger Parties in Europe (Princeton University Press, 2020) with Sara Hobolt and Foundations of European Politics: A Comparative Approach (Oxford University Press, 2021, with Sara Hobolt, Sven-Oliver Proksch and Jonathan Slapin). Her most recent co-authored book, Money Flows: The Political Consequences of Migrant Remittances (Oxford University Press, 2024, with David Doyle, Katerina Tertytchnaya and Hector Solaz), highlights the unintended and even unexpected political consequences of remittance flows in Central Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.
Beyond academia, Catherine actively engages with the public through her op-eds in leading publications. In Financial Times and The Guardian, she has addressed topics such as the surge of far-right parties in Europe and the implications for public services, as well as the prominence of EU leadership during times of crisis. Her contributions to the New Statesman reflect her deep understanding of European policies and political dynamics. Additionally, she has written for New Statesman, Politico and Social Europe on a variety of topics. Catherine has a deep commitment to bridging the gap between scholarly research and public discourse. For regular updates, follow her on Bluesky at catherinedevries.bsky.social