Ausra Park

Ausra Park is a professor of international relations. She received her Ph.D. in International Studies from the University of South Carolina (Columbia) and has taught students at Simmons College (in Boston, MA) and at Davidson College (Davidson, NC) during the 2006-2011 period. In 2011 she received one of the most prestigious academic awards, a Fulbright US Scholar fellowship, and spend an academic year at the Faculty of Political Science & Diplomacy, Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania. She has been also awarded numerous national and international fellowships and scholarships from the Department of State Title VIII program, the German Marshall Fund of the U.S., IREX, ACTR/ACCELS, the Flemish Government, and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as competitive institutional grants for research and pedagogy.

Dr. Park's work on post-communist top political leadership (presidents, prime ministers, parliament chairs, and ministers of foreign affairs), small states' foreign policies, gender and diplomacy, small states' status seeking, the role and impact of foreign policymaking institutions, nation-branding, migration, and human trafficking has been published in leading scholarly, peer-reviewed journals. She is currently completing her first book Titans of the Baltic States: The First Generation of Foreign Policymakers and Their Legacies. 

Dr. Park teaches various courses in the International Relations concentration (i.e., Foreign Policy of Great Powers; Russia and post-Soviet States; US Foreign Policy; International Political Economy; World Political Leaders; Problems from Hell: Genocides; International Organizations) and is developing several new courses (i.e., Elect Her to Lead; Gender in International Relations; Human Trafficking; Global Food and Water Insecurity; Gendercides, Rapes, and Child Soldiers). She is also regularly leading travel courses abroad (i.e., to Russia in spring 2017; to Belgium, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia in spring 2018), with courses to the South Caucasus (Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan) offered in spring 2020 (postponed due to the pandemic), and to Belgium and the Netherlands in spring 2024.

My Professional Experience

Current Research

Top political leadership, especially women's political leadership (focusing on female Heads of State in post-communist Europe); Gender and Diplomacy; Small states (focus on the Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania); Foreign Policy Analysis; Comparative Foreign Policy; Eastern European Post-Communist Countries; Crisis Leadership; Migration/Emigration; Human Trafficking (from/to post-Soviet region) and Human Insecurity; Russia and Post-Soviet States (Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan; Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan); International Political Economy; Corruption; Democratic erosion and back-sliding; and the EU.

My research publications can be found at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ausra_Park

Articles & Book Reviews

• Diversity and Women's Representation in Small States' Diplomacy: A Case Study of Lithuania
  Journal is not in list - being petitioned
  2023
• Small State Status-Seeking: Lithuania's Foreign Policy Status Aspirations
  Europe-Asia Studies
  2021
• Russia, the former Soviet Republics, and Europe Since 1989: Transformation and Tragedy by Katherine Graney
  Eurasian Geography and Economics
  2020
• D. Grybauskaites doktrina: Lietuvos uzsienio politikos kaita 2009-2019 m. [D. Grybauskaite's doctrine: changes in Lithuanian foreign policy during 2009-2019] by Tomas Janeliunas
  Vilnius University Press
  2019
• President Nauseda, Covid-19, and Debates About Presidential Leadership
  Presidential Power blog
  2019
• The Politics of Human Trafficking: Conducting In-Person Interviews During Fieldwork in Eastern Europe
  SAGE Research Methods Cases in Politics and International Relations
  2019
• "President Grybauskaite in a continuous intra-institutional tug of war (Part 2)"
  Presidential Power blog
  2018
• "President Grybauskaite in an intra-institutional tug of war"
  Presidential Power blog
  2018
• "President Grybauskaite on an extended 'vacation'?"
  Presidential Power blog
  2018
• "President Grybauskaite's Anti-Zapad campaign"
  Presidential Power blog
  2018
• "Lithuania's Foreign Policy under Grybauskaite: Belligerence Toward Russia, Reconciliation With Ukraine"
  Baltic Bulletin, Foreign Policy Research Institute
  2017
• "Lithuania's Foreign Policy Under Grybauskaite: Change or Continuity?"
  Journal of Contemporary European Studies
  2016
• Turns and U-Turns: The Foreign Policy of Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite.
  Baltic Bulletin, Foreign Policy Research Institute
  2016
• "Post-Communist Leadership: A Case Study of Lithuania's 'White House' (1993-2014)"
  Demokratizatsiya,
  2015
• A Society of Departure in Post-Communist Europe: Socio-political Reasons Behind Mass Lithuanian Emigration
  East European Politics
  2015
• "Politics of Human Trafficking in Lithuania: Governments' Political Games and NGOs"
  Research Brief, IREX
  2014
• Post-Communist Democratisation in Lithuania: Elites, Parties, and Youth Political Organisations, 1988-2001 by Diana Janušauskienė
  Journal of Baltic Studies
  2012
• "The End of the Lithuanian Political 'Patriarch's' Era: From Rise to Decline and Legacies Left Behind,"
  Demokratizatsiya,
  2010
• A Cat's Lick: Democratization and Minority Communities in the Post-Soviet Baltic by Timofey Agarin
  Europe-Asia Studies
  2010
• "'Selling' a Small State to the World: Lithuania's Struggle In Building Its National Image,"
  Place Branding and Public Diplomacy
  2009
• Continuity and Change in the Baltic Sea Region: Comparing Foreign Policies by Galbreath, David J., Ainius Lašas and Jeremy W. Lamoreaux
  Journal of Baltic Studies
  2009
• "Baltic Foreign Policy Making Establishments of the 1990s: Influential Institutional and Individual Actors,"
  Journal of Baltic Studies
  2005
• "Starting From Scratch: The Role of Leadership in the Foreign Policymaking of the Baltic States, 1991-1999,"
  Eastern European Quarterly
  2005
• "Evolving Lithuanian Security Options in the Context of NATO, WEU and EU Responses,"
  European Security
  1999

Awards & Distinctions

• First Women Presidents in Eastern Europe
  Category: Research
  COTFD, 2021
• Estonian First Woman President
  Category: Research
  Estonian National Scholarship for International Researchers. Funded by Estonian Government (Ministry of Education and Research, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of the Interior) and the EU Regional Development Fund., 2020
•  Supported by the U.S. Department of Education’s Title VI grant, the U.S. Department of State’s Title VIII Program, ARISC, REEEC, and the Ralph and Ruth Fisher Endowment.
  Category: Teaching-Research
  The American Research Institute of the South Caucasus (ARISC) and the Russian, East European, and Eurasian Center (REEEC) at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 2019
• First Eastern European Women Presidents: "Glass-Ceiling" Breakers of Latvia, Kosovo, and Lithuania
  Category: Research
  CURCA, 2019
• Unresolved Historical Wrongs in Asia :"Comfort Women" Memorials and International Politics, COTFD.
  Category: Internal
  COTFD, 2019
• Unresolved Historical Wrongs in Asia :"Comfort Women" Memorials and International Politics
  Category: Teaching
  COTFD, 2019
•  First Women Presidents from Eastern Europe (case study of Latvia and Kovoso); content analysis of public pronouncements
  Category: Research
  Siena College, 2018
•  First Women Presidents from Eastern Europe (case study of Latvia, Kovoso, Lithuania, Croatia, and Estonia); collection of presidential public pronouncements, interviews, and articles in open source media outlets. 
  Category: Research
  Siena College, 2017
• Information Literacy Faculty Development Grant
  Category: Teaching-Research
  Siena College Library, 2017
• Diversity Action Committee Research Fellowship
  Category: Research
  Diversity Action Committee, Siena College, 2016
• Summer Fellowship for Curriculum Diversification to develop Human Insecurity: Global Challenges course
  Category: Teaching
  Siena College, 2015
• Short-term grant to conduct research in Lithuania for the project "Politics of Human Trafficking: Governments' Political Games and NGOs",
  Category: Research
  IREX (International Research Exchange Board), Washington DC, 2014
• Curriculum Diversification Grant to develop Problems from Hell: Genocides, Gendercides, and Other Monstrous Crimes course
  Category: Teaching
  DAC (Diversity Action Committee), Siena College, 2013
• Fulbright US Scholar Grant
  Category: Teaching
  US Department of State, Washington DC, 2012

Books & Book Chapters

• Small States and Security in Europe: Between National and International Policymaking
  
  2022
• SAGE Research Methods Cases in Politics and International Relations
  SAGE Publishers
  2019

Presentations

• "The Rise of Women Executives in Central and Eastern Europe: From the Baltics to the Balkans"
  2023
  Council for European Studies, Reykjavik, Iceland
• Women and Gender Representation in Baltic States' Politics (1991-2021)
  2023
  Conference on Baltic Studies in Europe, Kaunas, Lithuania
• "Strong Women in Power? "Iron Ladies" of the Baltic States"
  2022
  European Conference on Politics and Gender, Ljubljana, Slovenia
• Gendered diplomacy and small states
  2022
  Council for European Studies, Lisbon, Portugal
• Nordic Wannabes? Gender in the diplomacy of Baltic States
  2022
  Gender and Diplomacy workshop, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
• "Gendered diplomacy and small states: a case study of Lithuania"
  2021
  European International Studies Association, virtual, Virtual
• "The Grybauskaite Effect? Women's Representation in Lithuania under Grybauskaite's Presidency"
  2021
  German Political Science Association, Virtual, Virtual
• "Who Leads Matters: Leadership in the Foreign Policies of the Baltic States"
  2021
  European International Studies Association, virtual, Virtual
• Iron Ladies of the Baltic States: First Women Heads of State of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia
  2021
  Council for European Studies, Virtual, Virtual
• The Grybauskaite Effect? Women's Representation in Lithuania under Grybauskaite's Presidency
  2021
  German Political Science Association, Virtual, Virtual
• Cracking the Political World of Men: The First Female Heads of State in Eastern Europe
  2020
  The Global Conference on Women and Gender, Christopher Newport University, VA, Newport News, Virginia
• Women Presidents in Eastern Europe
  2020
  Union College, Schenectady, New York
• Women Presidents in Eastern Europe
  2020
  World Congress of International Political Science Association, Liston, Portugal
• Women as National Chief Executives in post-communist Europe
  2020
  Council for European Studies, Reykjavik, Iceland
• "Giving Face to Baltic Foreign Policies: Baltic "Founding Fathers," Their Legacies, and Leadership Impact
  2019
  REECAS NW Conference, Seattle, Washington
• "Individualized Pathway to Political Success? The First Generation of Baltic Political Leaders and Their Legacies"
  2018
  American Association of Baltic Studies conference, Palo Alto, CA (Stanford University), United States of America
• "Leaders as Pathways to Political Success?"
  2018
  25th World Congress of International Political Science Association, Brisbane, Australia- QLD
• Leadership and the Foreign Policies of the Baltic States.
  2018
  100 Years of Baltic Republics: Statehood and National Cultures in the Globalizing World, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
• Putin's 'Wish List' For 2017
  2017
  Russian and Eastern European Cultures Club, Union College, Schenectady, New York
• Shattering the Glass Ceiling in Eastern Europe? The Rise of Female Presidents
  2017
  The 24th International Conference of Europeanists, Glasgow, United Kingdom
• "Crises' Prime Minister: Local Leader, Glocal Implications?"
  2016
  American Association of Baltic Studies conference, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• "Putin and Putinization in Europe"
  2016
  Union College, Schenectady, New York
• "Shattering the glass ceiling in Eastern Europe: The Rise of Female Presidents"
  2016
  Gender and Transformation in Europe workshop, NYU Center for European and Mediterranean Studies, NYC, New York
• "Status Seeking or Interest in Democracy Promotion in the Eastern Partnership States? Lithuania's Foreign Policy Toward Ukraine"
  2016
  First Annual Tartu Conference on Russian and East European Studies, Tallinn, Estonia
• Silent Tsunami: Human trafficking in/form Europe
  2016
  UAlbany, Albany, New York
• "The Politics of Human Trafficking in Lithuania: Perspectives from Government, NGOs, and Academia"
  2015
  20th Association for Nationalities Studies World Convention, NYC, New York
• "New Madame President, New Foreign Policy?"
  2014
  "Women, Leadership, and Society" conference, Yerevan, Armenia
• Massive Emigration and Geopolitical Conundrums of a Rapidly Disappearing State in Post-Soviet Europe
  2014
  International Studies Association Annual Convention, Toronto, Canada-Ontario
• "Our Home is Russia": Global Russians, Moving Bodies, and Post-Soviet Entropy,"
  2013
  Williams College, MA, Williamstown, Massachusetts
• "The Last One to Leave, Please Turn Off the Lights,"
  2013
  International Studies Association-Northeast conference, Providence, Rhode Island
• "Gulags of Today and Human Trafficking in International Context,"
  2012
  Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania
• "Human Trafficking in Eastern Europe and Lithuania"
  2012
  Vieksniai Gymnasium and Vieksniai branch of Mazeikiai Professional Training School, Vieksniai, Lithuania
• "Human Trafficking in International Context,"
  2012
  Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania
• "Human Trafficking: Eastern European Experiences in International Context"
  2012
  EuroCollege, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
• "Human Trafficking: Slavery in Eastern Europe and Lithuania"
  2012
  Lithuanian Parliament, Social Affairs and Work Committee, Vilnius, Lithuania
• "Is it Safe to Live in Lithuania? Facing Problems in Fighting Human Trafficking: Challenges For Intra-institutional Cooperation"
  2012
  Lithuanian Parliament, Vilnius, Lithuania
• "New Madame President, New Foreign Policy?"
  2012
  International Studies Association-Northeast conference, Baltimore, Maryland
• "Russia's Nashi Youth: Why Should Anybody Care to Know What It Is About?"
  2012
  EuroCollege, Tallinn, Estonia
• "Russia's Nashi Youth: Why Should Anybody Care to Know What It Is About?"
  2012
  Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania
• "Continuities and Changes in Russia's Foreign Policy From 1945 to Present,"
  2011
  Department of Political Science and Diplomacy, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania
• "Human Trafficking and International Trends,"
  2011
  Lecture for social workers at the training seminar "Support and Assistance for Victims of Human Trafficking and Forced Prostitution," organized by Lietuvos Caritas (NGO) and Ministry of Social Security and Labor, Kaunas, Lithuania, Kaunas, Lithuania
• "Human Trafficking: Europe and Asia,"
  2011
  Department of Political Science and Diplomacy, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania
• "Human Trafficking: International Context,"
  2011
  Social Work Institute, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania
• "Humans For Sale: International Experiences,"
  2011
  social workers at the training seminar "Support and Assistance for Victims of Human Trafficking and Forced Prostitution," organized by Lietuvos Caritas (NGO) and Ministry of Social Security and Labor, Vilnius, Lithuania, Vilnius, Lithuania
• "Presidency and Personality Impact: A Post-Communist State Experience."
  2010
  International Studies Association-Northeast conference, Baltimore, Maryland
• "Putin and Putinization: Assessing Political Trends in Eastern Europe and Eurasia,"
  2010
  Davidson College, Davidson, North Carolina
• "Apathy and Political Depression in the New EU Member States: Roots and Causes."
  2009
  International Studies Association-Northeast conference, Baltimore, Maryland
• "Shaping Lithuania's White House: From the former Communist Party Leader Brazauskas to the newly elected Baltic 'Iron Lady' Grybauskaite,"
  2009
  Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington DC, District of Columbia
• "What is genocide? The origin, debates, and controversies surrounding the 'g'-word,"
  2009
  Amnesty International Chapter, Simmons College, Boston, California
• "Lithuania's Foreign Policy Movers and Shakers: From the Founders to the 'Patriarch(s)' and Beyond."
  2008
  International Studies Association Annual Convention, San Francisco, California
• "'Selling' a Small State to the World: Lithuania's Image Building."
  2007
  International Studies Association-Midwest conference, St. Louis, Minnesota
• "From Fortress Europe to the United States of Europe? Recent EU Enlargements and Challenges Ahead,"
  2006
  Warburg Brownbag presentation, Simmons College, Boston, Massachusetts
• "Starting from Scratch: The Role of Leadership in the Foreign Policymaking of the Baltic States, 1991-1999."
  2004
  American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies Annual Conference, Boston, Massachusetts
• "Policy Development: A Comparative Case Study of Estonia and Lithuania (1991-2001)."
  2002
  International Studies Association-Midwest conference, St. Louis, Minnesota