An intellectual crossroads
“It seems to me that the Historical Archives and the European University Institute (EUI) are an important crossroads for people in my field: many scholars, at many levels, from many countries, working on different topics in different languages, but all related to Europe.”
Fabienne Jouty was enthusiastic in summing up her experience so far doing archival research for her dissertation at the Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU) at the EUI. Julien Barbaroux, a fellow PhD candidate who is also spending the month of July at the Archives, was equally impressed: “This is a place where you can feel the European research agenda in the making.”
The two researchers, both working towards doctorates in contemporary European history, won Vibeke Sørensen Grants to carry out archival research at the HAEU. Fabienne is a PhD candidate at Sorbonne University and the CNRS, where she works under the supervision of Professor Laurent Warlouzet (Sorbonne University) and Christophe Bonneuil, Director of Research at the CNRS and EHESS. Julien is pursuing his PhD at Sorbonne University, also under the supervision of Professor Warlouzet.
New research on European integration
Despite working on quite different topics, the two young scholars have both enjoyed a successful research stay in the Archives.
Julien’s doctoral project “The Delors Commissions and the United States, 1985 – 1995)”, takes a look at how the European Commission built its standing as an international actor through its dealings with the United States at the end of the cold war and after. “The late 1980s and the 1990s were the formative years for the shaping of the new globalised international order,” he explains. “The European Commission wanted a role in that space.”
While he notes the usefulness of the archival fonds from the Commission on the topic, he has found especially rich material in the individual deposits of Jacques Delors and his advisors. “I find the papers from the Delors cabinets, like those from Pascal Lamy and Günter Burghardt, capture the debates as well as the political and diplomatic dimensions of the Commission in a different way than do the institutional fonds.”
Fabienne’s dissertation instead takes on the “History of European climate policies and carbon taxation, 1979-1997”. Her work examines both EC/EU and international regulations in terms of climate policies, identifying the actors, stakeholders and processes that governed the implementation (or not) of carbon taxes to protect the environment.
Her exploration of the genesis of European Union climate policy going back to the 1970s is an innovation that is not without complications: "Climate change was a weak signal within European institutions during the 1970s", she explains. "Therefore, I have to take into consideration that climate change didn’t become a political ‘keyword’ within the European archives until the late 1980s." Fabienne’s research has been especially informed by the European Parliament archives.
Summer networking
Summer months at the Historical Archives are the busiest months, when academics are free from teaching and course obligations to pursue their own research. Julien and Fabienne found this research cycle especially to their advantage.
Fabienne explains “it feels especially helpful for young researchers: we have had the chance to meet other PhD students from other countries and programmes, and learn about many different approaches to studying European integration. There is a real sense of community here.”
“We have had the chance to meet a lot of people,” confirmed Julien, “and the team is very helpful.”
Indeed, both young scholars expressed their gratitude towards the HAEU archivists and the user services.
“You have the archives, the archivists, the reference library, and the help,” Julien said. “It works. It’s a marvellous place.”
Postgraduate Vibeke Sørensen Grant
The first grant programme for visiting scholars at the HAEU was set up in 1993 by the then President of the European University Institute, Emile Noël, with support of the European Commission.
In 1997 it was renamed the Postgraduate Vibeke Sørensen Grant in honour of Dr Vibeke Sørensen (1952 – 1995), former researcher at the EUI History Department and staff member of the HAEU.
The grant scheme aims to encourage research on the history of European integration based on primary sources held at the Historical Archives of the European Union. Around 10 grants are awarded each year.