Making Sense of EU - The new BoundEUries season: perspectives on a changing Europe

Across the episodes, researchers and invited scholars from different disciplines discuss the political, legal, historical, social, and cultural processes through which Europe defines who belongs, where its boundaries lie, and how these boundaries evolve. From geopolitics, migration, and security to identity, narratives, collective memory, and the changing role of the EU in the world, the podcast brings academic research into conversation with contemporary European debates.

The series reflects the interdisciplinary and outward-looking approach of BoundEUries, connecting research and teaching with broader public dialogue. Each episode features conversations with leading scholars and explores how academic perspectives can help us better understand the challenges and transformations shaping Europe today.

The podcast also forms part of BoundEUries’ commitment to fostering dialogue beyond academia. By bringing researchers into conversation with students, media professionals, artists, and wider society, the series seeks to contribute to the European public debate and encourage new ways of thinking about Europe, its communities, and its place in the world.

Episode 1 – Redefining Europe: Introducing the BoundEUries Project

The first episode introduces the BoundEUries project and the questions at the heart of its research agenda. François Foret and Julien Jeandesboz, coordinators of the Centre, discuss what it means to understand the European Union as a community, a space and a political power, and why the relationship between community-making and boundary-making matters today.

The conversation also explores BoundEUries’ interdisciplinary approach and its ambition to bring together different perspectives to better understand Europe and its transformations. At a time marked by war, migration, environmental and digital challenges, and debates over identity and belonging, the episode asks how we can rethink the way we understand, and talk about Europe.

Listen to the first episode

Episode 2 – Redefining Europe: Frank Schimmelfennig

In this second episode of the BoundEUries podcast series, we speak with Professor Frank Schimmelfennig (ETH Zurich), whose research explores how boundary formation shapes European integration, to discuss why borders matter, how geopolitical crises are transforming the EU, and what these changes mean for European politics, teaching and public debate.

Listen to the second episode