Catherine E. De Vries is a leading voice in the field of European politics. As the Generali Endowed Chair in European Policies and Professor of Political Science at Bocconi University, she brings deep insight and academic rigor to the study of governance and institutional change. In her capacity as President of the Institute for European Policy Making at Bocconi, she drives forward an ambitious research agenda focused on the European Union’s future and role in the world. Her contributions have been honored internationally, reflecting her role at the intersection of scholarship, policy, and societal impact, including an Honorary Professorship at Queen’s University Belfast, and in 2013, she was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.
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, Social Europe and the Lill Institute for Public Value at Oxford University.
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