Thursday, September 18, 2014

URSP Student Orsolya Buzas Researches Hungarian Politics and Democratic Transition

I have attached a picture of me while I was in Hungary for the Spring semester where I did a portion of my research. Hungarian politics and democratic transition is also the focus of my research. In the background the Parliament is visible as well as the Danube and the castle on the opposite side of the river.

Upon finishing a book this week, recommended by my mentor, I felt as if the direction of my research has been illuminated. Why Nations Fail, a piece on theories that explain the existence of successful and failed states allowed me to place the post-Soviet Central and Eastern European countries I have been observing into perspective according to the theories. I was now able to go beyond international ratings of economic freedom and rule of law such as Freedom House's Freedom in the World Ranking. Interpreting the institutional differences between these states and the way they developed over the centuries allowed me to explain their reactions to democratic transition and their current political state. By discussing the presentation of my project and the physical poster, I had to visualize the clear elements of my research that during the past months I have overlooked and instead, followed a path of recommended studies and current talks. By refining and simplifying my project to Background, Hypothesis, Process, and Solution I was able to eliminate branches of my research and separate those thoughts for further analysis in the future. Perhaps another topic for new research possibilities.