Scholar gives talk on global relations

IU Hungarian Fulbright Visiting Professor László Borhi spoke to staff, faculty and students Monday.

Borhi presented his research on the role that East Central Europe’s weaker states play in the global system, especially during World War II and the Cold War. He argued that weak states often influence and shape international policy.

Borhi also emphasized three periods that supported his argument: post-World War II’s creation of the new European order, the Cold War diplomacy that divided the continent in the 1940s and the Soviet Union collapse in 1989.

Borhi said he disagrees with political analysts and historians about who influences the international system. Some people believe it depends on how much power you have, but he said he believes that strong military and economic power doesn’t always have to be the main source of influence — policy change can come from smaller powers as well.

“We have to realize that contrary to what neo-realists feel or say about systemic change in international politics, weak states do have a way in certain historical situations to generate systemic change in international politics,” Borhi said.

The role of weak states and international politics is very underrated, Borhi said.

“There’s not even a definition of what constitutes a weak power,” Borhi said. “And as I said, some powers are weak economically and military, but in terms of their soft power, they are extremely powerful.”

Borhi specifically discussed the role Hungary played in World War II and how the country affected the political atmosphere. Hungary was originally an Axis power, but soon after betrayed Germany forces and did secret peace negotiations with the U.S. and the United Kingdom. They were then occupied by German forces and conquered by the Soviet Union.

Valéria Varga, a Hungarian language instructor at IU, said Borhi’s research is always unique because it always puts everything into perspective.

She called Borhi one of the most prominent scholars in his field.

“You know, seeing our culture from the inside is always different than seeing our culture from the outside,” Varga said. “The purpose of his research of everything in Hungarian history puts it into perspective. It gives a new understanding to our past.”

Freshman Jessie Nejberger, a member of the Hungarian Culture Association, attended the talk not only because she is a political science major, but also because she is interested in learning about her heritage. Nejberger is one-quarter Hungarian.

“I’ve always been interested in the Eastern Europe history and its history in the Cold War, not that my family was there, they had moved to Paris by then after World War II,” Nejberger said. “Because of my background I’m very interested in Hungarian studies. Even though it is the period after my family had already left Hungary, I’m still a part of a legacy, Hungary.”

Nejberger said she wants to have Borhi as a professor.

“I think it’s interesting just to hear his perspective of weaker states still have power,” Nejberger said. “Even though they’re perceived as weak states. In the beginning he was talking about how soft power was not able to be calculated, so soft power is where they would be coercing and convincing the bigger powers. Analyzing and revisiting that history is really interesting.”

Christopher Atwood, chair of the Department of Central Eurasian Studies, said he thinks that this was a great introduction to the Fulbright lecture series for the department.

“The Fulbright Lectureship is an institution as to famous professors teach at Indiana University for a year in different fields, so we think the lecture is a way for them to show their abilities and what their research is to the IU community,” Atwood said. “It’s an example of although he’s Hungarian and his research is focused on Hungary, I think it’s a broader interest to the entire IU community.

Atwood said the Fulbright Scholar Program is a very coveted position, and people who are chosen have to be very established, up-and-coming in their fields and able to teach a wide range of issues.

Borhi’s lecture was a part of the Hungarian Fulbright Lecture series that is a part of the IU Department of Central Eurasian Studies.