Maynooth University Centre for European and Eurasian Studies

Dr. Aideen Elliott completed her PhD in the Department of Anthropology at Maynooth University, and was co-supervised by Dr. Mark Maguire (Anthropology) and Prof. John O’Brennan (Sociology).

Aideen received her MA in Social Anthropology of Development from SOAS, University of London where she conducted research on anti sex-trafficking policy. Her PhD research 'Beyond the Borders: EU Migration Policy Making' has been awarded the Irish Research Council (IRC) Government of Ireland Scholarship. Her study used extensive fieldwork in Brussels to examine EU migration policy from the perspectives of the policy makers and influencers, exploring the ways in which migration policy is perceived, conceived and lived by those charged with policy making and professionally implementing it. She contributes opinion pieces to The Irish Association for Contemporary European Studies (IACES) https://www.iaces.ie/

Dr. Keith Harrington was awarded his PhD from Maynooth University in September 2023.  He was engaged in PhD research, supervised by Dr. John Paul Newman and Professor John O’Brennan, which examined the causes of the conflict between Moldova and its separatist territory Transnistria, which unfolded between 1989 and 1992. The research focussed specifically on the linguistic dimension of the conflict.

Keith is also deeply interested in post-Soviet politics, from the onset of glasnost and perestroika to the present day, with a particular interest in the dynamics of separatism and separatist movements and so-called ‘frozen conflicts’.
Keith holds a honours degree in History from Maynooth University. In the Summer of 2018, he was awarded the prestigious NUI Travelling Studentship in Humanities and Social Sciences to support his work on Moldova-Transnistria.

Keith is currently an Assistant Professor in 20th Century European History at Trinity College Dublin. He will be teaching courses on Russian/Soviet history, nationalism, & separatism & de-facto states.