This highly prestigious academic award is only bestowed on exceptional individuals whose research has contributed significantly to the development of social sciences and to a better understanding of current social issues. Monika Brusenbauch Meislová is the first and so far only scholar from the Czech Republic to receive this honour.
The British Academy of Social Sciences brings together leading experts in a range of social science disciplines, including international relations, political science, economics, sociology, law, geography and psychology. In this way, the Academy recognises excellence in research and its broader social impact.
“It is a tremendous honour, but also a great commitment for me. The Academy of Social Sciences brings together truly outstanding figures in the social sciences whose research helps us to better understand the world today, from international security to issues of prosperity and social cohesion to climate change. I deeply appreciate being part of this community, and I also see it as recognition of the work that has been carried out at Masaryk University and in the Czech academic environment over a long period of time. I look forward to contributing to the Academy’s work, whether through research projects, expert analyses, public lectures and cooperation with policymakers,” said Brusenbauch Meislová.
The Academy organises projects, expert debates, publications and policy initiatives with the aim of strengthening the role of social sciences in shaping public policy and understanding the current challenges facing society. Its Fellows form an exclusive community of around 1,700 leading researchers and experts from academia, the public sector, business, and the non-profit sector. They have been elected to the Academy on the basis of a rigorous international peer-review process, in recognition of their outstanding scholarly achievements and contributions to society. Fellowship of the Academy of Social Sciences is one of the most prestigious awards in the social sciences in the United Kingdom – its holders use the title Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (FAcSS) after their name.
This is a historic achievement for the Czech Republic, as it now has its first representative at one of the world’s leading social science institutions. This distinction is further emphasised by the fact that the majority of members hail from the United Kingdom. Of the 74 new Fellows in the current group, only four countries outside the UK are represented: Australia, Ireland, Finland and the Czech Republic, the latter being represented by Brusenbauch Meislová. In the context of the academy’s entire history, the representation of Central and Eastern European countries has been extremely rare: of the thirteen European Union member states that joined the EU in 2004 and later, only two individuals (one each from Estonia and Slovenia) have been elected as Fellows. Monika Brusenbauch Meislová is the first representative of a Czech university to join this elite club, whose members include renowned figures such as Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman of King’s College London.
Šárka Pospíšilová, MU Vice-Rector for Research and Doctoral Studies, described the award as a significant achievement for both the researcher and the university. “The bestowing of the title of Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences confirms that Masaryk University’s research is globally competitive. It is also proof that our scientists and scholars are among the most respected experts in the European and global academic environment,” added Pospíšilová.
Monika Brusenbauch Meislová was recognised primarily for her long-standing, internationally renowned research into British and European politics, particularly in the context of the relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, political communication, and legitimacy. She has published more than forty academic articles in leading international scientific journals. Her academic career is closely linked to the British academic environment – she is a Visiting Professor at Aston University in Birmingham and a Visiting Fellow at Loughborough University London. In the past she was also a visiting researcher at University College London. In addition, she is a member of the Centre for Research on the English-speaking World at the Université Sorbonne Nouvelle in Paris. She holds the prestigious Jean Monnet Chair, awarded by the European Commission to leading experts on European integration, and is regularly invited to speak at leading universities, including Cambridge and King’s College London.
Monika Brusenbauch Meislová is also very active in international academic cooperation. Among other things, she led a pan-European research network at the British University Association for Contemporary European Studies (UACES). She is also an experienced leader of international research projects. In her role as a principal investigator, she directs projects that are funded by organisations such as the European Commission and the Czech Science Foundation and participates in other European research initiatives. She is a regular contributor to political and diplomatic practice, having spoken at the British Parliament, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, and the Wilton Park strategic conference, which brings together leading politicians, diplomats and academics from around the world to debate current foreign policy issues.
“I am excited by every opportunity to work with the British Foreign Office, whether that involves leading a masterclass for its employees or speaking at the prestigious Wilton Park conference. From my point of view, interactions with the foreign academic environment are also extremely beneficial. Each university has a different approach to teaching, research and fulfilling its third role, and this gives me the opportunity to compare, be inspired and continue to grow in my work. Of course, these are all considerable challenges, but that is where I see the greatest value – in the realisation that the learning process never ends,” Brusenbauch Meislová previously told Magazine M.
Stanislav Balík, Dean of the Faculty of Social Studies, also commented on her fellowship in the Academy of Social Sciences, describing it as an extraordinary moment for the faculty, the Department of International Relations and European Studies, and the International Institute of Political Science. “This is also an exceptional moment for the entire Czech Republic, because our country has not yet been represented in this exclusive society. I am glad that our faculty is a place where such important, internationally recognised figures educate the next generation of young people,” added Stanislav Balík, who also views the award as a prestigious, international recognition of Czech social sciences.