Sofiia Slonovska

Sofiia Slonovska is a senior student in the “Economics, Politics and Social Thought” program at Bard College Berlin, with a concentration in Politics. Her research interests include international affairs, international security, hegemonic power transitions, and the broader dynamics of great power competition, alliance politics, and the evolution of global and regional security orders. She has a particular focus on the Transatlantic space, with an emphasis on Ukraine’s role in European security and democratic resilience. Her senior thesis examines the historical conditions under which great power transitions lead to major war. Drawing on realist and liberal international relations theory, as well as historical case studies from the 18th to 20th centuries, her research critically engages with current debates about U.S. hegemonic decline and the rise of China. Sofiia has gained editorial and research experience through her work as an editor for the European Relations Blog, where she has also published an article on the emerging Coalition of the Willing for Ukraine. She also works as a student research assistant at the Hertie School, where she supports comparative research on innovative teaching formats and best practices across Master of Public Policy (MPP) and Master of International Affairs (MIA) programs.