Congratulations to Tamara Manolache!

Open to students registered full-time in a thesis-based graduate degree program in the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Candidates must hold an undergraduate or graduate degree from a university in Romania. Applicants must complete a statement of eligibility (approximately 400 words) describing their experience in Romania. 

 

Can you tell us a bit about your research interests? 

I am passionate about international relations, history, comparative politics and foreign languages. My research focuses on trade negotiations between Turkey with its partners. Turkey is one of the countries that signed the most Free Trade Agreements. I want to see how a non-democracy reaches such an accomplishment, and why it is so successful at negotiating trade deals. Is there a bargaining pattern? I plan to answer these questions by looking at Turkey’s bilateral trade talks between 1996 and 2022 and the public reaction to its political decision

How did you come to focus on these areas?  

I developed my passion for history and international relations in high school from my history teacher. He encouraged me to use my skills and study in a field I am good at. Then during my undergraduate studies, I travelled to several European countries as an exchange student. Of course, all exchange students say it, but that experience changed how I see the world, perceive travelling and interact with strangers. With the support of the hosting universities, I took intensive English, Portuguese, Polish and French classes, in addition to perfecting my Russian skills. Later, I started learning Spanish. It is difficult to remember all of them due to insufficient practice. However, learning new languages helped me get comfortable with making mistakes, handle change better, and enhance my curiosity about other countries and their politics.

Can you tell us a bit about your specific proposed thesis research?  

My research focuses on nondemocracies and the way they negotiate bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs). We know that democratic countries are more likely to cooperate. However, some authoritarian states negotiate and sign more FTAs than their democratic counterparts. There are multiple reasons why some nondemocracies are so effective in signing FTAs. In my thesis, I suggest that their success is the result of the concessions they make in negotiations. 

What are your next steps in the program? 

My primary focus now is to finish and defend my thesis, while taking care of my mental health. Afterwards, I would like to apply the knowledge I gained during this program to a job that is related to my research area. 

 

Congratulations to Tamara Manolache on your 2021–22 Ion and Ana Adamache Graduate Scholarship! 

 

To find out more about our graduate paper prizes and past prize winners, please visit the Political Science website.