Research at Sciences Po - Vis A Vis podcast with Dina Waked

Professor Dina Waked, the Dean of the School of Research at Sciences Po, has participated in an engaging conversation about the research environment with Alliance Director, Dr. Emmanuel Kattan. 

Over the past decades, Sciences Po has significantly expanded its research activities, establishing itself as a leading global institution in the social sciences. In the past year alone, the Sciences Po research community published more than 600 academic articles and 100 books, while securing major funding from French and European research agencies. At a time when academic freedom faces increasing challenges in many parts of the world, the innovation and societal impact of this research are more important than ever.

To discuss Sciences Po’s research landscape and its contribution to the common good, Dina Waked, Dean of the Sciences Po School of Research and Professor of Law at the Law School's Research Center , sat down with Alliance Director Dr. Emmanuel Kattan for the Vis-à-Vis podcast, produced by Columbia University as part of the Alliance program. The Alliance is a partnership that brings together Columbia University and three leading French higher education institutions: Sciences Po, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, and École Polytechnique.

Reflecting on the value of research in a diverse and rapidly changing world, Dina Waked emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary approaches:

“Whether in sociology, where scholars examine inequalities of class, gender, race, or social mobility; in political science, where they analyze how power struggles, institutions, and wars shape unequal outcomes; or in history, where we look back at colonialism, slavery, conquest, and empire to understand the realities we live in today—these issues do not exist in silos. The answers often intersect and overlap, informing one another. What is remarkable about the Sciences Po ecosystem is how it encourages interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-fertilization across disciplines.”

She also highlights the broader role of research in helping societies better understand complex issues:

“One of the most valuable contributions of research is its ability to help us see things differently. It provides the distance, the methods, and the imagination needed to question what we often take for granted. Research allows us to approach complex issues from multiple perspectives, helping us understand not only what is visible, but also what remains hidden or unheard. In that sense, I see research as a way of bringing overlooked voices into the conversation—giving space to those who are not always heard and helping to tell stories that might otherwise remain untold.”

Listen to the full episode: Research at Sciences Po - Vis A Vis podcast