The selection committee considered eight excellent contestants. All eight theses were strong pieces of research, with a good fit with the EPS focus and objectives, sound methodology and original contribution to our understanding of European politics and society. The committee made sure its decision was not affected by the slightly different standards for theses at partner universities, particularly in terms of word count.
The winner of the 2022 EPS Best Thesis Award is:
Damian Krämer
with a thesis titled
The Emperor without Clothes? Explaining the Choice for a Flexible Solidarity Mechanism proposed in the Asylum and Migration Management Regulation
Damian Krämer’s research delves deep into the institutional and political processes of European integration to study the European Commission’s policy choices in the highly contested area of migration and asylum. The thesis builds on an exemplary literature review to identify a relevant research gap, which is then addressed in an original manner using a well-explained and substantiated method of inquiry. The author links together literature from politics and law and makes an original contribution to the existing academic debate. The committee commends the thesis for its interdisciplinary approach, thorough discussion of the research problem, detailed elaboration of the research methodology and exemplary academic writing.
