Biography:Eva Piirimäe
Eva Piirimäe | |
|---|---|
 Piirimäe at the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies (2021) | |
| Born | 19 June 1974[1] |
| Title | Professor of Political Theory[2] |
| Spouse(s) | Pärtel Piirimäe[3] |
| Awards | Winner (2023), István Hont Book Prize[4] Baltic Assembly Prize in Science (2025)[5] |
| Academic background | |
| Thesis | Thomas Abbt (1738–1766) and the Philosophical Genesis of German Nationalism (2006) |
| Doctoral advisor | István Hont |
| Academic work | |
| Discipline | Political theory Intellectual history |
| Institutions | University of Tartu[6] |
| Notable works | Herder and Enlightenment Politics (2023)[7] |
Eva Piirimäe (née Mikelsaar; born 19 June 1974) is an Estonian political theorist and intellectual historian. She is a professor of political theory at the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies at the University of Tartu, and serves as programme director for political science.[6] Since September 2024, she has been professor of political theory and head of the doctoral specialisation in political science.[2]
Academic career
Piirimäe received her PhD from the University of Cambridge in 2006 with a dissertation titled Thomas Abbt (1738–1766) and the Philosophical Genesis of German Nationalism, supervised by István Hont.[8]
Visiting appointments and academic service
Piirimäe was a Visiting Scholar at the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies at Harvard University (September–November 2016).[9] She was also Juris Padegs Visiting Associate Professor at Yale University (academic year 2016–17).[8]
Research
Piirimäe’s research focuses on the history of political thought, including theories of nationalism, sovereignty, and self-determination.[6][2] Her monograph Herder and Enlightenment Politics (Cambridge University Press, 2023) examines Johann Gottfried Herder’s political thought in the context of eighteenth-century debates on commerce, peace, and reform.[7] The book has been reviewed in academic venues including History of European Ideas.[10]
Awards and honours
- 2025: Baltic Assembly Prize in Science (for Herder and Enlightenment Politics).[5][11]
- Winner (2023): István Hont Book Prize (announced 2024) (for Herder and Enlightenment Politics).[4]
In the media
Piirimäe has been cited in Estonian public media in her capacity as a professor of political theory at the University of Tartu, including commentary related to academic publishing and open access.[12]
References
- ↑ "Eva Piirimäe". https://www.etis.ee/CV/Eva_Piirim%C3%A4e/eng/.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Professor of Political Theory Eva Piirimäe gives her inaugural lecture on the history of self-determination". 10 April 2025. https://ut.ee/en/news/professor-political-theory-eva-piirimae-gives-her-inaugural-lecture-history-self-determination.
- ↑ "Poliitikateooria vajab enam väikerahvaste perspektiivi" (in et). University of Tartu. 13 February 2025. https://ajakiri.ut.ee/poliitikateooria-vajab-enam-vaikerahvaste-perspektiivi/.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "The István Hont Book Prize". https://www.intellectualhistory.net/istvan-hont-book-prize.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Baltic Assembly Prizes and Medals Award Ceremony 2025". 14 November 2025. https://www.baltasam.org/Prizes_Awards_Ceremony_2025.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Eva Piirimäe". https://ut.ee/en/employee/eva-piirimae.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Piirimäe, Eva (2023). Herder and Enlightenment Politics. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781009315807.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Eva Piirimäe". https://macmillan.yale.edu/europe/baltic/person/eva-piirimae-0.
- ↑ "Visiting Scholars 2016–2017". https://ces.fas.harvard.edu/people/ces-alumni/visiting-scholars-2009-2022/visiting-scholars-2016-2017.
- ↑ Walker, A. (2024). "Eva Piirimäe on Herder's political thought". History of European Ideas. doi:10.1080/01916599.2024.2358627.
- ↑ "The Baltic Assembly Prize in Science went to political researcher Eva Piirimäe". 3 October 2025. https://www.riigikogu.ee/en/press-releases/the-baltic-assembly-prize-in-science-went-to-political-researcher-eva-piirimae/.
- ↑ "Academic publishers' billion-dollar business paywalling Estonian research". 18 September 2025. https://news.err.ee/1609804398/academic-publishers-billion-dollar-business-paywalling-estonian-research.
External links
- Eva Piirimäe at the University of Tartu
- Eva Piirimäe at the Estonian Research Information System (ETIS)
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