Venera Demukaj, an economics professor at American University in Kosovo and Fulbright Scholar, is spending the next three months at West Virginia University conducting research and collaborating with faculty in the Department of Public Administration. Her research “UN Protectorates and Natural Resource Use: Case Study of Kosovo,” examines the link between institutional development and efficient use of natural resources.

On Wednesday, May 6 at 5 p.m. in room 106 Woodburn Hall, Demukaj will present “Donor Activities in Post-War Kosovo: Peace Security versus Economic Prosperity.” The talk, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the Department of Public Administration, the John D. Rockefeller IV School of Policy and Politics and the WVU Honors College.

Kosovo’s poverty, Demukaj said, is often taken for granted and has been used as a blanket rationale for pushing along the coal agenda without leaders fully weighing the possibilities of hydropower, wind energy or other sustainable options.

“I’d like to induce more debates about energy—-securing environmental sustainability,” she said. “There hasn’t been a lot of academic discussion on this issue.”

“They try to convince people that this is the best solution, but you have to look at the long-term effects.”

Maja Holmes, director of the public administration master’s degree program and Demukaj’s faculty sponsor, said Kosovo and West Virginia’s reliance on coal and the political landscapes of the two make them a perfect comparison study.

“This is a great opportunity for our faculty to work with someone who comes from another country that is exploring similar issues.”

Demukaj will work with professors Paolo Farah and Matt Barnes during her time at WVU.

Farah teaches climate change, trade, energy and environmental law and policy. Farah has also previously taught classes on public international law; international economic law and WTO law; European Law; comparative law and Chinese law; and international business law. He is the director of research (honorary position) of gLAWcal – Global Law Initiatives for Sustainable Development (United Kingdom).

Barnes’ research interests include American politics, state and local politics, environmental politics and policy, energy policy and public opinion. His current research examines the challenges confronting local governments in the wake of the shale oil and gas boom. In particular, he analyzes the policy making process in local governments as they restrict, endorse, or adapt to hydraulic fracturing within their borders.

Demukaj received her Ph.D. from the School of International Studies, University of Trento, in June 2011. She has a master’s degree in international and development economics from and a bachelor’s degree in banking and finance.

Each year, 800 faculty and professionals from around the world receive Fulbright Scholar grants for advanced research and university lecturing in the United States. Individual grants are available to scholars from over 155 countries. Individuals who meet the eligibility requirements apply for grants through the Fulbright commission/foundation or public affairs section of the U.S. embassy in their home countries.

-WVU-

CONTACT: Devon Copeland, Director of Marketing and Communication, Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, West Virginia University, 304-293-6867, Devon.Copeland@mail.wvu.edu

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