Skip to main content

Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin

Trinity Menu Trinity Search



You are here About Us > Our People

Jacqueline Hayden

 

Room TBAJaqueline Hayden
Department of Political Science
Trinity College Dublin
2–3 College Green
Dublin 2, Ireland

tel: +353 1 896 (TBA)

Email: jahayden@tcd.ie

Dr Jacqueline Hayden was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland in 2013 for her research and contribution to the transition to democracy in Poland. She was a journalist and current affairs radio producer with RTE before returning to university (TCD) to study for a PhD. She currently teaches Politics and Irish Society (1st year) and Issues in Contemporary Politics (4th year). She has previously taught at UCD and DCU.

Current appointment

Assistant Professor, Political Science

Social Science Coordinator for the Trinity Access Programme

School of Social Sciences Career Liaison Officer

Departmental representative - Alumni Committee

Research interests

Research Expertise

Democratic theory, regime change, authoritarian persistence with a focus on former communist countries in East Central Europe.

Current project

In preparation - Voices from the Rubicon: Lessons from the Polish Transition to Democracy (Routledge:) This new book will examine the institutional, political, economic and social choices made in the process of the Polish transition from the perspective of the key players, politicians, academics and other influential actors who influenced or executed these choices. Path Dependency theory posits that institutional choices made at critical junctures in a nation's history influence and predict the social and political environment for years to come. Taking the path dependent analytical approach this book will focus on the nature and motivation of the actors involved in making the institutional choices that determined the path of Poland's transition. The author seeks to understand why certain choices were made and ascertain how key actors evaluate the efficacy of those choices in the light of the experience and legacy of transition. The book will review a range of institutional choices in order to assess the lessons that may be learned for other countries embarking on the road to democratic transition. The current project will draw on interviews conducted with more than sixty five key players at various points between 1980 and 2013.
Publications

Jacqueline Hayden, The Collapse of Communist Power in Poland: Strategic misperceptions and unanticipated outcomes, London, Routledge Curzon, 2006

Jacqueline Hayden (with Kenneth Benoit), Institutional Change and Persistence: The Evolution of Poland's Electoral System, 1989-2001, The Journal of Politics, 66, (2), 2004, p396 - 427Journal Article, 2004

Poles Apart: Solidarity and the New Poland, Irish Academic Press, 1994

Lady G: A Biography of The Honourable Lady Goulding LL.D, Townhouse Press, 1994

Awards and Honours

Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland presented by President Komorowski at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw on June 4th ’for outstanding services rendered to the promotion of Poland’s transition to democracy’ - 2013

Political Science Association of Ireland Teaching and Learning Award - 2012

Runner up – European Award for Excellence in Teaching in the Social Sciences and Humanities (Central European University, Budapest) - 2012

TCD Provost’s Teaching and Learning Award - 2010