From her doctoral research in Florence to building the House of European History in Brussels, Christine Dupont reflects on how the EUI shaped her vision, career, and commitment to a transnational approach to the past.
How do you think the EUI shaped your career?
When the European Parliament began recruiting for the museum, they were looking for candidates with a PhD in history and experience in the museum world. I already had some museum experience, but I’m sure that having a PhD from the EUI certainly played a role.
Furthermore, for me the EUI was the first place where I studied history from a transnational perspective. It was where I met people from all over Europe - even if it was a smaller Europe at the time.
I feel this transnational perspective again now here with my colleagues in the House of European History who are from all over Europe. The EUI helped me think outside the box and beyond the traditional, national framework of studying history.
What was your research about and who was your supervisor?
I was researching Belgian artists in Italy in the 19th century, and my supervisor was John Brewer. I'm quite busy now, but whenever I have time, 19th-century art history is still a passion of mine. I’ve broadened the scope of my original research and now look at how the idea of artists traveling to Italy in the 19th century was part of a wider European phenomenon. It wasn’t just Belgian artists—Rome, for instance, was a meeting place for creatives from all over Europe and beyond. That broader vision was definitely something I developed at the EUI.
Do you recall your first year after graduating?
Unfortunately, I had to leave Italy, where I had been living for six years, and I went back to Belgium. I quite rapidly found a job in a museum about the social and industrial history of Brussels. And that's where I learned to become a museum curator, because that is the second part of my identity. I'm both a historian and a museum curator. That experience eventually led to me being recruited for the founding team of the House of European History.
How would you describe your EUI experience?
I remember it as a fantastic and enriching time. It really opened my mind—about history, about Europe, and about research methodology. It encouraged me to broaden my scope and think critically.
My previous training in history at the University of Brussels had been solid but very classical. At the EUI, the environment was international. I took part in research seminars in both French and English, covering a wide range of topics. We often had guest speakers, and we regularly had to present our own research in front of the whole group.
It was an open, dynamic, and highly critical environment. That transformed the way I looked at history. It was fascinating, intellectually stimulating—and I made lasting friendships.
Doing a PhD can be a lonely adventure, so social moments really matter. Like many others, one of my best memories is the Fiasco Bar. It’s where we gathered after seminars, year after year.
In what ways do you keep in touch with the EUI?
When you work in European institutions or attend conferences, you always run into people from the EUI. There’s always at least one person who studied or conducted research there. That’s Europe: a big world, and yet a small one at the same time. Those shared memories and experiences create a strong connection.
For instance, we work closely with the Historical Archives of the European Union. We both collect the history of the European project and collaborate on joint communications and conferences.
I’ve also been back to the EUI three or four times. I visited the Historical Archives of the EU based at Villa Salviati to explore possible collaborations. I also attended an informal conference we organised as alumni of John Brewer when he retired—which was a very special moment. More recently, I participated in a conference on public history, which was another opportunity to meet people and exchange ideas.
What would be your advice for future scholars?
Don't stay closed in the library, archives, or in your room to write your thesis. Meet people, and not only people from the EUI. Connect with the city, connect with Italy. That's very important because it can easily become a kind of European bubble like the one we have here in Brussels as well. And it's so important to be there, to be in the country, to be in the city and to engage in civil society programs that can be linked with history and politics.
It's important to be an active citizen. We are living in a very complicated and polarised world. And I think historians as well as political scientists and economists have something to say, some nuances to win in the debate and some complexity as well. And that is our mission. Ideally, scholars in economics, political science, law, and history should come together more often, exchange views, and engage in interdisciplinary work.
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The EUI Alumni Testimonials series offers a glimpse into the diverse paths and experiences of our alumni. Through their stories, we revisit meaningful moments from their time at the EUI and discover how these experiences continue to shape their personal and professional journeys.
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Disclaimer: All information reported in this article reflects solely the perspective of EUI alumni and former EUI members. In no case does this article represent the view of the organisations the interviewees are affiliated with.