Natalia Forrat

NataliaForrat2015@u.northwestern.edu
Advisor: Carruthers

Areas of Interest

Institutional Transformations, Political and Economic Sociology, Higher Education Institutions and the Public Sector, Postcommunist Countries, and Comparative Social Research

Current Research

My current project is concerned with public policy in hybrid and authoritarian political regimes. I use the case of higher education in Russia to investigate how the survival need of the regime influences public policy and how the state utilizes market mechanisms to reduce its financial liabilities and strengthen its legitimacy at the same time.

Awards/Honors

2008, Best Article Award, Competition for young scholars, Journal “Voprosy Obrazovaniya” (Educational Issues) published by the State University – Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia

2006 – 2008, Fulbright Graduate Student Grant for Master’s degree study at the University of Michigan

2002, Open Competition Award for the best student academic work in the fields of sciences, engineering and humanities (awarded by the Ministry of Education and Science of Russian Federation)

Publications

2012 - Forrat, N. Global Trends or Regime Survival: the Reforms in Russian Higher Education. Working Paper No. 12-001, CHSS Working Paper Series, the Roberta Buffett Center for International and Comparative Studies, Northwestern University. http://www.bcics.northwestern.edu/documents/workingpapers/CHSS-12-001-Forrat.pdf

William Henry Exum Award

The intent of this prize is to honor the memory of William Henry Exum, a member of the Department of Sociology and the African American Studies Department, who died in 1986 at the age of 37. Exum was concerned with the quality of writing and research analysis in student papers. He was also interested in racial problems facing minority youths in higher education. This award was established as a means of continuing his goals of breaking barriers for all minorities.

The award submission deadline is April 27, 2012. All interested students should submit a 15-20 page paper, typed and double-spaced, on a topic dealing with race and ethnicity. Students are not limited to a sociological approach in preparing their submissions, nor is the award limited to sociology or social science majors.

The paper should include a cover sheet with the student's name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, year in school, and major.

Three copies of the essay must be submitted by the announced deadline to the Exum Award - Department of Sociology, 1810 Chicago Ave., Evanston Campus or one copy by email to sociol@northwestern.edu.

This award is open to all undergraduate students from all disciplines.

Upcoming Events

COLLOQUIUM: Aldon Morris, Sociology, Northwestern University
May 24, 2012 • 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM