Interview with International Relations Lecturer Piotr Perczynski
By Sina Ammann
22 February 2021
Piotr Perczynski is a Senior Faculty lecturer at the International Relations Department at Webster Leiden. Like many Webster students, he too grew up abroad, having lived in Syria, Thailand, Poland, and the UK. After receiving his MA and PhD in Political Science from Warsaw University, he was Head of Political Cabinet of the Deputy Prime Minister of Poland, Senior Lecturer at the European Institute of Public Administration, and has also been Vice-Ambassador for Poland to The Netherlands.
Currently, Piotr is teaching courses ranging from Introduction to Political Theory, Comparative Politics, War and Diplomacy, as well as Conduct of Foreign Policy. After having met his Dutch wife at Oxford University after obtaining a scholarship, he has been living in Poland and The Netherlands with his two daughters and wife. We are content to have him in our International Relations department!
Sina: Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. As a student, I am looking forward to getting to know you better as a professor!
Piotr: Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this interview. I am very happy to talk about myself to the students so that they can relate more to knowing me and can hopefully learn something for their own purpose!
Sina: Let’s get started. As a student, I know that you believe in bridging theoretical and practical aspects of university. What is your favorite part of teaching?
Piotr: University is a wonderful time in your life, it was in my case! I teach students political thought to reflect on their personal lives. Thinkers like Machiavelli and Castiglione are still so relevant today. Formulating thoughts from reading, and also teaching develops you enormously. I personally am not fond of the university model that the teacher is the master - students should have more say in general, since they are giving something in exchange - namely, their attitude towards learning.
‘’It is the ultimate joy of life to do professionally something that is your hobby.’’
Sina: For those who are studying International Relations, or are thinking of studying International Relations, what are the career possibilities after graduating with a degree in IR?
Piotr: There are two things I want to pass on in terms of career possibilities. One: remember Dutch companies - you are in the country of entrepreneurs and possibilities. And, we are 20km from The Hague, where there are 10,000 NGOs. A great number of them also operate internationally. Secondly: aim for the company/institution rather than for a position. In any case you will not earn a top position immediately - you will grow to have higher positions. Plus: take advantage of the connections you obtain during your studies.
Sina: For a more nonacademic question, because I am sure that many students are curious to know some interesting facts about you: where would you travel to, if you could?
Piotr: We usually go to the north of Italy, but because we have been there so many times, my family will tell me that we should visit another place! I would like to go once back to Bangkok, [..] and to Ghana, where Webster University has a campus.
Sina: What is your favorite spot in Leiden and in The Hague?
Piotr: For The Hague, I have too many! You know, there is a very nice square in The Hague, Anna Paulownaplein. It is wonderful, especially in the summer, and reminds me of Italy! It is a charming place. As for Leiden, there is this one café on the water, ‘’Vlot’’. In 1997, there was ice there and you could skate and buy hot chocolate at that exact café. It is also actually just the place where the Rhine ends, right next to our university - it is the end of this huge river, which is so historically important! Also, the fact that Rembrandt was born so close by is nice. There is also a beautiful place called the Waag - the entrance is beautiful!
Sina: In your free time, what do you like to do?
Piotr: I do my research project in the afternoon and then I read for fun a biography about Machiavelli (of course). I also like to play tennis, and cycle every day. You can do it on your own terms - it’s fantastic. It is a total pleasure - when I cycle, I always listen to either literature or the radio station. I am participating in a Polish radio station called Halo.Radio and have already been a guest 18 times. I talk about Machiavelli - for example, what would he say about Donald Trump? I talk a lot with ease, so it turns out that the radio is just my genre!
Sina: Lastly, this is a question that I am always curious in: what tips would you give to a new student entering our university?
Piotr: Take notes and try to write as much as possible. At the university you are internally urged to remember. You’ll be expected to write in real life, so start as early as possible. Use the assignments given, and use all the opportunities Webster gives, even taking on extra assignments! Unlike many other universities which don’t have a writing center, Webster does, and should be used to the max. Read also as much as possible, because not only is it fun, it is also your ammunition later in life. Read also good classical books, like Tolstoy’s ‘’War and Peace’’ or Proust’s “In Search of Lost Time” (I was only able to read it after I got rid of my TV)! University prepares you for the outside world, so try to find the soft skills needed. If I was a university student again, I would say that this is the time to learn. Altogether, it boils down to using the university as much as possible as a tool. Use the resources at university - you learn so much! Good luck!
If you want to check out Piotr’s radio station, (and what Machiavelli would say on Donald Trump), it is called, ‘’Halo Radio’’, with the link provided: https://halo.radio/podcasty/tomasz-jastrun-2020-12-23-1300-1500/.
In the meantime, besides teaching and writing, you can find him sharing his passion for Machiavelli and Castiglione, alongside cycling! Thank you, Piotr!