Miina Oks ’04 Will Present Research on NATO Expansion at National Conference

A double major in government & law and international affairs, Miina Oks ’04 (Talinn, Estonia) has been invited to present her research on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) at the 18th annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR), hosted April 15-17 by Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis.

The project primarily explores NATO’s expansion in the 1990s and why it continues to expand considering that its original purpose, to contain the USSR, is no longer necessary.

“I find it very intriguing that an international alliance, which is quite rigidly structured and based on the realist principles of balance of power theory, can undergo such an identity change,” Oks says. “Furthermore, it is interesting to see how all Eastern and Central European countries still desperately want admission to NATO, despite the fact that the Soviet threat no longer exists and we are dealing with a much weakened Russia.”

“This research serves many useful and applicable purposes,” says her academic adviser, Katalin Fabian, assistant professor of government & law, who recently received both a highly competitive National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Stipend and a Woodrow Wilson Summer Fellowship. “Miina is extremely intelligent and reads quite a few languages. She has stayed focused on this project and that’s no easy feat, intellectually and personally.”

Oks’ research is partially inspired by her national background.

“Since I am from Estonia — one of the possible candidates for NATO enlargement in 2004 — I am inherently concerned about my country’s security, well-being, and success in foreign policy and international relations,” she says. “At the moment, I am working on explaining such a shift in the focus and identity of NATO through different international relations theories, hoping it will shed some light on the transformation of NATO’s goals, objectives, and areas of operation.”

“Working on this project has given me further in-depth knowledge of the functioning of international relations structures, which contributes to my goal of working in that field in the future,” she adds. “I believe that participating in the NCUR would not only give me experience, but it would also be a positive aspect of my work and proof of my ability to do research for possible future employers.”

The research is part of a senior thesis in pursuit of honors in international affairs. “I believe that Lafayette College is an excellent environment for such projects, and not only because of its extensive resources, but mainly because of the outstanding quality of the professors, who — due to the small size of the College — are also very accessible,” Oks says.

She has enjoyed the interaction with her adviser.

“Working closely with Professor Fabian has definitely enhanced my educational experience, for through her guidance she has taught me deeper analysis, research, and writing skills,” she says.

“One of the reasons she is the best adviser for projects such as the one I am working on is that she is very strict — she knows what she wants to see on paper and she knows what I am capable of, but she always retains her patience and encouraging nature,” she adds. “It is easy to get lost amongst the enormous amount of material, especially concerning NATO, but Professor Fabian has a great ability to bring one back into focus.”

Fabian says Oks has been working on her thesis since the summer, and may continue the research in graduate school.

Oks is a member of the honor society for Russian Studies, Dobro Slovo, and will be inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society this spring. She enjoys snowboarding, camping, hiking and biking.

Honors thesis projects are among several major opportunities at Lafayette that make the College a national leader in undergraduate research. Lafayette sends one of the largest contingents to the National Conference on Undergraduate Research each year. Forty-two students have been accepted to present their work at the annual conference this month.