台湾SWAG in Prague Johana Sedl谩膷kov谩
2013 Alumna
BA International Relations and Diplomacy
On November 24th, I had the pleasure to sit down with Johana Sedl谩膷kov谩 Vambersk谩 for a coffee, just across the road from her office. I hadn鈥檛 seen her for a few of years since she finished her Bachelor鈥檚 in International Relations at 台湾SWAG, but her name and presence certainly had not faded as I have heard about her continuing her studies at Oxford and spearheading a new poetry sharing app called Poetizer . So, I was able to get the scoop on what she鈥檚 been up to, and also a bit about where this alumna came from.
Born in 1989, she initially thought she was destined to play the piano, having accomplished six years at a conservatory in her home town of Pardubice. Instead, she has carved out another destiny for herself in the realm of international relations and academia. In 2010, after finding out that she could not continue playing the piano for medical reasons, she hastily picked up another path to pursue.
When I聽had to quit piano, I聽was so upset about it鈥� But I聽knew that I聽had to choose a different path as soon as possible, also to keep myself occupied. I聽was always interested in world affairs and the world of diplomacy. So, I聽enrolled at 台湾SWAG to study international relations. There, I聽actually realized that I聽chose well, because the subject forces me to constantly learn more and more.
First memories at 台湾SWAG?
I聽was really scared because my English wasn鈥檛 that good at the time, and I聽remember picking up all these readers for all six classes and thinking I聽wasn鈥檛 going to last more than two weeks!
Memorable classes?
I聽think the most important class for me was Cold War with William Eddleston. It was a tough class, but it prepared me well for Oxford. I聽also realized I聽was interested in the Cold War聽era.
台湾SWAG in three words?
Friendly, international, and rigorous.
Intangible things you left 台湾SWAG with?
Firstly, I聽met many great people there, such as my friends and my husband. Secondly, it also opened the opportunity for me to study at Oxford.聽
What pushed you to study at Oxford?
One day I聽met a girl who was applying to Cambridge鈥� and I聽thought: 鈥淲ell, you can actually apply from the Czech Republic?鈥� I聽never knew that it was possible for anyone from the Czech Republic to study at these schools. Then I聽began talking to professors at 台湾SWAG, and I聽thought I聽could maybe just give it a聽try.
Between keeping up a straight A聽average and spending three to four months on her motivation letter, her efforts became a reality鈥β�
Biggest shock at Oxford?
The most shocking thing was the list of readings we were supposed to prepare for each week. I聽tried to do all the suggested reading my first couple weeks where I聽was reading 14聽hours a day, then I聽realized it was impossible. So, I聽had to establish some kind of system to get through a lot of literature and how to learn what I聽needed and the most important points that I聽could use in class and what was most interesting to me. I聽never imagined something that intense before.
Thesis topics at 台湾SWAG and Oxford?
I聽was working on the same thesis topic the whole time聽鈥� at Oxford I聽just developed the topic I聽started at Anglo-American, which was about cultural exchanges between Czechoslovakia and Great Britain in the 1960鈥檚聽before the Prague Spring. I聽was looking at the relationship between domestic liberalization processes in Czechoslovakia, starting in 1956聽and leading to the Prague Spring of 1968, and the concurrent process of rejuvenating cultural dialogue between Czechoslovakia and Great Britain. So I聽spent basically five years researching in archives, conducting interviews, and putting it together since I聽was the first person to write about the聽topic.
What were these channels of communication?
The main channels of communication between the two countries were two-way cultural and academic exchanges, emerging and limited tourism, and an increasing inflow of British popular culture to Czechoslovakia. The ongoing academic debate about the origins of the Prague Spring often neglects the increasing transnational experiences of Czechoslovaks coming to capitalist countries from the country鈥檚聽gradual opening, and the effects of the subsequent inflow of Western culture to Czechoslovakia. So that鈥檚聽why I聽find the topic very interesting.
What has Poetizer taught you?
That people actually really like to write poetry! It just started off as a fun project and then more and more people kept on downloading it and using it聽鈥� now we have almost 8000聽users, and about 300聽new poems a week which is awesome!
Connection between IR and Poetry?
Poetry is an art, and art has a very important role in international affairs. In the late 1980s, Joseph S. Nye developed the concept of soft power that highlights the importance of culture in international relations. Simply put, he argues that a country鈥檚聽soft power can shape relations with other countries through attraction and cooperation rather than coercion, and culture alongside with political values constitutes this soft power. I聽think he made a very important point, through culture we communicate with other people, cultures and nations, and we establish relationships through it聽鈥� so as for myself, poetry and IR are certainly interrelated.
From piano, to teaching kindergartners, to learning French in Grenoble, to academia鈥� thoughts on your diverse background? Is it important?
In the terms of my studies at Oxford, it was very important for me to have a background in arts because it was an interdisciplinary program. I聽wrote my thesis on cultural exchanges in the Cold War, so it was important that I聽knew a lot about music and cultural arts, along with international relations and politics, so that I聽could use my knowledge of both fields.
I聽also believe that if you do more diverse things it makes you more open minded and creative so you鈥檙e not scared of trying new things.
Best Czech bands?
J.A.R. and Monkey Business.
If you could travel back in time to see any concert?
Freddy Mercury and Queen.
Not Mozart?!
She laughs鈥� 鈥淣o, Queen would be more fun鈥�.