Current Position:

Research Scientist at the Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History (C²DH), Contemporary History of Europe Department

Research areas:

• Contemporary European history;
• History of economic thought;
• Luxembourg and European integration;
• EMU and economic governance;
• Banking history;
• Oral history of European integration;
• Democratic transitions (political and economic) in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe; and the EU’s eastward enlargement.

Last updated on: jeudi 04 juillet 2019

Elena Danescu holds a PhD in Political Economics (1998) from the National Institute of Economic Research (INCE) of the Romanian Academy, with a thesis on the Luxembourg development model and the achievements of Pierre Werner. Previously, she obtained a DEA postgraduate diploma in international, diplomatic and strategic relations from Paris III University and a Master’s degree in Economics from the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies (ASE). She began her career as a researcher at INCE and guest lecturer at ASE before becoming a researcher and diplomat in the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She was involved in multiple international projects and networks, initially focusing on the European integration and transition to democracy of Central and Eastern European countries before turning her attention more particularly to the role of Luxembourg and its elites in the European integration process, in Economic and Monetary Union and in EU governance. She was a researcher in the European Integration Studies Department of the Centre Virtuel de la Connaissance sur l’Europe (CVCE), where she developed the interdisciplinary “Pierre Werner and Europe” research project (2011-2017) based on an exploration of the Werner family archives, opened for the first time for research purposes. She has authored several research publications in her specialist areas. She is duly entitled to supervise doctoral researches and she is registered as a supervisor at the Doctoral School in Humanities and Social Sciences (DSHSS)/University of Luxembourg, in the discipline "History". She is Fellow of Robert Schuman Initiative for European Affairs and joined the University of Luxembourg on 1 July 2016. She was elected as member of the Member of the University Council – University of Luxembourg (2018-2021).

Memberships (boards and committees)

Last updated on: 12 déc 2019

Research projects at the University of Luxembourg

From its inception, the C²DH decided to make the history of the Luxembourg financial centre one of its main research priorities.

In line with this objective I am currently developing the research project FiscoLux (2018-2021), which aims to perform a comparative historical analysis of the development and specific characteristics of taxation in Luxembourg in a multidimensional context – national (Luxembourg), regional (relations with traditional partners – Belgium, the Netherlands but also Germany and France), European (ECSC, EEC and EU) and international (OECD, GATT/WTO) – in the second half of the 20th century. The two aspects of taxation will be addressed: direct taxation (a prerogative of states) and indirect taxation (subject to international regulation). The timeframe stretches from the end of the war (1944) to the Maastricht Treaty (1992).

Parallel to this, I am working on the history of the banking and financial industry in Luxembourg (with particular emphasis on the Banque Générale du Luxembourg, founded in 1919) and I am continuing with my specialist research areas – the history of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), networks among leading thinkers of EMU (with an emphasis on Pierre Werner) and the role of Luxembourg and its elites in the process of Europeanisation.

I am also involved in an international multiannual research project entitled V-Dem (conducted by the University of Gothenburg) aiming to develop a new approach to conceptualising and analysing democracy, as well as in research/teaching initiatives of the University of Luxembourg's Robert Schuman Institute, an interdisciplinary centre funded by the EU Commission as a Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence (2015-2021).

Experimental teaching projects

To familiarise the students on the MAHEC Master’s programme with the use of digital tools and methods for source analysis and to encourage them to use new and non-traditional sources, I am working with my colleagues in the Public History and DH departments at the C²DH on the development of interdisciplinary projects that will serve as a basis for the practical work in the “Histoire de l’intégration européenne 1919-1990” course, such as “Analyse textométrique sur un corpus d’histoire orale de l’intégration européenne” (sem II 2017/2018) (developed with Dr Florentina Armaselu and François Klein, C²DH), “Nouveaux narratifs historiques à travers l’analyse herméneutique d’images” (sem.I 2018/2019) (developed with Victoria Mouton and Marco Gabellini, C²DH) and “Oral history – theory and interdisciplinary methodology” (sem.I 2019/2020) (developed with François Klein, C²DH).

Public history multimedia projects

Based on the oral history dimension developed during the “Pierre Werner and Europe” research project (2011-2017), which resulted in more than 55 hours of interview footage with major players in the European integration process, the audiovisual biographical documentary “Pierre Werner and Europe” (produced in 2016 and updated in 2017 and 2018), focused on the Werner Report and EMU.

Last updated on: 28 mai 2020

Articles in academic journals

• Through a century of change: portrait of a pragmatic visionary. Journal of European Integration History = Zeitschrift für Geschichte der Europäischen Integration = Revue d'Histoire de l'Intégration Européenne. JEIH 24(1/2018), Baden-Baden: Nomos Verlag, pp. 9-30. ISSN: 0947-9511.
• Robert Triffin, a 'personal equation'. The Journal of European Economic History. Quarterly review, 1(2018). Roma:Bancaria. ISSN:  0391-5115.
• Pierre Werner: accounts of a European vocation’. The Journal of European Economic History. Quarterly review, 3(2015). Roma, Bancaria. ISSN: 0391-5115.
• L'héritage intellectuel d'un précurseur: Alexandre Lamfalussy. Journal of European Integration History = Zeitschrift für Geschichte der Europäischen Integration = Revue d'Histoire de l'Intégration Européenne.
• Le Comité Werner: nouvelles archives. Histoire, Economie et Société, 2011(04), 29-39

Authored and edited books

• Danescu, E. (2019). Pierre Werner and Europe: The Family Archives Behind the Werner Report. Foreword by Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, and Preface by Professor Harold James (Princeton University). Basingstoke UK: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-3-319-96294-8.
• E., Danescu & S., Muñoz (Eds.) (2015). Pierre Werner, une vision pour l'Europe: pensée, action, enseignements/ Pierre Werner and Europe: His Approach, Action and Legacy. Bruxelles: PIE Peter Lang. ISBN: 978-2875742681.

Book chapters

• Small states in the European Union: Luxembourg. In Western Europe 2019, Hartley Cathy (Ed.), London and New York: Routledge, ISBN: 9781857439458.
• Pierre Werner: A Visionary European and Consensus Builder. In Kenneth Dyson and Ivo Maes (Dirs/Eds.) Architects of the Euro. Intellectuals in the making of European Monetary Union, London: Oxford University Press, pp. 93-116. ISBN-13: 978-0198735915.
• Luxembourg Analysis. In Cathy Hartley (Ed.) Western Europe 2018, London: Routledge, pp. 475-486. ISBN: 9781857438499.
• « La construction européenne dans les années 1970: Pierre Werner et le couple franco-allemand». In Sylvain Schirmann (Dir.) Le couple franco-allemand vu par certains États tiers depuis 1963. CNRS Cahier 7(2016), Paris: L'Harmattan, pp.47-80. ISBN: 978-2-343-09390-1.
• Luxembourg – a Country Survey’. In Cathy Hartley (Ed.) The Europa Regional Surveys of the World, Europa World Year Book. London: Routledge, pp.471-484. ISBN 9781857438499.
• Pierre Werner: l'homme et son oeuvre. In E., Danescu & S., Muñoz (Eds.), Pierre Werner, une vision pour l'Europe: pensée, action, enseignements (pp. 428). Bruxelles, Belgium: Peter Lang.
• Danescu, E., Clavert, F., Gabellini, M., Dierikx, M., Smits, M., & Van Suiklekom, L. (2012). Common Fate, Common Future.A Documentary History of Monetary and Financial Cooperation in Europe, 1947-1974. In M., Dierikx (Ed.), Common Fate,Common Future. A Documentary History of Monetary and Financial Cooperation in Europe, 1947-1974. The Hague,Netherlands: Huygens Instituut voor Nederlandse Geschiedenis - KNAW.

Refereed conference publications

• Danescu, E. (December 2019).  ‘Competition, convergence, harmonisation – a comparative analyse of the taxation in Be-Ne-Lux States (1945-1992)’. In Emmanuel de Crouy-Chanel, Cédric Glineur and Céline Husson-Rochcongar (Eds.) Regards croisés sur la justice fiscale. Égalité ou statut particulier?. Proceedings of the conference organized by CNRS, Société Française des Finances publiques (SFFP), Centre des Recherches sur l’Action publique et la Politique and l’Université de Picardie Jules Verne (Amiens: France, 4-5 April 2019).    
• Armaselu, F., Danescu E. and Klein, F. (July 2019). ‘Oral History and Linguistic Analysis. A Study in Digital and Contemporary European History’. In Proceedings of CLARIN Annual Conference 2018 (Pisa: Italy, 8-10 October 2018).
• Danescu, E. (2015). « Pierre Werner: l'homme et son œuvre ». In Elena Danescu & Susana Muñoz (Eds.), Pierre Werner, une vision pour l'Europe: pensée, action, enseignements/ Pierre Werner and Europe: His Approach, Action and Legacy. Bruxelles: PIE Peter Lang, pp.117-140. ISBN: 978-2875742681.

Symposia and conferences

• Convergence, concurrence, harmonisation – une analyse comparative de la fiscalité Be-Ne-Lux (1945-1992). Paper presented at "Regards croisés sur la justice fiscale (Xe-XXIe siècle). Égalité ou statuts particuliers ?", Amiens (2019, April 4-5),
• Armaselu, F., Danescu, E., & Klein, F. (2018, October 09). Oral History and Linguistic Analysis. A Study in Digital and Contemporary European History. Paper presented at CLARIN Annual Conference 2018, Pisa, Italy
• Armaselu, F., & Danescu, E. (2017, July 05). The Quest for Questions in Digital History: A Comparative View on Werner- andDelors Report on Economic and Monetary Union. Paper presented at The fourth DHBenelux Conference 2017, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
• La construction européenne dans les années 1970: Pierre Werner et le couple franco-allemand. Paper presented at Le couple franco-allemand vu par les Etats tiers depuis 1963, Strasbourg, France.
• Danescu, E. (2016, December 12). Pierre Werner and Luxembourg: a Vision of Europe. Paper presented at DEIS Lectures,Belval, Luxembourg 2016, December 12).
• Danescu, E., Heimbach, H., During, M., & Guido, D. (2016, June 10). A new reading of primary sources via the digitalanalysis of social networks. ‘The Werner Committee and the debates on European economic and monetary integration’.Paper presented at DHBenelux 2016, Belval, Luxembourg.
• Danescu, E., During, M., Guido, D., & Heimbach, H. (2015, October 10). Une nouvelle lecture des sources primaires àtravers l’analyse numérique des réseaux sociaux. Paper presented at Les rendez-vous de l’Histoire. Journée d’études de Humanistica « Les historiens et le numérique », Blois, France.
• Danescu, E. (2015). Pierre Werner: An Architect of the Euro. Paper presented at XIIe conférence annuelle de l’Association italienne pour l’histoire de l’économie politique, Torino, Italy.
• Thinking and Shaping the architecture of EMU. Paper presented at 18th ESHET Annual Conference,Lausanne, Switzerland.
• Economists vs Monetarists – the main controversy in shaping EMU through the WernerReport. Paper presented at Le XIIIe congrès de l’Association italienne pour l’histoire de la pensée économique, Pisa, Italy.
• Danescu, E., & Tedeschi, P. (2013, November). A New European Currency for a new Europe: the Christian Democratic Ideology and the Werner Committee. Paper presented at Colloqium "‘In Search for a Christian Democratic Identity –International Politics, European Policies, National Parties 3, Leuven, Belgium.

E-prints / Working papers

• 'A rereading of the Werner Report of 8 October 1970 in the light of the Pierre Werner family archives'.Research corpus. CVCE.eu by Uni.lu.
• Danescu, E., & Mouton, V. (2013). Bibliographical references for the research corpus 'A rereading of the Werner Report of 8October 1970 in the light of the Pierre Werner family archives'. Eprint/Working paper retrieved from CVCE.eu by UNI.lu.

Translated books

• Werner, P., Danescu, E. (Crit. Ed.), & Danescu, E. (Trans.). (2010). Itinéraires luxembourgeois et européens. Evolutions et souvenirs: 1945-1985 (3th edition. Fully revised and corrected edition). Bucharest, Romania: GNOSIS.
• Werner, P., Danescu, E. (Crit. Ed.), & Danescu, E. (Trans.). (2004). Itinéraires luxembourgeois et européens. Evolutions et souvenirs: 1945-1985 (2nd edition). BuchAREST, Romania: Gnosis.
• Didier, M., Danescu, E. (Trans.), Oprescu, G. (Trans.), & Dinga-Calin, E. (Trans.). (1998). Économie: les règles du jeu (2nd edition). Bucharest, Romania: Humanitas.
• Werner, P., Danescu, E. (Crit. Ed.), & Danescu, E. (Trans.). (1998). Itinéraires luxembourgeois et européens. Evolutions et souvenirs: 1945-1985 (1st edition). Bucharest, Romania: Gnosis.
• Didier, M., Danescu, E. (Trans.), Oprescu, G. (Trans.), & Dinga-Calin, E. (Trans.). (1993). Économie: les règles du jeu (1st edition). Bucharest, Romania: Humanitas.

Articles for the general public

• La Roumanie, une synthèse des diversités. Luxemburger Wort (2019, Februaty 16)
• L'euro en quête d'un nouveau souffle. Luxemburger Wort (2018, December 21).
• "Rien n'est possible sans les hommes, rien n'est durable sans les institutions". Luxemburger Wort 2018, June 30).
• Une vision d’avenir pour l’Europe. Pertinence et modernité des préconisations contenues dans le rapport Werner d’octobre 1970. Luxemburger Wort (2017, October 12).
• L'Histoire d'un pays dans le potrait d'un Homme. Luxemburger Wort  (2017, June 24)
• Regards sur la construction européenne. Luxemburger Wort (2017, February 02).
• Une vie pour l'idéal européen. Luxemburger Wort (2016, June 25).
• Les Luxembourgeois qui ont fait l'Europe. Luxemburger Wort (2015, July 01).

Audiovisual work

• Danescu, E., & Klein, F. (2017). Audiovisual work - Biographical documentary "PIERRE WERNER AND EUROPE" (lenght 00:24:26). Collection "Oral History of European Integration". Luxembourg, Luxembourg: University of Luxembourg.
• Danescu, E., Klein, F., & Lulling, A. (2017). Audiovisual work - Part 1_Interview with Astrid Lulling, Sanem, 24 November2015 (length: 04:49:09). In F., Klein (Crit. Ed.), Collection "Oral History of European Integration". Luxembourg, Luxembourg: University of Luxembourg.
• Danescu, E., Klein, F., & Lulling, A. (2017). Audiovisual work - Part 2_Interview with Astrid Lulling, Sanem, 16 January 2016 (length: 04:49:09). In F., Klein (Crit. Ed.), Collection "Oral History of European Integration". Luxembourg, Luxembourg: University of Luxembourg.
• Danescu, E., Klein, F., & Maystadt, P. (2017). Audiovisual work- Interview with Philippe Maystadt, Nivelles 11 November2016 (Lenght 01:57:16). In F., Klein (Crit. Ed.), Collection "Oral History of European Integration". Luxembourg, Luxembourg: University of Luxembourg.
• Danescu, E., Klein, F., & Saccomanni, F. (2017). Audiovisual work- Interview with Fabrizio Saccomanni, Rome 19 April 2016 (Lenght 02:59:58). In F., Klein (Crit. Ed.), Collection "Oral History of European Integration". Luxembourg, Luxembourg: University of Luxembourg.
• Danescu, E., Klein, F., & Thygesen, N. (2017). Audiovisual work- Interview with Niels Thygesen, Copenhagen 9 April 2016 (Lenght 02:35:03). In F., Klein (Crit. Ed.), Collection "Oral History of European Integration". Luxembourg, Luxembourg: University of Luxembourg.
• Danescu, E., Klein, F., & Baron Snoy et d'Oppuers, B. (2016). Audiovisual work - Interview with Baron Bernard Snoy et d'Oppuers, Ophain, 23 October 2015 (Length: 03:06:30). In F., Klein (Crit. Ed.), Collection "Oral History of European Integration". Luxembourg, Luxembourg: University of Luxembourg.
• Danescu, E., Klein, F., & Camdessus, M. (2016). Audiovisual work- Interview with Michel Camdessus, Paris 8 october 2015 (Lenght 01:31:36). In F., Klein (Crit. Ed.), Collection "Oral History of European Integration". Luxembourg, Luxembourg:University of Luxembourg
• Danescu, E., Klein, F., & Reding, V. (2016). Audiovisual work Part 2- Interview with Viviane Reding, Sanem 11 September 2015 (Lenght 01:56:43). In F., Klein (Crit. Ed.), Collection "Oral History of European Integration". Luxembourg, Luxembourg: University of Luxembourg.
• Danescu, E., Klein, F., & Reding, V. (2016). Audiovisual work Part 3- Interview with Viviane Reding, Sanem 4 December2015 (Lenght 02:06:08). In F., Klein (Crit. Ed.), Collection "Oral History of European Integration". Luxembourg, Luxembourg: University of Luxembourg.
• Danescu, E., Klein, F., & Redin, V. (2015). Audiovisual work Part 1- Interview with Viviane Reding, 22 May 2015 (Lenght 02:31:42). In F., Klein (Crit. Ed.), Collection "Oral History of European Integration".
• Danescu, E., Klein, F., & Sir Unwin, B. (2015). Audiovisual work - Interview with Sir Brian Unwin (London, 20 May 2015)(Length: 02:16:12). In F., Klein (Crit. Ed.), Collection "Oral History of European Integration". Luxembourg, Luxembourg:University of Luxembourg.
• Danescu, E., Klein, F., & Hansen, A. (2011). Audiovisual work- Interview with Albert Hansen, Sanem 27 January 2011 (Lenght 02:37:25). In F., Klein (Crit. Ed.), Collection "Oral History of European Integration". Luxembourg, Luxembourg: University of Luxembourg.
• Danescu, E., Klein, F., & Israel, E. (2011). Audiovisual work- Interview with Edmond Israel, Luxembourg 27 August2010 (Duration 01:52:54). In F., Klein, Interview with Edmond Israel, Luxembourg 27 August 2010 (Lenght 01:52:54).Luxembourg, Luxembourg: University of Luxembourg.
• Danescu, E., Klein, F., & Juncker, J.-C. (2011). Audiovisual work- Interview with Jean-Claude Juncker, Luxembourg 21 January2011 (Lenght 01:53:59). In F., Klein (Crit. Ed.), Collection "Oral History of European Integration". Luxembourg, Luxembourg: University of Luxembourg
• Danescu, E., Klein, F., & Tietmeyer, H. (2011). Audiovisual work- Interview with Hans Tietmeyer, Königstein im Taunus 10 February 2011 (Lenght 01:45:29). In F., Klein (Crit. Ed.), Collection "Oral History of European Integration". Luxembourg,Luxembourg: University of Luxembourg.
• Danescu, E., Klein, F., & Frieden, L. (2010). Audiovisual work- Interview with Luc Frieden, Luxembourg, 28 July 2010 (Lenght 01:01:41). In F., Klein (Crit. Ed.), Collection "Oral History of European Integration". Luxembourg, Luxembourg: University of Luxembourg.
• Danescu, E., Klein, F., & Mersch, Y. (2010). Audiovisual work - Interview with Yves Mersch, Sanem, 24 August 2010 (length:01:45:28). In F., Klein (Crit. Ed.), Collection "Oral History of European Integration". Luxembourg, Luxembourg: University of Luxembourg.
• Danescu, E., Klein, F., & Roth, L. (2010). Audiovisual work - Full interview with Lex Roth, Sanem, 3 June 2010 (length: 01:24:14). In F., Klein (Crit. Ed.), Collection "Oral History of European Integration". Luxembourg, Luxembourg: University of Luxembourg.
• Danescu, E., Klein, F., & Ruppert, C. (2010). Audiovisual work - Interview with Charles Ruppert, Sanem, 25 August 2010 (length: 02:06:45). In F., Klein (Crit. Ed.), Collection "Oral History of European Integration". Luxembourg, Luxembourg: University of Luxembourg.
• Danescu, E., Klein, F., & Steichen, Y. (2010). Audiovisual work - Interview with René Steichen, Sanem, 2 June 2010 (Length: 01:28:05). In F., Klein (Crit. Ed.), Collection "Oral History of European Integration". Luxembourg, Luxembourg: University of Luxembourg.
• Danescu, E., Klein, F., & Werner, H. (2010). Audiovisual work - Interview with Henri Werner, Sanem, 1 June 2010 (length: 02:32:49). In F., Klein (Crit. Ed.), Collection "Oral History of European Integration". Luxembourg, Luxembourg: University of Luxembourg.
• Danescu, E., Klein, F., & Werner, M.-A. (2010). Audiovisual work - Full interview with Marie-Anne Werner (Sanem, 1 June 2010) (length: 01:33:19). In F., Klein (Crit. Ed.), Collection "Oral History of European Integration". Luxembourg, Luxembourg: University of Luxembourg.

Last updated on: 04 juil 2019