Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you’re up to today.

A: Over the past few years I have been working on my doctoral dissertation at Oxford University about the history of US and British relations with ‘warlords’ in the global south. My interest in the concept began while working on reconstruction projects in Afghanistan after finishing university. It was striking how, despite all the disagreements among Afghan politicians, officials from NATO countries, and international aid workers, there was a consensus that ‘warlords’ were a destructive influence in Afghan politics. I hope that my research can help put in perspective why certain violent leaders have long been cast as ‘warlords’ and the wider significance of this political concept, whether in Afghanistan or elsewhere in the global south. If all goes to plan, I hope to submit the dissertation by the end of the year and publish it as a book before too long.

 

Q: What have you accomplished or what are you proud to be currently working on?

A: I am about to finish a leadership fellowship with the Jeanne Sauvé Foundation in Montreal, Canada. The organization invites up to 14 young leaders to spend an academic calendar year living together in an amazing mansion while working on projects of their own design. Besides continuing on my doctoral research, I have had a chance to develop my photography portfolio by taking classes at Concordia University, as well as collaborating with a local photographer on a few documentary projects. I have a feeling that the Sauvé Scholars Program’s combination of professional development, cross-cultural learning, and commitment to social change would appeal to members of the AMIGOS community. Alumni should definitely consider applying. [Learn more about the program here.]

 

Q: How has AMIGOS affected your life? Did it help you get to where you are today?

A:  On some level my interest in war between the global north and global south emerged after my summer in Nicaragua. Learning more about the experience of Sandinista community leaders during the Contra War spurred my desire to study the capacity for war to tear communities apart, as well brings disparate ones together. But, more than a political or academic interest, AMIGOS left me with a belief that I cannot assume to have the right to live or work with communities other than my own. My time in Brazil, in particular, convinced me that access is something that at best can be negotiated, but more often has to be earned by developing trusting and collaborative relationships. I try to bring this lesson to all my research, photography, and service endeavors.