Politics, Rights, and Development

Meet Our Students

Please also see: *Highlights of Past Student Events*

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• PRD students are strongly encouraged to choose:
  

GLOBAL WORKS & SOCIETY: MODERNITY as their Advanced GLS Elective; GWS: Modernity includes 19^th– and 20^th-century history, politics, and philosophy, and it surveys many developments that continue to have a profound impact on modern societies.

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Tamara Moctezuma

Major:

• Global Liberal Studies—Politics, Rights, & Development

Minors:

• Arabic
• Peace & Conflict Studies

Thesis Title:

Why Top-Down Measures to Protect Human Rights Fall Short: A Case Study of Mexico and the Inter-American Human Rights System

Thesis Abstract:

Top-down actors in the human rights community such as the UN, IGOs, large NGOs, and regional human rights systems have gained a reputation for being overly bureaucratic, corrupt, and out of touch with the realities on the ground. There is substance to those claims. At the same time, it is also true that there is power in addressing issues from a top-down perspective and that the effective protection of human rights requires a concerted effort from both the top-down and the bottom-up. However, to achieve this synthesis between the supranational and the local, there needs to be a rethinking and restructuring of top-down systems. This study analyzes the Inter-American Human Rights System (IAHRS) and identifies a largely overlooked problem facing this regional human rights system. While most of the current literature discussing the IAHRS focuses on increasing state compliance with its mandates, this research analyzes evidence that suggests that, even in cases of high compliance, IAHRS measures still fail to successfully protect human rights on the ground. I use the case study of Mexico, a state with high compliance rates, and analyze the Mexican cases heard by the IAHRS from 2001 to 2019 to explore why, even when there is high compliance, these measures fail to prevent future human rights violations and increase the respect for human rights on the ground.

Junior Year Site of Study:

Abu Dhabi

Highlight of your Junior Year Site of Study:

“During my time studying away in the UAE, I had the opportunity to travel and have many adventures in places that aren’t as easily accessible from the USA. From kayaking on the Nile River, olive-picking in Jordan, swimming in the Dead Sea, and going camping in the Empty Quarter, my junior year away gave me so many memories and stories that I will cherish for the rest of my life.”

Honors, Awards & Scholarships:

• GLS Valedictorian
• Dean’s Circle Scholar

Experiential Learning:

Hedayah

“In Abu Dhabi, I interned at an organization working to counter violent extremism. My team worked in communities at high risk for radicalization, training key actors in the local social network to prevent and respond to radicalization. Among other responsibilities, I helped analyze the data collected during countering violent extremism trainings and wrote a desk research report on existing de-radicalization, rehabilitation, and reintegration programs in Asia and the MENA region.”

Languages:

• Arabic
• English
• Spanish

Future Plans:

“I will be attending the London School of Economics and Political Science to pursue a Master of Science in Human Rights and Politics. I was accepted into a master’s program with a scholarship at Columbia University. I was also accepted into master’s programs at Sciences Po, Lund University, and the University of York.”

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Zina Karas

 Majors:

• Global Liberal Studies: Politics, Rights, & Development
• French

Thesis Title:

When History Repeats Itself: A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Settler Colonialism in the Americas and Liberia

 Thesis Abstract:

This land that we refer to as the “United States of America” was stolen from Indigenous peoples and built from the ground up by Black people, who were themselves stolen from their land. Through a distinct type of colonialism, known as settler colonialism, Europeans arrived in North America, settled here, and began murdering Indigenous peoples as well as destroying pre-existing cultural and governmental systems, with the intention of creating their own society. In search of a labor force to help build that society and its economy, Europeans kidnapped people from the West Coast of Africa and brought them over to the “New World,” where they remained enslaved for hundreds of years before being granted their freedom in the late 19th century.

Free Black bodies did not, however, have a place in the white supremacist society that they were forced to help construct. As such, the American Colonization Society, a Christian humanitarian organization, orchestrated the departure of tens of thousands of African-Americans from the U.S. to modern-day Liberia – a land that was already inhabited by Indigenous Africans.

This thesis explores the dynamics between African-Americans and Indigenous Africans in Liberia, drawing particular attention to the ways in which those dynamics were influenced by Euro-Americans. By exploring William Edward Burghardt Du Bois’ “double consciousness,” this thesis argues that the oppression African-Americans were subjected to in the U.S. significantly impacted their sense of identity. They distanced themselves from their African roots as a means of shielding themselves from the origin of their oppression, which played a significant role in their mistreatment of Indigenous Africans. Hence, this thesis aims to determine the extent to which the oppression of Indigenous Liberians by African-Americans was influenced by Euro-Americans.

Sites of Study:

• Fall 2017: Paris
• Spring 2018: Paris
• Fall 2018: Paris
• Fall 2019: Madrid
• Spring 2020: Madrid

Highlight of your Junior Year Site of Study:

“In the Spring of my Junior Year, I challenged myself to solo-travel in Eastern Europe. I backpacked through Vienna, Prague, Budapest, and Bratislava – staying in hostels along the way and making unforgettable memories. I remember getting back to my hostel in Budapest late one night after having taken a bus to Slovakia, and finding out that the Szechenyi Baths offered a thermal bath session at night. I made my way over and spent hours exploring the different baths and meeting people from all over the world. It really was one of those moments when you take a step back and realize just how much this life has to offer.”

Honors, Awards, & Scholarships:

• Dean’s List Academic Honors (all semesters)
• Recipient of a Business French Diploma, with Honors, from the Paris Ile de France Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• Recipient of NYU Paris’ Prix Rousseau for citizenship spirit and active participation in NYU Paris life
• Recipient of NYU’s Gramercy Leadership Assembly Members Award for commitment and dedication to leadership and event planning
• Recipient of the Guen International Study Scholarship for the 2019-2020 Academic Year
• Acceptance into Pi Delta Phi, the National French Honor Society for university students
• Recipient of the Patricia Carey Changemaker Award
• Recipient of the Prix Bernard Garniez, presented for excellence in the study of French literature or culture
• Global Equity Fellow at NYU Madrid
• NYU Gallatin Global Fellowship in Urban Practice with Right To The City   

Languages:

• English
• French
• Spanish

Future Plans:

“I was accepted into NYU’s BA/MA Program, and will be going on to complete my Masters in International Relations with a concentration in International Law.”

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TJ Walker

Majors:

• Global Liberal Studies: Politics, Rights, and Development
• Italian Studies

Thesis Title:

The Central American Refugees vs. The United States and Mexico: The Human Cost of the Migrant protection Protocols

Thesis Abstract:

The Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP): A Trump border policy with a cost on human life, despite its purported intention to protect Central American asylum seekers. MPP did not offer protection to those seeking asylum in the United States- in contrast MPP forcibly removed thousands of vulnerable refugees to dangerous areas in Mexico where they experienced violent attacks and human rights violations. This thesis illuminates the difference between MPP’s stated policy and the reality of its practice which impacted the lives of more than 70,000 asylum seekers fleeing persecution from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Cuba, Costa Rica, Mexico and more. After being forced to return to Mexico, hundreds of asylum seekers experienced violent assaults, kidnapping, robbery, harassment, threats, extortion, and murder. This thesis lifts the voices of the people impacted by MPP policy and analyzes the factors contributing to a continuum of violence against them.

Sites of Study:

First Year and Junior Year Florence, Italy

Highlight of your Site of Study:

My Fall Break trip to Barcelona and Lisbon with my friends Adrielle, Clara, Holly, Ally, Angela, and Kelsey!

Honors, Awards & Scholarships:

Dean’s List

• Global Liberal Studies Merit Scholarship
• Florence Student Leadership Scholarship
• Global Pathways Scholarship

Experiential Learning:

Research Project: Syrian Refugees and the violation of non-refoulement

“I did an in-depth research project on the European Union’s immigration policy regarding Syrian refugees and the subsequent violation of non-refoulement by Turkey against this group of refugees. The project also discussed various human rights violations against Syrian refugees and analyzed current policies contributing to the violations.”

Languages:

English and Italian

Future Plans:

“Attending Penn State Dickinson School of Law starting Fall 2021 on a full-ride merit scholarship and an additional fellowship with Dean Conway of Dickinson Law. Other Law School Invitations (declined to attend Dickinson):

• Miami Law with scholarship, U Mass Law with full ride scholarship, Cardozo Law with scholarship, UC Davis Law with scholarship, Pepperdine Law with scholarship, U of Nevada-Las Vegas with full ride scholarship, Penn State- University Park Law with full ride scholarship, DePaul Law with scholarship, Loyola Chicago Law with scholarship, University of San Francisco Law with scholarship, Drexel Law with full ride Rising Advocate Scholarship, U Denver Law with scholarship.”

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Carmen Colosi

Majors:

• Global Liberal Studies
       Politics, Rights, & Development
• Politics

Minor: Spanish

Political and Economic Implications of Chinese Economic Involvement in Argentina

Thesis Abstract:

Argentina has been historically dependent on a foreign power for its economic survival and China’s increasing involvement in Argentina over the past 20 years poses many diverse implications for the South American country. Argentina’s ‘strategic economic partnership’ with China has both political and economic repercussions, which are discussed and analyzed over the course of this thesis. The outline proceeds as follows. Chapter 1 discusses Argentina’s unique political history and how peronism created an economic dependence on foreign powers. Chapter 2 embarks on an analysis of Chinese outward foreign direct investment to Argentina and its geopolitical significance. Chapter 3 examines how the development strategies and how the economic goals of the two countries coincide. Overall, the aim of this thesis is to define the Argentine-Chinese relationship as falling under the core-periphery theory of dependency. In the blooming economic relationship between the two countries, Argentina has remained sidelined and is economically dependent on a developed economy. However, the economically dominant core power for Argentina has shifted and China is in replacing the United States as the core power. 

Junior Year Site of Study:

• Buenos Aires, Argentina

Highlight of your Junior Year Site of Study:

“One big highlight was getting to become a ‘regular’ at a local language exchange called ‘Mate Club de Conversación.’ I went to the meet up twice a week where conversation was shared in English and Spanish over the traditional Argentine drink: mate. It was in those hour and a half meetups when the locals shared their customs, sayings, and gave me a real sense of what is most important to the Argentines.”

Honors, Awards & Scholarships:

Dean’s Global Research Grant 

Experiential Learning:

Asociación Civil por la Igualdad y la Justicia

“When in Argentina, I interned for a local non-profit, The Civil Association for Equality and Justice. While there I translated numerous documents from English and Spanish, research various justice-focused initiatives, and gained a genuine understanding of the modern Latin American workplace. As a final project I researched and gave an organization-wide presentation titled ‘Bringing Lawyers to Shantytowns in Argentina and Brazil.’”

Languages:

• English
• Spanish

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Marielle Marlys

Majors:

• Global Liberal Studies: Politics, Rights, & Development
• Journalism

Minor:

• Spanish Studies 

  

Thesis Title:

The Transformation of Feminine Identities: Maternal Politics during Military Dictatorships in Chile and Argentina

Thesis Abstract:

As a result of the authoritarian regimes in Chile and Argentina, thousands of people disappeared and were subsequently killed. Consequently, women mobilized using their maternal identity in an effort to attain economic and social justice. In Chile, mothers created the arpillera workshops, which allowed women to weave tapestries that depicted the human rights’ abuses of their nation. Whereas in Argentina, mothers united to march weekly in La Plaza de Mayo, famously claiming Buenos Aires’ main square and declaring themselves Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo. However, due to deeply embedded gender inequalities and sexist principles that shaped Latin American society, both women’s groups struggled to receive political legitimacy. Historically, academics have noted how mothers have been hindered by their maternal identity, as often they were confined to their domestic responsibilities and restrained to private spheres. I argue that by emphasizing their traditional gender roles, the Chilean and Argentinian women collectively reconstructed and expanded the definitions of womanhood and motherhood, and in the process created a new, politicized space for women.

Junior Year Site of Study:

• Florence, Italy (Freshman Year)
• Madrid, Spain (Junior Year)

Experiential Learning:

Espacio Geranios

“I assisted with communications and public relations at Spanish business that promotes social entrepreneurship. I helped to organize community engagements and publicized entrepreneurs in Madrid. Additionally, I wrote articles in Spanish.”

Languages:

• Italian
• Spanish

Internship Experiences:

“I am a former intern of Cosmopolitan Magazine, Good Housekeeping Magazine, and CNBC, where I had the opportunity to work at the New York Stock Exchange!

Future plans:

“I am currently pursuing my Master of Arts in International Relations and Affairs with a concentration in International Law at NYU. Additionally, I am working at The Borgen Project, a non-profit that works to fight global poverty. I am responsible for writing articles, calling Congress weekly, as well as mobilizing others to email Congress.”

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Patricia Garrett

Major:

• Global Liberal Studies
       Politics, Rights, & Development

Minor: Peace and Conflict Studies

Thesis Title:

Mitigating Inequality in Girls’ Education in Pakistan: The Capabilities Approach

Thesis Abstract:

Women and girls in Pakistan face significant inequality in opportunities for education compared to their male counterparts. Reasons for this inequality include structural barriers within the education system, and cultural and religious barriers such as poverty, gender discrimination, social stigma, belief that girls do not need to be educated, and fear of attack. This thesis discusses the barriers towards gender equality in education in Pakistan and suggests Nussbaum’s Capability Approach as a way of mitigating the inequalities that exist. It outlines Nussbaum’s ten capabilities essential to living a fully human life and discusses the distribution of these capabilities in the face of the barriers to equality in education.

Sites of Study-Away:

• Freshman year in London
• Junior year in Paris

Highlight of Junior Year Site of Study:

“The highlight of studying abroad my junior year was getting to travel to so many amazing places with my friends. The highlight of our travels was getting to eat the best pizza I’ve ever had in Milan. Additionally, I loved getting to know Paris and becoming a local at my favorite sandwich shop near campus.”

Experiential Learning:

“During the second semester of my junior year I interned at Human Rights Watch in New York. I worked as a Development and Initiatives Intern, which turned into a paid summer position and a part time job my senior year! Working at Human Rights Watch was one of my favorite undergraduate experiences. During this time my passion for human rights developed even further, and I was able to gain greater insight into my future career path.”

Future Plans:

“Right now I am getting my master’s degree in Human Rights Studies at Columbia University. My time at Columbia has been amazing because I have figured out which area of human rights I am most interested in: women’s rights and migrant rights. Specifically, I am interested in helping victims of gender-based violence attain asylum in the United States. I am currently in the process of applying to law school so that after I finish my master’s I will be able to help victims of gender-based violence navigate their asylum claims.”

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Michael Leonetti

Major:

• Global Liberal Studies
       Politics, Rights, & Development
• Spanish (CAS)

Minor:

• Social & Public Policy (Wagner)

Thesis Title:

Turning Away Our Neighbors: Critiquing U.S. Policy Towards Latin American and Caribbean LGBTQ+ Asylum Seekers

Thesis Abstract:

This thesis considers the United States’ responsibility to resettle LGBTQ+ refugees and asylum seekers from Latin America and the Caribbean. I started by analyzing ethical arguments about responsibility in refugee situations, then provided a detailed history of the USA’s actions in the LAC region that caused displacement of LGBTQ+ people. I also criticize our court system which handles asylum applications, demonstrating that similar LGBTQ+ applications receive vastly different treatment depending on which court hears the case. Finally, I argue that the courts should adopt uniform standards for all asylum applications, especially those from LGBTQ+ individuals. 

Sites of Study:

• Washington, D.C. (Freshman)
• Madrid, Spain (Junior)

“Towards the beginning of fall semester, I traveled with some friends to San Sebastián in northern Spain. We decided to do a short hike in the hills around the city to a nearby town. A website said it would take about 45 minutes. Since we thought it would be so fast, we didn’t dress right (Birkenstocks, spandex onesies, etc.) and didn’t bring any food. The terrain was gorgeous—we walked along cliffs with dramatic drops down to the ocean, through bright green forests and over old stone aqueducts. We later found out that we’d done part of the Camino de Santiago. An hour into the hike, we started to get worried, but every time we passed someone going the other direction they told us it would only be ‘half an hour more.’ Two hours passed, then three, four, five, and six, before we finally reached a seawall with a staircase that took us to the town. Exhausted, we found the closest bar and bought all the tortilla, bread, and beer they had.”

Honors, Awards & Scholarships:

Probst Scholar * Gallatin Human Rights Fellowship * Class Salutatorian and summa cum laude graduate

Experiential Learning:

“I interned as a research and legal assistant for Kifkif, an NGO supporting LGBTQ+ immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. With them, I helped carry out one of the first formal studies about discrimination against LGBTQ+ immigrants in Madrid. I also assisted Kifkif’s pro bono lawyer as she met with clients seeking legal status in Spain. There was the gay couple from Algeria who fled their country together; the woman whose Venezuelan girlfriend had been denied asylum in Spain; and many more. I worked to make our clients feel comfortable sharing their stories and occasionally translated for those who preferred English.”

Languages:

• Spanish

Future Plans:

“I’ll be starting classes at Oxford University this fall, where I’m pursuing an MA in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies.”

[Update: Michael has since graduated from Oxford and is now an “Institute for Internation Law & Justice” Scholar at New York University Law School.]

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Lucy Lyons 

Major:

• Global Liberal Studies
       Politics, Rights, & Development

Minors:

• German * Urban Design & Architecture

Thesis Title:

Democratic City Planning: the Case Against Neoliberal Urban Renewal Strategy

Thesis Abstract:

My thesis looks at the ruling doctrine of neoliberalism, which has tightened its global grip over the past 4 decades, and its effect on urban policy in the global north. I focus on the urban planning phenomenon of “gentrification as urban renewal strategy” and its inherent undemocratic nature. I propose, as an alternative to gentrification, a new renewal tactic modeled off of successful initiatives Berlin, Germany. I call it “Urban Renewal through Social Capital building,” and define it as an alternative urban renewal strategy rooted in boosting connection, accountability and trust in neighborhoods in order to counteract urban decay.

Sites of Study:

• Florence, Italy (Freshman)
• Berlin, Germany (Junior Year)

Highlight of Junior Year Site of Study:

“At the start of my sophomore year, I didn’t know a word of German. But because I wanted to maximize my time in Berlin, I took intensive German classes all through sophomore year in New York. The highlight of my junior year was getting to build on that German foundation in the real world – nothing was more satisfying than being able to have conversations with German friends in their language by the end of the second semester.”

 Honors, Awards & Scholarships:

GLS Travel Grant * GLS Portfolio Prize

Experiential Learning:

Internship at PLANE-SITE

“PLANE-SITE is a content and communications agency that designs digital narratives for architecture firms, as well as NGOs doing work in the eco-design space. I worked with them on a number of long term research projects on topics like plastic-processing in the EU, sustainable architecture practices in New York City and the future viability of drone use in the humanitarian sector.”

Languages:

• Italian (completed intermediate coursework)
• German (completed a minor)

Future Plans:

“I have since moved back to Berlin to take a product owner position at an NGO-startup called reLive. reLive will offer a more sustainable and meaningful death care practice that fully transforms peoples’ bodies into trees. The startup was launched by the global advertising agency NOA (No Ordinary Agency), who is giving me guidance and advice as I go through the process of designing and bringing the product to market.”

[Update: Lucy is now pursuing an MSC in Sustainability, Enterprise and the Environment, Oxford University.]

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Bongha Lee

Majors:

• Global Liberal Studies
       Politics, Rights, & Development
• Political Science

Thesis Title:

Prospective Transitional Justice in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Thesis Abstract:

I argue that economic reconstruction through microfinance and microbanking institutions can facilitate the restoration of sustainable businesses for poor victims to create a bottom-up momentum leading toward reconciliation and democratic reforms.

Junior Year Site of Study:  Buenos Aires 

Highlight of your Junior Year Site of Study:

“Traveling Chile and visiting Punta Arenas to see the glacier were the highlights during my study abroad in Buenos Aires. Seeing the wonders of the nature across pampas is one of the most joyous and memorable moments during my study at NYU.”

Honors, Awards & Scholarships:

NYU Liberal Studies 2019 Global Service Award 2019 * 2017 President Service Award, New York University 2017 * Liberal Studies Dean’s Distinguished Award 2016-201 2017-2018 * NYU Liberal Studies Dean’s List honors for 2015-201  

Experiential Learning: 

MastersUSA — I had the chance to help the Argentine students matriculating to the desired MA/MBA/LLM programs in America and Europe.

Languages:

• Spanish
• Korean

Future Plans:

“I am currently studying in Johns Hopkins SAIS program in Bologna, Italy, with the concentration of American Foreign Policy as part of the MA.”

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 RJ Khalaf

Major:

• Global Liberal Studies
       Politics, Rights, & Development

Minor:

• Social Entrepreneurship

Thesis Title:

LEAD Palestine: Addressing Hopelessness with Leadership Training in Palestinian Refugee Camps

Abstract:

Palestinian refugee camps are in dire condition. LEAD Palestine is an initiative that seeks to address this ongoing situation of hopelessness and provide students with the skills necessary to overcome the challenges that they face: through leadership training that emphasizes self awareness, communication, collaboration, and shared values. LEAD Palestine concluded its first camp in the Summer of 2017. LEAD Palestine worked with 30 students aged between 10 and 15 years old. At the start of the camp, only 50% of the students viewed themselves as a leader. Many of them viewed leadership as something associated with authority and management. However by the end of the camp, after understanding a new way to see leadership, 92% of those same students ended up viewing themselves as a leader. This program proves that initiatives with similar visions can help change a status quo that has endured for generations.

Junior Year Site of Study:

• Freshman year in London.

Highlight of your Junior Year Site of Study:

“The highlight of my junior year was the ability to dedicate my time and energy to the development of LEAD Palestine, which was the case study of my thesis. LEAD Palestine was much more than just a research project, but it was the actualizing of a dream—a passion. My work with LEAD Palestine helped me achieve true fulfillment and that wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the LS community.”

Honors, Awards, & Scholarships:

NYU Most Influential * NYU Presidents Service Award 2017 & 2018 * Liberal Studies Global Service Award * NYU Liberal Studies Schwarzbach Global Impact Award * GLS Travel Grant * LS Social Impact Grant * NYU Leadership Fellow * Dalai Lama Fellow * Deans List Honors * Nominee – Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award * Nelson Mandela – W.E.B. DuBois Commitment to Dialogue and Education Award

Experiential Learning:
LEAD Palestine

Languages:

• Arabic

Future Plans: 

“I intend to work with my family in Las Vegas through our business, Kalifano, where we sell high-end fossils, minerals and crystals. I hope to also be involved in community organizing as well as continue the development of LEAD Palestine.”
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Mathilde Pierre

Majors:

• Global Liberal Studies with a concentration in Politics, Rights, and Development
• French

Minor:

• Psychology

Thesis Title:

Weak Judicial Systems and Systematic Sexual Violence against Women and Girls: The Socially Constructed Vulnerability of Female Bodies in Haiti

Abstract:

Widespread sexual violence against women and girls in Haiti is a phenomenon that largely persists due to a failure to prosecute male perpetrators and enforce the domestic and international laws that exist to criminalize rape. This thesis parses out both the extrajudicial and judicial factors that contribute to the “epidemic of rape” in Haiti. It further illuminates how patriarchal legal practices in Haiti, most notably the medical certificate requirement, are rooted in the discrediting of women’s testimonies and significantly hamper the successful prosecution of rape cases. This thesis argues that female victims of sexual violence are more harmed by these dysfunctions due to the added brunt of the patriarchy in which the justice system is entrenched. It builds on the literature surrounding this issue by demonstrating that the toxic interaction of gender-neutral and gender-specific factors both within and beyond the Haitian justice system diminish women’s access to effective legal remedies for rape, which in turn deprives them of the effective fulfillment of their human rights and preserves the vulnerability of their bodies to sexual violence.

Junior Year Site of Study:

• Paris, France

NYU Awards:

Summa Cum Laude * Global Liberal Studies Class of 2018 Salutatorian and Banner * Politics, Rights, and Development Thesis Award * Overall Best GLS Thesis Honorable Mention * Founders Day Award: University Honors Scholar * Dean’s Circle Alumni * Dean’s List Academic Honors (all semesters) * French Book Award * Inter Residence Hall Council (IRHC) Senior Service Award

NYU Scholarships:

Anonymous Futures Scholarship * Liberal Studies Excellence Scholarship * Guen International Study Scholarship * Harris A. Fein Family Scholarship * GLS Scholarship

Internships:

Legal Intern at Cabinet Castellane in Paris, France * Summer Research Intern at UN Women in Port-au-Prince, Haiti * Summer Research Intern at Femmes en Démocratie in Port-au-Prince, Haiti * Research and Development Intern at the Pan American Development Foundation in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Languages:

• English
• French
• Haitian Creole

Future Plans:

“I currently work as a Paralegal at The Margolis Law Firm, an Immigration and Real Estate law firm based in Midtown. My goal is to gain concrete work experience in the legal field, after which I intend to apply to law school in the United States.”

[Update: Mathilde is currently a law student at Georgetown University.]

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Eric Dang

Majors:

• Global Liberal Studies – Politics, Rights, and Development
• Spanish
• Latin American Literatures and Cultures

Minor:  

• Web Programming and Applications

Thesis Title: 
Technology and Polarization: The Impact of Social Media Spaces on Growing Partisan Divides in the US

Abstract:
Polarization around the world today seems worse than it’s ever been before. This is in large part due to the rapid proliferation of social media services. They’ve changed communication itself, but have also created environments that stimulate nonpartisan thought. Spaces dedicated to showing information consistent with prior beliefs are demonstrated to cause more extreme views and more steadfast belief in those views, whereas information that conflicts with prior notions mitigates partisan effects and promotes dialogue. Technological advancements enabled individuals to perform, and it’s ultimately the responsibility of these technology, social media, and news media companies to present bipartisan information in the effort to lessen their impact on polarization. If they won’t, they ought to be compelled to through a new Fairness Doctrine enforced by the Federal Communications Commission.

Junior Year Site:

• Buenos Aires

Honors:
LS Alternative Breaks Site Leader

 Experiential Learning Work: RACI (Argentine Network for Int’l Cooperation)

“Worked to translate and synthesize grant, fellowship, and funding opportunities for Argentine nationals and organizations. Working with an organization like RACI allowed me to get an insiders look into the inner workings of how incredible organizations can function. Without proper funding, opportunities, or international connections, so many organizations within Argentina and around the world would never be able to get off the ground. Through my placement, I was able to not only work with an incredible team dedicated to encouraging international cooperation, I was able to travel to organizations themselves to see how our work was helping them achieve their goals.”

Internships:

• Office of Senator Charles E. Schumer
• Canvasser for Human Rights Campaign

Highlights of Junior Year Study Away:

“Travel to Patagonia was an incredible experience; being able to take in such awe inspiring natural splendor with the company of good friends is something that was easy given our location, and absolutely unforgettable.” 

Languages:

• English
• Spanish
• Mandarin

 Future Plans:

“Attending St. John’s Law School.”

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Vanessa Yemanja Chesnut

Majors:

• Global Liberal Studies: Politics, Rights and Development
• Spanish

Thesis Title:
A Comparative Analysis on the Effectiveness and Implementation of Whistleblower Legislation in Germany and the United States

Abstract:
My thesis explores the relationship between the strength and weakness of whistleblower legislation and the variables that influence these legislative schemes. The purpose of my research seeks to demonstrate how welfare regimes and labor law systems can impact the types of whistleblower laws in place in Germany and the US. I argue that Germany’s for-cause termination along with its corporatist welfare regime; create barriers towards the implementation of whistleblower protections. Meanwhile the US’s at-will regime, in which employers can terminate employees without just cause, does not stifle the creation of whistleblower legislation to the same degree as Germany’s labor regime does.

Junior Year Site of Study:

• Buenos Aires 

Highlight of your Junior Year Site of Study:

“Hands down, ice hiking to the top of Bolivia’s fourth tallest mountain, Huayna Potosi. It took three days of hiking to two separate base camps, to finally make it to the summit, which had an altitude of 19,974 feet and mind you, I had never climbed a mountain before in my life.”

 Honors, Awards & Scholarships

• Dean’s List at four years
• Dean’s Circle
• GLS Travel Grant
• First place in the National Writing Contest 3rd National Symposium on Spanish as a Heritage Language 2016
• Marc and Ruti Bell Public Service Scholarship
• NYU Liberal Studies Honors Scholarship

Experiential Learning:
CIPPEC (Center for the Implementation of Public Policies promoting Equity and Growth)

Other internships:

• NBC News:News Intern 2018
• Pardalis & Nohavicka LLC: Law Intern

Languages:

• English
• Spanish
• Portuguese

Future Plans:

“Taking LSAT course this summer and plan to go to law school in two years. Currently, I have a job offer at a criminal defense law firm here in NYC but I am still undecided if I will accept the offer.”

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Ninveh (Nini) Mansour

Major:

• Global Liberal Studies
  Politics, Rights, & Development

Minor:

• Economics

Thesis Title:

The Immaterial Enemy: Leveraging Soft Power Diplomacy with Military Assistance in Countering Violent Ideologies

Abstract:

This thesis explores the balance between dovish and hawkish foreign policy. Specifically, the focus is placed on the need for a robust soft-power infrastructure that attends to the root issues, which allow radical ideologies to spread and flourish. I argue that overt military action may treat some symptoms of terrorism, but the true concern lies in the guiding ideologies used by radicals to influence and indoctrinate vulnerable communities. As a counter to this, I explore the mechanisms of soft power, which by working in coalition with military assistance, can address the needs of communities that are susceptible to extremism. In doing so, we can create communities that are secure, stable, self-sustaining, and able to interact with the globalized world—therefore eliminating the spaces in which radical ideologies grow and in effect, eradicating global terrorism. 

Junior Year Site of Study:

• Florence (first and junior year)

Highlight of your Junior Year Site of Study:

“The highlight of Junior year away was the ability to rediscover a city and culture that I loved. After already spent a year in Florence previously, this second year was an opportunity to build a deeper relationship with the culture, language, and history of a city that I had grown to regard as a home. Aside from the personal side of it, I was also intrigued by the idea of being closer to the migration crisis as that was what my thesis was initially going to explore. The first semester I was able to volunteer as an Italian language instructor for a class of migrants. Second semester, I was placed at Caritas–one of the organizations in Italy that works closely with the migrant crisis. While there, I was able to meet and speak to a few of the people they were assisting and hear their aspirations and their immigration stories which was an amazing experience.”

 Honors, Awards & Scholarships:

• GLS research grant to go back to Italy
• GLS Community Leadership Award

Experiential Learning:

Caritas

“I was placed at the Caritas facility in central Florence which worked directly with vulnerable migrant families. I worked closely with the staff to ensure there was a secure and welcoming home-style environment for the families. At Caritas we provided services for parents to find work, affordable housing, and assistance in managing immigration processes.”

Languages:

• Italian
• English
• Assyrian

Future Plans: 

“Currently, I am enrolled in the graduate program for International Relations at NYU.”

_______________________________________________

Uriel Lee

Major:

• Global Liberal Studies

Politics, Rights, and Development

Minor:

• East Asian Studies Minor 

Thesis Title:

A Shrimp Between Whales: Understanding North Korea’s Costly Signals

Abstract:

This thesis will explore North Korea’s missile and nuclear development as a response to North Korea’s bilateral relation with China, from the beginning of the Japanese occupation of Korea in 1910 until China’s rapprochement with South Korea in 1992. The historical analysis will highlight the political, ideological, institutional and ethnic tensions that have risen within Sino-DPRK relations that are often forgotten or ignored when studying East Asia. I argue that North Korea’s complex history with China has led to the founding and preservation of North Korea’s unique Juche institutions, which was created to preserve North Korea’s independence and self-sufficiency. 

Junior Year Site of Study:

• Shanghai

Highlight of your Junior Year Site of Study:

“On my last night at Shanghai, I spent the night drinking wine at a local, hidden bar that had the most beautiful view of the Bund. My friends from GLS were with me, and we were recounting everything that had happened during our year in China.”

Awards, Scholarships, & Honors:

• JusticeCorps Graduate Fellowship
  
• University Honors Scholar
• Dean’s Senior Thesis Research Grant (to South Korea)
• Dean’s Global Research Grant (to South Korea)
• Santander Universities Study Abroad Scholarship
  
• Dean’s List of Honors
• Liberal Studies Scholarship

Experiential Learning:

Green Initiatives (绿色倡议)

“Green Initiatives is a nonprofit organization that promotes environmental awareness, implements projects and stimulates change toward sustainable models of growth and consumption throughout China. I was a copywriter intern at Green Initiatives, where I was primarily responsible for creating and editing written content for press releases, partnerships and campaigns. I also researched and created content for GI’s monthly forums and weekly presentations.” 

Languages:

• English
• Korean
• Chinese
• Spanish

Future Plans:

“I am currently an incoming Graduate Fellow for the JusticeCorps Program, where I will be working at the Los Angeles Superior Court assisting self-representing litigants. I will be applying to law school this upcoming fall.”

_________________________________________

Daphne Tso

Major:

• Global Liberal Studies: Politics, Rights, & Development

Minor:

• Public Policy and Management
• French

Thesis Title:

The Mosaic vs. the Melting Pot: The Integration of Chinese communities in Canada and the United States

Immigration has repeatedly sparked heated conversations, as host countries find it a major challenge to realize successful integration of immigrants. Given the process of globalization, it is pertinent to investigate how government policies influence immigrants’ incorporation into their respective host countries. This thesis examines the relationship between integration of ethnic minorities and the policies surrounding integration, namely “multiculturalism” in Canada and “assimilation” in the United States. The paper draws on Kymlicka’s (1971) theories on multiculturalism and Bloomraead’s (2006) studies of the effects of multicultural policies on immigrant integration. Through analyzing the patterns of integration such as educational attainment, employment, civic engagement, and public attitudes, it is revealed that there is a positive correlation between multiculturalism policies and the integration of the Chinese community in the Vancouver metropolitan area. Finally, the nuances in the analysis also challenge the conventional wisdom that multiculturalism allows for better immigrant integration into mainstream society than assimilation.

Junior Year Site of Study:  
Paris

Awards, Scholarships & Honors:
Dean’s Honors List

Experiential Learning:
13 Pour Tous, a socio-cultural community center

“Planned and implemented activities for young children, as well as tutored students between the ages of 6 and 9.”

Other internships:

• Intern, Office of NYC Council Member Margaret Chin – New York
• Administrative Service Summer Intern, Hong Kong Government – Hong Kong
• Human Resources Intern, NYC Department of Consumer Affairs – New York

Languages:

• Cantonese: Native
• Mandarin: Fluent
• French: Conversational

Future Plans: “I plan to apply to either law school or a master’s program in the U.S or in Europe this coming fall.”

_________________________________________________

MELISSA GODIN has been named a Rhodes Scholar. Melissa, a native of Canada is now a graduate student at Oxford.

Thesis:

Her thesis examines the value of volunteer tourism, arguing that it needs to be restructured if it is to truly support development. As part of her project, she has researched orphanage tourism in Cambodia.

Sites of Study:  Florence and Paris

Internships:  Melissa interned at the Canadian embassy in Paris and served as head editor for a report on sex trafficking that was used at the 60th United Nations session of the Commission on the Status of Women. 

______________________________________

Louis Slade

Major:

• Global Liberal Studies

Politics, Rights, and Development 

Minor:

• Social Entrepreneurship

Thesis Title:  Decoupling Business and Social Entrepreneurship

Abstract:

 The concept of “social entrepreneurship” has emerged in a business-driven global arena as an idea that many scholars and practitioners see as an ideal method of addressing global problems, such as poverty, while turning a profit. This business-focused understanding, however, is misguided. Throughout my thesis I explain why the concept of social entrepreneurship should be decoupled from business by critically evaluating how “effective” social entrepreneurs actually achieve social and environmental objectives, I identify the failures and limitations of “social businesses,” and I embed social entrepreneurship within development history, along with criticisms of modernization theory, to outline a development-centered path for social entrepreneurship.

Sites of Study:
Florence
Paris

Highlight of Time Abroad:

“I took 5 classes at Sciences Po in French which were extraordinarily interesting and provided new insights into varied perspectives on development and international relations theory.”

 Awards, Scholarships, and Honors:

• $2,500 funding to run a La Pietra Dialogue in Florence
• GLS travel grant and Dean’s travel grant for research into Volunteer Tourism in Cambodia and India

Experiential Learning:

“I worked for a social enterprise in France called Sparknews focused on ‘solutions journalism.’

“Sparknews believes in the ability for examples of concrete and effective solutions to problems to inspire others to make positive change. I worked on a project called Impact Journalism Day that brings 60 of the world’s top newspapers together to highlight stories of individuals and groups having a social or environmental impact. I then launched my own project in 2017 with a $90,000 sponsorship from a French bank to run the same project with student newspapers across the US, UK, France, Canada, and Mexico.”

• French: Fluent
• Spanish: Intermediate

Future Plans:

“I was accepted to Master’s programs in development studies at Oxford, Cambridge, and the London School of Economics. I have decided to go to Oxford.”

___________________________________________

Anna Bachan

Major: 

• Global Liberal Studies
       Politics, Rights and Development

Minors: 

• Public Policy and Management
• French 

Female Migration as a Tool for Development: The Case of Migrant Women in Senegal

Abstract:

My thesis explores the impact of female labor migration on the development of migrant-sending countries. My research aim is to explore the phenomenon of primarily low skilled labor migration of women and determine their contribution to the socioeconomic development of less developed countries with a focus on Senegal. The purpose of this thesis is to demonstrate how the migration experience and subsequent return of migrant women to their home countries can lead to positive social and economic impact at the household, community and national levels. However, in order for this to occur, I argue that adequate social and economic structures must be in place in these countries to support migrant women prior to, during, and after their migration experience. Through my case study on Senegal, rather than focusing on the women themselves, I analyze the complexities of the system in which migration is controlled, produced and understood, and in which gender relations are both constructed and followed. Consequently, I examine programs initiated by both Senegalese and international government bodies, non-governmental organizations, and multilateral institutions, and aim to uncover their strengths and deficiencies. In conclusion, I propose recommendations for how diverse actors in the field of ‘Migration and Development’ (M&D) in Senegal, and globally, can better integrate the gender approach into their programs and policies to more practically and effectively empower and protect migrant women as agents of national development.    

Junior Year Study Away: 

• NYU Paris & Pantheon Sorbonne I 

Awards: 

• NYU Global Liberal Studies Best Thesis Award (also best thesis for PRD)
  
• NYU Dean’s Senior Thesis Research Grant
  
• NYU Global Research Grant
  
• NYU Wassermann Internship Grant
  

Experiential Learning: ADIFLOR Association pour la Diffusion Internationale Francophone de Livres, Ouvrages et Revues –Paris, France  — Translation and E-Book Intern

Performed financial research, sought funding from publishing houses, and created electronic material for E-book series on human rights. Represented the organization at the Launch of the Week of the Francophonie at the Salon des Livres and Le Petit Palais.

Other Internships:

• Communications and Development Intern, Human Rights Foundation – NY, NY
• Research Intern and Project Coordinator, MECSEF La Mutuelle d’Epargne et de Credit des Senegalais de France – Dakar, Senegal
• Translation and Project Assistant Intern, Girl Rising – New York, NY
• Translation and Program Intern, ANALITIC – Valparaiso, Chile

Highlight of your Junior Year Site of Study: 

 “Some highlights of my time in Paris were representing the organization I was interning with (ADIFLOR) at the French Senate during the week of the Francophonie celebration and traveling to Bretagne, Normandy, and the Pays Basque during fall and winter break. I also enjoyed wandering the streets of Paris, staying with an incredible host family fall semester and getting to make friends from all over the world.”

“I am currently pursuing a fellowship with the Princeton in Africa Fellowship program. As part of this program I am working as a research assistant and grant writer at the African School of Economics, an English speaking university located in Cotonou, Benin (West Africa). After this fellowship, I plan to work in an NGO involved with migration or women’s rights in Senegal or other country in the region for two years and then pursue a Master’s in Public Administration at the London School of Economics in London or Sciences Po in Paris.”
_______________________________________

Daphne Sigala

Majors:

• Global Liberal Studies
        Politics, Rights, and Development
• Politics

Minor:

• Dance from Tisch

Thesis Title: 
Omitted for the American Dream: An analysis of the misrecognition of the Oglala Lakota at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota

 Abstract:

My thesis focuses on the topic of misrecognition- what it is, and how the United States’ government and dominant American culture do this to certain groups of citizens. Among citizens there are subgroups, which can be identified in numerous ways. In this paper subgroups are seen by ethnicity as well as the differences between immigrant group and national minorities. The United States’ First Nations people are national minority groups that have been forgotten when discussing the struggles felt by ethno-cultural minority groups that are fighting against the mainstream culture. I visited the Lakota people in SD and conducted research and interviews. 

Sites of Study Abroad:
Freshman year: Florence, Italy
Junior year: Fall in NYC and Spring in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Highlight of your Junior Year Site of Study:

“My host family. They truly took me in as one of their own and I got to see what it was like to live with two brothers and a sister, plus two more that would always come visit. Mind you I did enjoy going out in BA, but a Friday night watching movies and hanging out with my host family is what I know I will remember 10 years from now. Also spring break in Peru and climbing Machu Picchu isn’t bad either.”

Awards & Scholarships:

• GLS Dean’s Research Grant

Experiential Learning:

“My class was able to participate and create a unique project with Professor Kain. My group and I created an audio tour of Washington Square Park titled ‘A day in the life.

“Creating the walking tour was actually really fun! In NYC, as it is for most of us, walk with headphones in our ears and look straight, the audio tour gave me something to listen to and pushed me to acknowledge my surroundings. Once I was in Argentina, I was able to be apart of marches and really go out and experience life as an Argentinean.”

Languages:

• Spanish: Fluent
• Italian: Proficient and conversational 

Future Plans:

“Attending George Washington University’s Trachtenberg School for an MPA with a concentration on the federal government and regulation.”

_____________________________________________

Vaclav Masek 

Major:

• Global Liberal Studies: 

Politics Rights, and Development

• Sociology
• Spanish

Senior Thesis Title:
¿Firme y Duradera? 
Practices of Citizenship and Nationhood in the Guatemalan Peace Process

Abstract:

“My project is focused on historical memory in post-conflict Guatemala, a country that suffered a ravaging civil war between 1954 and 1996. How do the practices that surround citizenship and nationhood influence post-conflict transitional justice and collective memory in Guatemala? The thesis engages in a detailed evaluation of seminal Guatemalan legal documents, alongside a comprehensive historical analysis of Guatemala’s tumultuous emergence as a postcolonial and multiethnic country of the global South. My hypothesis is that transitional justice has not been effective principally due to the fact that the majority of the victims during the Armed Conflict were indigenous peoples.”

Junior Year Site:

• Buenos Aires (Fall Semester only)

 Awards, Scholarships: and Honors: 

• Global Impact Award
  
• Social Impact Grant
  
• Dean’s Global Research Grant
• Dean’s Undergraduate Research Fund (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Social Impact Grant
  
• Participant in the Humanity in Action International Conference in Berlin
• Participant in the  Fellowship Program in Warsaw

Experiential Learning Site:

CIPPEC (Centro de Implementación de Políticas Públicas para la Equidad y el Crecimiento)

“Managed a project that analyzed metropolitan governance in Latin America and the Caribbean, as requested by the Inter-American Development Bank. Collected contextual information (demographic, economic, fiscal, life quality and spatial) about 64 metropolitan areas over a 12-week period. Data-mined to provide insightful information on regional data, including socioeconomic, quality of life, spatial, and fiscal indicators.”

Highlights of time abroad:

“First of all, having the opportunity to live in three cosmopolitan cities with a vibrant cultural scene. More specifically, during my Freshmen Year, visiting the University of Edinburgh to attend an event where Gordon Brown and Malala Yousafzai were participating. During my Junior Year, experiencing the civic demonstrations that the government transition in Argentina generated. Finally, being able to conduct research in the Guatemalan highlands and interviews with former Guatemalan army generals for my thesis.”

Languages:

• Spanish (Native)
• English (Fluent)
• French (Conversational)
• Portuguese (Basic)

 Future Plans: 

“After being given CLACS’ (Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies) Fellowship, I will pursue a Masters in Latin American and Caribbean Studies at New York University.”
_______________________________________

Chábelly Pacheco

 Majors:

• Global Liberal Studies, Politics Rights, and Development
• Spanish

Thesis Title:
[Migrant] Women [Sex][Work]: Beyond Prostitution and Trafficking

Abstract:

Through the discussions of gender, economics, and ethnographic materials, this thesis analyzed the political and socioeconomic barriers that marginalize migrant women sex workers and limit them as victims, criminals, and inhuman. An analysis of gendered migration and economic opportunities accessible to women migrants provides a framework for understanding the relevance of sex work and its legitimacy as a source of employment. Recent political action against trafficking on behalf of local and global institutions has overshadowed migrant women sex workers’ own voices and the economic challenges in combination with exploitive and abusive systems, that influence their means for labor and ultimately survival. Advocacy campaigns and policy proposals for a global call to decriminalize sex work demonstrate promise for the advancement of their rights, but migrant women will risk being excluded from its proposed benefits. A case study of Dominican migrant women sex workers in Argentina contributed to the discussions of agency, and the structural forces that can facilitate reform and inclusion through policy and active, politically involved life, for female migrant sex workers. 

Sites of Study:

• Freshman year site: Florence
• Junior Year Site: Buenos Aires (Fall), New York (Spring) 

  

  “Celebrating the last few days in Florence, with my dear friend Lucy”

Highlight of your Junior Year Site of Study:

“I went away to Córdoba for a weekend with my friend Amanda–we were going to visit the Herreras, a lovely family that hosted her for a trip she did a few years back. The rock star to-be son (this is his band!) of the family brought us to his friend’s gathering one of the nights and to my delight, I finally learned how to dance cumbia! We danced all night, to the hard and the romantic cumbia, forgetting the horror of them mixing Malbec with coca cola. I was gleefully christened a cumbia freak that night, and I’ve been carrying the synthful joy with me since.”

Awards & Scholarships:

• Dean’s Global Research Grant
• Dean’s Thesis Research Grant
• Dean’s List

Experiential Learning:
Catholic Charities Community Services

“I was an immigration law intern in the organization’s unaccompanied minor’s program. I worked on asylum and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status applications, translated non-English documents, and drafted affidavits and legal briefs. My time primarily focused on an asylum case of an unaccompanied migrant child from Guatemala. I complied research on the Guatemalan Genocide and analyzed current U.S. asylum law in response to my observations.” 

Languages:

• English & Spanish (Bilingual)
• Italian & Portuguese (Advanced)

Future Plans:

“I’m working during the summer at NYU Law School’s Immigrant Defense Initiative, assisting in developing the project for its first full academic year. After, I plan to continue working for the support of immigrant communities, and then apply to graduate school to further study migration, development, and gender.”

____________________________________

Michelle Marie Huang

• Global Liberal Studies – Politics, Rights and Development

Senior Thesis:
The Limitations and Failures of International Peacekeeping: Bosnia Then, Syria Now

Abstract:
“This thesis explores the role of international peacekeeping bodies throughout national conflicts, using the Bosnian Genocide as its case study, to highlight and critique the limitations of their assertiveness and failures of their standing military forces. This analysis will include an extensively harsh exposé of the U.N.’s “safe zones” in Srebrenica. The true effectiveness of humanitarian aid will be examined, posing the idea that these groups prolonged war instead of ended them. In its conclusion, parallels will be drawn to today’s Syrian Crisis, ultimately ending in the question of “can we do anything better this time?” In detailing the peacekeeping story in Bosnia, we hope to understand where we have been in order to understand where we are now: Bosnia then, Syria now.”

Awards & Scholarships:

• Dean’s Global Research Scholar
• Dean’s Honor List
• Women in Leadership Grantee

Experiential Learning:
1) Consulting Intern, Paz y Cooperación
(switched halfway through semester)
2) Department of Education Intern, Manos Unidas 
“Coordinating with United Nations Delegates and Ambassadors about international educational campaigns to get the youth involved in modern day politics while promoting world peace. Organized and managed scholar programs.”

Other Internships:
Research Assistant with UNICEF España. 

1) Walking out from our apartment on essentially the Times Square of Madrid, and getting swooped up into a marching band parade for the annual Three Kings Parade. 
2) Ripping down the windy mountainsides of Tenerife on a motorcycle over Spring Break. Sea salt and sunshine in the air. I felt invincible.

Languages:

• Spanish 

Future Plans:
“I will officially be working at a British IT Consulting firm on Wall Street, training women and recent veterans to join the workforce by building their knowledge of computer science. On the side, I look forward to continuing my service to local meditation centers by volunteering with centers on the weekend.”

___________________________________

Maryna Prykhodko

Major:

• Global Liberal Studies
       Politics, Rights, and Development 

Vergangenheitsbewältigung: Nazi Germany in Today’s Germany

Abstract:

Vergangenheitsbewältigung is a German term for the process of grappling with the past, that is of addressing Germany’s Nazi past in the present, of coping with that legacy and learning from it as a means of moving on without forgetting. Vergangenheitsbewältigung is still going on today, and it has changed, transformed, adapted to the times and generations, but it remains an important part of developing a German cultural and historical identity. My thesis explores the history of Vergangenheitsbewältigung as well as the forms it takes in contemporary German society, for better or for worse.

Junior Year Site of Study:

• Berlin 

“I was co-executive of TEDxNYUBerlin during my time in Berlin, and I was able to invite students, faculty, and interesting Berliners I met to showcase at NYU Berlin during interactive evenings that brought the students, faculty, and staff closer together. The experience opened my eyes to Berlin in a new way and in the end, I filmed a video for NYU World Tour about studying away in Berlin; the video ending up being my ode to Berlin and all the wonderful people I had met there.” 

• NYU Honors Scholar – (all four years)
  
• Dean’s List – (all four years
  
• NYU Liberal Studies Scholarship
  
• Warren Stephen Curry Scholarship
  
• Wasserman Center Global Internship Grant
  
• Mark Fisch Fund Study Away Award
  
• Liberal Studies Guen Scholarship
  

Experiential Learning:
Heinrich Boell Foundation

“I worked as a consultant and researcher for the Eastern & Southern Europe Department of the Heinrich Boell Stiftung (Foundation). HBS is Germany’s “green” political think tank – a catalyst for green visions and projects, a think tank for policy reform, and an international network. Its main tenets are ecology and sustainability, democracy and human rights, self-determination and justice.” 

Languages:

• Ukrainian
• Russian
• English
• German 
• French

Future Plans:

“I am currently a Grad student in the International Relations program of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at NYU. I am also working full-time at a women’s rights NGO at the United Nations.”

__________________________________________

 

 

Jessica Wisniewski

Majors:

• Global Liberal Studies: Politics, Rights, and Development
• Public Policy & Management 

Abstract:

In many ways, the Egyptian and Israeli states fail to ‘see’ the Bedouin and therefore situate them as a group “in but not of the global order,” an order where nations and states represent contingent identities and socio-political organizations. However, Bedouin are not recognized as a distinct nation nor as indigenous peoples in neither Egypt nor Israel, and Egyptian Nationalism and Zionism reject Bedouin as part of the nation, or ‘imagined community.’ This concept of nationalism strongly influences policy, and as a result, leads to the discrimination of Bedouin through internal colonialist policies, land seizure, suspension of human rights, and exclusionary economic policy. Despite Egypt and Israel’s different political systems, the outcome for the Bedouin in both countries is remarkably similar.

 Junior Year Site of Study:

• Tel Aviv 

Highlight of your Junior Year Site of Study:

“Two friends and I packed our bags for a long weekend trip to Jordan. We camped for two nights in a cave in the Jordanian desert with a Bedouin tribe and learned about their experiences.” 

• GLS Travel Grant
• Dean’s List

Experiential Learning:  StarTau Entrepreneurship Center

“I prepared marketing material and worked with the director of global outreach to coordinate the 3C Smart Cities Challenge in which Israeli startups competed for a contract to implement their urban renewable technology in future smart cities in Brazil.” 

Languages:

• Hebrew 

“I am currently working as a Case Manager at the Law Firm of Barasch McGarry Salzman & Penson. My clients are first responders and downtown residents who are currently suffering from various ailments from their exposure to 9/11 toxic dust and fumes. My firm also partners with The International Refugee Assistance Program (IRAP) and a small team at our firm helps prepare refugee applicants for their interview with the UNCHR and helps gather documents they may need. I really love my work.”

[Update: Jessica is now a law student at Fordham.]
__________________________________________

Madison Ordway

Majors:

• Global Liberal Studies
       Politics, Rights, and Development
• Spanish

Thesis Title:
Transitional Justice and Economic Development in Argentina and Guatemala

Thesis Abstract:

Using Argentina and Guatemala as case studies, I argue that transitional justice practitioners should adopt an amenable sequencing framework which requires functioning institutions to be in place before implementing transitional justice mechanisms of truth, justice or compensation. In the long run, this strategy benefits economic development by assuring that transitional justice is implemented fully and legitimately, so its equalizing and empowering effects can reverberate throughout society. As demonstrated by the contrasting case studies, the stronger a country’s institutions, and the less power the previous authoritarian regime has in a new democracy, the more likely the country is to succeed. Transitional justice measures in Argentina built on an already fairly cohesive democratization process while Guatemala’s transitional justice program was layered on top of a political system wrought with structural issues. The two case studies show that stable, responsive, and autonomous institutions must be a precondition to transitional justice in order to benefit both justice and development.

Junior Year Site of Study:

• Madrid, Spain

Highlight of Junior Year Site of Study:

“The highlight of my study away experience was having the opportunity to meet other NYU students who are interested in and passionate about a unique set of topics. Many study away sites focus their academics on certain subjects. NYU Madrid, however, does not have a specific area of focus. Thus, the people who decide to study in Madrid are an eclectic crowd, who are interested in a wide array of academic topics. However, we all share in common our interest in exploring Spain. This unique combination made for some of the most intriguing conversations I had as a student at NYU and challenged me to think about the world in new ways.”

Awards, Scholarships, and Honors: 

• GLS Travel Grant for research on my senior thesis
• Dean’s List
• PRD Best Thesis Award

Experiential Learning:  INCIPE- Instituto de Cuestiones Intenacionales y Política Exterior

“While working with INCIPE I researched Spanish foreign policy and international affairs to inform debate among scholars and diplomats in Madrid. Additionally, I attended and wrote bilingual press releases for conferences focusing on foreign affairs with high profile leaders in the field.”

Languages:

• Spanish

Future plans:

“I am working as a field organizer for the Pennsylvania Democratic Party. I plan to work for two years before attending law school and focusing on public interest law.” [Update: Madison was accepted at UC Berkeley Law School.]
_____________________________________

Ava Baksh

Majors:

• Global Liberal Studies
         Politics, Rights, and Development
• Spanish and Latin American Literatures and Cultures

Minor:

• Irish Studies 

Thesis Title:
Shifting Hegemony: An Argument for Why the US Should Use Soft Power If It Intends to Capitalize on Its Changing Role in Latin America

Thesis Abstract: 

My thesis explores the history of the power dynamic between the US and Latin America, a dynamic in which the US has traditionally had an economic and political hegemony over the region. The purpose of the thesis is two-fold: first, to assert through this exploration that the dynamic has changed from an economic and political hegemony assumed through hard power tactics to a cultural hegemony and examine the reasons why; second, to propose a way forward in this relationship, through soft power tactics, for the US to avoid past mistakes while simultaneously benefitting from the relationship.

 Junior Year Site of Study: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Highlight of Junior Year Site of Study:

“The highlights of my year in Buenos Aires were the people and the travel. The professors at NYUBA consistently blew my mind and challenged me; my host family helped me with every problem and genuinely cared for me; my fellow GLSers became like my family. Additionally, I was able to travel to 6 countries, including Machu Picchu in Peru and the Salar de Uyuni (salt flats) in Bolivia, two of the most incredible places I have ever been.”

Awards, Scholarships, & Honors:

• Dean’s List (4 years)
• Latin Honors: Magna Cum Laude

Experiential Learning:
Comisión Fulbright de Argentina

“My two main responsibilities at Fulbright were to create content to promote scholarships on their social media pages in both English and Spanish, as well as to collaborate with the EducationUSA team on presentations and meetings with applicants. The best part about working there was the people in the office, who went out of their way to make my transition into Argentine culture as seamless and enjoyable as possible.”

Languages:  

• Spanish

Future Plans:
“I am about to begin working as a consultant in IBM’s Consulting by Degrees program, based out of New York. The opportunity came to me through former GLS PRD students Dan and Nicole, who presented to the GLS seniors in the fall about how our critical thinking skills and global experience could cohesively translate into a career at IBM. The GLS PRD network has been a great resource for me in building a life beyond NYU.”

_____________________________________

Ariela Garvett

Major:

• Global Liberal Studies
       Politics, Rights, and Development

Minors:

• Politics
• Middle Eastern Studies
  * B.A./M.A. program major: International Relations

Thesis Title:

The Politics of Water: Israeli-Palestinian Transboundary Resource Management and the Efficacy of Cooperation

Thesis Abstract:

Israelis and Palestinians perceive water as a security factor and element of heritage. Relations reflect politicization of regional water issues because resources are scarce, jeopardized, and essential to human and ecological health and national sovereignty. This thesis assesses the status quo in joint management of transboundary water resources and interrogates the value of such cooperation. Allocation of supplies is problematic when political entities pursue unilateral actions despite international law and geographic contexts that force interdependency among neighbors positioned to divert, limit, and pollute water supplies. The water crisis deserves greater attention as constraints of an inflexible peace process and institutionalized asymmetric power structure impair socio-environmental welfare. As well, this thesis evaluates the dominant public discourse because it affects the governments’ willingness to surmount the situation’s many obstacles to redress water management. Contrast between deficits of current relations and identified solutions that challenge traditional approaches to joint management support this thesis’ conclusion that a nuanced approach through improved communication and implementation of emergency measures ahead of permanent resolution to the political conflict can produce more sustainable win-win outcomes on water.

Junior Year Site of Study:  

• Tel Aviv-Jaffa

Highlight of Junior Year Site of Study:

“I loved exploring other cities, especially in the north of Israel and the West Bank. My Experiential Learning class was very rewarding and really contextualized the places to which we traveled as we learned to “read the city as a text.” It is impossible to live in this region and not return with a broad and deep understanding of the complex political issues and constructs that define Israel/Palestine and permeate the geographic and social landscapes.”

Awards, Scholarships & Honors:

• Politics, Rights, and Development Thesis Award
• Critical Language Scholarship
• University Honors Scholar
• Association for Conflict Resolution Greater NY Chapter Student Writing Competition Award
• Guen Merit Scholarship for International Study
• Dean’s Honors List

Experiential Learning:
The Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies

• Performed independent research and received advisement in preparation for my thesis concerning the Israeli-Palestinian water dispute
• Digitized and preserved Arabic language newspapers for the Center’s Arabic Press Archives

Languages:

• Arabic
• Hebrew

Future Plans:

Ariela now studies in the NYU Graduate School of Arts and Science and plans to graduate in 2016 with a M.A. in International Relations. She is also a Foreign Service e-Intern with the U.S. Department of State Near Eastern Affairs Bureau Environment, Science, Technology, and Health Hub Office in Amman for which she is reviewing Arabic and English open sources and media to analyze and map data and perceptions of environmental issues and their impact in the Arab world. 

______________________________

Amanda Islambouli

Major:

• Global Liberal Studies
       Politics, Rights, and Development

Minors:

• Arabic/Middle Eastern Studies
• French

Thesis Title:
Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey’s Response to the Syrian Refugee Crisis: The Roles of and Interactions between Governments, NGOs, and the United Nations

Thesis Abstract:

My thesis describes the relationships between NGOs, governments, and the UN in the regional response to the Syrian refugee crisis. Lebanon, Turkey, and Jordan, the three largest host states for Syrian refugees, all have different ways of governing their response, and the governments each have varying levels of involvement. In Turkey, the government runs the response, and does not allow much participation from the UN, and especially not from NGOs. In Lebanon, the government does not take a leading role, leaving the UN and NGOs to man the response. In Jordan, the best model, as I argue, the government facilitates the response, allowing sufficient space for NGOs and the UN to assist, without dominating the crisis response.

Junior Year Site of Study:

• Paris

Awards, Scholarships & Honors:
GLS Dean’s Global Research Grant

Experiential Learning:
Secours Populaire Francais, NGO in Paris

“At my placement, I had many roles in the multi-faceted NGO, Secours Populaire. This organization focuses on “solidarity” as they call it, which translates to assistance for the disadvantaged, covering virtually all of their basic needs. I acted as an interpreter for many types of meetings, translated and wrote documents, and was a liaison between the offices and the clients, which meant a lot of time speaking to Parisians of various origins and backgrounds.”

Other Work:
Volunteer Interpreter at the International Rescue Committee (IRC)
Member of the NGO Committee on Migration

Languages:

• • • Arabic
    • French
    • Spanish

Future Plans:

 “I am currently continuing onto the fifth and final year of the accelerated BA/MA program at NYU in the Graduate Center for European and Mediterranean Studies, pursuing an MA in European Politics. Afterwards, I hope to work in the humanitarian field at the global level, and eventually, in diplomacy.

_____________________________

Harry Hamilton

Major:

• Global Liberal Studies
     Politics, Rights, and Development 

Minor:  

• Spanish 

Thesis Title: 
Worker-Recovered Factories and the Evergreen Cooperatives

Thesis Abstract:

For my thesis I examined two contemporary examples of worker-owned cooperatives. This examination will consisted of a comparative analysis of the worker-recovered factories of Argentina and the Evergreen Cooperatives of Cleveland, both of which appeared during economic crises. Through personal interviews, site visits, historical and theoretical analysis this paper assessed these two occurrences of worker-owned cooperatives to determine the feasibility of implementing these models elsewhere. By definition the purpose of worker cooperatives is to strive to meet the needs of their employees and both of these models succeeded in meeting this goal, though they did so through very different methods. Ultimately the shape that a cooperative organization takes depends on cultural and economic circumstances, leading me to the conclusion that there is no single correct answer or set of guidelines that must be followed in order to meet the needs of workers. If the needs of the employees are met then a cooperative is a success.

First Year Site of Study:

• Florence 

Junior Year Site of Study:

• Buenos Aires 

Highlight of Junior Year Site of Study

“The first highlight of my Junior Year abroad was backpacking through Patagonia with two of my friends. We took a 22-hour bus ride down to a tiny town called El Bolsón where we met other travelers and some awesome locals, went parasailing and got invited to an asado (Argentine cookout) for some random guy’s birthday. The second highlight was winning the FC BAFA Cup of Nations with team USA. FC BAFA hosts a 6v6 “national” team tournament every year and there were three GLS students on the winning team!”

Awards, Scholarships & Honors:

• 3 GLS travel grants
• Dean’s List

Experiential Learning: 
La Comisión Fulbright, AR

“I was one of two native English speakers in the office so mostly I helped translate and write grant proposals. I also got to help prospective applicants edit their essays and work on their grammar.”

Languages:

• Spanish
• French (no longer fluent)

Future plans:

“I’m working full time for a law firm over the summer, then moving to Philadelphia for two years and then applying to Law School and the Foreign Service.”

__________________________________

Murphy McAnulty

Major:

• Global Liberal Studies
          Politics, Rights, and Development 

Minor:

• Media, Culture and Communications 

Thesis Title:
Fighting Modern Slavery: A Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Campaign 

Thesis Abstract:

The objective of this thesis is to create a global human trafficking awareness and prevention campaign based on the theories of Kevin Bales, to be implemented by the Global Poverty Project in alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #8.

To that end, this research discusses current human trafficking legislation, the history of slavery, its prevalence in today’s world and the theories of Kevin Bales. This research also examines human trafficking in Vietnam as a case study to analyze current methods of awareness and prevention being employed in the region. This research is then included in the formulation of a campaign specific to the Global Poverty Project in conjunction with the Walk Free Foundation to scale-up current human trafficking legislation and focus groups. Finally, the goal is to engage world governments, intergovernmental organizations, the corporate sector and civil society in ensuring that Goal #8 is realized.

Junior Year Site of Study:

• Paris

Awards, Scholarships & Honors:

• Dean’s List (all 4 years)
• Dean’s Circle
• LSP Academic Excellence Scholarship
• Guen Scholarship
• Dean’s Thesis Research Grant

Experiential Learning:
The Dong Hanh Association

“I worked with an organization that raises scholarship money that allows underprivileged Vietnamese college students to attend the top polytechnic and engineering universities in Vietnam. I translated articles into both French and English for their main online platform and conducted interviews of donors and scholarship recipients. All of my colleagues were former scholarship recipients themselves who had moved to France once completing their education in Vietnam. I also attended Vietnamese cooking classes and socialized with both the donors and recipients outside of the internship, which enriched my experience beyond what I had ever expected of the internship.”

Languages:

• French

Future Plans: 

“Was offered a Policy and Advocacy Associate position with the Global Poverty Project potentially for September (there are budget constraints at the moment so they cannot hire me at present). I was also offered this position with them in January but due to my student visa restrictions I had to decline until I obtained government work authorization.”
___________________________________

John Moltz

Majors:

• Global Liberal Studies
       Politics, Rights, and Development 
• Spanish

Thesis Title:
Defensores del Chaco: An Organization Apart – 
An Analysis of NGO Methods and Relationships with Target Communities

Abstract: 

This thesis deals with the importance and effect of positive relationships between NGO’s and their target communities.  Through looking at three different organizations, the Foundation for Sustainable Development, TECHO, and Defensores del Chaco, I try to showcase the uniqueness of Defensores del Chaco’s methods and relationship with their neighborhood.  Because of firsthand experience working with the organization, I focused more on Defensores than the other two, more specifically delving into three aspects of the NGO: a sense of duty found in Latin American communities, their origin as a football club, and their emphasis on the youth of the neighborhood.

Junior Year Site of Study
Buenos Aires

Awards, Scholarships, & Honors

• • • University Honors Scholar
    • Dean’s List
    • Founder’s Day Award

Experiential Learning:
Assistant soccer coach, English translator for media, and English teacher for staff at Defensores del Chaco

Highlight of Junior Year Site of Study:

“Having my parents and grandmother come to visit and meeting my homestay family, who were amazing.  Visiting Chile for over a month and staying with old family friends who I had not seen in over 10 years.”

Languages:

• Spanish
• French

Future Plans:

“Currently looking for work, most interested in NGO work.”

___________________________________

Neelam Sakaria

Major:

• Global Liberal Studies
      Politics, Rights and Development
• Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies

Thesis Title: 
Accessing Space, Memory and Narrative in the ‘Contested City’ 
From Baghdad to Hebron to Nicosia
 
Thesis Abstract:

My thesis explored the role of space/place in the presence of protracted power struggles, which are generally at the center of territorial conflicts. I focused on a comparative analysis of three “contested cities”—Hebron, Baghdad and Nicosia. Through these examples, I highlighted crucial spatial practices, which seemed to manifest from political ideology and informed spatial disciplines such as mapping, architecture, city planning. I explored the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at length in this context, focusing on the city of Hebron and examples from other Israeli cities, but also highlighted the crucial sociological processes linked to the production of space such as the establishment of national narrative, collective memory and group identity, considering such parallels in the cities of Baghdad and Nicosia. Ultimately, my thesis set out to show not only the extent to which space and power infiltrate the creation of places, such as cities, but how deeply this relation influences the experience of individuals who live in them.

Junior Year Site of Study: 
Tel Aviv

Highlight of Junior Year Site of Study

“The first highlight of the year was my arrival in Israel. We had just started the school year during the high holidays and had a lot of time off then. A couple students and I took a 5 hour bus ride to the city of Eilat, near the borders of Egypt and Jordan and on the coast of the Red Sea, to spend some time exploring another part of the country. It was a great way to break the ice and start our year.”

Awards, Scholarships & Honors:

• Founder’s Day Award GLS Dean’s Research Grant
• Guen Scholarship
• Dean’s List (all 4 years)

Experiential Learning:
– Physicians for Human Rights, Migrants and Refugees Department
– StarTAU Entrepreneurship Center, International Affairs Department

“I started my year at Physicians for Human Rights as a research assistant looking at healthcare and legal policies for asylum seeking and refugee populations. The research was part of a larger policy recommendation report collected by PHR to present to the Israeli Knesset. In the spring of my junior year, I started at StarTAU and worked with their development team on grant-writing and also coordinating their annual Innovation Conference.”

Languages:

• Gujarati
• Hindi
• Arabic (intermediate)
• Hebrew (elementary)

Future Plans:

“I will be ending my time as a Program Coordinator for the NYU Leadership Initiative this summer and then looking for jobs in New York. I’m interested in urban development and social justice issues and looking for related opportunities.” [Neelam has been accepted to Brown University’s Master of Public Affairs graduate school.]
_____________________________________

Michael Lee

Major:

• Global Liberal Studies
       Concentration: Politics, Rights, and Development

Minors:

• Social Entrepreneurship
• Chinese

Thesis Title:
At-Risk Youth in Shanghai: Using the International Human Rights Framework to Evaluate the Chinese Approach to Prevention and Treatment of Problem Behavior and Delinquency in Shanghai’s Migrant Communities

Abstract:

Millions of rural Chinese families have migrated to Shanghai since China’s “reform and opening up” period in 1979 to pursue greater economic opportunities and work towards higher standards of living. Due to a variety of socioeconomic, cultural, and political barriers, these migrant workers are one of the most disadvantaged groups in Shanghai. Because of factors endemic to Shanghai’s migrant communities, migrant children in Shanghai find themselves at higher risk of engaging in problem behavior and delinquency. This paper will evaluate the effectiveness of the Chinese juvenile justice system in responding to this issue through the lens of the international human rights framework. I conclude that inconsistent legal procedures and a dearth of community-based support programs represent elements of the Chinese juvenile justice system in most dire need of reform.

Junior Year Site of Study

• Shanghai

Awards, Scholarships, & Honors
Deans List (two years)
Guen Scholarship Global Funded Internship Award
Banco Santander Scholarship

Experiential Learning

• Stepping Stones
• Shanghai Young Bakers

“I’ve been working as an intern with a non-profit organization called Stepping Stones that organizes expatriate volunteers to teach English to migrant school children. Additionally, I serve as a volunteer English teacher at Shanghai Young Bakers, a social enterprise that provides disadvantaged Chinese teens with bakery training and opportunities to work in various quality hotels and restaurants.”

Languages

• Mandarin Chinese

___________________________________________

Allie Horwitz

Major:

• Global Liberal Studies                    
            Concentration: Politics, Rights, and Development

Minor:

• Spanish

Thesis Title:
The Kentucky Bourbon Industry: Overcoming the Challenges of Globalization in Order to Aid the Local Economy

Abstract:

My thesis examines the challenges that a product, Kentucky Bourbon in particular, has had to face in expanding into the global economy. It also explores the benefits of globalization, one of which is the effect on the commonwealth. My project traces the boom in the bourbon industry over the past ten years through an in depth analysis of global sales, stock prices, and corporate responsibility. The ultimate goal of my thesis is to show the effect that the globalization of a particular product can have on the economic development/growth in a local economy.

Junior Year Site of Study:
Buenos Aires

Award & Scholarships:

• Dean’s List
• Order of Omega’s Honor Society

Experiential Learning:
Red Argentina de Instituciones de Microcrédito (RADIM)

“RADIM is a microfinance corporation in Argentina that works to analyze the state of microfinance institutions throughout the country in order to identify new opportunities for small individual loans. I worked with the staff to cultivate transparency between the administration and clients and formulated an annual report that traced the company’s expansion over the past year.”

Languages:

• Spanish
• Italian

Future Plans:

“After graduation I plan to attend Law School.”

______________________________________

Daniel Richardson

Major: 

• Global Liberal Studies           
         Concentration: Politics, Rights, and Development

Minors:

• Politics
• East Asian Studies

Thesis Title: 
A Ghanaian Case Study: China’s Economic Development Model Competes with Western Neoliberalism in Africa

Abstract: 

Africa has seen decades of meager growth in return for unfettered access to natural resources for both China and the West. And yet, at the turn of the millennium, when The Economist called Africa “the hopeless continent,” Ghana continued to see economic growth and political stability. As a result, Ghana no longer depends upon a number of international debt relief funds that have proved vital for sustainability in Africa. Now that China has increased its interests in Africa there is a new working partner and development model available to the Ghanaian government. This thesis seeks to prove, despite widespread skepticism, that China’s development model (though not perfect) is more effective than the competing Western model.  Ghana’s collaboration with China will prove essential in the next stage of Ghanaian development. Ghana is the first growing and politically stable African country in the twentieth-first century to make the transition from IMF and World Bank assistance to widespread Chinese engagement. If successful, it will be a political-economic model for its African neighbors for decades to come. 

Junior Year Site of Study:

• Shanghai

Highlight of Junior Year Site of Study

“I had a bottle of wine with my best friends at 2am on the Great Wall of China, before falling asleep under a 2300-year-old archway looking out towards Inner Mongolia. We woke to watch the sunrise over the Gobi desert and shine through the mountains that once protected Beijing from Mongol tribes.”

Awards & Scholarships:

• Dean’s List
• Dean’s Global Research Grant

Experiential Learning:
TimeOut Magazine

“I am working as a food critic for TimeOut Magazine. My first article, about a Japanese hamburger joint, will be published in the April edition.”

Languages:

• Chinese

Future Plans:

“I am currently working as a business transformation consultant at IBM. At the moment, I am stationed in Boston and travel to St. Louis each week to help facilitate the implementation of an Advanced Metering system in Illinois. IBM was the perfect next step coming out of GLS. Everyday I get to engage with people from all over the world, debate real life issues, and apply that staple GLS critical thinking and analysis to my own deliverable.”

___________________________________________

Rose Bowen

Major:

• Global Liberal Studies          
           Politics, Rights, and Development   

Minors:

• Anthropology
• Environmental Studies
• Spanish

Thesis Title:
The Effects of the Economic Crisis and Austerity Policy on Spanish Youth

Abstract:

This property bubble of the mid-1990s in Spain grew consistently until suddenly, infected by the American financial crisis of 2008, it burst. Spain’s economy has been in recession ever since, with few signs of improvement. Spain’s economic boom at the end of the century into the beginning of the 21^st does not reflect the structurally high unemployment rate, which is strongly affected by swings in economic activity. While this may be true, the current youth unemployment rate is unprecedented in Spanish history and so should be treated as a novel phenomenon in their economy.

Junior Year Site of Study:

• Madrid

Awards & Scholarships:

• Dean’s Global Research Grant for the purpose of traveling to Madrid and Berlin
• Global Funded Internship Award

Experiential Learning:
López-Li Films 

“Worked in a small, family-run Spanish office on Spanish to English translation of movie dialogues and letters, edited scripts, research for future documentary projects, and learned basic use of Photoshop and AfterEffect.”

Languages:

• Spanish

Future Plans:

“Matriculation into NYU’s Masters program in Bioethics, concentrating on Environmental Ethics.”

_____________________________________

Victoria Ariel Bittner

Majors:

• Global Liberal Studies            
            Concentration: Politics, Rights, and Development
• European and Mediterranean Studies

Minor:

• German

Thesis Title:
The Asylum Regime of Turkey

Abstract:

”This thesis seeks to analyze the trends and procedures of Turkey’s asylum policies, along with the discourses that they emerged from, in order to form an opinion about whether Turkey’s geographical limitation clause to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees allows Turkey to fulfill its ethical obligations to refugees and asylum seekers. Both positive and negative aspects based on the examples of Iraqi, Syrian, and Chechen refugees will be explored. In addition to this, the demands of the acquis, or the thirty-five chapters of documents representing European Union law, along with the developments of the 2013 asylum law and readmission agreement will be examined in order to observe what changes Turkey is embarking on in order to align with European Union standards. It will be suggested that Turkey’s geographical limitation clause and asylum practices are unethical and should be altered. Based on the changes in 2013 to asylum and migration practices, it will be suggested that the current ruling party’s (Justice and Development Party or AKP) government is seen as being more interested in lifting visa requirements of Turkish nationals to the EU rather than committing to EU accession.”

First Year Site of Study:

• Paris

Junior Year Site of Study:

• Berlin

Highlight of Junior Year Site of Study:

“My birthday happened to not only fall on a Friday but also to be during the last week of Oktoberfest. Some friends and I rented a car in order to get to Munich and stuffed the mini-VW’s trunk with our duvets we secretly brought from our residence. In Munich we had rented tents at a campground for our stay, but none of us had any pillows, mattresses, or sleeping bags, so we had to wear all our clothes to bed and put our duvets together to keep warm. The celebration of Oktoberfest, with all its roller coasters, people in lederhosen and drindles, table-top singing, pretzels bigger than my head, giant chickens, and beers too heavy to hold up for long, was well worth our makeshift camping experience.”  

Awards & Scholarships:

• Founder’s Day Award
• Dean’s Global Research Grant Award
• Global Liberal Studies Program Scholarship
• Liberal Studies Scholarship
• Dean’s List of Honors 

Experiential  Learning:
Internship with Borderline-Europe 

“I had the opportunity of interning with Berlin-based NGO Borderline-Europe, an organization that monitors and documents human rights violations related to irregular migration at the border countries of the European Union. With Borderline-Europe, I learned about the EU’s asylum laws and the problems associated with them. I worked on a project specifically pertaining to human rights violations of asylum seekers in Poland.”

Languages:

• Polish
• German
• French
• Spanish
• and learning Turkish.  

Future Plans:

“Over the summer I will be working with an English language day camp in Istanbul, Turkey. In the fall, I will begin the Master of Advanced International Studies program at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna. Afterwards, I plan to return to Istanbul, Turkey, to work with a political consulting firm.”

______________________________________

Michael Maisel

Major:

• Global Liberal Studies – “Class Valedictorian” – Politics, Rights, & Development

Minors:

• Politics
• Latin American Studies

Thesis Title:
Economic Reforms and Political Dissidence: Framework for the Post-Castro Era in Cuba

Abstract:

My thesis explores three major frameworks to understand the stamina of the Castro government: economics, propaganda, and political dissidence. The paper examines two periods: the 1990s “Special Period” (after the collapse of Soviet subsidies) and the contemporary era under Raul Castro (2006-present). The latter part of the thesis gives particular emphasis to the role that new media, especially the Internet, have played in giving a voice to dissidents on the island. The paper ends with an analysis of the implications for U.S. foreign policy toward Cuba.

Junior Year Site of Study:

• Buenos Aires & Washington D.C.

Highlight of Junior Year Site of Study:

“I traveled with a group of friends to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, during fall break. We went to the top of the famed Sugarloaf Mountain and watched the sunset fall on the beaches of the city.”

Awards & Scholarships:

• Dean’s List
• Guen Scholarship for International Travel
• Dean’s Global Research (Cuba)

Experiential Learning:

• Fulbright Commission of Argentina

“Reviewed and  evaluated over 30 recommendations for scholarship applicants. Wrote and continually revised five applicant recommendation letters after closely reviewing respective applications. Translated applicant documents from Spanish to English  

• The White House – Office of Presidential Personnel

Languages:

• Spanish
• Portuguese
• French

Future Plans:

Michael is writing for the “Huffington Post.”

_________________________________________

Yusuf Alwattar

Major:

• Global Liberal Studies
          Concentration: Politics, Rights, and Development
• French

Thesis Title:
Food and Conflict: How Gastro-Diplomacy Can Help Change the Competitive Paradigm of International Relations

Abstract:

The essay suggests a theoretical framework by which gastro-diplomacy helps address the limits of modern diplomacy. Current forms of diplomacy, however, tend to polarize the international sphere and entrench conflict instead of resolving it.Diplomacy has been losing its relevancy because it is founded upon and perpetuates a paternalistic model of international relations incompatible with an interdependent and globalizing world. Food can be a powerful module for encouraging greater cohesion in the international realm. Realization of the fact that all humans eat can be the basis of a social bond between both parties. Furthermore, food provides a welcoming and enjoyable setting that breaks down barriers to effective communication, reduces hostility, and promotes positive behavior. Therefore, effectively employing gastro-diplomacy encourages greater cooperation, promoting mutual, sustainable, and effective solutions to global problems. 

Junior Year Site of Study:

• Paris

Highlight of Junior Year Site of Study:

“Eating ice-cream and along the Seine in the 5^th with my brother and having deep philosophical discussions at the heart of modern philosophy walking through the same streets as people like Rousseau. Also: bread. And cheese.”

Awards & Scholarships:

• GLS Travel Grant
• Dean’s List

Experiential Learning: 
Marguereat

A small restaurant chain in Paris that offers healthy, sustainable, and tasteful food. The particular one that I worked at was connected with the BFMTV headquarters (a prominent private broadcast company). 

“I was a public relations intern, which basically covered everything from preparing food and working the counter to surveying the restaurant’s patrons. I had the wonderful opportunity of even interviewing some of France’s premiere political/television figures such as Jean-Jacque Bourdin, and helping receive the Secretary of Defense into the building.”

Languages:

• Spanish
• French
• Arabic

Future Plans:

“I will be starting law school at Pepperdine this fall to specialize in Dispute Resolution. I plan on giving law school my best and then starting my career in resolving persistent conflict at an international and regional level.”

_________________________________

Gabrielle Sena

Major:

• Global Liberal Studies 
        Concentration: Politics, Rights, and Development

Minor:

• Social Entrepreneurship

Thesis Title: 
We Must Be The Change In The World We Wish To Profit From

Thesis Abstract:

Shared value within a corporation is defined as “policies and operating practices that enhance the competitiveness of a company while simultaneously advancing the economic and social conditions in the communities in which it operates” (Kramer, Porter).  The paper expounds upon the evolution of modern capitalism with regard to its current, more broadly defined view of value. The context is viewed through a discussion of current business practice norms and government’s role within business. Three multinational corporations are examined using value metrics measuring aspects of the operations and strategy and bring light to best practices where sustainability and innovation can increase profits.

Junior Year Site of Study:

• Buenos Aires

Awards & Scholarships:
Dean’s List 2011-2012 Academic Year

Experiential Learning:
Ashoka Argentina

Languages:

• Spanish (fluent)

Future Plans:

Gabrielle joined Accion — a microfinance nonprofit — as the Board Liaison and Special Assistant. She is responsible for working directly with the Accion U.S. Network’s Board of Directors in addition to supporting the CEO and VP of Strategy and Development.

http://usnetwork.accion.org/meet-our-staff-board-directors#Sena
_______________________________

Ally Chiu

Major:
Global Liberal Studies 
Concentration: Politics, Rights, and Development        

Thesis Title: 
Internet &Society: How Chinese Netizens are Seeking Social Justice

Thesis Abstract:

The Chinese Internet is heavily censored and regulated, yet it has become an  avenue for free speech where users can get their voice heard. My thesis examines the function and role the Internet plays in Chinese society and the war currently being waged between government censors and netizens.

First Year Site of Study:
Paris

Junior Year Site of Study: 
Shanghai

Awards & Scholarships:

GLS Grant 2012 (to Shanghai), GLS Travel (to San Francisco, UAAC Travel Grant (Undergraduate Affairs Advising Committee), IMUSE 2012 (scholar’s program in Beijing/Hong Kong run by Tsinghua, Peking, and Harvard University students aimed at fostering mutual understanding and respect between China, Europe, and US), Probst Scholar 2010-2011, Dean’s Circle 2010-2011, Dean’s List 2009-2012, Guen Scholar 2011, Banco Santander Scholarship 2011-2012

Experiential Learning:

China Daily (Fall 2011), American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai (Spring 2012)

“China Daily is the largest English language-circulating newspaper in the People’s Republic of China. Like all news media in China, it is state-owned. My responsibilities as an intern included writing articles, copy-editing, and proofing and fact-checking articles prior to publication.  The American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai is a non-profit organization that represents the voice of American business interests in China.  The association is self-proclaimed to be ‘committed to the principles of free trade, open markets, private enterprise and the unrestricted flow of information.’  As an intern there, I researched and wrote for their Insight magazine articles, attended and wrote up Amcham-sponsored events, edited content, and maintained web pages and online materials.”

Languages:

• Mandarin Chinese
• French

Future Plans:

Ally will be attending Harvard Law School.

___________________________________

William Layden

Major:

• Global Liberal Studies — Class Valedictorian
          Concentration: Politics, Rights, and Development

Thesis Title:
On the Proposed Exports of Liquefied Natural Gas in the United States: An Analysis from Employment, Environment, and Foreign Affairs Perspective

Thesis Abstract: 

The energy outlook in the United States has undergone a complete reversal.  Technical advancements have unlocked natural gas from unconventional sources, such as shale rock, and now the US is on course to become the largest producer of natural gas in the world.  However, the ways in which the US uses this commodity will determine the extent of this energy revolution’s costs and benefits.  Exports of US liquefied natural gas will be analyzed based on their impacts on foreign affairs, employment, and the environment.  The author will attempt to assign monetary values to all externalities and nonmonetary costs/benefits in order to provide a more accurate study of the outcome of various LNG export scenarios.

Junior Year Site of Study:

• Buenos Aires

Experiential Learning: 
White House National Economic Council – Internship Oil & Gas Sector, Economic Research Group at BBVA Banco Francés   

“I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to intern at the White House National Economic Council the spring of my Sophomore year.  The faculty and administration of GLS understood how important this opportunity was to me and worked with me to make sure I would still be prepared for my junior year abroad, despite the fact that I was living in Washington DC.  During my junior year, I was able to work under the Chief Economist of BBVA Banco Francés, one of the largest banks in Argentina. One of the most interesting experiences came when the government nationalized YPF, the largest company in the country.  It was exciting to determine which firms could serve as financial and strategic partners for the newly nationalized YPF and analyze the emerging unconventional oil and gas industry in Argentina.”

Languages:

• Spanish
• Portuguese

Future Plans:

“After graduation I worked in the clean energy industry and I am now honored to serve as a Legislative Assistant for the White House Office of Legislative Affairs. The Office of Legislative serves as the President’s primary liaison to the U.S. Congress and is responsible for advancing the President’s legislative agenda on Capitol Hill. I believe the eclectic education of the Global Liberal Studies program is a key part of what has enabled me to succeed in varied positions and challenges.” _________________________________

Stefanie N. Tye

Major:

• Global Liberal Studies 
    — Politics, Rights, and Development

Minor:

• Latin American Studies

Thesis Title:   The United Soybean Republic and Argentina’s Indigenous Peoples: The Impact of Multinational Corporations on Developing Countries

Thesis Abstract:

The arrival and influence of multinational corporations, not only of an agricultural nature but of every industry, is increasingly being felt in every corner of the globe. The objective of this thesis is to explore the impact —both positive and negative— that multinational corporations (MNCs) have had on developing countries. The relationship between these two distinct groups, the strategies and motives behind corporations’ overseas investments, and the role of host governments will all be discussed.  I focus on the arrival and expansion of powerful transgenic soybean corporations in Argentina, specifically the alliance known as the United Soybean Republic, in the region of El Gran Chaco, and its effects on the local indigenous populations. However, this area also expands into the neighboring countries of Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil, who face similar economic, social and political issues due to a strong multinational presence.

• Spanish
• Korean