PRIZE-WINNING MASTER DISSERTATION: Local communities and forest conservation in Malaysia
In recent years, many development projects have focused on the empowerment of so-called “beneficiaries”, particularly in contexts affecting the livelihoods of indigenous populations. In her Master in Development Studies, Agathe Le Vaslot explored knowledge production and governmentality in the design and early implementation of the Upper Baram Forest Conservation Project in Sarawak, Malaysia. As she explains in this interview, she found that local communities were excluded from meaningful acknowledgement and participation. Her research was awarded the 2023 Geneva-Asia Association Prize and is now published in open access thanks to the support of the Vahabzadeh Foundation....
Suba Umathevan, CEO of Drosos Foundation, reflects on her time at the Geneva Graduate Institute.
"The Institute also emphasised empathy, cultural sensitivity, and the importance of listening and understanding diverse contexts – skills that have been invaluable in my leadership roles. Even 15 years after graduation, I would still choose the Institute for my graduate studies....
SIS Alumna Creates Safer Workplaces for Women
Protecting women and creating safe workplaces takes action and effort at every level, from federal governments to individuals. Over 140 nations have some form of legislation that addresses workplace misconduct and violence, but operationalizing those rules and establishing accountability takes many people, including people like Livia Mueller, SIS/BA ’10, SIS/MA ‘13....
Global Connections
For Manus McCaffery MA ’18, an associate political affairs officer with the UN, the ability to build relationships is the key to developing lasting solutions to complex issues in communities around the globe....
Better Together
Jackson grad Dira Fabrian represents her native Indonesia with a regional organization that promotes economic, social, and cultural progress across southeast Asia....
Pursuing A Lifelong Passion for Public Service
From a young age, Jackson alum Rheanne Wirkkala knew she wanted to work in government. The steps she’s taken since — from Yale to Capitol Hill to the Pentagon — have been in pursuit of that dream....
Alumnus Dmytro Kuchirka Hopes to Return to Ukraine ‘to Make Life Better’ and Help Rebuild
Dmytro Kuchirka ’22 B.A. (Econ/IR) returned to Syracuse from his home in Ukraine just three weeks before the Russian invasion. He had been home for winter break during his senior year at the Maxwell School....
Meet SSE alum Alen Musaefendic (Senior Analyst at the Swedish Psychological Defence Agency, stationed in Brussels at the European External Action Service)
Using his drive to shape real-world events, Alen Musaefendic, SSE alum and Senior Analyst at the Swedish Psychological Defence Agency, stationed in Brussels at the European External Action Service, focuses on fighting disinformation and hybrid threats in the Western Balkans and beyond....
Meet SSE alum Agnes Nilsson (Political Advisor at the European Parliament)
The skills, experiences and relationships I gained at SSE have been fundamental to where I am today. During my final year at SSE I was a Wallenberg International Fellow, which meant that I got to study at Georgetown University and conduct an internship in Washington, D.C. It was the perfect way to develop my interest in the intersection of business and politics and explore different career options. I also received a lot of support from SSE professors and advisors, both during and after my studies....
Meet SSE alum Johanna Modigsson (Economic and Financial Affairs Counsellor at the Permanent Delegation of Sweden to the OECD and UNESCO in Paris)
In times of crises there is always a great demand for analysis, policy guidance and multilateral coordination, and international organisations like the OECD have an important role to play in this respect. But most countries are also facing long-term challenges, which will require significant efforts and cooperation to figure out solutions to. Often there is no consensus on the best way to solve a problem, but this only emphasises the importance of providing evidence-based analysis to give policymakers a sound basis for decisions....
Leah Rheinberger's path to climate policy
Leah Rheinberger’s lifelong passion for nature conservation led her on a transformative path to Crawford, where she discovered a profound connection between science, policy, and the urgent call for climate action....
Turning passion into practice with Crawford graduate Hiroshi Maeda
Driven by a desire to translate passion into policy, Hiroshi Maeda's Crawford journey is transformative, deepening his grasp of socioeconomic issues for impactful change in the Asia-Pacific. ...