Democracy & Governance Student Research Symposium

The annual Democracy and Governance Student Research Symposium is hosted by the Center for Democracy and Civil Society, and is an opportunity for graduate students from D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) universities who are focused on democracy and governance to present their independent research and projects, gain practical experience, and connect with established and young professionals in the field.

2024 Symposium Presenters:

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Justice: Evaluating the Death Penalty’s Morality and Constitutionality
Presenter: Christian Coleman

Program: MA in Political Science, American University

The Mining Sector in Peru and Its Effects on Democracy and Governance Presenter: Mariana Felix Angioletti

Program: MA in International Development, George Washington University

Follow Me Out the Door: Patterns of Moral Resignation in the U.S. State Department
Presenter: Desiree Winns

Program: MA in International Affairs, George Washington University

Undermining Democracy: The Impact of Corruption on Mexico’s Democratic Institutions
Presenter: Andrea Fuentes

Program: MA in International Relations, Johns Hopkins University- SAIS

Adaptive vs Authoritative Water Governance Approaches: A Comparative Analysis of Water Management in Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Rwanda, Ghana, Botswana, and China’s Water Infrastructure Investments
Presenter: Swani Keelson

Program: SAIS, Doctorate in International Affairs, Johns Hopkins University

Punished by Color: Understanding the Growing Disproportionality of Disciplinary Rates Among Racially Minoritized Students with Disabilities
Presenter: Melody Mann

Program: PhD in Special Education, University of Maryland

None for Lady Justice: A Case Study of Women Judges in Ghana, Zambia, and Kenya and Implications on Liberal Democracy
Presenter: Leesa Danzek

Program: MA in Democracy and Governance, Georgetown University

Advancing Food Democracy: The Imperative for a National Food Bill of Rights Presenter: Tambra Raye Stevenson

Program: PhD in Communication (Media, Technology, and Democracy), American University

Bridging the Gender Gap in the Indian Military: Progress and Challenges Presenter: Shakira Jackson

Program: MA in Democracy and Governance, Georgetown University

Security and Democracy: The Growing Question of Article 9 in Japanese Democracy
Presenter: Nicholas Zochowski

Program: MA in Democracy and Governance, Georgetown University

Democracy Skills Training Manuals
Presenter: Jonathan Mendoza

Program: MA in Democracy and Governance, Georgetown University,

Regional Structural Policy in the United States and Germany
Presenter: Lucas Kreuzer

Program: MA in German and European Studies, Georgetown University

Combating Sextortion in Sri Lanka’s Public Administration Sector Presenter: Shreya Agarwal

Program: MA in International Development, George Washington University

Presentations from previous years:

2023 Symposium Presenters:

How to Rig an Election: Typologies of Malign Foreign Electoral Interference

Presenters: Adnan Basheer, Leesa Danzek, Sohila Hassan, Shakira Jackson, Mason Kane, Ruwaidah Maudarbux, Owen Myers, Maja Ochojska with support from Adjunct Professor and CDACS Senior Fellow Jeffrey Fischer

Affiliation: USAID Study Group, Georgetown University

Does Rank Choice Voting Increase Voter Turnout for Younger Generations?

Presenter: Timothy McLaughlin

Program: MA Political Science, American University

Repowering Americans: A Decentralized Approach Towards Energy Generation

Presenter: Victoria Glasgow

Program: MA Public Policy, George Mason University

Democracy 2.0: Resilience and Adaptability Built on the Neuroscience of Feeling

Presenter: Max Henning

Program: MA Democracy & Governance, Georgetown University

Obstacles to Youth Participation in the Democratic Process and Good Governance in Lebanon

Presenter: Yara Doumit