Eight years ago, after completing her undergrad degree in political science, Carla Suarez was co-directing a research project in northern Uganda, working with internally displaced youth.
鈥淲hat was amazing about the experience were the innovative ways that youth were protecting each other, even in the horror of these overcrowded displacement camps,鈥� she says, emphasize the informal support groups that were used to educate other youth about surviving abduction by the Lord鈥檚 Resistance Army.
鈥淭hey were truly inspiring. From that point on, I was committed to documenting that sort of local level response work.鈥�
That path took her back to school鈥攆irst an MA and now her PhD, both in political science at Dalhousie鈥攁nd, this week, to Montebello, Quebec, where she was announced as one of the 2012 Trudeau Scholars.
鈥淚 was extremely thrilled and honoured,鈥� says Ms. Suarez, speaking by phone from Montebello, where鈥檚 she鈥檚 attending a summer institute with her fellow scholarship recipients. 鈥淚 felt very, grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that had just come to my door.鈥�
Up to 15 Trudeau Scholarships are awarded each year to doctoral candidates pursuing research of compelling present-day concern, touching upon the themes of the Trudeau Foundation: human rights and dignity, responsible citizenship, Canada in the world, and people and their natural environment. The scholarships are for three years, and offer a $40,000 stipend and a $20,000 travel allowance each year.
Youth in conflict
The travel allowance is particularly important for Ms. Suarez, as it will allow her to visit South Sudan, the focus of her research, several times over the course of the project. Up until the most recent peace agreement, Sudan was Africa鈥檚 longest-running conflict, which makes it a compelling case study to explore how young people develop strategies and networks to deal with war and strife.
鈥淵outh are often a large segment of the population in these war zones, and they鈥檙e also the future of their countries. We all know what a complicated and difficult thing it is for any country to transition from war to peace, and investing more resources on youth and better understanding their own experiences during and after war is essential to this process.鈥�
Ms. Suarez explains most humanitarian interventions in Africa鈥攚hether they鈥檙e related to aid, peacekeeping, development or other issues鈥攁re often implemented with little regard for what local communities and individuals are doing to protect themselves. She鈥檚 hoping her research with war-affected communities can help inform better, more appropriate interventions 鈥� and empower the youth themselves. She plans on working with a cohort of young people in South Sudan to ensure that her research addresses their聽 day-to-day challenges..
鈥淚 want this to be a collaborative project, where they can help me identify and understand how my research can also be valuable and useful for them, directly. I feel that鈥檚 my ethical responsibility, as an academic.鈥�
The power of mentorship
In addition to the research opportunities that come with being a Trudeau Scholar, Ms. Suarez is also thrilled about becoming part of the Trudeau community. The program brings together its scholars, fellows and mentors a few times each year to discuss their work and share their expertise. In the second year of the scholarship, Ms. Suarez will also be linked with a Trudeau Mentor.
鈥淚t gives us a chance to talk about broader policy issues,鈥� she explains. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 really wonderful about the foundation is that it鈥檚 very interdisciplinary and intergenerational. So they do bring different perspectives into what you鈥檙e doing.鈥�
David Black, director of Dal鈥檚 Centre for Foreign Policy Studies and Ms. Suarez鈥檚 supervisor, explains that her approach to her work makes her an ideal Trudeau Scholar.
鈥淪he brings energy, insight and commitment to her scholarship,鈥� he says. 鈥淢ore to the point, she combines a relentless drive to deepen her theoretical understanding of the challenges of civilian protection, with a deep commitment to improved life prospects for the people and communities she works with.鈥�