Email us your updated profile so friends and colleagues know what you're up to now. Remember to include links to where you're working now, online publications, current campaigns, etc.
*Please note that the MSc Gender, Development and Globalisation degree name has changed over the years.
Minkyu Lee (MSc Gender, Development and Globalisation, 2012-13) writes: 'Hello, I’m Minkyu Lee, who graduated from the GI on 18th of December, 2013, having successfully completed MSc Gender, Development and Globalisation under the smart teaching and supervision of brilliant GI professors with wonderful friends and colleagues of diversity. After this amazing and valuable one year journey, I started my own exploration to think over how to apply what I have learned from the time being in the GI and how to act upon it. So, I decided to stay at home in Busan, my hometown, for about 6 months, doing domestic work and going on occasional internet activism to understand what it is like to be at home actually. Then, I decide to do a little bit of work outside home by teaching languages to little kids in a local private language institute, which made me go back to where I was before I actually started this journey, where I used to dream about becoming many different figures, jobs and social roles. With a wake-up call from one friend of mine from those dreamy days, I started to navigate further what I could do with my postgraduate study in Seoul, soul of Asia, and found a women’s non-profit organization called Asia Women bridge DoRunDoRun, where I participated in a beautiful fundraising event night for Nepalese Women as a volunteer, translated documents from its Gender Café in Cambodia and studied together with various women from diverse backgrounds in Korea talking about transnational solidarity in many different lectures organized by it. After that short but quality time and experience, I started looking for an opportunity to experience working in an international organization which has been my dream career destination since my bachelor’s years but not yet realized. With a few failed attempts, my vigorous trying resulted in a finance and administration internship position in the Seoul office of World Food Programme, where I could ponder upon the relations between gender and poverty. I now have finished the internship with so much memory with lovely and trustworthy people I have met there and am looking forward to another journey to come. Whatever the next stage will be, I do know that I can be and do anything if I remember what I have learned and shared with my friends in the GI, and I am happy and proud that I have been and am a part of GI.'
Taylor Riley (MSc in Gender, Development and Globalisation, 2011-2012) writes: 'Since my degree I completed an internship at a women’s human rights organisation in New Delhi (PWESCR) and did a postgraduate diploma in social science research methods at University of Sussex. I am currently working on my PhD in Media Studies at Bayreuth International Graduate School for African Studies (BIGSAS) in Bayreuth, Germany. My research focuses on the production of knowledge about women who love other women in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. At the moment I’m nearing the end of seven months of ethnographic fieldwork in South Africa and will complete my PhD in 2017.'
Jeanne Firth (MSc Gender, Development and Globalisation, 2009-2010) writes: 'I came to the GI with a Bachelor of Specialised Studies in Peace and Conflict Studies. What I enjoyed most about being at the GI was getting to know the incredible students, staff and faculty. The casual discussions and debates with other students outside of class were just as important as the learning going on inside the classroom. My dissertation focused on the 'obesity epidemic' by examining Michelle Obama's 'Let's Move' childhood obesity prevention campaign. I'm now eager to explore food systems in global context through activism and further academic work.'
Ciara Daniels (MSc Gender, Development and Globalisation, 2006-2007) has just started an UN-INSTRAW position on the Gender, Peace and Security programme in the Dominican Republic.
Hilde Roren (MSc Gender, Development and Globalisation, 2006-2007) is at the Women's Budget Group based in London.
Tania Saeed (MSc Gender, Development and Globalisation, 2005-2006) I started my PhD (DPhil) in Education at the University of Oxford in 2008. 'I am exploring the experiences, encounters, approaches and responses to Islamophobia by Pakistani and British Pakistani female students in universities in England.' (March 2010).
Margrethe Kleiber (MSc Gender and Development, 2005-2006) is back living in Virginia till next summer.
Dikshya Thapa (MSc Gender, Development and Globalisation, 2005-2006) has begun her first year of a PhD in the sociology department at Brown University. Her topic is broadly on social/critical theory particularly Gramsci and Foucault, third world feminism, and political economy of development focusing on trade, institutions and growth.
Nkechi Eke (MSc Gender, Development and Globalisation, 2004-2005) has (just) been appointed Regional Gender Advisor for West Africa, Oxfam GB (June 06).
Alisha Fernandez (MSc Gender, Development and Globalisation, 2004-2005) wrote in April 08, "back in London now, working for a consultancy called Archimede, a company of Changing Our World ,a New York based philanthropic services firm. My focus is on corporate social engagement consulting (quite relevant to my dissertation, actually), and I'm very glad to be back in London and launching our office over here". Alisha recently talked to our new cohort of 70 (!) on behalf of UNIFEM, which we much appreciate.
Catherine O'Rourke (MSc Gender and Development, 2003-2004) has been appointed Lecturer in Human Rights/International Law & Gender Research Coordinator, Transitional Justice Institute at the University of Ulster. She has been awarded the Basil Chubb Prize for her PhD.
"I can honestly say that any academic success I've achieved since at LSE is all down to the enormous amount I learned with the Gender Institute. Having survived (and enjoyed!) such a demanding intellectual environment, I was well-equipped to take my feminist curiosity to other venues and other projects." - Catherine
Nadja Dolata (MSc Gender and Development, 2003-2004) is working for UNDP Bratislava Regional Centre for Europe and CIS as a project consultant/associate managing the implementation of the 'capacity building for more effective gender mainstreaming' phase II project, which includes budgeting, monitoring, evaluation and reporting.
Almas Sayeed (MSc Gender and Development, 2003-2004) writes (October 2007, 2003-2004) 'I transitioned from the think tank world where I was focusing on economic policy to a position with a Senator in Congress. A couple of months ago, I accepted an administrative appointment with the office of the Governor of New York, primarily based in DC. I focus on federal economic policy, including anti-poverty programs, housing and development. It has been a full and interesting few months but I am excited to go back to school.' Almas is applying to go to Law School and thus to a PhD in the future.
Carla Murphy (MSc Gender and Development, 2003-2004) writes 12/1/05: "I've recently landed an editorial traineeship (Editorial Ass't) with O, The Oprah Magazine here in New York. My job's all about pitching stories to the editors and I'm all about Gender & Development!" She'd also like alum to know of her position so that if they have any great stories, please can you forward them on at carphie@nyc.rr.com
Melissa Fernandez (MSc Gender and Development, 2003-2004) is now back at LSE, doing a PhD in Sociology with Suki Ali. She wrote earlier this summer to Hazel, "My project is on how women are organizing (politically or otherwise) around changes (both social and physical) within Puerto Rico's low-income housing projects. It is a study about the relationship between space/place and gender, looking at PR and the housing projects themselves as post-colonial spaces. I'll be going back to Puerto Rico the first week of August to carry out my field research (for a whole year!). "
Nana Sekyiamah (MSc Gender and Development, 2002-2003) writes, "I have set up a Social Enterprise with my business partner Alberta Stevens. We are both directors of the organisation which is called Southern Narratives. It is a development education and training consultancy which works both in the public and private sectors. As a Social Enterprise we are a company with charitable objectives reinvesting our profits back into the company, our employees and the community. I am coordinating a DFID run project which involves training a group of African women active in the community to facilitate development education sessions in schools. As part of the project I am coordinating a Research and Dialogue phase with both prospective schools and participants in order to determine what they would like to see included in the project."
Marie Sandell (MSc Gender and Development, 2001-2002) "I'm doing a PhD at the History Department at RHUL. I'm looking at international women's organizations and co-operation in the interwar period. (12/6/05)"
Sherry Chopra (MSc Gender and Development, 2001-2002) is at Southall Black Sisters.
Jessica Horn (MSc Gender and Development, 2001-2002) was until recently Program Officer, Women's Rights & Minority Rights with Sigrid Rausing Trust http://www.sigrid-rausing-trust.org/. She writes 31/3/08, "After working at the Trust for almost 3 years I moved to Freetown Sierra Leone and am working as an independant consultant with a focus on women's rights, HIV/AIDS sexual rights and philanthropy. I am also active in the African Feminist Forum and working on another collection of poetry...."
Fareeha Malik Ummar (MSc Gender and Development, 2000-2001) writes in April 02, 'I feel so happy and indebted to staff in gender and development institute for facilitating an opportunity to improve my learning and knowledge on related concepts It is hoped that the recent academic exposure will play a key role in making progress in my professional growth and career. Finally the good news is that I have been absorbed as Gender Coordinator a senior position in an NGO. Its name is Agha Khan Rural Support Program (AKRSP) and has numerable achievements on its record. The approach employed or model developed by AKRSP for poverty alleviation in rural areas has been successful to an extent that it is being replicated at a national scale in Pakistan and has also gained acknowledgement at a regional level. I will keep you posted of the developments at my end.'
Niamh Doherty (MSc Gender and Development, 2000-2001) wrote in May 2008 that she is studying for the California Bar exam in a few months' time. 'Once I'm a licensed attorney, I'll practice civil litigation'.
Nina Nordberg (MSc Gender and Development, 2000-2001) (writes as of September 03) "From 22.09 I will be working as Human Rights Officer for the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights in Warsaw, Poland. I will be seconded by the Foreign Ministry of Finland initially for a period of one year. The position involves human rights monitoring and analysis, design, implementation and assessment of projects to strengthen human rights protection as well as preparing reports on various human rights issues. ..and from a previous email in June 03: "Ruchika worked for the German NGO GTZ until she got married last December and moved to Mumbai, Fareeha is working with rural livelihoods in northern Pakistan, Elodie has moved back to London after finishing her contract with IOM in Geneva and Isobel is also back in London after a year with the UN in Eritrea. What a diverse group!"
Claudia Briones (MSc Gender and Development, 2000-2001) writes (July 02): 'Soon after handing in my dissertation I took off to Thailand for a two month backpacking trip! Had the time of my life and enjoyed the adventures of travelling. Soon after I was accepted to an internship program in the European Commission Delegation at the United Nations in New York. Was a really stressful experience but really enriching and exciting. I was mainly responsible for covering issues in Social Development and Human Rights of the Third Committee of the General Assembly and so got a great insight of the way gender is "integrated" (hmmmmmm????) at the multilateral level. I have been in contact with an NGO in Costa Rica called the "Fundacion Genero y Sociedad" that has offered me work to help them research and update a big study theyre carrying out on the status of women in Costa Rica. The have also offered me the possibility of participating in many other interesting projects they are carrying out - mainly related to violence against women, prostitution, migration, etc... I'm really excited at the prospect and think it will be a wonderful and enriching experience. They are expecting me to start sometime at the end of September/beginning of October.'
Madeleine Kennedy McFoy (MSc Gender and Development, 1999-2000) is at Goldsmiths on an ESRC funded PhD.
Nazneen Damni (MSc Gender and Development, 1994-1995) writes: After graduating, Nazneen worked as a researcher for the United Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi, Kenya from 1996-97, assisting in the development of UNEP's strategy on gender equality and the environment. From 1997-98, she was a Programme Officer in the Women's Rights Programme of the INternational Cnetre for Human Rights and Democratic Develpoment in Montreal, Canada, focusing on women's rights in the context of conflict. This work included monitoring the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. In 1998, Nazneen started working with the United Nations Development Fund for Women in New York on women's economic secuirty and rights. She continued working in UNIFEM as a Programme Associate in New York, providing programming support in the area of women's economic security and rights for the Asia-Pacific and Arab States regional programmes.