For this second installment of the Scholars Unbound-ACUNS Tokyo Series, I had a conversation with Elizabeth Katherine Gamarra and Vanessa, both PhD students in the field of politics and international relations. Elizabeth’s PhD research is on the narratives of securitizing refugees in American press media in the context of Spanish and English languages. Vanessa, meanwhile, is researching conflict resolution in Japan’s foreign policy in countries with a hostile relationship with the United States. We talked about their research motivations and the importance of drawing on personal experiences when choosing research topics. They also shared insights on how to overcome challenges when doing a PhD and aspirations for transcending the boundaries of academia. I’m sure many of you will be inspired, as much as I was, by Elizabeth and Vanessa, the younger generation of scholars, for challenging dominant narratives and shaping the conversation surrounding some of the most pressing issues in international politics. You can find out more about them and their research projects below.

ACUNS Tokyo Liaison Office

Elizabeth is a former Fulbright and World Rotary Peace Fellow. She is currently a MEXT Fellow at International Christian University (ICU) pursuing her PhD studies in International Relations under the mentorship of Dr. Giorgio Shani. She has a double Masters in the field of Mental Health (US) and Peace and Conflict Studies (Japan) which has permitted her to work as a therapist and mediator with refugees and indigenous communities from the US, as well as engage in nonprofit work in Latin America. At the ageof 14, she founded "generations of legacies," which is an initiative focused on educational empowerment. After completing her graduate-level studies at the age of 19, she continued to grow this initiative from abroad. She currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Global Peacebuilding Association of Japan (GPAJ).

Vanessa completed her bachelor in French and Lebanese Law at Saint Joseph University in Beirut, Lebanon. She then received a MEXT scholarship, funded by the Japanese government, and pursued her higher education in Japan. She obtained a master’s degree in Political Science from Kobe University and is now in her third year of PhD. She is also a contributing writer at The Japan Times. She worked as a teaching assistant and gave undergraduate-level lectures on Japan Diplomatic History at Kobe University. She is currently a member of the Research Institute for Indo-Pacific Affairs (RIIPA).