We are delighted to announce that Professor Meenakshi Chhabra from Lesley University has joined UNESCO Centre as part of the Fulbright Scholar Program.
Meenakshi is the Director of the Global Interdisciplinary Studies Program at Lesley University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. She is both a practitioner and researcher in the field of Peace and Conflict Studies. She is also the Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the University’s Violence Against Women Initiative.
Her project, History Education of Events of Violence: A Comparative Study between Northern Ireland, India and South Africa, was awarded a Fulbright Global Fellowship beginning July 2017. Last year, Meenaskshi completed the India segment of her research in association with WISCOMP (Women for International Security and Conflict Management and Peace.) Her project will be completed in 2019 when she travels to Stellenbosch University, the co-host institution for this Fellowship.
Specifically, Professor Chhabra’s project will draw comparisons between three critical historical events in the three contexts.
Speaking about her arrival in Northern Ireland, Professor Chhabra said:
“I am very pleased to join the UNESCO Centre and look forward to continuing my project. The research I will conduct at Ulster will be immensely valuable to my Fellowship. It will allow me to gain a real insight into history education and controversial events in Northern Ireland. I also look forward to developing the international partnership between Lesley, Ulster and Stellenbosch Universities.”
Professor Alan Smith (Director of the UNESCO Centre) welcomed her stating:
“We are delighted that Meenakshi has chosen to conduct research here at Ulster. Her innovative comparative project will provide an important contribution into the analysis of contested histories and their impact on history education. The Centre looks forward to working with her and establishing close ties between ourselves and Lesley University.”
Meenakshi’s visit itinerary also includes a visit to The Georg Eckert Institute, Braunschweig, Germany. She will present at their annual Georg Arnhold International Summer School, as part of this year's theme Preventing Violent Extremism Through Education.
You can read more about Professor Chhabra’s research here, including a list of publications