Major: International Relations
Hometown: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Thesis Advisors: Harold Trinkunas and Stephen Stedman

Tentative Thesis Title: Civil-Military Relations and Democratic Consolidation in Brazil: Examining Civilian Control Over the Armed Forces Since 1985

Why is this topic important to the field of democracy, development, and the rule of law? Civilian control of the military safeguards democracy by preventing defense and security matters from undermining majority rule, minority rights, and fundamental freedoms. Brazil, a representative democracy with a history of military rule, offers the opportunity to examine the extent of democratic civilian control over its military apparatus since the end of its dictatorship, a question on which current literature remains divided. Understanding how civil-military relations have evolved through the shifting prerogatives of the Brazilian Armed Forces can help make sense of current challenges to democratic consolidation in Brazil. Recent reports from Brazil’s federal police allege that military officers were among those involved in a plot to overturn the results of the 2022 presidential election. The planned assassination of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva — purportedly orchestrated by military personnel in support of Brazil’s far-right movement — raises significant questions about the strength of civilian oversight over the armed forces. 

What attracted you to the CDDRL undergraduate honors program? I was drawn to the Fisher Family CDDRL Honors Program for its interdisciplinary and peer-driven environment, which will allow me to deepen my understanding of civil-military relations and democratization in Latin America and learn about the projects of other cohort members. I’m excited to spend a year reading, writing, and learning from the incredible research community at CDDRL.

What are your summer research plans? After finishing my summer internship, I plan to review literature on Brazil’s democratic transition, brush up on my Portuguese, and analyze the federal police reports on the 2022 attempted coup.

Future aspirations post-Stanford: After Stanford, my long-term goal is to work in national security. While I see multiple paths in this field, I am currently interested in attending law school and exploring opportunities in the federal government and industry.

A fun fact about yourself: When I say "bag," everyone immediately knows I'm from the Midwest.

Major: Psychology & Public Policy (Environmental Economics Concentration)
Hometown:  Atherton, California
Thesis Advisor: Marie-Pierre Ulloa 

Tentative Thesis Title: Les Harkis et Les Kabyles: Une Dichotomie de la Guerre ("The Harkis and the Kabyles: A Dichotomy of War")

Why is this topic important to the field of democracy, development, and the rule of law? This topic is under-explored in undergraduate honors academia, focusing on a history from a country many can't point to on a map. The Algerian War of Independence is of special importance because it adds to broader discussions on colonial trauma, national identity, and legal exclusion through the lens of les Kabyles and les Harkis — analyzing how governance and state policies dictate collective memory, belonging, democracy, development, and the rule of law. It is when we analyze non-Western, under-explored histories that we uncover the nuances and trends across countries in the fight for and in the defense of democracy.

What attracted you to the CDDRL undergraduate honors program? My answer is twofold: (1) I admire Professor Kuo and Professor Stedman’s student-focused, personalized program approach with this current cohort. It was obvious that they’d be exceptional mentors through such an intensive process in a topic related to democracy, development, and the rule of law. (2) I'm drawn to the opportunity to analyze democracy through a personally relevant lens — my mother and family are from Algeria, making this an intellectual pursuit intertwined with my own heritage and identity.

What are your summer research plans? Outside of my other summer work plans, I'd love to visit Algeria to conduct interviews with family members and anyone else who is willing! 

Future aspirations post-Stanford: Law school and lots of attorney-ing!

A fun fact about yourself: I love playing the piano and played for 8 years when I was younger.

Major: Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity
Minor: Political Science
Hometown: Stilwell, Cherokee Reservation
Thesis Advisor: Michael Wilcox

Tentative Thesis Title: Flames of Unity; Two Governments One People: Tracing ᎠᏂᎩᏚᏩᎩ Relocation and Reunification in Oklahoma: Economic, Political, and Social Transformations

Why is this topic important to the field of democracy, development, and the rule of law? This topic is crucial to the fields of democracy, development, and the rule of law because it confronts a fundamental contradiction at the heart of American democracy: How can a nation founded on the homelands of dispossessed Indigenous peoples claim to be the world’s most exemplary democracy? This question haunts all settler nations globally. The integrity of any democracy depends on its ability to honor its legal commitments and protect the rights of all peoples within its borders. The U.S. Constitution explicitly recognizes treaties as the “supreme Law of the Land.” Yet, the repeated violation of these agreements with tribal nations exposes systemic weaknesses in the rule of law and reveals how colonial legacies continue to shape political structures.

Understanding these contradictions is not just about acknowledging historical injustices — it’s about reimagining democratic systems. How can a country that enshrines treaty obligations in its founding document continuously break them? Is reconciliation possible within the current political framework, or is the marginalization of tribal nations embedded in the fabric of the U.S.? These questions fuel my academic and career aspirations. Development cannot be sustainable if it excludes Indigenous governance, and the rule of law cannot be legitimate if it selectively applies legal principles. My work seeks to bridge this gap by exploring how the U.S. can move beyond mere reconciliation toward a political framework that empowers tribal sovereignty, integrating Indigenous governance as a vital and dynamic part of both national and global political landscapes. This is not only a matter of justice — it is essential for strengthening democracy itself.

What attracted you to the CDDRL undergraduate honors program? The CDDRL Honors Program attracted me because it challenges students to think critically about the systems shaping our world while making research impactful and accessible. I’m eager to share my perspectives, learn from others, and contribute to important conversations. More than anything, I look forward to joining a community committed to real-world change and personal growth through mentorship and collaboration.

What are your summer research plans? This summer, I plan to return home to engage with elders in my community, consult legal professionals, and conduct in-depth research on Cherokee and Keetoowah history. My goal is to gain a deeper understanding of both historical documents and the contemporary issues facing our shared community. I hope to gather insights through interviews and archival work, building a comprehensive perspective that bridges the past and present.

Future aspirations post-Stanford: After Stanford, I hope to serve my community in whatever capacity they need. I plan to continue my education to deepen my understanding of law and public policy, equipping myself to advocate for my community in both political and legal spaces. Above all, I am committed to centering Indigenous voices in academia, politics, and popular culture, ensuring our perspectives shape the conversations that impact our future.

A fun fact about yourself: A fun fact about me is that in 2021, I retraced my community’s forced removal from North Carolina to Oklahoma on the 1,000-mile Remember the Removal bike ride, which took a month to complete. Along the route, I advocated for an honest retelling of our history — moving beyond sugar-coated narratives to recenter the truth about the Trail of Tears. I continue to support new cohorts in their training and hope to take part in the ride again someday.

Major: Economics
Minor: Human Rights
Hometown: Karachi, Pakistan
Thesis Advisor: Mona Tajali

Tentative Thesis Title: From Dhabas to Mosques to Walls: A Cross Comparative Analysis of Women’s Campaigns for the Right to Public Spaces in Muslim-Majority Countries

Why is this topic important to the field of democracy, development, and the rule of law? Public space is fundamental to democratic participation, economic development, and legal protections, yet in many Muslim-majority countries, it remains overwhelmingly male-dominated. My research examines how feminist movements in Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt challenge gendered spatial exclusion, advocating for women’s right to public visibility through grassroots mobilization and digital activism. Democratically, restricted access to public space limits women’s ability to protest, engage politically, and participate in community life, reinforcing patriarchal governance structures. From a development perspective, spatial exclusion curtails economic mobility by restricting access to jobs and education. Legally, the absence of explicit protections leaves women vulnerable to harassment and state inaction, highlighting gaps in the rule of law. By conducting a cross-comparative analysis of Girls at Dhabas in Pakistan, Women in Mosques in Turkey, and Women on Walls in Egypt, I hope to provide a framework for understanding how local political, legal, and religious structures shape feminist activism. While existing scholarship has explored isolated cases of women’s exclusion from public spaces, there has been no comparative analysis of feminist campaigns for reclaiming space across different contexts. By bridging these cases, my research will contribute to broader discussions on gender, governance, and resistance in Muslim-majority societies.

What attracted you to the CDDRL undergraduate honors program? I was drawn to the CDDRL Honors Program because of its emphasis on interdisciplinary learning and its commitment to addressing global challenges. Growing up in Pakistan, I became acutely aware of how gendered exclusions shaped daily life and saw firsthand how democratic, economic, and legal frameworks (and the lack thereof) intersected with lived experiences. I’m excited for the opportunity to explore my thesis through multiple academic lenses while engaging with faculty across disciplines. Speaking with past CDDRL honors students has only reinforced my enthusiasm for joining a tight-knit cohort of peers passionate about global politics, development, and policy — and, of course, spending the next year immersed in research and writing!

What are your summer research plans? I will be working in New York for the first two months and then plan to travel to Pakistan to conduct fieldwork in August. I hope to potentially conduct interviews with members of Girls at Dhabas and also do a deep-dive into primary research in terms of the three campaigns’ hashtags, manifestos, visual media, and online posts to examine how these movements construct narratives of resistance.

Future aspirations post-Stanford: I’m interested in a variety of different fields, including policy research, strategy, law, and academia, and essentially want to work at the intersection of human rights, business, and international policy. Whether pursuing an MA in International Development or even doing a joint JD-MBA, I definitely want to keep learning and writing.

A fun fact about yourself: I went to 7 weddings this December!

Major: International Relations
Minor: Theater
Hometown: Winchester, Virginia
Thesis Advisor: Kathryn Stoner

Tentative Thesis Title: U.S. Silence as a Form of Soft Power

Why is this topic important to the field of democracy, development, and the rule of law? U.S. diplomatic silence — whether intentional or not — can shape political narratives and influence democratic trajectories. In foreign diplomacy, silence is inevitable, but in moments of crisis, it can take on meaning and create a vacuum that political actors manipulate to their advantage. By examining how silence is interpreted and even weaponized, my research will explore how silence may enable disinformation, open the door to democratic backsliding, or reshape the rule of law. 

What attracted you to the CDDRL undergraduate honors program? CDDRL has a strong, interdisciplinary network of scholars and practitioners who share a commitment to democracy and development; I hope to learn from, and contribute to, these conversations of significance.

What are your summer research plans? Interviewing key political and non-profit leaders related to my case studies.

Future aspirations post-Stanford: I plan to attend graduate school, work at the intersection of international development & foreign policy, and pursue global public service projects.

A fun fact about yourself: I was born on leap day!

Major: International Relations
Minor: European Studies
Hometown: Palo Alto, California
Thesis Advisor: Anna Grzymała-Busse

Tentative Thesis Title: A Pact to Forget and the Fight to Remember: The Shifting Landscape of Democratic Memory Politics in Spain

Why is this topic important to the field of democracy, development, and the rule of law? How countries craft the stories of their past informs how they construct their future. In many post-authoritarian democracies, the ascendance of populist radical right parties has challenged the consolidation of historical memory as they attempt to obscure and rewrite the collective memory of their authoritarian predecessors. For several decades, Spain presented a fascinating case study of a thriving democracy that stood as an exception to the emergence of populist radical right parties across Europe. Spain owed its successful democratization to the pacto del olvido — the pact of forgetting — enshrined in the 1977 Amnesty Law. However, the meteoric rise of far-right politics in Spain and their co-optation by the center right has compounded backlash against efforts to reconcile democratic memory. The Spanish right has gone beyond their efforts to preserve the status quo of the pacto del olvido by introducing leyes de concordia, or “harmony laws,” which spread false historical narratives about the Spanish Civil War and the dictatorship. It is imperative to understand what brought Spain to this point and what lessons can be drawn for other countries facing similar challenges. Examining Spain's democratic transition and its aftermath in a global context can shed light on the dynamics of shaping, consolidating, and protecting historical memory against the onslaught of authoritarian forces seeking to rewrite the past.

What attracted you to the CDDRL undergraduate honors program? I am fascinated by how democracy can erode. The initial spark was taking Professor Anna Grzymała-Busse’s course “Populism and the Erosion of Democracy” during my freshman year. Conducting research with the CDDRL by aiding Professor Grzymała-Busse in the Global Populisms Project put the knowledge I gained in her course into action, analyzing current electoral trends of populist politicians across the globe. Writing my honors thesis with the CDDRL honors program will culminate my academic and research journey at Stanford. I am very excited to join a cohort of like-minded peers under the guidance of CDDRL faculty and embark on the thesis writing process in a collaborative space.

What are your summer research plans? I will begin the summer in Brussels interning with the Renew Europe Group, one of the European Union’s parliamentary groups. I will then travel to Spain to experience first-hand how memorial narratives are integrated into Spanish society. I am eager to conduct on-the-ground research, visit historical archives and sites, and connect with scholars specializing in Spanish democracy and memory politics.

Future aspirations post-Stanford: I look forward to returning to Europe to continue my study of politics and international affairs by pursuing a master’s degree. I may then pursue a PhD or begin a career in public policy.

A fun fact about yourself: I dance with XTRM, Stanford’s K-Pop dance team!

Major: Public Policy and Data Science & Social Systems
Minor: Jewish Studies
Hometown: Mercer Island, Washington 
Thesis Advisor: Hakeem Jefferson 

Tentative Thesis Title: The Impact of Electoral Systems on Political Representation

Why is this topic important to the field of democracy, development, and the rule of law? I plan to explore how different voting systems, such as ranked choice voting and open primaries, influence representation in office through the mitigation of strategic discrimination. Representation that reflects the electorate is a key and necessary component of a healthy democracy. It is essential to understand the impact of election systems as an increasing number of states and municipalities experiment with alternative voting methods. By examining past and present behavior, I aim to identify which voting systems currently being administered in the U.S. present the best ability to reduce bias in future elections.

What attracted you to the CDDRL undergraduate honors program? I was drawn to the CDDRL honors program for the opportunity to collaborate on interdisciplinary projects and learn from students and faculty with a variety of research interests and areas of expertise. I plan to pursue an academic research career, so I am excited to extend my skills while conducting a senior honors thesis through CDDRL.

What are your summer research plans? This summer, I plan to conduct most of my research and data analysis, including fielding multiple surveys gauging the voting behavior and attitudes of the American public.

Future aspirations post-Stanford: After Stanford, I'm planning on pursuing a Ph.D. in the social sciences. 

A fun fact about yourself: I play the French Horn in the Stanford Wind Symphony!

Major: Data Science & Social Systems
Hometown: Palo Alto, California
Thesis Advisor: Adam Bonica 

Tentative Thesis Title: Knowledge Sharing in Democracy Promoting Institutions

Why is this topic important to the field of democracy, development, and the rule of law? As the world falls deeper into a democratic recession, I am interested in how knowledge is shared between the actors intent on preserving it. Democracy practitioners (activists, civil society leaders, government officials) and scholars worldwide are working in parallel to build and preserve democratic institutions. I want to understand how knowledge flows between them, with a focus on the democracy promoting institutions meant to facilitate that exchange. The hope is that by understanding how knowledge currently flows, there is the potential for improvements to that system to ensure the right information reaches those who need it.

What attracted you to the CDDRL undergraduate honors program? The program will allow me to both pursue a thesis in my area of interest — democracy and governance — and do so with interdisciplinary support from the incredible CDDRL team and honors cohort.

What are your summer research plans? I have applied for the VPUE major grant, and hope to spend the summer conducting interviews with practitioners and scholars across the world. 

Future aspirations post-Stanford: I am quite interested in how data science can be leveraged to better understand (and hopefully improve) social and political issues, particularly those in democracy and governance. Besides that, I'm still trying to figure out the whole what-am-i-going-to-do-with-the-rest-of-my-life-thing, but I am currently considering either a Master's in Management Science and Engineering with a focus in Computational Social Science, or a Master's in International Policy. 

A fun fact about yourself: I think dangling off the sides of cliffs and being freezing whilst walking uphill carrying heavy things counts as a good time (I like to climb). 

Major: Economics & Political Science
Minor: Mathematics
Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts & Oxford, UK
Thesis Advisor: Larry Diamond & Javier Mejia

Tentative Thesis Title: Toward a Theory of the Evolution of the Global Political Economy: Varieties of Democracy, Development and Law

Why is this topic important to the field of democracy, development, and the rule of law? The theory that I am developing aims to explain which forms of political economy were the most successful in the 20th century and to predict which will be the most successful in the 21st century in terms of democracy, development, and the rule of law.  This is hopefully important for the field of DDRL as it endeavors to map out the policy tradespace for our triad phenomena. 

What attracted you to the CDDRL undergraduate honors program? While I am writing two other honors theses in economics and political science on different aspects of the evolution of the global political economy from their respective disciplinary bases, the CDDRL honors program will allow me the freedom to explore this interdisciplinary topic through three other important lenses: democracy, development, and the rule of law. I also look forward to working with talented and passionate faculty and peers.

What are your summer research plans? I look forward to continuing to work on my honors theses, which I began last year under a VPUE Major Research grant. I was also invited to work at the White House Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) and to travel to China with Stanford’s Center on China’s Economy and Institutions (SCCEI), both of which would advance my research.

Future aspirations post-Stanford: I would like to undertake a joint JD/PhD in political economy and to work in the academy, public, and private sectors.

A fun fact about yourself: I was the youngest person in UK history to litigate on behalf of the disabled in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Employment Tribunal, where I cross-examined a dozen senior leaders of a $500 million organization in a 40-day trial for an ongoing four-year, multi-million dollar lawsuit, in which I have been acting on a pro bono basis.

Major: Political Science
Minor: Economics
Hometown: Fremont, California
Thesis Advisor: Vasiliki Fouka

Tentative Thesis Title: Trade, Trust, and Populism: Weighing Norm Adherence against Economic Protectionism

Why is this topic important to the field of democracy, development, and the rule of law? Studying countries’ behaviors as importers and exporters of goods can be an incredibly tangible way to observe their ideological retreat from globalization. While populist leaders often reject global economic institutions in rhetoric, it remains unclear the degree to which they follow through with actual policy deviations. Understanding this dynamic seems crucial because trade norms shape global economic confidence and the integrity of many post-WWII institutions. If populist regimes strategically engage in trade agreements while publicly undermining institutional mechanisms, this could have lasting implications for the legitimacy of international law and economic development.

Papers analyzing trends in industrial policy have become influential in both private sector spaces and among the broader public. They offer tangible metrics like exports, FDI, and trade law violations to help conceptualize shifts in global sentiments. My research seeks to build on this and discuss recent trade-related uncertainty along with the broader tension between nationalist politics, economic protectionism, and the feasibility of future international coordination.

What attracted you to the CDDRL undergraduate honors program? My experiences as a research assistant at Stanford have shown me the value of research tasks like weighing different metrics and consulting a wide range of existing literature, but my time interning in DC also helped me see the impact that such research can have through government briefings, advisory positions, and a variety of other mechanisms. The CDDRL Honors Program appealed to me as an opportunity to help bridge the gap between the rapid pace of today’s trade policy world and the foundational political economy literature I’ve encountered as a Political Science student. I hope to learn about creative research pathways and engage with scholars and our cohort on evolving international trade relations. 

What are your summer research plans? I plan to spend the summer finding quantitative data on trade intervention measures and the frequency of their use in recent years, along with data on country-level WTO engagement.

Future aspirations post-Stanford: I'm hoping to explore work in international law and relations between the public and private sectors, since both seem relevant to international economics conversations! I also hope to combine my interest in national security with trade and economics.

A fun fact about yourself: The first guitar solo I learned to play was Hotel California by The Eagles.

Major: Political Science
Hometown: Naperville, Illinois
Thesis Advisor: Jonathan Rodden 

Tentative Thesis Title: Broadband for All: Historical Lessons and International Models for U.S. Internet Policy

Why is this topic important to the field of democracy, development, and the rule of law? Today, Internet access determines who can fully participate in modern life, providing essential connections to health and social services, remote work and education, and digital communication. However, approximately 10% of U.S. households lack broadband access, with the majority residing in rural or underprivileged areas where infrastructure is costly and less profitable to develop. For example, 60% of low-income households in San Jose lack broadband — a stark reality often described as “living without the internet in the heart of Silicon Valley.” These disparities deepen existing inequalities in access to democracy, economic opportunities, and civic life. To address how broadband access can be improved in the United States, I aim to explore the history of the Internet’s development, examine broadband access models in peer nations, and identify lessons that domestic policymakers can draw from these approaches.

What attracted you to the CDDRL undergraduate honors program? Some of my most fulfilling experiences in college have come from structured exchanges of ideas that integrate diverse disciplinary methods and values. For example, I have studied democratic theory, immersed myself in technical coursework, and applied both perspectives at the d.school to design technical solutions for a legal aid clinic alongside lawyers and technologists. These collaborations have reinforced my belief in the power of interdisciplinary problem-solving. At CDDRL, I hope to continue bridging disciplines — leveraging technical and theoretical insights to explore pressing governance challenges — while nurturing a community where scholars can learn from one another.

What are your summer research plans? I plan to read deeply on literature on my topic, starting this spring with Barbara van Schewick's Internet Architecture & Innovation (network neutrality and its effect on access/innovation), Katie Hafner's Where Wizards Stay up Late (origins of the Internet), and Jonathan Nuechterlein's Digital Crossroads (U.S. telecommunications policy). I hope that through extensive reading, I will build a broad foundation of knowledge that helps me pinpoint the unanswered questions I want to explore and the best methods to address them.

Future aspirations post-Stanford: After completing my master's in computer science, I hope to go to law school and work in technology law. 

A fun fact about yourself: I started lion dancing when I came to college!

Major: Political Science
Minor: Economics, Music 
Hometown: Jakarta, Indonesia
Thesis Advisor: Larry Diamond

Tentative Thesis Title: Why Resist? The Microfoundations of Democratic Resilience in an Age of Backsliding

Why is this topic important to the field of democracy, development, and the rule of law? This project explores how the way people understand democracy shapes how much they value it — and, ultimately, whether they’re willing to defend it when it’s under threat. If democracy is seen only as a tool for delivering economic development rather than as a system rooted in rights and accountability, then public resistance to democratic backsliding weakens, making it easier for elites to erode democratic norms without pushback.

What attracted you to the CDDRL undergraduate honors program? I am excited by CDDRL’s commitment to global perspectives on democracy, especially as someone eager to bring Southeast Asia — and Indonesia in particular — into broader comparative conversations on democratic resilience. It’s also a chance to explore a question I care deeply about, and to approach it not just as an academic exercise, but as something with real-world stakes and practical relevance.

What are your summer research plans? I’ll be interning at the World Bank’s Development Impact Group, hopefully getting a better sense of how rigorous research translates into tangible policies across a variety of sociopolitical contexts. After that, I’ll spend some time back home in Indonesia conducting fieldwork and collaborating with a few survey experts to design new public opinion experiments aimed at capturing the subtler nuances of democratic commitment. 

Future aspirations post-Stanford: The democracy promotion and international development industries have regrettably been flung into a great deal of uncertainty lately, so my current plans are similarly up in the air. That said, I hope to work at a think tank for a year in D.C. before pursuing a graduate degree in Political Science.  

A fun fact about yourself: I got furloughed from the National Endowment for Democracy when the Trump administration froze foreign assistance funding...