An international expert on the politics of global aid, conflict and security will join the University of British Columbia as a visiting fellow, thanks to a $225,000 prize from the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation.
Macartan Humphreys, who joins UBC from Columbia University as a visiting fellow in the Department of Political Science, is one of four Trudeau Fellowship prize recipients announced today. The prize is awarded to individuals who have made meaningful contributions to social issues of importance to Canada.
Humphreys, an associate professor and the director of the Centre for the Study of Development Strategies at Columbia University, has been recognized for his experimental field approach to research on the political economy of development. He is currently working on a study on political accountability in Uganda and projects on post-conflict development and political participation in Liberia and Congo.
“UBC is grateful to the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation for recognizing the important contributions Prof. Humphreys has made to our understanding of international development, human rights and security,” says David Farrar, Provost and Vice President, Academic at UBC. “We are thrilled that Prof. Humphreys, a leader in his field, will be working with students and faculty to share knowledge and examine critical issues of international importance.”
“Over the course of the next year I will be expanding my investigations of the effects of international aid on social and political structures in Africa,” says Humphreys, who is an Irish citizen. “I look forward to collaborating with colleagues at UBC who have established a hub of expertise on human security, economics and international development.”
In addition to joining UBC’s Department of Political Science, Humphreys will be affiliated with the Departments of Economics and Geography and the Liu Institute for Global Issues.
The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation was established in 2001 to support individuals who make meaningful contributions to critical public issues through its scholarship, fellowship, mentorship and public interaction programs. Past UBC Trudeau Fellows include: Prof. William Rees, School of Community and Regional Planning (2007), and Prof. David Ley, Dept. of Geography (2003).
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