My doctoral research examines how citizens’ understandings of Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty and cartography impact nationalism and conceptions of identity at the local level. By comparing Ukraine’s border communities of Chernihiv and Zakarpattia to the central region of Kirovohrad, I examine the relative influence of six of Ukraine's neighboring states (Russia, Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania) on cultural and national identities. In doing so, I analyze the ways that individuals’ conceptualizations of space, place, and territory shape their social and political practices and processes, as well as their worldviews and identifications.
Born and raised in Canada, I completed both my BA (High Honours) in International Studies and my MA in Political Science at the University of Saskatchewan.
Prior to pursuing my PhD, I served as a legislative intern and policy analyst with the Saskatchewan Legislature in Regina, Canada. I have volunteered extensively in Canada, the UK, and Ukraine, including at five camps for orphaned children and as an international electoral observer with CANADEM during Ukraine’s three most recent elections. I also spent one summer studying the Ukrainian language at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, Ukraine.
Research topic
Re-Envisioning Nationalism from the Borderlands of a Borderland: An Analysis of Post-Soviet Ukraine
Teaching experience
- IR100 International Relations: Theories, Concepts and Debates (ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Department of International Relations)
- MY421 Qualitative Research Methods (ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Department of Methodology)
Academic supervisor
Professor Tomila Lankina