As the Margaret Anstee Centre for Global Studies starts its second year, Director Dr Emma Mawdsley looks back on its successes so far.
“Margaret Joan Anstee matriculated at Newnham in 1944, reading Modern and Medieval Languages. She had a remarkable life, and was someone of spirit, courage and intelligence. Amongst other achievements, she became the first woman Under-Secretary General of the United Nations.
Dame Margaret left a very generous bequest to the College to support research on economic and social development, and international relations.
When the Centre launched last year we were scheduled to have one Research Fellow. Instead, thanks to further support from Judy (a Newnham alumna) and Mark Moody-Stuart, we were able to appoint two.
Dr Georgia Cole and Dr Daniela Sanchez-Lopez joined the Margaret Anstee Centre as the inaugural researchers. Dr Georgia Cole is currently exploring migration dynamics and diplomacy. Dr Daniela Sanchez-Lopez’s research focuses on the geopolitics of renewable energies and lithium in the South American salt flats of Bolivia, Argentina and Chile.
This year we are welcoming two new Fellows, Dr Mezna Qato and Dr Jessica Sklair. The disciplinary spectrum within the Centre includes Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, International Development and Refugee Studies.
Initiatives include contributing to ‘Archives of the Disappeared’ (led by Newnham Fellows Dr Yael Navaro and Dr Chana Morgenstern), The Lithium and Energy Technologies Forum, research on forced migration in the Gulf, and a project just about to be launched on Indian Development Cooperation. The latter will fund a part time project administrator in the Centre, and a number of postdoctoral researchers.
As we consolidate this year, we will continue to seek ways to engage with Newnham graduates and undergraduates, and alumnae.
Please do find out more about the Centre’s research ”