SPS Stories
Student Spotlight
Emily Johnson
When Research is Informed by Real-world Experiences
Fast Facts
- Graduate assistant in the NYU Peace Research and Education Program (PREP)
- Deeply interested in gender, the mitigation of sexual violence, and sex education
- For Emily, being a peacebuilder often means learning how to let local actors take the lead
<p><span class="p-body">Emily Johnson is studying in the <a href="/content/sps-nyu/explore/degrees-and-programs/ms-in-global-affairs.html" target="_blank">MS in Global Affairs</a> program at the <a href="/content/sps-nyu/about/academic-divisions-and-departments/center-for-global-affairs.html" target="_blank">NYU SPS Center for Global Affairs (CGA)</a>, where she is a graduate assistant in the <a href="https://www.nyupeace.education/" target="_blank">NYU Peace Research and Education Program (PREP)</a>. She assists on the "Municipal Leaders Building Peace" participatory action research project that engages two partner organizations: RESURPAZ in Colombia and Moomken in Libya. PREP, led by Clinical Professor Thomas Hill and Associate Director Katerina Siira, commemorates its fifth anniversary on February 28.We couldn't wait to ask Emily all of our burning questions about PREP and her research.</span></p>
Advocacy Shaped by Passion
<p><span class="p-body">Before applying to the <a href="/content/sps-nyu/explore/degrees-and-programs/ms-in-global-affairs.html" target="_blank">MS in Global Affairs</a> program, Emily earned her bachelor's degree in Global Studies and Spanish at La Sierra University in California. Deeply interested in gender, the mitigation of sexual violence, and sex education, Emily's undergraduate research centered on the religious and social influences of Latin American culture on teenage pregnancies in Latin American women.</span></p>
<p><span class="p-body">When she wasn't studying or conducting research, Emily spent her free time as an English literacy tutor for Spanish speakers in Riverside, California, and translated documents and interpreted for asylum seekers from Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua in Blythe, California.</span></p>
<p><span class="p-body">Emily's curiosity and determination were the driving force behind her decision to apply to the MS in Global Affairs program.</span></p>
I had known for a long time that I wanted to get my master's degree in international affairs. NYU offered me even more: the chance to study peacebuilding and international development. I was immediately drawn to the peacebuilding concentration headed by Dr. Hill. He often used examples from his work in PREP in our peacebuilding class."
<p><span class="p-body">When she heard that PREP was looking for a Spanish-speaking graduate assistant, Dr. Hill encouraged her to apply, and "I'm so glad I did!" she reflects.</span></p>
Applying Classroom Knowledge to Real-world Peacebuilding
<p><span class="p-body">Emily thrives in PREP's dynamic atmosphere. As she learns in the classroom, she applies her peacebuilding knowledge in real-time while working there. <br />
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The PREP team is currently working on ways to understand and measure relationships and trust. One topic I am looking at is how we measure trust between teams and individuals. If forming collaborative relationships is a sign of success in peacebuilding, then we must figure out how to measure relationship strength. But we must also understand that one team's definition of success is not the same as another's, so research is constantly evolving. There's no 'one size fits all' research methodology, so adaptability is key."
<p><span class="p-body">Emily's coworkers and collaborators also contribute to her accelerated learning. "I've learned so much in my short time there. Katerina has been incredibly helpful in guiding me through my work. She has shown me how peacebuilding processes work for each of our partners, explained participatory action research (PAR), and even showed me a songbook containing folk songs for peacebuilding and community from FUNRESURPAZ, one of our partners," she reflects. <br />
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Lessons Learned for the Future
<p><span class="p-body">For Emily, engaging with the world as a peacebuilder often means learning how to let local actors take the lead. "They have insights and knowledge that allow them to better understand the nature of the violent conflict, which they've often been immersed in for years, or even decades," she adds. To understand one another better, Emily uses a dynamic approach that involves inclusive teaching practices that "make everyone a learner and everyone a teacher, allowing us to uncover hidden knowledge," she says. Additionally, decolonization has been front of mind for Emily since she started working with PREP.</span></p>
<p><span class="p-body">"Peacebuilding, historically, has had deeply neo-colonialist undertones, which have guided Western understanding of the practice. This kind of paternalism, which ignores the knowledge and culture of local actors, can grind peacebuilding to a halt and even further damage relationships," she reflects. Knowing when to step back and let others take the lead is a critical skill for peacebuilders.</span></p>
<p><span class="p-body">Students in the <a href="/content/sps-nyu/explore/degrees-and-programs/ms-in-global-affairs.html" target="_blank">MS in Global Affairs</a> program have the opportunity to place themselves at the center of peacebuilding and international relations. Join Emily and other students who are learning the ins and outs of global affairs today.</span></p>
