The Department of Government is proud to honor our 2024-25 graduating Ph.D. students, whose academic curiosity, dedication, and resilience represent the very best of our scholarly community.
This year, we celebrate Evelyn Boyden, Reed Rasband, Austin Jordan, Hunter Rendleman, Ye Helen Zhang, Brian Palmiter, Mafalda Pratas, Jordan Rudinsky, Juan Dodyk, Katherine Irajpanah, Sophie Pangle, Chris Kenny, Ed Ngai, Manuel Melendez Sanchez, Shelby Carvalho, Jialu Li, Madai Urteaga Quispe, Liz Thom, Sarah Mohammed, and Akshay Dixit.
On Wednesday, May 28th, we gathered with friends and family at our annual Doctoral Cocktail Party – a milestone event that not only marks the completion of their doctoral journeys, but also celebrates each student’s contributions to the vibrant life of our department.
This joyful occasion was also highlighted by the announcement of our prestigious dissertation prizes. Reed Rasband received the Department of Government Prize for Best Dissertation on Race, Ethnicity, or Migration and Politics for “Redirecting Xenophobia: How New Migration Flows Improve Intergroup Relations in Immigration Destinations.”
The two Senator Charles Sumner Prizes were awarded to Jordan Rudinsky for “A Government of Men: Responsible Government and the Rule of Law in the Progressive Era,” and Liz Thom for “Withering on the Vine: Political and Policy Lessons from Extractive Industry Decline in the United States.”
Katherine Irajpanah was honored with the Edward M. Chase Prize for “The Balance of Restraint: An Analysis of Warfighting Norms and Patterns in Global Conflict.”
Lastly, Madai Urteaga Quispe received the Robert Noxon Toppan Prize for “Agrarian Developmentalism: The Politics of Development Strategies in Latin America.”
We are immensely proud of each graduate and look forward to watching the remarkable impact you will have on the world. Congratulations, class of 2024-25!