Undergraduate Fellow
Catherine Diyakonov is an incoming fourth-year student who intends to pursue graduate research. She is currently a Research Assistant at the School of the Environment with Professor Kariuki Kirigia and Professor Hamed Ibrahim where she researches policy that sits at the intersection of science and law. Catherine has served on the G7 and G20 Research Groups as a Compliance Director, Lead Analyst, and Compliance Analyst. She is the recipient of the Undergraduate Research Fund where she is conducting research on Canadian migration policies this summer.
Fellowship Project: The Globalization of Dystopia: How the Russo-Ukrainian War Reflects a Worldwide Decline in Trust in Institutions and Democracies
This research project examines how the Russo-Ukrainian War reflects a broader global decline in trust in democratic institutions and international governance. The project investigates how misinformation, authoritarianism, and political polarization contribute to a dystopian erosion of trust through the exploration of similarities between this conflict and global issues like climate change, poverty, and corruption. By using the Russo-Ukrainian War as a case study to analyze institutional fragility and resilience, this research project will propose pathways for rebuilding trust and imagining a utopian future rooted in equity, transparency, and international collaboration.