Life during wartime: Dal's new Trudeau Scholar illuminates how youth cope with conflict

Eight years ago, after completing her undergrad degree in political science, Carla Suarez was co-directing a research project in northern Uganda, working with internally displaced youth.

“What was amazing about the experience were the innovative ways that youth were protecting each other, even in the horror of these overcrowded displacement camps,” she says, emphasize the informal support groups that were used to educate other youth about surviving abduction by the Lord’s Resistance Army.

“They were truly inspiring. From that point on, I was committed to documenting that sort of local level response work.”

That path took her back to school—first an MA and now her PhD, both in political science at Dalhousie—and, this week, to Montebello, Quebec, where she was announced as one of the 2012 Trudeau Scholars.

“I was extremely thrilled and honoured,” says Ms. Suarez, speaking by phone from Montebello, where’s she’s attending a summer institute with her fellow scholarship recipients. “I felt very, grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that had just come to my door.”

Up to 15 Trudeau Scholarships are awarded each year to doctoral candidates pursuing research of compelling present-day concern, touching upon the themes of the Trudeau Foundation: human rights and dignity, responsible citizenship, Canada in the world, and people and their natural environment. The scholarships are for three years, and offer a $40,000 stipend and a $20,000 travel allowance each year.

Youth in conflict

The travel allowance is particularly important for Ms. Suarez, as it will allow her to visit South Sudan, the focus of her research, several times over the course of the project. Up until the most recent peace agreement, Sudan was Africa’s longest-running conflict, which makes it a compelling case study to explore how young people develop strategies and networks to deal with war and strife.

“Youth are often a large segment of the population in these war zones, and they’re also the future of their countries. We all know what a complicated and difficult thing it is for any country to transition from war to peace, and investing more resources on youth and better understanding their own experiences during and after war is essential to this process.”

Ms. Suarez explains most humanitarian interventions in Africa—whether they’re related to aid, peacekeeping, development or other issues—are often implemented with little regard for what local communities and individuals are doing to protect themselves. She’s hoping her research with war-affected communities can help inform better, more appropriate interventions — and empower the youth themselves. She plans on working with a cohort of young people in South Sudan to ensure that her research addresses their  day-to-day challenges..

“I want this to be a collaborative project, where they can help me identify and understand how my research can also be valuable and useful for them, directly. I feel that’s my ethical responsibility, as an academic.”

The power of mentorship

In addition to the research opportunities that come with being a Trudeau Scholar, Ms. Suarez is also thrilled about becoming part of the Trudeau community. The program brings together its scholars, fellows and mentors a few times each year to discuss their work and share their expertise. In the second year of the scholarship, Ms. Suarez will also be linked with a Trudeau Mentor.

“It gives us a chance to talk about broader policy issues,” she explains. “What’s really wonderful about the foundation is that it’s very interdisciplinary and intergenerational. So they do bring different perspectives into what you’re doing.”

David Black, director of Dal’s Centre for Foreign Policy Studies and Ms. Suarez’s supervisor, explains that her approach to her work makes her an ideal Trudeau Scholar.

“She brings energy, insight and commitment to her scholarship,” he says. “More to the point, she combines a relentless drive to deepen her theoretical understanding of the challenges of civilian protection, with a deep commitment to improved life prospects for the people and communities she works with.”