Convocation Stories Fall 2024

Salma Cabdulle

BA (HONS) in Political Science
With Honours

“The start of my journey at Carleton University during the COVID-19 pandemic was both challenging and filled with uncertainty. Like many students, I worried that the shift to online learning would limit my ability to gain practical skills and meaningful connections. Despite these initial fears, my time at Carleton University was truly formative, both academically and personally. Being a part of the Political Science Department was like joining a community that valued diverse perspectives and encouraged critical thinking. Courses such as Public Affairs Analysis and Quantitative Research Methods in Political Science sharpened my educational research and data analysis abilities, which I later applied to projects involving policy research and will continue to employ in my future pursuits.

Participating in the co-op program was the turning point that bridged my coursework with tangible practice. It allowed me to apply what I learned in class and build on my analytical and organizational skills. During the placement process, Carleton’s support services connected me with invaluable opportunities that enriched my education and prepared me for the next steps following my undergraduate studies. I gained valuable work experience in the public service sector through this opportunity, which later led me to the Federal Student Work Experience Program, allowing me to continue working while completing my studies.

What I value most about Carleton is its focus on preparing students for their future. This education, both within and beyond the classroom, has had a profound impact on me. It has provided me with a sense of purpose and fulfillment, and I am appreciative of Carleton’s role in guiding my personal and professional development.”

Charlotte Battigelli

BA (HONS) Political Science; Minor Law
With High Distinction

“At the outset of my degree, during the height of the covid-19 pandemic, I had little clarity about what I wanted to do with my degree. However, as campus re-opened, and I began to connect with my peers and professors in person, I was able to take classes in a variety of sub-disciplines that helped me to hone my particular interest in political theory. I had the pleasure of taking part in the Liberalism Reading Group, jointly led by the political science and humanities departments, where I engaged with students from other programs and had the pleasure of attending talks with distinguished vising scholars. This experience, along with seminars in both political and legal theory, helped me develop a keen interest in textual analysis, and gave me the skills required to pursue graduate studies. Additionally, I enjoyed many afternoons in the Zelikovitz center for Jewish education, studying and connecting with other Jewish students and faculty members.

My experience at Carleton was marked by the immense support of faculty, friendship and engagement with my peers, and the opportunity to freely and honestly explore new ideas. I am extremely grateful for my time at Carleton, and I truly feel that my experience in the political science department gave me the best possible preparation for the future. I am now pursuing graduate studies at the University of Western Ontario, as a proud Carleton alum.”

Edward Khitab

MA in Political Science

Master’s Research Project (MRP): Russian Private Military Companies and Twenty-First Century Security: A Neomedieval World

“As a theoretical exercise, I thought about what I would write if I included a dedication page with my MRP. The result speaks to my total experience not just at Carleton, but life experience as well.

The dedication would have read: For Michèle (my wife). Thank you for making me to ask, ‘Why not?’ Thank you to Professor Aaron Ettinger for making me ask ‘Why?’ Thank you for listening to me think out loud, and then try to write about a world I only saw in terms of power and political science.

Asking ‘Why Not’ relates to going back to Carleton to obtain my MA in Political Science as part of a career change, especially after leaving a twenty-year IT career. Asking ‘Why’ relates to putting it all together and learning how write to form and length, moving past the desire to cram everything newly discovered into a finite number of pages.

Dr. Ettinger is not the only person who I have encountered in my academic career. I also owe a lot to Drs. Bhatia, Hurrelmann and Schmidt; whether it be for guidance on how to be a better Teaching Assistant, how to improve as a graduate student by discovering new interests, or how to improve existing skillsets like research and analysis – i.e., synthesizing and writing to length!

I also want to say being a Teaching Assistant was a wonderful experience. Not only are the graduate students at Carleton impressive at learning and collaborating, but so are the undergraduate students as well. Co-op informed a large portion of my experience, but even things like playing in the summer graduate student softball league where the Political Science department won the championship in 2023 was rewarding. Because of each of these opportunities and experiences, I learned about people and teamwork, lessons that I will take with me as I move on to the next step in my future after completing my long-awaited goal of obtaining my MA.”

David De Paiva

MA in Political Science

Master’s Research Project (MRP): Urban and Rural Discontent: Party Systems, Population Density and Electoral Behaviour in Canadian Provincial Politics

“The last two years at Carleton have been among some of the most impactful of my life. My growth, both academic and professional, has been an incredible experience for me to have. Many thanks to my research supervisor, Professor Stephen White, who helped me navigate the occasionally fraught and often fulfilling experience of writing an MRP and cracking open the fascinating world of Canadian provincial party politics. As well, much gratitude to Professor Jonathan Malloy, whose supervision, guidance, and collaboration led me to exciting new heights, including my first-ever journal publication.

Alongside these academic achievements, I must also thank the fine folks in the Carleton Cooperative Education Department. My two placements, with Transport Canada and Global Affairs Canada, took me from Ottawa to Geneva, Switzerland—and back again. I have such a clearer picture of my own career goals and aims as a result of these two experiences, and will never forget the lessons I learned from each. On campus, Carleton provided me with my first opportunities to get involved with teaching (courtesy of several excellent TA assignments) and with community theatre (courtesy of the Sock ‘n’ Buskin Theatre Company). I will never forget the friends I made nor the memories I have created right here at Carleton.”

Yili Zhou, Jeremy Paltiel and Randall Germain

Yili Zhou

PhD in Political Science

Doctoral Thesis:  Headbanging on the Open Door:  heavy metal music, globalization, and politics in contemporary China

“My PhD journey at Carleton University has been extraordinary in every sense, both good and bad, from the surprising offer of admission following a serendipitous exchange with my supervisor Professor Jeremy Paltiel in China, to the not-so-grand finale of my completion of the degree after a long haul full of vicissitudes. Without knowing what to expect in the first place, I have experienced the seemingly clichéd culture shocks; grappled with my old and new identities as a foreigner, an Asian, an ethnic Chinese, a woman, and a metalhead in different contexts; and struggled and strived to keep my dignity, integrity, authenticity, and faith in humanity. I have even learned skiing and become a ski instructor, and probably indulged too much in the bliss of rediscovering my forsaken talent in sports. On the one hand this resulted in serious injuries that derailed my PhD program, but on the other hand salvaged my soul and brightened the otherwise bleak and long winter in Canada.

Growing up in a remote village in the deep mountains of China, I always felt like a troubled child growing wildly on my own, yet doted on, perhaps undeservedly, by family, friends, and colleagues in China and Canada. Throughout my prolonged sojourn in Canada, one thing I have always believed in and kept in mind, was that the Department of Political Science at Carleton University was a safe harbour that I could fall back on. I might be confused and lost in my academic adventures and other aspects of life, but the faculty and administrative staff in the department never abandoned me and provided space and remedy whenever and wherever possible, that helped me muddle through the painstaking journey with excitement, frustration, withdrawal, resignation, recoupment, and ultimately, redemption.”

Kiernan McClelland and Elinor Sloan

Kiernan McClelland

PhD in Political Science

Doctoral Thesis: Third Place in the Space Race: Securitizing Rhetoric, the Logic of Threat, and the Securitization of the Canadian Civil Space Program

When I first arrived at Carleton University as a young undergraduate, I was told to make the most of the “Capital Advantage”. And so, I did. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to take several unique classes that provided me with a robust foundation to develop my career in outer space policy. Moreover, Carleton University’s Model United Nations Society and the Model NATO competitions were transformative experiences that not only provided a sense of community, but also placed me in an environment where I could apply what I had learned in the classroom.

With the never-ending encouragement of Dr. Elinor Sloan (who has known me since my undergraduate days), I was able to further my studies in the field of my choosing through my doctoral studies. The Department of Political Science’s exceptional blend of practitioners and theorists in international relations, security studies, and comparative politics equipped me with the analytical, communication, and critical thinking skills necessary to translate rocket science into layperson’s terms. Through this experience with Carleton University, I was able to pursue my dreams within private industry, academia, and government, including working for the Canadian Space Agency.

Alisson Lévesque and thesis supervisor Bill Cross

Alisson Lévesque

PhD in Political Science

Doctoral Thesis: Personalized Politics as a Communication Strategy: Exploring the Effect of Meso-Level Variables on Online Partisan Communications in Canada

“I fell in love with the Carleton University campus the first time I set foot on it! Skating or biking along the Rideau Canal and its bike paths to get to my courses made the experience even better. As a political science student, I’ve had the privilege of learning from professors with a wide range of expertise and perspectives, which has helped me grow both academically and personally. More importantly, I have felt genuinely welcomed by everyone at Carleton since day one—from professors to fellow students. Despite facing a language barrier, the university provides a safe and supportive environment where I gained the confidence to share my perspectives and think critically about pressing political realities and issues—skills that have also prepared me to start a career outside of academia.”

Biqi Yan with thesis supervisor Jeremy Paltiel

Biqi Yan

PhD in Political Science

Doctoral Thesis: Facing the Artillery of Free Trade: How Japan and China Responded to US Trade Pressure

“In a seminar at the beginning of my PhD journey, my supervisor shared a memorable analogy: undertaking a PhD thesis is like navigating a forest. He compared the process to selecting and cutting down specific trees to build a meaningful house. My thesis focuses on a political economy topic spanning several decades of history. Completing such a thesis is like journeying through a vast forest, where it’s easy to lose one’s way. Over these past years, I often found myself questioning which trees to cut and what shape the final house should take. During moments of uncertainty, my supervisor, Professor Paltiel, provided invaluable guidance. From refining my research topic to crafting the final conclusions, his unwavering support helped me work through the complexities of my work. I’m also immensely grateful to my committee members, Professor Germain and Professor Macdonald. Professor Germain’s thoughtful questions and practical guidance continually pushed my writing forward, while Professor Macdonald offered meticulous support, patiently addressing countless editing details throughout my thesis. Without their encouragement and expertise, I might still be lost in that forest. Looking back, Carleton has been more than a place of study—it has been a community of mentors and friends who made this journey unforgettable.”

Lindsay Robinson

PhD in Political Science
University Medal for Outstanding Graduate Work

Doctoral Thesis:  Empowering Teenage Girls to Save the Planet? Idealized Girlhood, Green Girl Power, and the ‘Girling of Climate Change’

“Pursuing a PhD is weird. Much of our time as PhD students is spent undertaking an independent research project. In this way, a PhD is often an extremely lonely and isolating experience – particularly when you are in a new city and at a distance from friends and family. Although I certainly learned a lot academically during my time at Carleton, the most important lesson I learned is the importance of ‘filling our cups’ outside of academia. Find and build communities of care and collaboration, not only for your professional life but for your life and wellbeing outside of school. Do things and find people who make you feel genuinely good about yourself – who remind you of your value outside of work and school. My doctoral research matters a great deal to me, but building these supportive communities are what has sustained me within and beyond my professional life and goals.

I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to the wonderful people I met at Carleton: Brianna, Tariqa, Brookes, Amanda, Elsa, Maggie, and so many more. In particular, my supervisor, Fiona Robinson, deserves a dedicated shoutout. One of my greatest academic joys has been working with Fiona. She is the type of supervisor every student deserves – supportive, kind, brilliant, and sneakily funny. Fiona, I will miss working with you … and I will, of course, also miss our chats about Taylor Swift.