Meet the Graduates 2023: Claire Kendrick

Claire Kendrick first discovered Sciences Po as an American exchange student in the Menton campus. She then joined the Paris-based School of International Affairs to receive a master's degree in Human Rights and Humanitarian Action and the Advanced Certification in Gender Studies. She tells us more.

Why are you interested in gender issues?

After exploring gender analysis within international affairs for the first time while writing my undergraduate thesis, I knew I wanted a master's programme with a distinct gender component. The more I study gender studies, the more I realise it is not an obscure or auxiliary field, but rather something foundational to understanding socio-political power dynamics in every field. Choosing a programme where I could interrogate how gender dynamics play out at the international level has solidified that making and implementing gendered policies beyond a singular, women-focused framework is the lens through which I want to expand the inclusivity of international development work.

Tell us about your courses at Sciences Po.

My “Sexual and Gender-based Violence” class was unlike any class I had taken before – not only did Professor Begikhani teach us about the relevant concepts and methods, but she lived them. She pushed us to nurture ourselves, our bodies, our mental health, and our professional and academic aspirations holistically, even while grappling with the deeply upsetting realities of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) worldwide. She trusted my instinct to dig into the intersection between refugeehood and SGBV within the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine despite the limited data available and then worked with me to pursue publication. I hope to bring Professor Begikhani's combination of directness and caring into my professional career.

What one-sentence advice would you give to the next cohorts?

Don't be afraid to apply gendered analyses beyond your strictly gender-focused courses!

What are your plans for the future?

I am currently working as a consultant on United States Agency for International Development (USAID) projects focused on conflict dynamics in West Africa and am excited for any chance I get to use and expand gendered lenses, whether it's trying to address root causes of extremist radicalisation for young men, working with regional women's platforms, or considering gender security risks for field staff. This is an exciting time in the field where international organisations are trying to move beyond traditional gender mainstreaming and integrate gender in a more comprehensive way, in every step of programming – I hope to continue pushing to make this change.

More

• The Advanced Certification in Gender Studies is open to all students in a second year of master programme at Sciences Po
• At the Sciences Po Undergraduate College, Bachelor students can apply for the Certification in Gender and Equality
• The Master in Human Rights and Humanitarian Action at the Sciences Po School of International Affairs