Muskaan Khemani

Muskaan is a rising junior pursuing a double major in Earth & Environmental Science and International Relations, who is set to graduate in 2022. Within International Relations, her focus is on Environment & Development and Asia. She will be interning for the Partitions Project for the summer and fall 2020. Currently, she is in Curacao, her hometown —a tiny island off the coast of Venezuela. What interests her about of decolonization are exploring the patterns and comparing similarities of decolonization around the world, treating the phenomenon as a global rather than a regional issue. She personally related to the Partitions Project because both her paternal and maternal grandparents were severely affected and displaced by the 1947 India-Pakistan Partition.

She looks forward to researching and learning more about the specificities of the Partitions of Sindh and British Burma.

Jahnavi Sodhi

Jahnavi is a rising sophomore studying international relations at Boston University. She will be a research intern for the Partitions Project during the summer term and will be working remotely from India. Her interest in decolonization stems from the fact that, growing up, a major part of her high school education in the social studies was centered around India’s freedom struggle against British colonial rule. She is interested in the Partitions Project because of its primary objective to study the concepts of decolonization and partitions in a global context, which she considers extremely relevant in an increasingly interconnected world. She wants to use this internship to put her theoretical knowledge of partitions to practical use, as she has recognized the role of the phenomenon in dictating international relations even today. She views this research opportunity as a means to developing her analytical skills and global consciousness, while learning from some of the brightest minds in the field. 

Sofia Zalaquett

Sofia is pursuing a Degree in International Relations, and Economics (class of 2021). Her Functional track in International Economics, Business and Politics with a regional focus on Asia. 

She will be interning for the Partitions Project in the fall 2020. She is currently located in Boston, MA. What interests her the most about decolonization is its impact on the citizens' view of the world, their beliefs, and their identity. How geography and historical events shape how we think and therefore what we do, our fears and dreams.  After taking IR 377 with Professor Sarkar and learning about the Partition of India and Pakistan, she was not only able to better understand what happened in geopolitical and political terms, but also in terms of religion, and human cooperation. All of these subjects combined made her wonder about other partitions around the world and how borders around nations have allowed for the greatest international violence and cooperation. She looks forward to learning more about partitions around the world and their effects on citizens. 

AJ Rogers

AJ majors in history and International Relations, specializing in Europe and International Systems and World Order (CAS 2022). He is minoring in Political Science. He is an intern for the Partition Project for the summer and fall of 2020. He is originally from Pleasantville, New York and currently resides there during COVID-19. AJ is drawn to decolonization because of the unexplored terrain and historic nature of this relatively recent development. Along those lines, he sees partitions as a major geopolitical tool that severely impacts the daily lives of ordinary people everywhere, allowing one to see the relevance and importance of international relations. Looking forward, AJ is excited to learn about the cultural ramifications of partitions and seeing the similarities of partitions around the world.