Bella Rios '19 and Daniel Anaforian '19 presented their senior theses at the annual Midwest Political Science Association in Chicago. They wrote their papers for the senior seminar of Dr. Naomi Levy on Comparative Identity Politics Fall 2018. Bella's paper, “Indigenous Land Rights and Environmental Policy in Peru” examines the political and social disempowerment of indigenous communities by applying Will Kymlicka's theory of minority rights . Daniel's paper, titled, “A Life of Turmoil: Using Social Identity Theory to Explain the Situation in Xinjiang” analyzes the tensions between China's Uyghur minority population and China's Han ethnic identity using a social psychological Theoretical Framework. Both received travel funding from the Office of the Provost and the Department of Political Science.
Bella is a political science major and Spanish double major committed to creating a just and fair world. During her college career, she reported to The Santa Clara and participated in Model United Nations. He has leadership positions in all Centers of Distinction: Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship, Markkula Center and Ignatian Center. This spring break she coordinated a student trip to the Arizona-Mexico border to learn and see firsthand the need for humane immigration policy. After graduating in June, she plans to apply for a Fulbright scholarship to conduct research on women's economic empowerment in Peru.
Daniel Anaforian holds a PhD in marketing and political science. Always an avid student, Daniel will graduate Phi Beta Kappa with dual degrees. His passion for East Asian foreign policy led him to study abroad in Taiwan and learn Chinese. In addition to his academic success, Daniel has worked with Ro Khanna's 2016 campaign, interned at the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), and worked on campus all four years. When she graduates, she plans to prepare for graduate school and eventually work for the State Department in Asia.
