Stories

Bella Rios ‘19 and Daniel Anaforian ‘19 presented their senior honors theses at the annual Midwest Political Science Association in Chicago. They wrote their papers for Dr. Naomi Levy's senior seminar on comparative identity politics in fall 2018. Bella’s paper, entitled, “Indigenous Land Rights and Environmental Policy in Peru” examines the political and social disenfranchisement of indigenous communities by applying Will Kymlicka’s theory on minority rights. Daniel’s paper, entitled, “A Lifetime of Unrest: Using Social Identity Theory to Explain the Situation in Xinjiang” analyzes the tensions between China’s minority Uyghur population and China’s ethnic Han national identity using a social psychological theoretical framework. Both received travel funding from the Provost’s Office and Political Science Department.

Bella is a political science and spanish double major committed to creating a just and equitable world. During her college career, she’s reported for The Santa Clara and participated in Model United Nations. She’s held leadership roles in all Centers of Distinction: Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship, Markkula Center and the Ignatian Center. This spring break she coordinated a student trip to the Arizona-Mexico border to learn about and directly witness the need for humane immigration policy. Upon graduation in June, she plans to apply for a Fulbright scholarship to conduct research on women’s economic empowerment in Peru.

Daniel Anaforian is a senior marketing and political science double major. Always an avid learner, Daniel will graduate Phi Beta Kappa with dual degrees. His passion for East Asian foreign policy has 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 he graduates he intends to prepare for graduate school and eventually work for the State Department in Asia.