Third GPAC Student to Be Published

The Global Perspectives and Citizenship (GPAC) concentration program is a space for student-driven research. GPAC senior Grace McMiller was recently notified that her article "One State, Two Entities, Three Constituent Peoples: Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Failed Attempt at Interethnic Peace" has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Student Research. Grace joins fellow GPAC students Arya Kumar ‘23 and Ali O’Brien ‘23, whose research work was published in November. Like her peers, Grace thrived in the self-directed process, meeting frequently with faculty to discuss her findings and formulate her arguments. She reflects, "GPAC 11 took me through the entire process of developing a strong, argumentative, and pointed research question and seeing it through: funneling through sources, writing, revising, and finally editing a long paper. The process encouraged me to think beyond the headlines and dig deeply into global issues."

Grace examined Bosnia and Herzegovina's attempt to foster state unity following the genocide in 1995. Beginning with a close analysis of the Dayton Accords, Grace explored the operational unity constructed by the unique democratic design, which includes nontraditional elements, such as a three-person consociational presidency. The bulk of Grace's argument focused on exposing how regime design and supporting institutions have failed to promote true democratic traditions as ethnopolitical divisiveness and inequality continue to erode unity within the country. Her study of this complex regime afforded Grace the opportunity to reflect on how institutional design shapes a nation's democratic character.

Congratulations to Grace and her fellow GPAC scholars! Learn more about the GPAC program.