The results of the Brett William Campbell Doctoral Thesis Prize in International Studies have been published!
This international prize targeted recently defended PhD theses in the field of international studies and it was awarded to Dr James Flint for his thesis on "Europeanization of Foreign Aid: Managing Post-9/11 Fragile, Conflict-Affected States".
Dr Flint obtained his PhD at the University of Plymouth, where he earlier read an undergraduate degree in International Relations, during which he volunteered to deploy to Afghanistan as an infantry soldier. His research interests in the security-development nexus, liberal interventionism, counterinsurgency and stabilisation largely stem from this experience of intervening within a fragile, conflict-affected state. He has taught a variety of International Relations, Politics and Sociology modules at the University of Exeter and the University of Plymouth, where he is presently an Associate Lecturer. He also holds a Masters in Security Studies, read at University College London’s School of Public Policy. He is presently working on an autoethnographic project.
The Brett William Campbell Doctoral Thesis Prize stems from the initiative of a group of friends and PhD alumni of the School of International Studies to honour the memory of their dear friend and colleague Brett William Campbell. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, on 27 July 1979, Brett was admitted to the PhD programme in International Studies at the University of Trento in 2012. His work focussed on U.S. counterterrorism and the Drone War. He wished to better understand the reputational costs of this war for the United States, and contribute to the discussion on state reputation in international relations. He left us prematurely on 29 July 2018 after losing his battle against cancer. A witty mind, generous friend and curious traveller, Brett will be deeply missed.
The amount of the prize has been entirely fund-raised by the organisers via a successful crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe to which about 40 people contributed.