Brief Biography

Born in Myanmar and raised in the United States, Bella has been a resident of Canada since 2017. She earned an honors degree in International Relations with a minor in Mathematics from Linfield College, Oregon, and completed a semester abroad in Politics, French, and Arabic at the University of Nottingham, UK, with first-class honors standing. Having been awarded an MA degree in Political Science from Simon Fraser University, her recent research encompasses the electoral representation of visible minorities in North America, resettlement of newcomers to Canadian cities, and populism and nationalism in Burmese politics. She joined the Department of Political Studies at Queen's University as a doctoral student in September 2020. Her doctoral research focuses on women’s unprecedented political participation and leadership in the anti-military movement during the ongoing military coup in Myanmar. She is currently a UBC Myanmar Initiative Fellow.

Research Interests

​Decolonizing academia and incorporating the lived experiences of indigenous and minority people into academic discourse are her ultimate goals as a researcher. She holds these topics very dear to her heart since she is a visible minority in Canada due to her identity as a Burmese woman, and indigenous in Myanmar, having Mon and Karen grandparents. Her research interests include gender and ethnic representation in North America (Canada and the United States) and South and Southeast Asia, particularly Myanmar (Burma). She is also very passionate about gendered and racialized experiences of individuals with mental illnesses and/or disabilities in academia. 

Selected Publications

Aung, B. (2021, May 11). A Return to the Comfort Zone Is Not Enough: We Must Fight for Truly Inclusive Freedom. Teac Circle Oxford. Retrieved from https://teacircleoxford.com/opinion/a-return-to-the-comfort-zone-is-not-enough-we-must-fight-for-truly-inclusive-freedom/

Aung, B. (2020). Women and Visible Minority Representation on Vancouver’s City Council [Master's thesis, Simon Fraser University]. Summit - Institutional Repository.

Fourot, A. C., & Aung, B. (2019). Fostering Welcoming Communities in Moncton, Dieppe, and Riverview: A Report on Assets and Gaps in Newcomer Services (Rep.). Moncton, NB: Greater Moncton Local Immigration Partnership.

Fourot, A. C., & Aung, B. (2019). Favoriser des Communautés Accueillantes à Moncton, Dieppe et Riverview : Un rapport sur les Atouts et les Limites des Services aux Nouveaux (Rep.). Moncton, NB: Greater Moncton Local Immigration Partnership.

Aung, B. (2017). Women, Religion, and Democracy in Myanmar [Honors thesis, Linfield College]. Digital Commons at Linfield.