Fikir Haile

Brief Biography

Fikir is a PhD candidate in the Department of Political Studies, specializing in International Relations and Political Theory. Fikir's research interests lie at the intersection of International Political Economy, African politics, and socio-environmental transformations. More specifically, Fikir studies the governance challenges associated with rapid urban expansion in Sub-Saharan Africa. Her dissertation employs a critical lens to examine the multi-scalar governance of urban expansion and uncover its highly uneven consequences. 

Fikir completed her Bachelor of Arts (with high distinction) at the University of Toronto with a double-major in Political Science and Sociology, and a minor in African Studies. She holds a Master's degree in Global Development Studies from Queen's University. 

Awards 

• Dean's Doctoral Field Travel Grant (2022)

• Timothy C.S. Franks Travel Award (2022) 

• Political Studies Department Research Award (2021)

• SSHRC Joseph-Armand Bombardier Doctoral Scholarship (2020-2023) 

• Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2019-2020)

• Queen's Graduate Award (2019-2020)

• R. Samuel McLaughlin Fellowship (2018-2019) 

Teaching Experience 

• POLS 483 - Justice and Gender (Teaching Fellow, Winter 2023) 

• POLS 262 - International Political Economy (Teaching Assistant, 2022; 2020)

• POLS 261 - Introduction to International Relations (TA, 2021; 2019) 

• POLS 242 - Comparative Politics (TA, 2021)

• POLS 243 - States, Diversity & Conflict (TA, 2020) 

• DEVS 100 - Canada and the "Third World (Head TA, 2020-2021; TA, 2018-2019)