Keough School and Organization of American States partner to protect democracy and human rights
The University of Notre Dame’s Keough School of Global Affairs and the Organization of American States (OAS) have launched a new partnership to strengthen democracy and defend human rights efforts across Latin America. To that end, the institutions will collaborate on joint research and policy projects, exchange faculty experts and train undergraduate and postgraduate students and researchers who work in development, human rights and democracy.
The partnership, outlined in a cooperation agreement, deepens the existing relationship between the Keough School and OAS, which share a focus on defending democracy and human rights. It will facilitate additional opportunities for mutually beneficial collaboration among researchers, students and policymakers, with the ultimate goal of fighting poverty, building peace and strengthening democracy in an era of backsliding.
Andrés Mejía Acosta, the Keough School’s Kuster Family Associate Dean for Policy and Practice, and OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro praised the agreement.
“We salute our partnership with the OAS, an organization committed to strengthening democracy, the protection of citizens’ rights and social inclusion,” Mejía Acosta said. “We look forward to making our research knowledge more accessible, exchanging policy lessons and offering students practical experiences by working with OAS colleagues in Washington, D.C., and the region.”
Almagro agreed. “This partnership marks a significant step forward in our shared commitment to upholding the principles of democracy and advancing the well-being of our hemisphere,” he said.
“The University of Notre Dame’s dedication to excellence in education and research is renowned, and we are honored to partner with such a distinguished institution,” Almagro said. “By joining forces, we strengthen our capacity to promote cooperative research and to facilitate the exchange of ideas on issues related to democracy, development and human rights in the OAS member states.”
The collaboration draws on the expertise of faculty and researchers in the Keough School’s Kellogg Institute for International Studies, which specializes in democracy; in its Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies; and in its Pulte Institute for Global Development. In addition, it leverages the experiential learning opportunities available across the school and its nine institutes and centers. Finally, it enables Keough School students to learn from the real-world experience of professionals at OAS.
The arrangement will facilitate dialogue among faculty, staff and administrators who translate research for policy impact; strengthen postgraduate training at the Keough School; encourage joint conferences and meetings on key issues of shared interest; facilitate the exchange of academic materials; and provide experiential learning opportunities for Keough School students who can help support OAS goals.
The agreement is the latest development in an ongoing relationship since the school and OAS have worked closely together for years. In 2023, the Keough School partnered with the OAS’ Department of Social Inclusion to host a training for diplomats that explored migration, asylum and forced displacement in the Americas. And in 2021, the school partnered with the OAS’ Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for a series of panel discussions on promoting human rights.
Mejía Acosta said the partnership will also enable the Keough School to influence policy by leveraging expertise from its core research programs.
“Our experts will share rigorous academic research that has clear takeaways for policymakers and practitioners,” Mejía Acosta said. “This evidence-based approach will ensure that policy design and implementation is effective and impactful. We are honored to work with our friends and colleagues at the OAS to help support their mission. We share their belief that one of the best ways to support human dignity is by defending human rights, and we look forward to strengthening and deepening our partnership in the coming years.”
Originally published by Josh Stowe at keough.nd.edu on May 29.
Contact: Tracy DeStazio, associate director of media relations, 574-631-9958 or tdestazi@nd.edu
Latest Colleges & Schools
- Political scientist explores extending constitutional duties to private actorsNew research from Christina Bambrick, the Filip Family Assistant Professor of Political Science at Notre Dame, explores the nonconventional idea that each of us, as private citizens, may be responsible for upholding the constitutional rights of our fellow citizens. She examines constitutional politics across the globe to explore these different approaches to balancing rights and responsibilities in a democratic society.
- Six new faculty join psychology department to advance research on mental health, other disordersThe Department of Psychology at the University of Notre Dame has hired six new faculty members this year, a significant expansion of a field that is core to the University’s commitment to fighting the U.S. mental health crisis.
- Keough School invites members of the community to join in International Day of Peace eventsThe Keough School of Global Affairs will observe the International Day of Peace with two campus events: a prayer service featuring University President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., on Friday (Sept. 20) and a talk by a Notre Dame graduate who serves in the Sierra Leone government on Tuesday (Sept. 24). Both events are free and open to the public.
- Former Irish prime minister to speak at Notre DameLeo Varadkar, former prime minister of Ireland and current member of parliament in Dáil Eireann, will join the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies, part of Notre Dame's Keough School of Global Affairs, for a public discussion of Irish current affairs including public health initiatives, civic life and the political future of the island of Ireland. “A Conversation with Deputy Leo Varadkar” will take place from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 20 (Friday) in the Hesburgh Center Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.
- Virtual learning detrimental to school attendance, especially in districts with higher poverty rates, study findsSince the COVID-19 pandemic, rates of chronic absenteeism have nearly doubled across the nation for students in kindergarten through grade 12. This increase was tied to the mode of instruction during the early years of the pandemic. In particular, schools that employed virtual learning as the primary teaching mode during the 2020-21 school year experienced a greater increase in chronic absenteeism in the following year. That increase was significantly greater in school districts with higher levels of poverty, according to new research from William Evans, the Keough-Hesburgh Professor of Economics and co-founder of Notre Dame’s Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities.
- Nobel laureate Michael Levitt to receive the 2024 Carrier MedalMichael Levitt Nobel laureate Michael Levitt, a professor of structural biology at Stanford…
