PhD Alumni Named IAS 2024-25 Scholars

We are proud of political science alumni Ayten Gündoğdu (PhD '08) and Ahmad Qais Munhazim (BA '12, PhD '19) for being named Scholars at Princeton University's Institute of Advanced Scholars (IAS) in the School of Social Science for the 2024-25 academic year!

Established in 1930, IAS strives to advance knowledge across the sciences and humanities. The Institute serves as one of the leading centers for curiosity-driven theoretical research and independent intellectual inquiry. 

IAS's School of Social Science was founded in 1973, devoted to critical approaches, for both theoretical and empirical social research. The School features multidisciplinary, multi-method, and international perspectives. Each year, approximately 20 scholars across social science and humanities fields are invited to work on a variety of topics to pursue their individual research with the School. Scholars have the opportunity to engage within a rich context of intellectual discussion and exchange. 

The School of Social Science's theme for 2024-25 will be "The Politics of Migration and Displacement as a Form of Life." Scholars will address connections between the politics of migration and its varied modes and displacement as a form of life. They will explore the ways in which social science can inform normative approaches and critical thinking can foster empirical approaches.

Ayten Gündoğdu 

While at the University of Minnesota, Gündoğdu studied political theory, with a particular interest in understanding the underlying conditions of citizenship bias in human rights. She is now the Tow Associate Professor for Distinguished Scholars at Barnard College. Her research focuses on modern & contemporary European political theory, the political thought of Hannah Arendt, migration, human rights, and international political & legal theory. She aims to rethink key political concepts like equality, rights, sovereignty, and personhood, with particular regard to such struggles in the margins of politics and law. During her year at IAS, Gündoğdu will work on her book on migrant deaths and disappearances, examining the regime of impunity surrounding racialized operations of border violence. 

Ahmand Qais Munhazim

Beginning their journey at the University of Minnesota during their Bachelor's degree, Munhazim earned degrees in both political science and global studies. During their PhD, Munhazim concentrated in international relations and comparative politics, with a focus on diaspora perceptions and experiences. They are now an Assistant Professor of Global Studies at Thomas Jefferson University - East Falls. At the focal point of Munhazim's research is the intersection of critical international relations, political violence, gender & sexuality, postcolonial studies, and migration. In all their work, they aim to establish a collaborative bridge between academia and community to empower, uplift, and support marginalized individuals, groups, and identities. While with IAS, Munhazim will work on their book project based on a de/colonial ethnography of displacement(s) in the lives of recently evacuated queer and trans Afghan refugees in the United States, Canada, Germany, and Ireland.