Walkowski, Jana

photo of Jana

Jana Walkowski

Doctoral Candidate

She/Her

Political Studies

Doctoral Candidate

jana.walkowski@queensu.ca

Mackintosh-Corry Hall, B302

Supervisor: Susanne Soederberg

Brief Biography

Jana Walkowski is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Political Studies at Queen鈥檚 University, specializing in international relations and comparative politics. Her research interests lie at the intersection of migration studies, global political economy, and urban geography to understand issues of global displacement occurring at local and global scales. Her PhD dissertation critically interrogates and compares the multi-scalar governance of the so-called 鈥渞efugee housing crisis鈥 in Berlin, Germany and Toronto, Canada to highlight how corresponding tensions and power relations shapes access to adequate initial shelter accommodation for refugees upon arrival. Alongside her studies, Jana works as a teaching assistant and graduate research fellow, acts as the 2024-2025 Political Studies Graduate Student Association (PSGSA) co-chair, and volunteers with KEYS newcomer services. Jana holds a master鈥檚 degree in political science from McGill University and a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Global Development Studies from Queen鈥檚 University. Outside her studies you can find her training for triathlons and local running events, walking by the waterfront or reading her favourite books in local coffee shops.

Selected Awards

  • W.C. Good Memorial Fellowship, 2024-2025
  • Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS), 2021-2025
  • Dean鈥檚 fieldwork Grant, 2023-2024
  • Queen鈥檚 Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF), 2022-2024
  • SSHRC Canada Graduate Scholarship- Master鈥檚 (CGS M), 2020-2021
  • 2021 Jean Monnet Award for Excellence in European Studies (Jean Monnet Centre Montr茅al)

Teaching Assistantships

  • POLS 242- Comparative Politics: Contemporary regimes (Winter 2024)
  • POLS 384- Strategies of Political Research (Fall 2023, Fall 2022)
  • POLS 262- International Political Economy (Winter 2023)
  • DEVS 101-Introduction to International Development (Fall 2022)
  • POLS 110- Introduction to Politics and Government (Fall 2021, Winter 2021)

Selected Conference Contributions

  • Exploring the Performative Borderwork of the European Union鈥檚 Bordering Practices through the method of Critical Visual Discourse Analysis鈥, Canadian Political Science Association Annual Conference, Montreal, Canada (June 12-24. 2024)
  • Speaker, 鈥淯nderstanding the Local Dimension of Global Displacements鈥 presented at Queen鈥檚 Project in International Development (QPID) Youth Conference: Climate Justice is Social Justice: Exploring the Impacts of Climate Change on Displacement and Dispossession (March 27, 2024)
  • Depoliticizing border externalization through development: An analysis of the EU鈥檚 Emergency Trust Fund for Africa Instrument鈥, International Studies Association, Montreal (held March 2023)
  • 鈥楧epoliticizing border externalization through development: An analysis of the EU鈥檚 mainstreaming of migration-development activities through the EU Trust Fund for Africa Instrument鈥 The Welcoming of refugees and grassroots solidarity: state of research and best practices in Europe and Canada, held by the University if Genoa and the Institut national de la recherche scientifique within the scope of the Refinteg project, Genoa, Italy (presented at the University of Genoa on October 27, 2022)
  • 鈥淐ontested Borders and Contested States: The Political and Human Rights Consequences resulting from the Regulation of Migrant Flows between Africa and Europe: An exploration of these impacts in Libya,鈥 Public Issues and Public Reason: A Conference of Applied Ethics and Critical Social Sciences, Carleton University, Canada (October 20, 2020)

Tracy, Sean

Sean Tracy

Sean Tracy

Doctoral Student

He/Him

MA (Bogazici University) | BA - Psychology (Thomas Edison State University)

Political Studies

Doctoral Student

19smt9@queensu.ca

Mackintosh-Corry Hall, B303

Supervisor: Margaret Moore

 

Brief Biography

Sean Tracy is a PhD candidate specializing in Political Theory and Comparative Politics. His primary research interests are in global justice, especially issues involving territorial rights (e.g., collective self-determination, secession, territorial autonomy...), resolving ethnic and sectarian conflict, and international law. His other research interests are wide-ranging and include Just War Theory, issues of liberal toleration and state justification and legitimacy, and the debate between cosmopolitanism and liberal nationalism.

Teaching

成人大片 (2022-2023)

  • POLS 241: Comparative Politics - Transformations

  • POLS 359: Issues in Political Theory

成人大片 (2021-2022)

  • POLS 250: History of Political Thought 

Bo臒azi莽i University (2014-2016)

  • PHIL 101: Introduction to philosophy

  • PHIL 105: Informal logic/Critical thinking

  • PHIL 106: Philosophical texts (writing composition)

  • PHIL 112: Intro to modern philosophy

Sahin, Canan

Canan Sahin

Canan Sahin

Doctoral Student

She/Her

Political Studies

Doctoral Student

17cs14@queensu.ca

Mackintosh-Corry Hall, C311

Supervisor: Susanne Soederberg

Olteanu, Alex (Codin)

Alex Olteanu

Alex (Codin) Olteanu

Doctoral Candidate

He/Him

Political Studies

Doctoral Candidate

11co1@queensu.ca

Mackintosh-Corry Hall, B303

Supervisor: David Haglund

Brief Biography

Mr. C. Alexander Olteanu is a PhD student at Queen鈥檚 University, Canada, where he also obtained his BA (with Distinction) in Political Studies and Spanish. He is currently working on the 鈥楴ew NATO Project鈥 investigating how NATO and the EU adapted to the post-Cold War environment during the critical 1989-1993 period and is completing the Public Leadership Credential at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He is also a Teaching Assistant in the Department of Political Studies and a Researcher with the Centre for International and Defence Policy at Queen鈥檚 University.

 Previously, Alex completed a Masters (Research) with Distinction in Global Security Studies at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Alex has been active for over three decades in the legal profession and has taught business management, law, and social science courses at post-secondary institutions in Canada and Iraq. He appears regularly on British Columbia鈥檚 Rompost TV show as a political commentator for the local Romanian community is a former 2. Lieutenant in the CAF Reserves and is fluent in five languages.

Research Interests

Alex is particularly interested in social entrepreneurship projects focusing on the theory and practice of public and private organizational design, adaptation and change, and the emergence of post-sovereign structures of governance and citizenship, beyond the boundaries of nation-states. He focuses in particular on the history of and current developments in Europe, North America, and the Middle East. 

Teaching Assistant at Queen鈥檚 (2020-2022):

  • POLS 332: Politics of Post-Communism
  • POLS 261: Introduction to International Relations
  • POLS 244: Comparative Politics: Democracy and Democratization
  • POLS 243: Comparative Politics: Governing Difference
  • POLS 242: Comparative Politics: Political Regimes

Oliver, Lori

Lori oliver

Lori Oliver

Doctoral Candidate

She/Her

Political Studies

Doctoral Candidate

16lao1@queensu.ca

Supervisor: Margaret Little

Brief Biography

Lori Oliver is a SSHRC doctoral scholar in the Department of Political Studies, specializing in Gender and Politics and Comparative Politics. She is particularly interested in the relationship between multilevel governance and social policy development. Her doctoral research focuses on how the implementation of Canada鈥檚 National Housing Strategy is impacting lone mothers and their families. This research builds on Lori鈥檚 previous community-based research work with ACORN Canada and Adsum for Women & Children. Lori is the current chair of PSAC 901鈥檚 Affordable Housing Working Group and a member of several tenant advocacy organizations. She was the 2022 Co-Chair of the Political Studies Graduate Student Association.

Jourdeuil, Kaitie

Kaitie Jourdeuil Photo

Kaitie Jourdeuil

Doctoral Candidate

She/Her

Political Studies

Doctoral Candidate

kaitie.jourdeuil@queensu.ca

Mackintosh-Corry Hall, B307

Supervisor: Margaret Moore

Brief Biography

Kaitie Jourdeuil is a SSHRC doctoral scholar in the Department of Political Studies at Queen鈥檚 specialising in Political Theory and Canadian Politics. Her research interests are shaped by two questions: (1) What does it mean to live well in community with one another? and (2) What shared values should guide relationships within our political community and with other communities? Her doctoral project focuses on what Ladner (2017) has called the 鈥淐anadian problem鈥: that Canada鈥檚 laws, policies, institutions, and norms support the ongoing colonization of Indigenous people, nations, knowledges, and lands. Specifically, her project explores how Canadians might change their shared values and political practices in dialogue with Indigenous political thought and how Canadian political theorists can respond to calls from their Indigenous colleagues to decolonize political theory and Canadian politics.

Originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Kaitie joined the Department of Political Studies in 2019 as a Master鈥檚 student in Political and Legal Thought. She received her Bachelor of Humanities with High Distinction from Carleton University鈥檚 College of the Humanities, during which she completed a year of study at Cardiff University in Wales.

Selected Awards

  • Stanley Drabek Graduate Award (2024)
  • SSHRC Canada Graduate Scholarship 鈥 Doctoral (2021-2024)
  • Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2020-2021)
  • SSHRC Canada Graduate Scholarship 鈥 Master鈥檚 (2019-2020)
  • Queen鈥檚 University Tri-Agency Recipient Recognition Award (2019-2020)

Teaching Fellowships

Winter 2025     POLS 320: Indigenous Politics

Winter 2024     POLS 451: Topics in Political Theory 鈥 Settler Colonialism in Canada           

2023-present    POLS 590: Honours Thesis in Political Studies

Hasni, Akif

Department poster

Akif Hasni

Doctoral Candidate

Political Studies

Doctoral Candidate

akif.hasni@queensu.ca

Mackintosh-Corry Hall, B308

Supervisor: Susanne Soederberg

Research Interests

Globalization, global development regimes, and political economy. Current research focuses on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the broader Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Teaching:

POLS 464 Issues in Contemporary Security

POLS 484 Politics of Globalization

POLS 498 Topics in Political Studies

For detailed information about political studies courses and instructors, please refer to the Undergraduate and Graduate pages. 

Fingler, Emma

Emma Fingler

Emma Fingler

Doctoral Candidate

She/Her

M.A.(University of Waterloo), B.A. Hons. (Bishop's University)

Political Studies

Doctoral Candidate

15ejf@queensu.ca

Mackintosh-Corry Hall, B304

Supervisor: St茅phanie Martel

Linked In:

Twitter/X:

Brief Biography

Emma Fingler (she/her) is a SSHRC-funded doctoral candidate researching gender, disaster response operations, and regional governance in South and Southeast Asia. She is a Fellow with the Climate Security Association of Canada and is a Graduate Research Fellow with the Centre for International and Defence Policy (CIDP) at Queen鈥檚 University. Emma was the 2023 Graduate Scholarship recipient of Women in Defence and Security (WiDS). She was previously a Canada-Asia Young Professional Fellow with the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and 2022-2024 Graduate Fellow with the Research Network on Women, Peace and Security. Emma has experience working abroad on humanitarian, development, and coordination issues. Prior to joining Queen鈥檚, she was the Special Assistant to the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Kathmandu Nepal, and a Junior Professional Consultant with the UN Resident Coordinator鈥檚 Office in Kathmandu. She holds an M.A. in Global Governance from the University of Waterloo鈥檚 Balsillie School of International Affairs and a B.A. Hons. in Political Studies from Bishop鈥檚 University.

Selected Awards:

Timothy C.S. Franks Research Travel Award, Queen鈥檚 University, 2023

Women in Defence and Security, Graduate Scholarship, 2023

SSHRC Department of National Defence MINDS Scholarship Initiative

SSHRC Doctoral Award, 2022-25

Research Network on Women, Peace and Security, Doctoral Award, 2022-24

Research Interests

  • Humanitarian and disaster governance;
  • Women, Peace and Security agenda, with a focus on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); and
  • Global Governance structures and norms.

Field Affiliations

International Relations

Comparative Politics

Teaching

POLS 460: International Relations of the Asia Pacific (Teaching Fellow)

POLS 280, Introduction to Women, Gender and Politics (Teaching Assistant)

POLS 244, Comparative Politics: Democracy and Democratization (Teaching Assistant)

POLS 261, International Relations (Teaching Assistant)

Bu啪imki膰, Admira

Admira Buzimkic

Admira Bu啪imki膰

Doctoral Student

She/Her

Political Studies

Doctoral Student

20ab26@queensu.ca

Mackintosh-Corry Hall, B305

Supervisor: Wayne Cox

Brief Biography

Admira Bu啪imki膰 is a doctoral candidate specializing in International Relations and Comparative Politics. She holds a Master鈥檚 in Globalization from McMaster University and a BA in International Relations (High Distinction) from the University of Toronto.

Admira has actively participated in panel discussions on global research methods and the influence of war, gender, and religion on democratization. As an editor for the Student Strategy and Security Journal (affiliated with the University of Glasgow), she oversees paper submissions and collaborates with reviewers and scholars to elevate manuscripts to publishable standards.

Research Interests 

Admira鈥檚 research, situated at the intersection of international relations, globalization, and political geography, explores several key themes. These include conflict and forced displacement, global mobility,  border control, and the practical implementation of policy in politically volatile regions. Additionally, her work explores post-conflict reconstruction and state building, offering critical insights into the evolving nature of border enforcement and state building. Admira has presented her work at various academic conferences, symposiums and workshops.

Additionally, Admira is interested in international water resource management and security. As part of the McMaster-UNU-INWEH program, she has conducted research on urban water sustainability and the impact of melting glaciers on local populations in Peru.

Awards

Ontario Graduate Scholarship 2022-23 

Ontario Graduate Scholarship, 2021-22         

Ontario Graduate Scholarship, 2020-21         

2020-2021 R.S. McLaughlin Fellowship 鈥 Queen鈥檚 University        

McMaster Graduate Scholarship 

Teaching Experience 

Teaching Assistant: 

POLS 262 International Political Economy (Winter 2023, 2022 and 2021)

POLS 261 International Politics (Fall 2022, Fall 2020) 

Head Teaching Assistant:

POLS 261 International Politics (Fall 2021)