Susan M. Thomson
Department of Political Science
Dalhousie University
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4R2, Canada
smthomson@dal.ca

EDUCATION

Doctor of Philosophy (Political Science), Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada. Expected 2007.
Master of Arts (Political Science), Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada. 2001.
Bachelor of Laws Honours, University College of London, England. 1998.
Bachelor of Arts Honours (Political Science), Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, Canada. 1992.

FIELDS of INTEREST

State-society relations in post-conflict societies, in particular power relations between the state and individual citizens; individuals’ strategies of resistance to government policies in Africa, with emphasis on Rwanda; impact of trauma on individuals; state transitions from war to peace; democratisation, international democracy promotion and post-conflict reconstruction; interpretative, ethnographic and narrative research methods.

PUBLICATIONS

Peer-Reviewed Book
Legal Research and Writing Manual for the Faculty of Law, National University of Rwanda, Cowansville, QC: Éditions Yvon Blais, 2003. 197 pp.

Peer-Reviewed Journal Article
“Why the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda is Doing Nothing to Promote Sustainable Peace in Rwanda”, Scientific Journal of Law, 56 (3), August 1999, pp. 127-149.

Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications
"Introductory Remarks: Rwanda and the Great Lakes Region 10 Years On", in S. Thomson and Z. Wilson (eds.), Remembering Rwanda: A Special Double Issue of International Insights: A Dalhousie Journal of International Affairs, June 2005, pp. 1-19.

Lead editor, Remembering Rwanda: A Special Double Issue of International Insights: A Dalhousie Journal of International Affairs, June 2005. 312 pp.

“Individual Lived Experience with Democratisation in Post-Genocide Rwanda”, Human Security Bulletin, 3 (4), November/December 2004, http://www.humansecuritybulletin.info/November_2004/Home/en/index.php

“Working Together, Working Towards: An Approach to Outcomes Based Learning”, Teaching and Learning at Saint Mary’s, 14 (2), (March 2004), pp. 5-6.

Memoire Style Guide, Butare: National University of Rwanda Press (book published with the support of USAID/Rwanda), 1999. 69 pp.

Book Reviews
Julia Kristeva: Live Theory. John Lechte and Maria Margaroni. Forthcoming, Post-structuralism and Radical Politics Research Group. http://www.poststruc-radpols.squarespace.com/reviews/ . Forthcoming, June 2007.

Liberal Democracy and its Critics in Africa: Political Dysfunction and the Struggle for Progress.. Edited by Tukumbi Lumumba-Kasongo. African Studies Review, 8(4), 2006.

Negotiating Local Knowledge: Identity and Power in Development, edited by Johan Pottier, Alan Bicker and Paul Sillitoe. European Journal of Development Research 18(1), 2006, pp. 173-174.

Reports and Other Publications
Policy Brief. “Re-Engaging the Post-Genocide Government of Rwanda: Canada’s Role”. March 2007. Available on-line at: http://www.humansecurity.info/sites/cchs/files/pdfs/
Fellow%20Papers/Policy_brief/Thomson_Policy_Brief.pdf

Workshop Report (co-author). “Civil Society Perspectives on the Responsibility to Protect: 10 Years after the Rwandan Genocide”. April 2004. Available on-line at: http://centreforforeignpolicystudies.dal.ca/insights/RwandaAndTheGreatLakes.pdf

Work under review
“Autobiography of a Political Ethnography: Preparations for Fieldwork in Rwanda”. Submitted to the Political and Legal Anthropology Review, June 2007.

Work in progress
“The Unity-Generating Machine: State Power and Gacaca Trials in Post-genocide Rwanda”. Journal article in preparation.

“Social Capital as Ethnic Divisionism? Ingando Camps and the Policy of National Unity in Post-Genocide Rwanda” (with Elisabeth King, University of Toronto, Canada). Research paper in preparation for the Immigration, Minorities and Multiculturalism in Democracies Conference. Montreal. 26 October 2007.

““I don’t know who saw what but I say that I saw nothing”: Power, Justice and Reconciliation in Post-Genocide Rwanda” (with Rosemary Nagy, Nipissing University, Canada). Research presentation in preparation for the Post-Genocide Rwanda: Achievements and Challenges Conference. California State University, Sacramento, California. 3 November 2007.

PRESENTATIONS and TALKS

“Situating Ordinary Rwandans in Post-Genocide Rwanda: A Methodological Approach to Fieldwork.” Research presentation. American Political Science Association. Chicago. 1 September 2007.

"Partnership or Power? Deconstructing Mrs. Kagame's Partnership for HIV/AIDS". Research presentation. Gender, HIV/AIDS and Human Security Conference. Dalhousie University. 10 August 2007.

"Profiling the Impacts of North-South Research Collaboration for Development". Panellist. AUCC-IDRC Panel, Canadian Association for the Study of International Development (CASID) Meeting, University of Saskatchewan, 1 June 2007.

"The Unity-Generating Machine: State Power and Gacaca Trials in Post-genocide Rwanda". Research Presentation. Canadian Political Science Association (CPSA) Meeting, University of Saskatchewan, 31 May 2007.

"One Rwanda for All Rwandans? The Reconfiguration of Social and Political Power in Post-Genocide Rwanda". Research Presentation. Faces of Power Graduate Conference, McGill University, Montreal, 4 May 2007.

“The Politics of Trauma in Post-Genocide Rwanda: Treatment for Some at the Expense of the Many”. Research Presentation. Peacebuilding and Trauma Recovery: Integrated Strategies in Post-War Reconstruction, University of Denver, 25 February 2007.

“A State-Led Response to Genocide: The Discourse of National Unity in Rwanda”. Research Presentation. Canadian Consortium for Human Security Roundtable. Munk Centre for International Studies, University of Toronto. 2 February 2007.

“When they tried to get us to kill, it turned out be nothing compared to everything that happened after that”. Research Presentation. National Unity and Reconciliation Commission. Kigali, Rwanda. 12 September 2006.

“Voices from the South: Ordinary Rwandans Speak. Preliminary Reflections”. Invited Talk. UK Department for International Development, Rwanda Field Office. Kigali, Rwanda. 25 August 2006.

“The Politics of Fieldwork: Permission, Power and Ethics”. Public lecture. Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University College of London, 5 November 2005.

“The Use of Narrative Analysis in Understanding Acts of Resistance: The Case of Rwandan Survivors of the 1994 Genocide”. Research Presentation. Icelandic Feminist Association Meeting, Department of Anthropology, University of Iceland. 2-4 November 2005.

“Critical Discourse Analysis as Method of Inquiry in Political Science”. Research presentation. Critical Discourse and Political Analysis Workshop, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, 26-28 October 2005.

“The International Promotion of Democracy and Post-Conflict Societies: What Odds?”. Invited lecture. Department of Political Studies, University of Cape Town, 17 February 2005.

“Reflections on the United Nations in Rwanda since the 1994 Genocide”. Invited lecture. Dalhousie African Studies Association, Halifax, 14 January 2005.

“Crimes against Women during the Rwandan Genocide: Prospects of Justice for Women Survivors”. Guest speaker. 2004 John Humphrey Freedom Award Laureate, Canadian Tour Public Event, Dalhousie University, 27 November 2004.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Gender, Development and Globalization, 4th year undergraduate seminar, Faculty of International Development, Mbarara University, Mbarara, Uganda, March 2006

Scope and Methods of Political Science, 4th year undergraduate lecture, Department of Political Science, Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, Canada. September 2003-April 2004

Special Topics: International Law, 4th year undergraduate seminar, Department of Political Science, Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, Canada. January 2003-April 2003

Legal Research and Writing; 1st year lecture, Faculty of Law, National University of Rwanda, Butare, Rwanda, July –December 1998, 1999, 2000.

Public International Law; 3rd year lecture, Faculty of Law, National University of Rwanda, Butare, Rwanda, March to July 1999 and 2000.

Private International Law; 3rd year lecture, Faculty of Law, National University of Rwanda, Butare, Rwanda, March to July 1999, and 2000.

International Human Rights Law; 2nd year seminar, Faculty of Law, National University of Rwanda, Butare, Rwanda, January to March 2000.

The Investigation of Human Right Abuses: Theory and Practice, 3rd year seminar, National University of Rwanda, Butare, Rwanda. January – March 2000.

WORKSHOPS and PANELS ORGANISED

Panel. “Political Science in Post-Conflict Societies: Novel Approaches to Old Issues in Post-Genocide Rwanda”. Panel submitted to the American Political Science Association Meeting, Chicago, 1 September 2007.

Workshop. “Implementing the Freedom from Fear Agenda: Government Rhetoric and Civilian Reality in Africa”. Halifax, Dalhousie University, 20-21 November 2004.

Panel. “Remembering Rwanda: The 10th Anniversary of the 1994 Genocide”. Panel organiser. Halifax, Dalhousie University, 11 March 2004.

Workshop. “Civil Society Perspectives on the Responsibility to Protect: 10 Years after the Rwandan Genocide” (co-organiser). Kigali, Rwanda, 15-17 February 2004.

AWARDS and FELLOWSHIPS

American Political Science Association. International Scholar Travel Grant. $362.
Canadian Political Science Association. Travel Grant. $176.
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. Travel Grant. $2498.
Canadian Consortium on Human Security. Doctoral Fellowship. 2006-07. $10,000
International Development Research Centre. Doctoral Fellowship. 2006. $20,000
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Doctoral Fellowship. 2003-06. $24,000 per annum.
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Support to Conferences Fund (with David Black). 2004. $10,000
Department of National Defence, Security and Defence Forum. 2004. Conference support. $5,500.
Canadian Consortium on Human Security. Workshop Grant Fund. 2004. $10,000
Dalhousie University, Office of the President. Workshop Funds. 2004. $1000.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

“Learning and Teaching in Higher Education”. Centre for Teaching and Learning (CLT), Dalhousie University. September 2006 to April 2007.

“Preparing a Teaching Dossier”. CLT, Dalhousie University. September to December 2006.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

July 1998 – December 2000: Resident Co-ordinator, Anglophone Lecturers in Law Project, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Law Project, Faculté de Droit, National University of Rwanda, Butare, Rwanda.

September 1997– July 1998: Human Rights Programme Officer, Justice Sector, United Nations Human Rights Field Operation in Rwanda, United Nations High Commission on Human Rights, Gitarama/Kibuye Sub-Office, Kigali, Rwanda.

September 1994 – August 1997: Associate Programme Officer, Best Practices and Local Leadership Programme, United Nations Centre for Human Settlements, Nairobi, Kenya.

August 1993 – September 1994: Researcher, Women in Human Settlements Development Programme, United Nations Centre for Human Settlements, Nairobi, Kenya.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Nova Scotia Co-ordinator, “Remembering Rwanda: The 10th Anniversary of the 1994 Genocide”, 2003-04.

Member of the Rwanda National Committee “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence”, 1998-2000.

Pro bono legal work for FIDA-Kenya (Federation of International Women Lawyers), 1996-1998.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

African Studies Association; American Anthropological Association; American Political Science Association; Canadian Association for African Studies; Canadian Political Science Association; International Studies Association; Interpretation and Methods Working Group, Yale University; Post-structuralism and Radical Politics Research Group, UK Political Science Association.

LANGUAGES

English, French, Kiswahili.

REFERENCES

Available on request.

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