Some of the challenges I have faced were mostly related access to quality sources. My research is framed around a recent legal rule that has very little literature written about it. This forced me to be creative and take an unconventional approach by redefining my scope and establishing new parameters. I also had to read court cases that can easily be overwhelming due to the new jargon and terminology. At the end though, I found it very interesting to read court transcripts which revealed a more human side to legal proceedings.

When it comes to resources my librarian and mentor were very helping and often guided me towards very useful information. I also heavily depended on Nexus for any law adjacent texts and literature.

I am interested to hear more about your research Karen! I think it is very time sensitive considering all the discourse in media about what ought to be taught in schools. I wonder if public opinion and discourse tied to your research could possibly influence your results in anyway and if there are ways your team in navigating that (I’ve never done field work so I’m not sure of the protocol)

1. My research excited me mostly because it is very topical and is part of the larger conversation of the future of advocacy, criminal reform, discrimination and recidivism. As a human rights major this is a subject I hope explore more in my academic exploration. I hope to write a thesis for my major and this research might inspire that venture.

2. My research matters because the world is slowly transitioning into openly having conversations about structures that perpetuate injustices. I believe intersectionality and it’s role in the legal system is emblematic of the larger issues that exist in most social, political and economic spaces and the nuance it will take to overcome them. I would like to contribute to the larger movement of acknowledging discrimination in its multiple facets.

1. My research heavily hinges on the experiences of vulnerable demographics which inherently makes it a delicate subject to navigate. I am maneuvering around this by ensuring that I maintain impartiality in my research and allow the stories of those most affected by multiple discrimination to be told in the most accurate ways possible.

2. My research is structured in a way that allows for discrimination to be assessed through different perspectives such as people going through the court system, lawyers, judges and legal experts. This allows me to get a holistic picture of the systemic structures that reinforce discrimination and allow it to continue to thrive.

1. I hope to learn more about the practical application of different styles of leadership and navigating what type of leadership would best serve each situation.

2. The first step of my project involves me setting parameters for my research. My topic (intersectionality) is ver broad and I believe narrowing it down and being more specific would best serve me and what I hope to achieve in these six weeks.