Hello! I'm Sonia, a student of Political Science and Economics at Trinity College Dublin. I'm also a 2026 Laidlaw Scholar.

In research and in real life, my main interest is how the traumas of the past affect the wellbeing of people in the present. War, structural discrimination and communal violence rarely conclude at appointed historical end dates, but persist in the daily realities of communities for decades. The impacts are often invisible and difficult to quantify, such as chronic stress, sectarianism and complex national identity.

My Summer 1 research examines the modern-day impacts of Ireland's revolutionary past. In the 1920s, over 275 Irish country houses were burned in conflicts over land, religion, class and politics. I will interview members of the tight-knit rural communities where the burnings occurred. My objective is to understand how that legacy of violence impacts people's sense of belonging.

I hope to connect with fellow Scholars and alumni. Especially if you have an interest in conflict, peacebuilding or memory politics, get in touch!