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Each year, the Institute for the Study of Human Rights welcomes a select number of visiting scholars to conduct research on a variety of human rights topics. Past visiting scholars have included federal judges, attorneys, trailblazers in NGO advocacy, academics and medical doctors. These scholars have come from more than 35 countries and form an essential part of ISHR’s global community of human rights researchers, scholars, and advocates.
Prospective scholars and others interested in researching human rights are encouraged to explore the biographies of some of our recent scholars below. Use the tabs below to sort through our scholars by research specialization. Click here for a list of additional visiting scholars.
To learn more about the Visiting Scholars Program and how to apply, click here.
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Rachel Wahl earned her Ph.D. from New York University in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences program in International Education. Her research investigates the ways in which law enforcement officers in India respond to human rights advocacy and education related to state violence. This research was based on her twelve months of fieldwork in India. She was awarded the David L. Boren National Security Education Fellowship for fieldwork and intensive Hindi study. Rachel has also served as a consultant to USAID and the Norwegian Organization for International Development (NORAD) under the supervision of Dr. Dana Burde. Prior to beginning her Ph.D., she designed education programs for NGOs in New York, China and Peru.
Wen Yunchao, known more commonly by his online alias “Bei Feng”, launched a series of online campaigns in support of human rights and against Internet censorship. He was awarded the French Republic’s Human Rights Prize 2010 by the French National Consultative Commission on Human Rights, in recognition of his efforts and contribution in promoting China's human rights movements through social media.
Dr. Cecelia Walsh-Russo is currently Assistant Professor of Sociology at Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York where she teaches courses on human rights and social movements. She received her Ph.D. from Columbia University’s Department of Sociology in 2008. While at Columbia, she was a Cordier Fellow at the School of International and Public Affairs. Her research has centered on the spread of tactics within human rights campaigns, beginning with the Anglo-American abolitionist movements of the early 19th century. She is currently conducting research on the dynamics of tactical diffusion within global human rights-based movements of the 20th and 21st centuries, including the Pan-African movement and the current international women’s movement.
