Kathryn Green '09 Takes Position in Thailand

Kathryn Green, CSB ‘09, has received an Upper Midwest Human Rights Fellowship and will be completing her fellowship with the Karenni Development Research Group (KDRG). They are a coalition of 10 Karenni Community Based Organizations (CBOs) dedicated to preventing Burmese government development projects which would have detrimental effects on the Burmese people, in particular marginalized indigenous communities, and their environment. KDRG is also a member organization of Burma Rivers Network and Salween Watch, two environmental-human rights organizations based in Chiang Mai, Thailand. KDRG acts as a coordinating body between Karenni CBOs, a research office to document human rights abuses committed against the Burmese people, and a voice to educate the national and international community on the human and environmental consequences of unsustainable development in Burma. Kathryn will be providing much-needed assistance in translating KDRG reports into English, networking with other human rights NGOs in Thailand, assisting in organizing training and workshop sessions for human rights activists, and participating in all planned KDRG campaign projects.

After the completion of her fellowship, Kathryn plans to attend graduate school in geography with a focus on political ecology and sustainable agriculture, and hopes to do masters-level research in Thailand.

Kathryn also studied abroad in Thailand in the spring of 2008 through the International Sustainable Development Studies Institute and strongly recommends the program to Asian Studies and Environmental Studies majors and minors; the program has an emphasis on learning Thai language, culture, politics and society. Interested students are welcome to contact Kathryn via e-mail.