Olivia Liddie - Participating in Summer Internship/Collaborating on a Research Project with Faculty (4-6/5-8)

 I had the opportunity to complete work with Spelman faculty member Dr John Givens focusing on the toponym of political party names. While collaborating with other Spelman students, I was able to conduct literature reviews, organize and collect data, and produce algorithms to process qualitative data. The experience allowed me to dive into a new area of research outside of my major and reaffirmed my interest in policy research in the future. 

While working on this project, we were also able to introduce our own unique research questions. Mine focused on the impact of party names and the prevalence of violence in order to create change. For example, would political parties with "militant" in their title be more likely to use violence or militarized methods to maintain control. 

While our research is not complete, we are continuing to work towards completing our research, hopefully leading to published work. I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to conduct this type of work at Spelman College, with a faculty member that I respect. I am excited how my new understanding and knowledge will open new doors within research whether in policy or other similar areas. 

I learned that while I at times struggle to use coding mainframes I have incredible grit and curiosity and am able to pick up new skills quickly and confidently. Stay tuned for my next major research project. 

By Olivia Liddie