Photo for McKayla Kennedy

McKayla Kennedy

Grad Teaching Assistantship, Faculty of Arts - Political Science Dept
Course Assistant, SSE Accessibility and Accommodations

Pronouns: She/Her

Contact

Grad Teaching Assistantship, Faculty of Arts - Political Science Dept
Email
mlkenne1@ualberta.ca

Course Assistant, SSE Accessibility and Accommodations
Email
mlkenne1@ualberta.ca

Overview

Area of Study / Keywords

International Law Human Rights Decolonialization International Political Economy


About

I am currently a second-year master's student and enjoying every minute. I am the  Vice President of Academics for the Political Science Graduate Association (PSGSA) and a board member for the annual student-led Interdisciplinary Conference for the Faculty of Arts. When not on campus, I am running between my several book clubs, walking around my neighborhood, or watching any historical TV show I can get my hands on. 


Research

My research is focused on identifying the continuation of colonialism in international law and multinational corporations within the extractive industry. My MA thesis is focused on examining the legal battle between Shell PLC and the Ogale Community of Ogoniland, Nigeria, from 1999-2026. I am interested in exploring how grassroots movements, education, and interdisciplinary collaboration can be used to decolonize international law, which is inherently violent towards citizens of the Global South. 

Recent projects are aimed at decolonizing national institutions, such as universities, and national doctrines by forging connections between marginalized groups and international human rights for effective national implementation.