Walsh School of Foreign Service
CLAS
CLAS

Past Capstone Projects

The capstone for the master of arts in Latin American Studies is a three-credit seminar that provides graduate students with an opportunity to demonstrate their comprehensive, integrated and interdisciplinary knowledge about Latin America and the Caribbean applied to a specific analytical question, case study, policy issue, new opportunity, emerging challenge, or project chosen by students in their respective concentrations. The outcome of the capstone course is a professional deliverable that students can either use as a gateway to their professional careers upon graduation or as a means to advance in their current professions.

  • “Command or Constitution? Analyzing Civil-Military Relations and the Behavior of the Armed Forces in Brazil” by Isabelle Boggs and Gabrielle Boyd
    • Partner Organization: Washington Brazil Office (WBO)
  • “Caribbean Corrections: On The Frontlines In The Post-Covid, Climate-Impact Era. How the International Community Can Support CARICOM’s Efforts to Implement More Effective Corrections Reforms” by Jake Patrick Collins
    • Partner Organization: Department of State
  • “Indigenous Consultation and Legal Frameworks: Implementing ILO 169 in Chile and Ecuador” by Cate Howell and Rafael Angel Nuñez, Jr.
    • Partner Organization: Organization of American States (OAS)
  • “Exploring E-mobility in Northeastern Brazil: The Experience of E-Bus Integration in Salvador, Bahia” by Genevieve McCarthy and Geraldine Wambersie
    • Partner Organization: The World Bank Group
  • ““Mais do mesmo só que Diferente?”: A Survey of Brazil’s Pharmaceutical Industrial Policy in the 21st Century” by Esteban Martínez and Lucas Pires de Freitas
    • Partner Organization: Inter-American Development Bank
  • “Decriminalization of Abortion In Brazil” by Paola Luchsinger
    • Partner Organization: Catholics for Choice
  • “We Are The Epic or Centering the Out Law: Masculinity in the Corrido Tradition” by Ashley Merchant
    • Partner Organization: Sones de México Ensemble, Chicago
  • “The Rationale Behind Conservatism in Foreign Policy: Contemporary Implications for Paraguay and Argentina” by Alberto Maresca and Fabiola Martínez
    • Partner Organization: FLACSO, Argentina
  • “Bringing Light: A Strategic Approach to Reduce Energy Poverty in ZOMAC municipalities of the department of Santander” by Daniec Lozada
    • Partner Organization: ESSA, Electrificadora de Santander, Colombia
  • “The Alchemist’s Gold: Mining and its Hidden Cost on Antioquia’s Education System” by Lucia González Camelo and Andrea Casique Rivero
    • Partner Organization: Inter-American Development Bank, Andean Group
  • “Una Lucha para un Trato Digno: Legal, Educational, & Economic Pathways for Advancing Private Household Workers’ Rights in Guatemala” by Marina Chen and Michelle Muxi
    • Partner Organizations: CENTRACAP, Guatemala & PADF
  • “Cultural Threads, Market Tensions: Intellectual Property and the Future of Guatemalan Indigenous Textile Brands” by Johana Mata and Jianan Huang
    • Partner Organizations: Cojolya Association of Maya Women Weavers, Guatemala; Museum Ixchel Del Traje Indigena, Guatemala

  • “Measuring the Impact of Chinese Economic Engagement on Political Trajectories in Latin America and the Caribbean” by Kayla Mbaye and Amir Walker
    • Partner Organization: Strategic Studies Institute
  • “Russian Influence in Latin America: Measuring Digital Latin American Public Opinion” by Valerie Senger and Jacob Basseches
    • Partner Organization: Stop Fake
  • “Uttering Unspeakable Truths: The Victims of the Colombian armed conflict and the Continuum of Violence” by Esteban Morales Herrera
    • Partner Organizations: Sistema Integral para la Paz, Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz
  • “From Legal Frameworks to Practical Implementation: The Role of Popular Education in Improving Land Access for Rural Women on the Caribbean Coast of Colombia” by Ellie Cayer and Sam Primis
    • Partner Organization: Centro de Investigación y Educación Popular (CINEP) / Programa por la Paz
  • “Innovation | Acceleration | Impact: Catalyzing change through entrepreneurship” by James Virgil
    • Partner Organization: Village Capital
  • “Canta, Canarinho, Canta! How the language of futebol can improve the quality of public primary education in Brazil” by Deborah A. Goncalvez and Mason Thorpe
    • Partner Organization: Instituto Vini.Jr
  • “Exploring the Effectiveness of Asset Returns in Corruption Cases: Applying a Human Rights Perspective” by Hannah Bomberg and Winaly Simpson
    • Partner Organization: Due Process of Law Foundation
  • “The Voices of the MIPYMES: A Reflection of the New Non-State Actors of the Cuban Economy” by Roger Masson and Alejandra Franganillo Díaz
    • Partner Organization: FIU Cuban Research Institute
  • “Unveiling the Shadows in a Northward Journey: Understanding the Complexities of Human Trafficking of Guatemalan Migrants” by Breana Stanski and Andrés Villar
    • Partner Organization: University of Maryland Safe Center for Human Trafficking Survivors
  • “‘Como una odisea”: Unveiling D.C. Migrant Narratives to Educate Advocates of Immigrant Justice” by Brionna Bolaños and Gabriella Farrell
    • Partner Organization: Migrant Voices D.C.
  • “God, Too, Speaks Spanish: A Reflection of Jewish Immigration to Cuba in Literature” by Michael T. Parrott
    • Partner Organization: Other Cuban Journeys

  • “Agreement (FTA) Between Ecuador and the United States” by Nabih Dahik
  • “Militarized Policing and Crowd Control: A Case Study of the Carabineros de Chile” by Kylie Stronko and Dana Figel
  • “Coca Sí, Cocaína No: A Critical Evaluation of the Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS) Government’s Anti-Drug Policy in Bolivia” by Gloria Monroy García and Nicholas Meissner
  • “Higher Education, Diplomacy, and Development: The Case of UNILAB in Brazil” by Tiffany Brown-Louis and Crispin Beyogle
  • “An Examination and Analysis of Voluntary National Reviews – the Case of Argentina” by by Jessica Castillo and Juan Reyes
    • Partner Organization: UNDESA
  • “Aquí, pero allá: History is a Family Scene” by Melissa Flores and Tatiana Cherry Santos
  • “Post-Zero Tolerance: An Assessment of Family Separation Policy” by Amy Patricia Morales and Elizabeth Alvarado
    • Partner Organization: KIND
  • “The Geopolitics, Economics, and Environmental Impacts of Rare Earth Elements: An Opportunity for Chile’s Mining Sector” by Katherine Caesar and Christopher Lindrud
  • “Guyana’s Oil-bonanza: An Energy Development Strategy” by Gerardo Penchyna Cárdenas and Bernarda Jarrín
  • “Smoke & Mirrors: Examining the Impact of Queimadas on the Rule of Law in the Southwest Amazon” by Natalie Chaudhuri and Liam Aranda
  • “Gendered Power Dynamics at the Escobal Silver Mine: Examining the Governance Structure of Multinational Mining Projects” by Anastasia Chacón and Rebecca Contreras
    • Partner Organization: Oxfam, DC

  • “Considerations Of Caribbean Identity: A Comparative Analysis of Cuba and Puerto Rico in their Temporal and Thematic Subjectivities” by José Antonio Flores and Lydia Millhon
    • Partner Organization: Art Museum of the Americas (AMA)
  • “Leveraging U.S. Official Development Assistance to Mitigate against Corruption as a Root Cause of Irregular Migration” by Rebecca Bock and Courtney Brantley
  • “Defining La Raza Chilena: Foundational Roots of Modern Exclusion” by Sean Buss
  • “Combating Gender Violence: Evaluating Efforts to Mitigate Honduran Female Migration” by Anne-Cecilia Byrne and Leticia Chacón
  • “Poster Children, Postal Cities? A Comparative Evaluation Of Urban Regeneration As A Development Strategy In Latin America: The Cases Of Guayaquil, Ecuador And Medellín, Colombia” by Maria De Lourdes Despradel Aquino and Bryan Ricciardi
    • Partner Organization: World Resources Institute (WRI)
  • “Searching for White Gold: China’s Quest for Latin America’s Lithium” by Kiano Emami and Yuetong Zhao
  • “21st Century Itamaraty: Prioritizing Frontier Technologies” by Felipe Lobo Koerich and Luke Allen
  • “Women, Originary Peoples and Inclusion: A Comparative Constitutional Analysis” by Chelsea Meiners and Elliot Anderson
  • “El Salvador’s Bitcoin Remittance Experiment” by Kelvin Mejia and Selva Titania Astudillo Aguilar
  • “Designing Payments for Ecosystem Services Models in the Amazon to Combat Deforestation: A Case for Silvopasture Systems in Colombia” by Susanna Meyer and Tamsin Zandstra
    • Partner Organizations: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and Centro Interdisciplinario de Estudios Sobre Desarollo (CIDER)
  • “What Can the United States and Partner Nations in Latin America Do to Confront Malign Influence from External State Actors? Case Studies in Security Assistance and Cooperation” by Bradley J. Palmer-Lourenco and Josepht C. Rojas
    • Partner Organization: Strategic Studies Institute (SSI)
  • “Exploring Nicaraguan Migrant Domestic Workers’ Cycles of Vulnerability in Costa Rica” by Génesis Crystal Torres-Alcántara and Silvia Del Carmen Zelaya Jovel
    • Partner Organization: Migration Policy Institute (MPI)
  • “Navigating Vulnerability: A Study of Socio-Economic Integration of Migrant Populations in Costa Rica” by Amelia Espinosa and Jordan Lloyd
    • Partner Organization: Migration Policy Institute (MPI) and Georgetown University Institute for the Study of International Migration (ISIM)

  • “Assessing Perceptions of Grand and Petty Corruption in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)” by Jessica F. Chilin-Hernández and Carolina Marín
    • Partner Organization: Iniciativa de Transparencia y Anticorrupción (ITAC)
  • “Family Separation: A Legal Practitioner’s Guide” by Izzy DeSpirito and Brynne Archbold
    • Partner Organization: KIND
  • “Rethinking Civil-Military Relations In Latin America: The Implications of Civilian-Directed Role Expansion” by Shawn Grinnell and Daniel Alemany
  • “Stuck in The Middle With (E)U? A Comprehensive Analysis of Pathways Forward For The EU-Mercosur Free-Trade Agreement” by Cecilia Godoy Albuquerque de Almeida and George Hames
  • “From Penny Wars to Partnership: A Case Study Analysis of the TransMilenio’s Public-Private Partnership” by Allecia Jones and Raymond Rizzo
    • Partner Organization: World Resources Institute (WRI)
  • “Implications for Latino Communities in the U.S. as Analyzed Through Oral Histories and Children’s Poetry” by Keva Luke and Nelcy Ávila
    • Partner Organizations: Library of Congress (LOC) and InSeries
  • “Redefining Tweets as Discourse: How El Salvador’s ‘Cool’ President Impacts Cycles of Violence against Women and Girls” by Aiyanna Maciel and Majaella Ruden
  • “A Series of (Un)Fortunate Events: The Build-Up to Mexico’s Recognition of Internal Displacement in 2019” by Lesly Tejada and Nicholas Marin
    • Partner Organization: Pan American Development Foundation (PADF)
  • “Economic Reintegration: Barriers to the Labor Market for Ex-Combatants in Colombia” by Valencia Wilson
  • “MERCOSUR Unfinished Battles” by Maria José Flores
    • Partner Organization: IERAL and Argentina Global
  • “The Responsibility to Protect in Conflict Resolution and Peace Building: A Case Study of Venezuela” by Xueru Zhang
    • Partner Organization: Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA)

  • “She Stands Up: Understanding and Teaching about Women’s Activism in the Face of Violence” by Parker Benedict and Amalia Rubin
    • Partner Organization: Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP)
  • “Cementing Women’s Visibility in CEMEX’s Integral Program for Rural Development: An M&E Methodology to Achieve SDG#5 in Nuevo León, México” by Abby Bowman and Judith Pérez
    • Partner Organization: CEMEX
  • “Sustained Violence in the Northern Triangle and the Intention to Migrate” by Kelsea Cooper and Michael Willis
    • Partner Organization: United States Department of State (DOS)
  • “Latin American Voting Pattern on US Priorities in the U.N. General Assembly: 1983-2018” by Agustín Grizia
    • Partner Organization: Council on Foreign Relations (CFR); Argentine Association of International Studies (AERIA); United Nations Foundation (UNF)
  • “Sustained Violence in the Northern Triangle and the Intention to Migrate” by Kelsea Cooper and Michael Willis
    • Partner Organization: United States Department of State (DOS)
  • “Informing U.S. Strategy to Support Judicial Reform in Guatemala and Honduras” by Lauren Molina and Stacey Pirtle
    • Partner Organization: WOLA
  • “Extrajudicial Executions in Venezuela Committed by State Security Forces in Carabobo and Miranda 2015-2020” by Ana Montañez and Rocío Ortega
  • “The Road to Vision 2040: An Education Strategy to Boost Human Capital in Guyana” by Laura Newton and Sara Jones
    • Partner Organization: Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI)
  • “US-Cuba Agricultural Trade: How Trade Normalization Will Affect Exports and Investment” by Rolf Niederstrasser-Hernández and James Gordy
  • “Forced Disappearance in the Borderland: Unveiling Victim’s Invisibility in Norte de Santander” by Jessica Spanswick and Javier Ochoa
  • “Human Rights Law, Transitional Justice and Addressing Underlying Causes of Conflict to Creating Lasting Peace” by John-Francis Villines
    • Partner Organization: Comisión de la Verdad (CEV), Colombia
  • “Immigration, Economic and Social Integration in Chile” by Marvin Wiley and Duowei Chen
    • Partner Organization: AthenaLab, Santiago de Chile, Chile
  • “Introducing Brazilian Abolitionism to U.S. Students: A Historiography of 19th Century Abolitionist Campaigns in Brazil & Resources for U.S.-Based Educators” by Sarah Brokenborough
    • Partner Organization: Library of Congress (LOC)

  • “Our Partners Across the Pacific: A Comprehensive Strategic Plan to Strengthen Thailand’s Diplomacy in Latin America” by Tipaporn Attasivanon
    • Partner Organization: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand (MFA)
  • “A Golden Partnership: Dialogue and Engagement in Latin America’s Extractive Industries” by Amanda Chatupron-Lacayo and Daniela Forero Benavides
    • Partner Organization: Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
  • “The Fight for Inclusion: Gender and LGBTQ+ in the Implementation of the Colombian Peace Accords” by Laura Cossette and Kenia Saba Perez
    • Partner Organizations: WOLA ; Latin American Working Group (LAWG)
  • “LUHPLA, Literature on Urban Health Policy in Latin America” by Nicholas Ebert and Camila do Amaral
    • Partner Organization: The Economic Commission for Latin America CEPAL, Santiago de Chile, Chile
  • “Do Immigrants Cause Crime? The Effect of Immigration Size on Crime and Perceptions of Victimization in Chile” by Patrick Kim and Christopher Valdes
  • “Peace and Post-Conflict in Colombia: Politics and Elections in the Immediate Aftermath of War” by Diego Suarez Salazar and Cameron Trimpey-Warhaftig
    • Partner Organization: Centro de Investigación y Educación Popular (CINEP), Bogotá, Colombia
  • “Downsizing and Upgrading: An Effective Path to Modernization for Argentina’s Armed Forces” by Sarah White
    • Partner Organization: Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars’ Argentina Project