Kelebogile / ki-le-bu-hi-le / 1. I am grateful. [Setswana]
Zvobgo / zhrob-go / 1. That which has always been. [Shona]
she/her
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I am the Provost's Distinguished Associate Professor of Government at William & Mary, a faculty affiliate at the Global Research Institute, and the founder and director of the International Justice Lab. I am also a Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution and a Stephen M. Kellen Term Member at the Council on Foreign Relations. I earned my Ph.D. in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Southern California and received the USC Ph.D. Achievement Award.
My research engages questions in human rights, transitional justice, and international law and courts, and is published or forthcoming in a number of peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Politics, International Studies Quarterly, and the Journal of Human Rights. My first book, Governing Truth: NGOs and the Politics of Transitional Justice, is forthcoming with Oxford University Press. It is based on my Ph.D. dissertation, which won Best Dissertation in Human Rights from both the American Political Science Association and the International Studies Association. I write regularly for policy and mainstream outlets like Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, and The Washington Post. I also write for the Brookings Institution. I have appeared on ABC News, CNN, NPR, and PRX, among others.
Much of my past and ongoing work concerns quasi-judicial and judicial bodies that have proliferated around the globe over the past half-century to address serious humanitarian, human rights, and criminal law violations by state and non-state actors. My research in this vein has centered on domestic truth commissions and international criminal tribunals, especially the International Criminal Court. My work has been generously supported through a number of grants and fellowships, including from the National Science Foundation (Graduate Research Fellowship), USC (Provost Fellowship in the Social Sciences), and W&M (GRI Pre-doctoral Fellowship).
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I am a dedicated teacher and mentor and a committed advocate for the fundamental human rights and dignity of all people. In 2022, I received the Craig L. Brians Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research and Mentorship from the American Political Science Association and the Emerging Human Rights Leader Award from the United Nations Association, National Capital Area.
I earned my B.A. in International Relations and French Language & Literature from Pomona College and received the Cordell Hull Prize in International Relations. In 2024, I received the Inspirational Young Alumni Award, which is awarded to a graduate from the last decade "in recognition of their dedication, perseverance, and consistency in following the inscription on the College Gates: 'They only are loyal to this college who departing bear their added riches in trust for mankind.'"
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Outside my work, I am an avid traveler, hiker, kickboxer, and dancer. My lightbulb moments tend to happen when I'm in motion.