Kimberlee Nesbitt
PhD candidate
Kimberlee C. Nesbitt is a current PhD candidate in Political Science at ÐÓ°ÉÔ´´ University, focusing on the intersection of global care ethics, reproductive care, and international relations. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Law and Legal Studies (ÐÓ°ÉÔ´´ University, ‘19) and a Master of Arts in Political Science (ÐÓ°ÉÔ´´ University, ’21). Kim’s master’s research explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on reproductive care access throughout the United States, highlighting its compounding effects on women of colour in the post-Roe era.
Her current doctoral research examines the ethical implications of securitizing reproductive care in the United Nations’ Women, Peace and Security Agenda and the significance of reproductive care during war, conflict, and crisis. Informed and inspired by the work of Dr. Fiona Robinson on global care ethics as a critical theory of international relations, Kim’s work creates a dialogue between the fields of International Relations, security studies, and gender and diversity. She currently works under the supervision of her mentor, Dr. Brian C. Schmidt.
Prior to pursuing her doctorate, Kim’s undergraduate years were spent working in the criminal defense and rehabilitation system. She was a key figure in the development of gender-specific restorative justice programming for incarcerated women and youth, which has been subsequently implemented in several women’s penitentiaries across Canada. She has also volunteered as an environmental lobbyist that focused on climate change, sustainability, and environmental rights.
She currently holds positions as both a graduate teaching assistant and research assistant, working under her supervisor on research projects related to IR theory, the causes of war, and foreign policy. She is the recipient of the Dr. Kenneth McRae Scholarship and the Carl Jacobsen Peace Price. She has also been featured as a special guest on the ÐÓ°ÉÔ´´ University Political Science Podcast: