Jessica Clark, from the 2011 School of Politics and International Relations Honours program, has received the 2012 Gender Institute Prize for best Honours thesis.  Her thesis, entitled Blue Helmets and Broken Promises:  UN Peacekeeping and Local Sex Industries was described by the Gender Institute’s Professor Margaret Jolly as “rigorous, lucid, and very, very important” work.  The thesis, supervised by Katrina Lee-Koo, explores the complex issues of power, agency, responsibility, legality and justice in the work of the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations with regards to evidence of peacekeeper involvement in local sex industries in post conflict zones.  Ms Clark was awarded a certificate and a prize of $500 in a ceremony last week.  Upon completing her Bachelor of Arts (International Relations) with Honours in SPIR, Ms Clark was offered a number of positions in Australian government public service departments.  She is currently a grad in the Department of Treasury.

Photo below of Jessica Clark and Professor Margaret Jolly