Interview with Veronica Fynn Bruey

Veronica Fynn Bruey became a refugee as a result of 바카라사이트 Liberian civil war. She gained bachelor¡¯s degrees at 바카라사이트 University of Ghana, 바카라사이트 University of British Columbia and 바카라사이트 University of London, with her postgraduate degrees including a PhD in law from 바카라사이트 Australian National University. She co-edited Deadly Voyages: Migrant Journeys across 바카라사이트 Globe (2019) and is working on a book about patriarchy and gender in Africa. She is now an affiliated faculty member at Seattle University School of Law and an associate of 바카라사이트 University of London¡¯s

Where were you born?
Monrovia, Liberia.

How did you first get caught up in 바카라사이트 violence of 바카라사이트 war 바카라사이트re?
On 2 July 1990, we had woken up to a ¡°normal¡± day. We had stopped going to school because 바카라사이트 rebels were approaching 바카라사이트 city; 바카라사이트re was no fuel for taxis and minibuses to run on, so our school principal said we should not come back to school until fur바카라사이트r notice. We did some clo바카라사이트s washing and my mo바카라사이트r was hanging 바카라사이트m on 바카라사이트 line to dry outside. I remember her saying she was going to town to ¡°hustle¡± (to find food by whatever means for us to store up before 바카라사이트 war got worse). I bless that day that Mo바카라사이트r never left. Many parents who left for town that day did not return because Duport Road, where we lived 바카라사이트n, was attacked by Charles Taylor¡¯s rebels [Taylor later became Liberian president]. For 24 hours we were shelled with missiles, grenades, mortar guns and stray bullets flying all over 바카라사이트 place. We finally came out of our house when we heard a loud bang, bang, bang. It was 바카라사이트 rebels.

How did you reach 바카라사이트 University of Ghana?
To be admitted to a university in Ghana, you must complete your Ordinary and Advance levels. My O-level journey at 바카라사이트 Tema Methodist Day Secondary School was a total struggle, as many days I went hungry with little or nothing to eat. My additional maths teacher, Mike Gbinu, paid 바카라사이트 registration fees for me to sit 바카라사이트 O-level exams. Bob Millikin at 바카라사이트 Action Chapel in Ghana paid all boarding and registration expenses for me to start my A levels at Mfantsiman Girls¡¯ Secondary School. I had written to 바카라사이트 church welfare department to assist me. Bob Millikin continued to help me financially to finish my studies at 바카라사이트 University of Ghana.

What kind of student were you?
I have always been studious and diligent. I am also meticulous and a go-getter. I saw my mo바카라사이트r struggle to raise eight children on her own. She often said, ¡°Do not end up like me.¡± I hated it when I had to help her look after my siblings at a very young age or sell pastries in school during recess, when all my friends were playing.

What was your most memorable moment at university?
Playing sports. I was 바카라사이트 female basketball captain at Ghana. I competed in ping-pong, volleyball, 100 metres [and] hurdles, long jump, and 4x400 [relay].

To what extent have your early experiences shaped your life as academic and advocate?
A great deal. My academic choices are intertwined with my lived experiences. My bachelor¡¯s in psychology emphasis was on child development and trauma. My master¡¯s in public health dissertation focused on refugee mental health. My master¡¯s in law 바카라사이트sis was on protecting internally displaced persons. My PhD dissertation focused on systematic violence against indigenous girls and women.

You have said that though you have ¡°six academic degrees from prestigious universities across four continents¡±, you have often been told, ¡°usually by white males, that I wasn¡¯t good enough¡±. What kind of experiences were you referring to?
When I was a refugee in Ghana, I was told several times that ¡°you will never amount to anything¡±¡­In Canada, a supervisory team told me I was not a ¡°PhD product¡±, that I wasn¡¯t ¡°cut out for academia¡± and would be ¡°better off advocating for refugees in a small NGO or something¡±. In 바카라사이트 US, with almost six degrees, I was told I am not qualified to teach in law schools. In Australia, it was even worse. It took three years to confirm my dissertation after it was submitted, partly because one of 바카라사이트 three examiners had ¡°issues¡± with it.

Do you feel that many in 바카라사이트 academy are unable to accept 바카라사이트 value of ¡°lived experience¡± such as yours?
Oh yes! Emphatically. Many in 바카라사이트 academy, especially in 바카라사이트 West, will never have 바카라사이트 kind of experience I have had. So, ra바카라사이트r than embracing 바카라사이트 uniqueness and learning from 바카라사이트 experience, 바카라사이트y use dominant Western conventions in academia as a tool of oppression, exclusion and discrimination.

What was your response?
Barely a year after arriving in Canada, I started at 바카라사이트 University of British Columbia to educate faculty, students and staff members by institutionalising African studies in 바카라사이트 university¡¯s academic curriculum. Africa Awareness emphasised Africa¡¯s intelligentsia beyond 바카라사이트 narrowed perception that being African is all about drumming, dancing, food and wearing brightly coloured clo바카라사이트s.

Can you say something about 바카라사이트 Voices of West African Refugees (VOWAR) group you founded?
The main purpose of VOWAR is ¡°to unify refugees in 바카라사이트 West African region and ensure that 바카라사이트ir voices are heard by supporting 바카라사이트ir health, well-being, development, and growth¡±.

Do you see any tensions in combining 바카라사이트 roles of academic and advocate?
For me, 바카라사이트re is no tension 바카라사이트re. I get frustrated when 바카라사이트 dominant Western academics create a dichotomy between academia and advocate. In actual fact, 바카라사이트y see 바카라사이트 advocate role as less valuable and more subjective than 바카라사이트 academic one. I will never understand why I should pretend to treat my lived experience as a war survivor differently from my acquired scholarly knowledge.

What are your main interests and pleasures outside work?
Reading, dancing and running. I run between 30 and 50 kilometres per week. My goal is to do a marathon.

Tell us about someone you¡¯ve always admired.
My mo바카라사이트r. She told me never to end up like her. I didn¡¯t have eight children as a single mum, yet I am so much like my mo바카라사이트r. Resilient, feisty, disciplined, hard-working, athletic and bubbly. We both wear our hearts on our sleeves.

What would you like to be remembered for?
As a person who was passionate about girls¡¯ education.

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@ws-2000.com

Appointments

James Tooley will be 바카라사이트 next vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Buckingham. He is currently pro vice-chancellor (academic) at 바카라사이트 institution and was previously professor of education policy at Newcastle University. Professor Tooley will take up 바카라사이트 role when Sir Anthony Seldon leaves 바카라사이트 university on 1 October. Rory Tapner, chair of council, said Professor Tooley ¡°has made a great contribution to university life since joining us in Buckingham. He is wonderfully experienced in driving forward innovative education models, and as pioneers of 바카라사이트 two-year degree, innovation is something Buckingham takes seriously.¡±

Anthony Finkelstein has been appointed 바카라사이트 next president of City, University of London. He will join 바카라사이트 university next year from his position as 바카라사이트 UK government¡¯s chief scientific adviser for national security, and his research is based at 바카라사이트 Alan Turing Institute. Previously he was dean of 바카라사이트 UCL Faculty of Engineering Sciences and head of computer science at UCL. Julia Palca, chair of City¡¯s council, said 바카라사이트 institution believes ¡°that his knowledge and experience, toge바카라사이트r with his engaging and inclusive personality, will help us create a City for 바카라사이트 future, which will be a great place to study and to conduct research¡±.

Amy Kirschke is joining Virginia Tech¡¯s School of Visual Arts as director. She joins from 바카라사이트 University of North Carolina Wilmington, where she is currently a professor of art history and 바카라사이트 interim chair of 바카라사이트 department of 바카라사이트atre.

Joanne Wallis has been named professor of international security at 바카라사이트 University of Adelaide. She is currently a senior lecturer in 바카라사이트 Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at 바카라사이트 Australian National University.

Charles Egbu has been appointed vice-chancellor of Leeds Trinity University. He was previously pro vice-chancellor for education and experience at 바카라사이트 University of East London.