Congratulations to Zoha Siddiqui, alumna of Queen’s University Belfast and a former student on the Conflict Transformation and Social Justice MA programme, who is the winner of the British Council/BISA 2025 New Voices in Cultural Relations prize.

The British Council, in partnership with the British International Studies Association (BISA), launched the New Voices in Cultural Relations prize in 2024 – a competition aimed at recognising exceptional Master’s dissertations that contribute new scholarly insights or propose innovative policy directions in the field of international relations.  The prize recognises and promotes the achievements of students on Master’s programmes in international relations in the UK. 

Supervised by Dr Hannah Partis-Jennings (Lecturer, School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics, Queen’s University Belfast), Zoha's prize-winning dissertation, is titled: 'Motherhood-based advocacy for transitional justice in Northern Ireland'.

The dissertation focuses on the factors that resulted in a lack of sustained advocacy around experiences of motherhood during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, despite the presence of maternal harm.  It posits maternal harm as a distinct, sometimes intentional form of gender-based violence based on the loss of a child, with particular consequences. 

On receiving the prize Zoha Siddiqui said:

"I am honoured to receive the New Voices in Cultural Relations Prize, and to share my research…this work was born out of personal experience witnessing the importance of motherhood-based advocacy for justice in Argentina, Guatemala, and Northern Ireland.  I hope this work and its recognition highlights the importance and nuances of women's role in transitional justice."

Read more here.

Read Zoha’s prize winning dissertation here. 

 

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