BIOGRAPHIES OF THE 2005 FELLOWS
Clare Martin, Daniels/Younge Fellow, 2005

By the end of my summer in Washington D.C., I will have graduated with a B.S. degree in political science from the University of Iowa in Iowa City. Though my university has not yet brought together a Middle-Eastern studies program, I have made an attempt to piece together an education that has included not just political, but cultural and religious aspects as well. Through this, my academic interests have quickly spilled over into a personal and emotional commitment. This commitment demands that I dedicate what remains of my education and my future career to assisting the fight against injustice in America’s policies toward Israel-Palestine, Iraq, Iran and other nations in the Middle East.

And so I have found myself at SpiritHouse. Here I will be working on improving both public and governmental understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in particular and Muslim affairs in general. Through the SpiritHouse, I hope to strengthen my awareness of the connections between current conflicts with the Middle East and other skeletons in the closet of America’s history. I also hope to come away with a greater understanding of the world of think-tank organizations, and more specifically what practical steps are necessary for educating sources of power in foreign policy -- particularly the public.