Mehnaz Hossain recently graduated magna cum laude from York University with a BA Honors in International Development Studies with specializations in Migration and Diaspora and, Politics, Governance and Policy. During her time at York, she developed an interest in the history and future of development practices and how that is being practiced currently within the context of a heavily securitized world.

Mehnaz’s interest in good governance and policy was shaped early on by her upbringing. Her dual experiences of living in both Bangladesh and Canada grounds her research interest in the nexus between capitalism, democracy and securitization. While in her undergraduate program Mehnaz studied the practice of state sanctioned land grabbing within Southeast Asia, it’s ties to multinational corporations and how government sanctioned forces are deployed in these cases. She was also involved in the student community through her work with both cultural and academic associations. In partnership with the program faculty and student association she also lobbied for student involvement with the Sustainable Development Goals.

While at the Balsillie School, Mehnaz hopes to develop her understanding and focus her research on the effects of securitization and policies on marginalized communities within an emerging surveillance capitalist society.