When COVID-19 shifted the lives of University of California students to an online environment in March, students enrolled in Critical Investigations into Humanitarianism in Africa already had plans to be there. The online course, developed and led by UCI political science professor Cecelia Lynch and funded by an Innovative Learning Technology Initiative grant from the UC Office of the President, launched in spring. The curriculum draws from Lynch’s decade-long project of the same name which has expanded engagements and ongoing dialogues with research institutes in Africa on topics including war, health, gender and religion, and governance. The research – which is available publicly through the CIHA Blog - is supported by on-going grants from the Henry Luce Foundation.

Given the severe stresses brought on by the pandemic, students enrolled in CIHA were offered the option of writing about their experiences and giving their advice for actual and would-be humanitarian actors during this time. Check out their reflections online and learn more about the project.