We are delighted to announce the inauguration of the annual Dominique Jacquin-Berdal PhD Prize for Best Thesis, in honour of our colleague from the LSE Department of International Relations, Dominique Jacquin-Berdal, who passed away suddenly in 2006 aged 39. This prize celebrates her contributions to the field and her inspiring influence on the department, as well as the achievements of our research students.

We are proud to announce the first recipient of the award is Dr Irene Morlino, for her outstanding thesis entitled Assessing the effectiveness of EU humanitarian aid. The cases of Myanmar, Lebanon, Mozambique.

Irene commented:

“I am deeply honoured to receive this prize, named after such a brilliant academic. Her studies and life are an inspiration. Her research was innovative and driven by significant and practical purposes. I have been reading about her imaginative teaching and how supportive she was towards her students. I am grateful to my mentors and to the IR department for always believing in my project and providing the support needed to continue my endeavours.”

Remembering Dr Dominique Jacquin-Berdal

Dr Dominique Jacquin-Berdal was a doctoral student and, subsequently, a colleague in the Department of International Relations who played an important part in shaping the study of the International Relations of Africa at LSE. A wonderful teacher and a committed researcher, Dominique’s expertise on the Horn of Africa helped inspire research and MSc students to take a critical view of the region and its deep politics within the broader domain of international relations.

The annual Dominique Jacquin-Berdal PhD Prize will continue to honour her memory and encourage future scholars to follow in her footsteps, contributing to the field of International Relations with the same passion and dedication that Dominique exemplified.

Our International Relations Department colleagues recall their memories of Dominique:

“Dominique Jacquin-Berdal’s office was just two doors down from mine. She lit up our corridor with her friendliness, elegance, and memorable laugh. She was generous in supporting colleagues and students, contributing significantly to the department’s research culture, and making it a pleasant place to work. The void she left as a colleague and friend is immense – and strongly felt today. Intellectually, we lost a valuable scholar who brought the study of nationalism and IR together. In her absence, we miss her critical perspective on the global rise of nationalism and its impact on international relations.”

“Dominique was a devoted and loving wife and mother, a supportive colleague, an excellent teacher, and a thoughtful friend. Her premature death was a great tragedy.”

“Others of her friends will, I’m sure, write of Dominique’s outgoing personality, her charm and thoughtfulness – but as her Head of Department as well as her friend, I’ll say a few words about her as a colleague and a scholar. She was exactly what any Head of Department would want, someone who always put her students first and was dedicated to the department. Nearly 20 years on from her death, we remember and mourn her not only as a person but also as a scholar who contributed immensely to the study of nationalism and Africa.”

“Dominique was a brilliant colleague, totally committed to the LSE and the IR Department. She was a dedicated teacher and a scholar whose work was marked by thoroughness and fairness. Her early death was a great loss to the academic community, her family, and her friends. But her example endures, as do memories of her infectious laughter and passion for learning.”

“Dominique Jacquin-Berdal’s work was an exemplar of the IR department’s tradition of grounded theory. She was a meticulous researcher and an inspired academic writer. The PhD prize will keep Dominique’s memory alive and encourage others to learn from her scholarship.”

Read more about Dominique Jacquin-Berdal’s life and work

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