Kimberly Abarca

My name is Kimberly Abarca and I am from Los Angeles, CA. My parents immigrated from El Salvador to the U.S due to the effects of the civil war. It is due to my parents’ stories that as a Edward Bouchet Fellow I have been researching U.S foreign policy in El Salvador during the Salvadoran civil war and the era of the Cold War. I am particularly interested in understanding the role human rights and counterinsurgency tactics play in shaping U.S foreign policy. Generally, I am intellectually and personally interested in foreign policy in Latin America and the Middle East during times of heightened conflict and the relationship it has to the commitment of human rights.

Areas of research and geographical interest:

U.S foreign policy in Latin America and the Middle East; Human Rights; Democracy; Counterinsurgency