Ryan Beatty
Title of Program: Narrative and Comparative Border Studies
E-mail Address: rabeatty@vols.utk.edu
Hometown: Franklin, TN
Year: Sophomore
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2024
Description of Program: My program blends concepts and theories from Political Science, Policy, Geography, and Anthropology to further my understanding of borders, how they work as well as their concrete influences on people. Journalism and Electronic Media provide me with the skills to create a documentary on migrants who have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in Tennessee. Through various Geography and Anthropology classes, I engage more with ideas of how borders are created and perpetuated across the world, creating the comparative aspect of my program so I can comprehend the complexities of borders around the world. Studying comparative borders helps me identify what is so unique about some borders across the world.
Departmental Emphases: Political Science, Public Policy, Geography, Anthropology, and Journalism and Electronic Media
Faculty Mentor(s): Dr. Jana Morgan in the Political Science department
Plans After Graduation (career, graduate/professional school, etc.): I plan to attend graduate school for Political Science or Public Policy in the American Southwest, where I will expand my knowledge and research of borders. I want to pursue both a Master’s and a PhD to be able to best understand borders, policy, and migration, and either stay in academia to teach and research, or work in nonprofits with migrant communities.
Other Academic Interests: Philosophy, Environmental Science and Sustainability
Prior Enrollment at Other Colleges or Universities: N/A
Study Abroad: I will study abroad with the Haslam Scholars Program in Ireland in the 2023 January mini-term.
Research Experiences or Internships: I am currently a Research Assistant for Dr. Morgan’s project Race, Pandemic, and Democracy, a qualitative survey experiment on racial inequality during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Part-time Employment; Hobbies; Campus Clubs/Activities: On campus, I am a member of Model United Nations, where I help plan and staff the yearly conference we host for high schools to prepare them for the format and competition of collegiate Model UN. I am an executive member of Students for Migrant Justice, a group committed to justice and humane treatment for migrants to the United States. We invite local immigration lawyers and non-profits to speak on campus and plan action against unjust immigration policies, like 287(g). I am also an active member of the Epsilon Lambda chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma.
Any Other Information to Add? I have a one and a half year old mutt named Moxie who loves drive-thrus, hikes, and gazing out of windows.
